Supergirl Season 1 Episode 12 "Bizarro" Review and **SPOILERS**

Hate-Fest

Director: John Showalter
Writers: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa & Rachel Shukert

Supergirl has been shockingly good during its run. I remember how I trashed the trailer for the season, expecting it to be a cash in on the big S shield...but I've actually enjoyed the series. We had aliens and villains we know and love, the surprise side character no one expected, and great emotional moments from the whole cast. Last week, we had Supergirl team up with the Martian Manhunter to take down a White Martian that has come to take him down. It was a great episode that really showed off a human side to the Martian. However the show isn't called Martian Manhunter, and in the last minute, our Girl of Steel watched as a girl who looked just like her threw cars around on the news. That's right, this week introduces a new version of our backwards bruiser: Bizarro! Lets dive right in and see if this episode am bad...I mean good!


We open up to have national city's resident alien hating billionaire, Maxwell Lord finishing the creation of Bizarro from the comatose girl that has been laying in his basement. He then gives her the obvious order for any start for Bizarro: Kill Supergirl. Its at this point I realize the only reason why he acts the way he does on the show is because the show writers couldn't have have Lex Luthor...and I'm not okay with that. This is Maxwell Lord! The man who killed Blue Beetle and mind controlled Superman himself to fight Wonder Woman! I do believe members of the Super-Family do best when they are fighting a man who is all brains, but at least give him his own character...or shave his head.

The morning after the news gets out, and people are already asking what happened to Supergirl. That's when Cat Grant comes in, with her own coffee and one for Kara...That's when we realize that this is the "boss nice to employee dating child" cliche side story. Thankfully it lasts just this episode, but more on that later. After a meeting, where Kara suggests to Cat and her team this new Supergirl is an imposter, she asks Winn Schott and James Olsen to look up what they can on comatose girls that look like her.

We cut to a date with Kara and Cat's son Adam, and while they are kind of hitting it off, my fanboy heart will always scream Winn Schott...then my manly comic side kicks back in when Supergirl has to go save a cable car full of people...only to have Bizarro come fly in to fight her. The fight is quick, but shows newcomers who might not know of Bizarro how tough of a contender she can be.

When we see Bizarro next, she tries to understand what Supergirl is: good or bad? Maxwell, of course tries to explain its all a ruse and she shouldn't trust her. It's moments like this I think back on and make me realize that this Bizarro might be one of the best interpretations put on television. We had him as comedy relief make in the Justice League Cartoon, and as a nefarious villain in Smallville, but here...you feel bad for her. I didn't want her to keep fighting, I felt bad when her past was revealed.

When Alex learned of Bizarro's past though, she confronts Lord...and he doesn't admit that he totally didn't take 7 girls, totally didn't fail with the first 6, and totally didn't make Bizarro...so it totally doesn't count as a confession...I might not be practicing law, but that definitely sounds like one to me.

When Kara tries to make up the date with Adam, Bizarro catches up and takes her out of the city to fight her. This leads to one of the most awkward confrontations throughout the shows run. The eye beams and breath collisions were great and all...but the wire work for their fight...that was awkward....Thankfully Alex and the DEO show up with Kryptonite rounds to take her down...except they do EXACTLY what they should do and make her more powerful, and also giving her the Bizarro look we've been waiting for. She flies off while Kara scolds Alex on trying to harm an innocent woman.

The next day she breaks it off with Adam, and tells James to back off...which hopefully means the end of romantic subplots...but I doubt it. Meanwhile Lord gives Bizarro the idea of kidnapping anyone Kara loves...which ironically is James. 

While that is going on Alex, ever the hard working sister, arrests Lord AND creates blue kryptonite rounds which should weaken Bizarro. The Danvers sisters go off and finish the conflict with a really not so tense "take the shot" moment as I said, poor wire work.

However the bad wire work this time was nearly forgotten as we get a pretty sad sendoff for the Backwards Bruiser. Supergirl comforts her as the DEO puts her back under comatose until they can find a way to fix her. Its especially depressing as you see that the humanity of this poor girl is still in there...she was just chosen for a bad thing.

We end the episode with James thinking about Kara romantically, Cat affirming to her that their relationship should stay professional....and a very familiar Alan Moore plant attacking Supergirl in her home...can't wait for the girl who has everything.

Bits and Pieces

This episode at its core was watchable...but was weighed down by what I HATE about the series, and I don't mean that in the Bizarro way. I don't get WHY we need the romance crap that goes on. We now have had 3 potential love interests, just stick with one and don't make it the point of an entire side story. The action was good(with the exception of that wire work), Benoist continues to pull off an amazing Supergirl, and the tragedy of Bizarro really make this episode watchable...but comparing it to last week's episode? Impossible

+ best Bizarro interpretation
+ Benoist as usual
+ non-wire work action
- CUT THE ROMANCE ALREADY
- Maxwell Lord, the poor man's Luthor

6/10