Supergirl (TV series)
Supergirl is an American superhero television series developed by Ali Adler, Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg that aired on CBS and later The CW that ran from October 26, 2015, to November 9, 2021. It is based on the DC Comics character Supergirl, created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino with Melissa Benoist in the title role. Supergirl is a costumed superheroine who is Superman's cousin and one of the last surviving Kryptonians from the planet Krypton. Starting with its third season, the show was retroactively established to be set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with  the other television series of the franchise. The series was officially picked up on May 6, 2015, after receiving a series commitment in September 2014 and received a full season order on November 30, 2015. Since the second season, the series aired on The CW. The show has received generally positive reviews from critics, who have praised the creative direction, the performances, and the themes addressed. In January 2020, The CW renewed the series for a sixth season, which premiered on March 30, 2021, and served as the series' final season. The series ended with a two-part finale, with  both parts being broadcast on the same night, November 9, 2021. A spin-off titled "Superman & Lois" premiered in February 2021. Series overview. Kara Zor-El was sent to Earth from Krypton as a thirteen year old by her parents Zor-El and Alura. Kara was meant to protect her infant cousin, Kal-El, but her spacecraft was knocked off course and sent into the Phantom Zone, where it stayed for 24 years. By the time the spacecraft crash landed on Earth, Kal-El had grown up and become Superman. The series begins twelve years later when Kara is learning  to embrace her own superhuman powers as a Kryptonian and has adopted the superheroine alias "Supergirl". In the first season, Kara is forced to reveal her powers, and becomes National City's protector. In the process, she discovers that hundreds of the criminals her mother imprisoned are hiding on Earth, including her aunt Astra and Astra's husband Non. Kara works with her adoptive sister Alex Danvers to fight these criminals, alongside the Green Martian J'onn J'onzz, her cousin's friend James Olsen, and tech genius Winn Schott. In the second season, Kara and her allies deal with feuds between  Earth's native populace and extraterrestrial community, and investigate the shadowy organization Project Cadmus, masterminded by Lillian Luthor, mother of Lex Luthor. Meanwhile, Kara befriends Lillian's adoptive daughter, Lena Luthor, the new CEO of LuthorCorp, and struggles with romantic feelings for recent Earth arrival Mon-El, a princely survivor from Krypton's neighboring planet Daxam, whose parents wish to reclaim him. James becomes the masked vigilante Guardian; Alex begins dating Maggie Sawyer; and J'onn befriends a younger Martian, M'gann, from the White Martian race that killed his people. In the third season, Kara struggles with the loss of Mon -El after he is forced to leave Earth. When Mon-El returns, he reveals that he has time-traveled to the 31st century and founded the Legion, as well as married Imra Ardeen. J'onn discovers his father M'yrnn J'onzz is alive and Alex deals with her heartbreak after breaking up with Maggie. Kara and Alex's new friend, Samantha Arias, discovers she is also a Kryptonian survivor, and begins a transformation from a loving single mother into the world-killing weapon known as Reign. In the fourth season, Kara deals with a new wave of anti-extraterrestrial prejudice secretly instigated  by Lex Luthor from prison, forcing her to fight for the civil and political rights of aliens. Ben Lockwood, a former college professor who suffered a series of personal tragedies at the hands of extraterrestrials, forms a human-first group called the Children of Liberty to end all aliens. Meanwhile, in the nation of Kasnia, a clone of Kara dubbed "" is trained by its military to fight Supergirl at Lex's request. Kara and Alex clash with the DEO's new addition, Col. Lauren Haley, who was sent to monitor the DEO's progress under Alex's direction. Col. Haley  and the President try to force Supergirl to reveal her identity, and causing the feud to escalate when she refuses. In the fifth season, CatCo. gets a new editor-in-chief in the form of Andrea Rojas. Kara and her friends find themselves facing a new threat known as Leviathan. Following a multiverse-destroying Crisis, Kara adjusts to her new life on the newly created "Earth-Prime", while being forced to work under Lex as Leviathan continues their covert operations under Gamemnae. In the sixth season, Lex attempts to finish what the Anti-Monitor started after the latter failed in  conquering the multiverse. He successfully imprisons Kara in the Phantom Zone as her friends figure out a way to bring her back out. Kara discovers her father in the Phantom Zone. After their rescue, Supergirl's group must contend with the 5th Dimension Imp Nyxlygsptlnz who also escaped the Phantom Zone and is seeking the different Totems to get revenge on her father King Brpxz. Lex Luthor soon gets involved with Nyxlygsptlnz. Production. Development. By September 2014, Warner Bros. Television was looking to create a television series centered around Supergirl. Executive producers for the series include Greg Berlanti (also a  creator/producer for "Arrow" and "The Flash"), Ali Adler, who are both writing the script, and Berlanti Productions' Sarah Schechter. DC Comics' Geoff Johns is also expected