Supergir‘s pilot was our introduction to the show and it was certainly a good one. “Stronger Together” is a solid episode in it’s own right that sets up the world and characters more and gives us plenty of stuff to keep us busy for the rest of the season.
First up, Kara still has to earn the trust of her new “boss” Hank Henshaw, who wants to test the limits of her powers before sending her out into the field. Of course, Kara flies circles around him, only for her to subsequently botch a rescue mission by inadvertently causing an oil spill. There’s also another alien prisoner who seems to be working for Kara’s aunt Astra, who wants revenge on Kara’s mother for imprisoning her.
“Stronger Together” gets a lot done in an hour. There’s the introduction of a new villain, some backstory on Alex and her history with Henshaw’s agency, seeing Supergirl officially in action (set to Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” no less!), plus a climactic battle that easily trumps the pilot’s underwhelming finale. This feels like a grand episode in the scheme of the show, which is great for only the second episode.
Also cool is the show’s handling of gender roles. A superhero show with a female lead is undoubtedly going to delve into the topic of strong female roles and it could’ve very easily been handled poorly. Fortunately, this episode presents a well balanced discussion on the subject, headed up by Grant as she lectures Kara on why women are just as strong as men. A lecture laden with irony given she’s talking to, you know, Supergirl.
All jokes aside, the conversations in this episode about roles for women are good ones to have, especially in a show with a female superhero. And given that the female characters are already strong and resourceful in the first place, it’s sending a good message to young female viewers.
“Stronger Together” is a great episode that should reel in viewers for the rest of the show. Second episodes are very important, as they truly establish the tone for what will follow. With that in mind, Supergirl is in very good hands.
Season 1 encores of Supergirl airs Mondays at 8pm on The CW.