This series will be a brief, semi-comedic review of the CW superhero shows. You can check out last week’s review post here, or see the tally of winners below. The only shows discussed will be ‘Arrow’, ‘Flash’, and ‘Supergirl’. There WILL be some spoilers discussed, so only look at the reviews you’re up to date on!
Supergirl, “Welcome to Earth” (Oct. 24)
This week’s episode of Supergirl relies WAY too heavily on tropes. The alien/immigrant parallels are way too transparent & familiar to be impactful. Snapper Carr is despised by Cara and James for being good at his job. His anger makes sense, seeing as he’s getting talked down to by a newbie & a photographer. Maggie’s clearly a new love interest for Alex, but the street-smart cop routine feels basic. Likewise, Daxam Boy is a clear bad boy trope. The villain (who I’m calling Lava Girl) was also very bland. Why did she take Maggie as a hostage? The reveal of Miss Martian was a cool cliffhanger, to be sure. And Lynda Carter killed it as a brief authoritative cameo. Otherwise, it felt like a basic placeholder episode, with little to no intrigue.
SCORE: 6/10 Appletinis
The Flash, “The New Rouges” (Oct. 25)
CW lets The Flash take a break from the time-travel nonsense. Mirror Master feels a tad clunky, but he’s a new type of villain that feels welcome. Barry’s got a Speedy that’s actually Speedy, which is amusing. CW has a sidekick over-saturation problem, so thankfully she’s not hanging around. Along with her relationship with Wally, I’m glad she’s more of a cameo then a mainstay. Iris is shocked Joe is disgusted by his kids making out, which is confounding. Perhaps Joe’s budding relationship with the Commissioner will settle him down. The search for a new Harrison feels like a silly way to keep Tom Cavanagh in the mix. Especially considering we’ve now had a Harry swap every season. I’m sure some will appreciate the lighter tone, however, as that is the show’s trademark. And as far as staying on brand goes, this episode stays on target.
SCORE: 6.5/10 Harrisons
Arrow, “Penance” (Oct 26)
This episode of Arrow is rather bland. The majority of the episode is spent with characters telling Oliver how he shouldn’t break Diggle out. The rationale that he wants to pay for a crime he didn’t commit is supposedly enough to turn everyone against Oliver? And when Oliver does show up, it takes maybe a minute to change Diggle’s mind? It makes the whole conflict feel pointless. Additionally, we’re saddled with more Oliver/Rene conflict, and Green Arrow beating the recruits up. The new DA seems like prime misguided villain material. My favorite part of the episode was where I finally figured out New Canary’s going by Artemis. On top of Supergirl’s Miss Martian reveal, the episode gave me fun Young Justice nostalgia.
SCORE: 6/10 Rubber Balls
WEEKLY WIN TALLY:
Supergirl: 1.5 Weeks
The Flash: 1 Week
Arrow: 0.5 Weeks
What show did you think won the week? Does Legends of Tomorrow take your vote? Do you think A.o.S. or Gotham outshines all the CW shows? Let us know in the comments below!