to be part of the project. Titles under consideration for the series included "Super" and "Girl". Berlanti confirmed the show shortly after, and stated it was in development and had yet to be pitched to networks. Berlanti's take on the character was based on the actress Ginger Rogers, who he felt "had to do everything Fred Astaire did but backward and in heels"; this comparison "really resonated" with executive producer Sarah Schechter . On September 20, it was announced that CBS had landed "Supergirl" with a series commitment, with an expected premiere in 2015 of the 2015–16 television season. In January 2015, CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler revealed the show would be a procedural, saying, "There will be [crime] cases, but what [executive producers] Ali Adler and Greg Berlanti pitched was a real series arc for her. The beauty of it is now with shows like "The Good Wife" and "Madam Secretary", you can have serialized story elements woven into a case of the week. She's a crime solver, so she's  going to have to solve a crime." In January 2015, it was announced by "The Hollywood Reporter" that Melissa Benoist would star as Supergirl. Benoist later revealed that auditioning for the part "was a long, drawn-out, three-month process"; she was the first actress looked at for the role, although Claire Holt and Gemma Atkinson were also considered. In March 2015, Blake Neely, composer for "Arrow" and "The Flash", revealed he would be composing for "Supergirl". The show was officially picked up to series on May 6, 2015. It was originally set to premiere in November 2015, before being  moved up to October 26, 2015. The pilot episode was screened at San Diego Comic-Con International 2015 on July 8 and 11, 2015. In July 2015, Adler spoke on how much influence Superman would have on the show, saying, "Our prototype is the way the president is seen on "Veep". It's certainly [inspired by] so much of what Julia Louis-Dreyfus' character goes through. Ultimately, this is a show about Supergirl and we really want to see it through her lens." On November 30, 2015, CBS ordered an additional seven episodes of "Supergirl", for a full season of  20 episodes. On May 12, 2016, Warner Bros. Television announced that the series had been renewed for a second season of 22 episodes and would move to The CW. The season debuted in October 2016. With the move of the production to Vancouver, it was unclear if Calista Flockhart would remain with the series, as her original contract stipulated that she work near her home in Los Angeles. The CW president Mark Pedowitz said Flockhart wanted to remain with the series and that "We're in ongoing discussions... we're happy to have her in [in whatever capacity] works out ." Flockhart ultimately reached a deal to be recurring in the second season, with the production flying her to Vancouver every few weeks to film material. On January 8, 2017, The CW renewed the series for a third season, which debuted on October 9, 2017. The third season saw Jessica Queller and Robert Rovner become the series' executive producers and co-showrunners along with Kreisberg until his firing, following Adler's departure; Adler will remain an executive consultant for the series. Both Queller and Rovner joined "Supergirl" midway through the first season as co-executive producer and consulting producer, respectively, with  Rovner promoted to executive producer ahead of the second season. On April 2, 2018, The CW renewed the series for a fourth season, which premiered on October 14, 2018. On January 31, 2019, The CW renewed the series for a fifth season. The fifth season premiered on October 6, 2019. On January 7, 2020, the CW renewed the series for a sixth season, which premiered on March 30, 2021. On September 22, 2020, it was announced that the series would conclude after its sixth season. Design. The costume for Supergirl was created by Colleen Atwood, who also designed the costumes  for "Arrow" and "The Flash". Benoist stated that she is aware of the costume worn by Kara in more modern depictions of the comics, and expressed that the "micro-mini hemline" of the skirt in the version created by Michael Turner could be "a little daunting ... but that's good. I like being pushed." Promotional photos of Benoist wearing Atwood's design were released on March 6, 2015. Atwood indicated that she wanted to "embrace the past ... but more importantly, thrust her into the street-style action hero of today." Atwood later revealed details about the costume such as the  cape being fastened to an undersuit so as not to pull the costume and that the fabric used was Eurojersey. The reveal of the Martian Manhunter costume in "Human For a Day" was created through visual effects, though a physical version was created to appear in later episodes, with it proving to be one of the most challenging costumes for the costume team. Reception of the Supergirl costume upon its reveal was mixed. "Entertainment Weekly" Natalie Abrams commented that the new look of the costume looks and feels different in a good way. The new costume avoids exposing the character 's midriff, as it does in the Michael Turner version of the costume from the comics, as well as having Benoist wear tights underneath the skirt with over-the-knee boots. Abrams compared the texture of the costume to that worn by Henry Cavill as Superman in "Man of Steel", as well as the positioning of the cape on the suit, and the decision to do away with the bright blue and red color scheme. Andrew Dyce, from Screen Rant, found the new costume to perfectly balance itself