Category Archives: Superman/Smallville

CW DCU Discussion: “Doomworld,” “Distant Sun,” “Abra Kadabra,” and “Disbanded”

Legends of Tomorrow, “Doomworld:” more time-travelling shenanigans from the Legends. I suspect the success of the show depends on how much the audience wants to turn off brains and simply enjoy Silver Age-style superheroics.

Supergirl, “Distant Sun:” Supergirl has problems with her bf’s parents, in an ep with bounty hunters, CW romance, and palace intrigue. Mon-El’s mom apparently wants a part on Game of Thrones.

The Flash, “Abra Kadabra:” The show tries to reach out and grab ya with a new villain who may be able to help our heroes with Savitar. Caitlyn storms.

Arrow, “Disbanded:” Ollie, having gone over an edge, decides to break up the team and work with some allies from his past. This season’s big bad, Adrian Chase, has little time to gloat as his identity is exposed.

Supergirl Discussion: “Star-Crossed”

This episode serves up a few “star-cross’d” lovers; Winn realizes his new girlfriend may be setting him up, and we may see future troubles with Alex and Maggie. The title more properly refers to Kara and Mon-El, whose herculean effort to hide his real identity finally fails when his parents arrive and want to bring him into their new adventures.

It’s a very CW episode, driven by soapy relationships. Possibly its best point may be that it sets up the next Flash crossover.

Of course, I don’t know how I feel about musical episodes….

Continue reading →

CW DCU Discussion: Supergirl, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow

“Evil me, Evil Stein, Evil Mick… I guess that would just be Regular Mick, but still….”

I think Marvel has scooped the news with those early shots of Lockjaw from the forthcoming MCU Inhumans show, but DC features some watchable episodes this week:

Supergirl, “Exodus:” this Alex-focused episode features spy thriller tropes, more Danvers Family intrigue, and a pro-immigration message.

I’m also left wondering if CatCo will be eased out of the series entirely.

The Flash, “The Wrath of Savitar:” This week puts the season’s Big Bad back in its sites. Of course, Wally conceals helpful information from his associates (these guys are worse than the Hoover-era FBI), but Wally later pays a steep price. Will he be lost forever? Then again, will Savitar be the same after having his appendage sliced off?

Legends of Tomorrow, “Land of the Lost:” We’re 70 million years in the past, but the story rips us into a Heroes fight their Evil Doppelgängers ep. There’s something charmingly old school about the way the show puts some of our heroes in the Cretaceous and some in a character’s mind, but has to eschew 90% of the possibilities those premises suggest because the show has a limited budget. Vixen does get a brief T-Rex taming scene, though.

Arrow takes the week off.

CW-DC Universe Discussion

Supergirl, “Homecoming”
Kara and Alex’s father returns– but he appears to be working for Lillian Luthor. Supergirl and Mon-El’s relationship takes a serious turn, but it appears he‘s keeping a secret his new girlfriend won’t like.

Question: What sort of contraceptives do superhumans use? I’m asking for a friend.

Arrow, “Fighting Fire with Fire”

Team Arrow encounter double problems with Helix and Vigilante.

Legends of Tomorrow takes a week off, but they’re visiting the “Land of the Lost” in the next ep. I wonder if they’ll rescue Rick, Will, and Holly?

The Flash will receive its own review this week. I’m still hoping for a purple gorilla in the crowd.1

Continue reading →

Supergirl Discussion: “Mr. & Mrs. Mxyzptlk”

Not an imaginary story! Not a dream!

Supergirl becomes…


The Bride of Mxyzptlk!

PLUS

PLUS:

Supergirl and Mon-El’s Super-date!

Why can’t Supergirl’s sister celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Winn’s groovy alien girlfriend!

The Martian love-message!

For better and worse, this belated Valentine’s episode played very much like a Silver Age Special. Pity Mxyzptlk wasn’t as whimsical as his Silver Age counterpart.

Discuss.

DC-CW Discussion: Supergirl, “Luthors,” and Arrow, “Spectre of the Gun”

DC’s TV-verse serves up only two shows this week. On Supergirl, the Maid of Might stands by Lena Luthor when she seems to join forces with Lillian and Metallo. Kara ends the show thinking her support for her friend has been vindicated; we’re less certain.

In this week’s episode of Arrow , Melkotians force our heroes to relive the gunfight at OK Corral tensions increase among allies, and we learn Mad Dog’s origin.

Next week goes full-on comic book, with the Flash engaging in warfare at Gorilla City and Supergirl mixing it up with a pest from the fifth dimension.

DC-CW Discussion: Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow

Supergirl: “The Martian Chronicles”
A ray of hope shines for fans, as this fairly well-done episodes pits Supergirl and her Martian associates against a bounty hunter from the red planet.

Legends of Tomorrow: “Turncoat”
The Legends travel to 1776 when they realize something’s wrong with Washington.

Arrow: “Bratva”
Team Arrow heads to Russia; Lance returns from rehab.

CW DCU Discussion: January 30-February 1, 2017

Supergirl: “We Can Be Heroes”
A tighter episode than last week’s sees Supergirl, Mon-El, and Guardian work together when Livewire escapes from prison. Or was she kidnapped?

The Flash: “Dead or Alive”
As Team Flash plot to change Iris’s future, Vibe battles a metahuman bounty hunter for the life of H.R.

Legends of Tomorrow: “The Legion of Doom”
The villainous alliance faces challenges from within as the heroes try to save Rip and history.

Arrow: “Second Chances”
Ollie teams up with Talia al Ghul, Felicity attempts to free Diggle, and the Team encounter the new Black Canary.

Comic Review: Superman: American Alien

The most-discussed DC comic of last year may be American Alien, written by Max Landis and illustrated by various artists.

Landis, son of a Hollywood director, posted a very funny Youtube video on the 1990s Death and Return of Superman story arc / media event, in which he suggested (among many other things) that very little new could be done with the Man of Steel.

Several screen/teleplays and a handful of comics later, he challenges that notion, at least somewhat, with this series.

Continue reading →