What I’m Watching: Supergirl

Supergirl: Season 1, Episode 4 “Livewire” (B)

Apparently, this episode, originally slated to air next week, was swapped in to replace an hour that has much more to do with some instance of terrorism that CBS felt would be too reminiscent of the horrendous events in France last week. What that results in is a sappy, sentimental installment weakened slightly by the emphasis on how Kara’s foster mother cartoonishly chastises her older daughter for not being good enough and taking good enough care of her sister while effervescently praising her adoptive daughter for everything she does. It took a while for that to lead to Alex’s confession about working for the DEO, and in turn for their mother to tell them that their father worked with the DEO prior to his death, and that Hank Henshaw is a hell of a lot older and more conniving than he looks. I wouldn’t trust Kara to be subtle for too long, and her “yes, sir” attitude is going to tip him off to the fact that something is afoot. It’s a shame that Kara can’t notice Winn, and that she’s instead hung up on a guy who, despite being romantically attached to another woman, hasn’t toned down the flirtation just yet. Kara did have a good opportunity to bond with another strong woman in her life, one who nearly sacrificed herself to ensure that one monster she created didn’t wreak too much destruction on the world. A vicious radio host turning into a lightning-fueled villain was a very on-the-money featured plot.