between classic nostalgia and modernism. "The Washington Post" noted that Atwood's  design was successful, praising her ability to take "cartoon-y tints" and moving them to darker tones. "E! Online" was less impressed with the design, negatively comparing it to a "cheap Halloween costume", with washed out colors, and not buying into the "gritty, 'street style'" look Atwood was intending. "TV Guide" questioned Atwood's design, and noted that although the promotional image has Benoist trying to appear as a powerful hero, the thigh-high boots and pleated skirt comes across as a "model advertising a moderately-priced Halloween costume". The suit was redesigned in season five to include pants rather  than the traditional skirt. Filming. In February 2015, it was announced that Andrew Kreisberg, co-creator of "Arrow" and "The Flash", had joined the series as a writer and executive producer; and "Arrow" / "The Flash" and "Smallville" alum Glen Winter was announced to be directing the pilot. Principal photography for the pilot took place from March 4 to March 29, 2015. Filming locations included the Warner Bros. lot, where "Lois & Clark" was shot. Each episode cost approximately $3 million to broadcast, which is one of the highest license fees ever for a first-year show. The second season was  filmed in Vancouver, rather than Los Angeles where the first season was shot. This was done to reduce the high production costs of the series, one of the issues that made CBS wary to renew the series on their network. Filming for the third season began in Vancouver on July 6, 2017, and ended on April 28, 2018. On March 12, 2020, Warner Bros. Television shut down production on the series due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Season six was scheduled to begin filming on September 28, 2020 and conclude on April 5, 2021, but has been temporarily postponed because of  delays in receiving COVID-19 test results for the cast and crew. Broadcast. In Canada, "Supergirl" aired in a sim-subbed simulcast on Global with the American broadcast in the first season; the second season saw it move to Showcase in the same arrangement. The series premiered on October 29, 2015, in the United Kingdom on Sky One. The series premiered in Australia on December 6, 2015, on FOX8. Reception. Critical response. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gave the first season a 92% approval rating from critics with an average rating of 7.53/10, based on 72 reviews. The site's consensus  states: "Melissa Benoist shines as Superman's plucky little cousin in "Supergirl", a family-friendly comic-book adaptation that ditches cynicism for heart." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, reported "generally favorable reviews" with an assigned score of 75 out of 100, based on reviews from 38 critics. Cliff Wheatley of IGN gave the pilot episode a 7/10, praising Melissa Benoist's performance as Kara and the fun take on the Superman mythos. Rotten Tomatoes gave the second season a 92% approval rating from critics with an average rating of 7.88/10, based on 20 reviews. The site's consensus reads , "The arrival of the more famous cousin in "Supergirl" does nothing to detract from the show's lead, who continues to deliver strength, action, and relatability." Metacritic reported "universal acclaim" with an assigned score of 81 out of 100, based on reviews from 4 critics. The third season holds an 78% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The critical consensus states: "Heavier themes lead to higher stakes, but "Supergirl" gives its eponymous heroine and her fellow supers plenty of room for growth, creating a well-balanced, engaging third season." The fourth  season reports an 87% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.27/10 based on 7 reviews. The website's critic consensus reads: "Though it's a little tonally inconsistent, "Supergirl"'s fourth season still soars thanks to strong, relevant writing brought to life by its charming cast." Accolades. Critics' top ten lists. 2015 critics' top ten lists 2016 critics' top ten lists Arrowverse. In November 2014, Berlanti expressed interest in "Supergirl" existing in the Arrowverse, the same universe as his other series "Arrow" and "The Flash", and in January 2015, The CW president Mark Pedowitz revealed that he was also  open to a crossover between the series and networks (due to Berlanti executive producing all three and The CW being co-owned by CBS). However, CBS Entertainment chair Nina Tassler stated that month that "those two shows are on a different network. So I think we'll keep "Supergirl" to ourselves for a while." In August 2015, Tassler revealed that while there were no plans at the time to do crossover storylines, the three series would have crossover promotions. Pedowitz regretted passing on the series when presented it in mid-2014, saying, "We hadn't launched "The Flash" yet, we were n't ready to take on another DC property. In hindsight we probably should've gone that direction...Sometimes you lose great shows." In January 2016, during the Television Critics Association press tour, he said that The CW was still interested in a crossover with "Supergirl" if the producers could find a way to do it, and Berlanti added that while no official conversations had taken place, internal ones had concerning how a crossover would work. He also noted that for a crossover to happen during "Supergirl" first season, it would have to be figured out "in the next month or  so". Glenn Geller, Tassler's successor at CBS, then stated on the matter, "I have to be really