What I’m Watching: Supergirl

Supergirl: Season 1, Episode 11 “Strange Visitor from Another Planet” (B)

I wasn’t in love with this episode, but what I did like is that it featured Hank, or J’onn J’onzz, more accurately, in a big and heroic way. I was immediately happy with David Harewood playing a less buttoned-up character than he portrayed on the first two seasons of “Homeland,” but it’s good to see the Martian Manhunter opening up even more. His story and that of the White Martians conquering the Green Martians felt very much like an alien version of slavery or the Holocaust, which was unsettling since the type of world extermination and all that usually featured on this show and others like it feels removed and less realistic, which I think is a welcome thing since this is not supposed to be dark, depressing television. Yet, ultimately it all ended on a redeeming note, with Senator Crane going back on her militant anti-alien stance and considering the positive aspects of working with extraterrestrial entities for the greater good. Kara was busy multitasking throughout the episode, working to repair the damage she did by finishing and mailing one of Cat’s unsent letters to her son, who has quite an axe to grind with the socially-challenged egotist. Things seem to be going relatively well at this point, though I suspect that Adam’s infatuation with Kara, which Cat seems to be encouraging, won’t end well since getting close will only strain her already awkward working relationship. I doubt it will help patch things up with Winn either, and Lucy’s new role in the office doesn’t make the love quintangle any easier.