Welcome to the Couch Club, our recurring column devoted to all things #DCTV! This week, Joshua Lapin-Bertone looks back on Supergirl and why he’ll never forget Melissa Benoist’s Kara Danvers.
The Summer of Supergirl is approaching, and in the midst of all the excitement for Milly Alcock’s upcoming movie, I found myself wanting to revisit another version of the character. Years before Craig Gillespie’s film went into production, Melissa Benoist spent six seasons bringing Kara Zor-El to life week after week on Supergirl.
Don’t dismiss Supergirl because it was a network television show filmed on a budget. I’ve seen people write off the Arrowverse shows because they don’t have the VFX budget of DC’s movies, and while that’s true, that’s not taking into account everything else they have to offer. The acting was always superb, the stories were always engaging, and in its prime, the Arrowverse gave us new live action DC Universe adventures week after week. Plus, the casting was far better than the shows ever got credit for. On Supergirl alone we got Jon Cryer as Lex Luthor and Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant. I recently rewatched the pilot and the series finale, and it was a great reminder of why the show was so special.
One of the most important things to remember about Kara is that she was a child when Krypton exploded. Her age fluctuates depending on the version of the story, but in the Supergirl series she was 13 years old. It’s easy for Clark Kent to grieve Krypton since he was a baby when it was destroyed and he has no memory of the planet. Kara has to carry that trauma with her every day, and that makes her different from her cousin.
As I rewatched the pilot, I was struck by Kara’s reaction to Krypton’s destruction. Everyone she’s ever known is about to die and she remains composed, telling her father Zor-El, “I’m not afraid, Father.” She’s obviously going through a whirlwind of emotions, but she’s keeping herself together for the sake of her parents. When she’s reminded of her mission to protect her baby cousin, she says, “I won’t fail Kal-El or you.”
This flashback scene is critical because not only does it set up Supergirl’s backstory, but it also tells you so much about who she is as a character and what drives her. When faced with losing everything, she keeps a strong face and focuses on her mission.
Now imagine the trauma of arriving on Earth years later (thanks to some Phantom Zone shenanigans) to find out that Kal-El has grown up and doesn’t need a protector. Suddenly, Kara doesn’t have a mission.
That’s why when the pilot picks up and we meet Kara in the present day, she’s struggling to find an identity. There’s a really telling line where she states that she hasn’t flown in years. I had to stop and think about the implications of that for a while. Remember, Kara didn’t have any powers under Krypton’s red sun, so when she arrived on Earth, flying was probably a novelty. Imagine if you weren’t able to fly for the first 13 years of your life, and then one day you had the power of flight. I have to imagine it would feel like an amazing experience, even after many years.
Despite this, Kara made the conscious decision not to fly for years. My guess is this is part of how Kara is coping with her trauma. When she flies, she is reminded of the fact that she’s different, which reminds her everyone she loves is gone and that she couldn’t fulfill her father’s dying wish to raise Kal-El. It’s easier to avoid it, and the Kara we meet in the pilot is a master of avoidance.
Kara’s also shy, unsure of herself, and unable to stand up to her boss Cat Grant (played with perfection by Calista Flockhart). Once she becomes Supergirl and embraces her life as a hero, she begins healing. She becomes more assertive, her career flourishes, and she becomes an inspiration to others.
By the series finale, Kara’s view on her role has evolved. During a rousing speech, she inspires the people of Earth to stand up to Lex Luthor and Nyxly, and recontextualizes what it means to be a hero: “I've been driven by this idea that people need to be rescued. That it was my job, my mission to save them. I've believed it was my calling to be Earth's hero. It's just so clear to me now. We don't need to be heroes. We need to be partners. And we need to actively empower every single person to be the hero of their own life.”
Kara hadn’t realized it, but she had been doing this all along. If you watch the pilot, Kara is the only costumed hero. By the series finale, she has multiple superhero allies, including Dreamer, Sentinel, Martian Manhunter, Brainiac 5, Guardian and more. Kara’s example inspired them to step up to the plate and become heroes in their own right.
You can even get meta with this idea. The Supergirl series is where Tyler Hoechlin first put on the Superman suit, which eventually led to him headlining Superman & Lois. While it’s set in another universe, we never would’ve had that show without Melissa Benoist’s Supergirl. The series also introduced us to the Nia Nal version of Dreamer, played by the talented Nicole Maines. I could write an entire article on how Maines has impacted the larger DC Universe (and I have!), and Supergirl is where it all started.
If you’ve never seen Supergirl before, do yourself a favor and watch it. It’s an entertaining superhero series that feels like a breath of fresh air. I’m excited for the Milly Alcock era—so far, it’s been an absolute blast. But Melissa Benoist will always hold a special place in my heart. For six seasons, she brought a smile to my face, and that’s just super.
Watch all six seasons of Supergirl, starring Melissa Benoist, on Netflix.
Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on Bluesky at @joshualapinbertone and on X at @TBUJosh.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