careful what I say here. Watch and wait and see what happens." On February 3, 2016, it was announced that Grant Gustin, who appears as Barry Allen / Flash on "The Flash", would appear in the eighteenth episode of the first season, "Worlds Finest". While no plot details on the episodes were released at the time, Ross A. Lincoln of "Deadline Hollywood" noted that "the in-universe reason" for the crossover was due to Barry's ability to travel to various dimensions, thus  implying that "Supergirl" exists on an alternate Earth to "Arrow" and "The Flash" in a multiverse. "The Flash" episode "Welcome to Earth-2" confirmed this, showing an image of Benoist as Supergirl during a sequence where characters travel through that multiverse. The earth that the series inhabits is Earth-38 in the Arrowverse multiverse, and has been informally referred to as "Earth-CBS" by Marc Guggenheim, one of the creators of "Arrow". During the second season, Supergirl appears in "Invasion!", a crossover episode of "The Flash", "Arrow" and "Legends of Tomorrow", when she's recruited by Barry Allen and Cisco Ramon at  the end of "Medusa" to help fight off an invasion by the Dominators. "Supergirl" and "The Flash" also featured in a musical crossover, featuring several covers of existing songs along with two original numbers. Similar to "Invasion!", the crossover begins at the end of the "Supergirl" episode "Star-Crossed" and primarily takes place during "The Flash" episode "Duet", featuring the Music Meister as the antagonist who puts both The Flash and Supergirl in a shared hallucination. After "Invasion!", Guggenheim felt "If there's an appetite for it from the fans and from the network," the crossover next year could be  a proper four-part crossover. At the 2017 Paleyfest event, Kreisberg reiterated the creative team's intention to do a full four-way crossover the following year. At San Diego Comic Con 2017, it was confirmed that another four-way crossover would take place, with Supergirl playing a larger role than the previous season. The four-way crossover event, titled "Crisis on Earth-X", took place on November 27 and 28, 2017, across "Supergirl" and "Arrow" (on the first night) and "The Flash" and "Legends of Tomorrow" (on the second night). In May 2018, "Arrow" star Stephen Amell announced at  The CW upfronts that the next Arrowverse crossover would feature Batwoman and Gotham City. The crossover, titled "Elseworlds", aired in December 2018, ahead of a potential 2019 solo series for the character. "Supergirl" was confirmed to have a participating episode in August, which closed out the three-part crossover, trading nights with "The Flash" just for the event. Therefore, the show's participating episode aired on Tuesday, December 11. The end of "Elseworlds" teased the next crossover event, "Crisis on Infinite Earths". "Supergirl"'s episode opened the five-part crossover on December 8, 2019, with the final two installments airing  on January 14, 2020. At the end of the event, the new Earth-Prime was formed, which saw Earth-38 merged with the former Earth-1 and "Black Lightning"s earth, creating a fictional universe where all of the CW series exist together. Spin-off. In October 2019, The CW and Warner Bros. Television announced development on a spin-off series titled "Superman & Lois", with Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch reprising their roles as Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane. In January 2020, "Superman & Lois" was ordered to series. The series premiered on February 23, 2021. Other media. Comic books. In July 2015 , a four-page preview comic entitled "Sister Act", written by Ali Adler, Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg was released digitally online, and then a day later in the September 2015 issue of TV Guide. Beginning in January 2016, DC Comics launched a 13-issue, bi-weekly digital comic, "Adventures of Supergirl". Written by Sterling Gates and drawn by a rotating team of artist including Bengal, Jonboy Meyers, Emanuela Lupacchino, and Emma Vieceli, the comic, while not directly tying into the show, tells stories set in the universe of the show. The digital series was collected in print as a six -issue series published twice a month from May to July 2016, and as a complete graphic novel in September of that year. Novels. In November 2017, Abrams Books began publishing a new trilogy of "Supergirl" novels, written by Jo Whittemore, aimed at middle-grade readers in tandem with a similar trilogy of "The Flash" novels. The first, "Supergirl: Age of Atlantis", was released on November 7, 2017, and features Supergirl dealing with a surge of new powered people in National City, as well as a mysterious humanoid sea creature captured by the DEO who is seemingly attracted by the new  superpowered people. A sequel, "Supergirl: Curse of the Ancients", was released on May 1, 2018, with a third novel, titled "Supergirl: Master of Illusion", released on January 8, 2019. Guidebook. A guidebook for the series, published by Abrams, was released on March 12, 2019. "Supergirl: The Secret Files of Kara Danvers: The Ultimate Guide to the Hit TV Show" features "detailed profiles on characters and super powers, a heroes and villains gallery, episode guide, and more" from the first three seasons of the series. Video games. The video game "Lego DC Super-Villains" features DLC inspired by "Supergirl" in the  DC Super Heroes: TV Series DLC Character Pack. The DLC pack includes Supergirl as a playable character. Home media. The 6th And Final Season was released on region 1 DVD March 8th 2022.