Supergirl Myriad review S1Ep.19 – a myriad of issues
Supergirl required serious grading on a curve this week and even then it earned a failing grade. There were way too many moments that demanded viewers to ‘just go along with it’ otherwise its silly premise would come undone.
Things actually didn’t get off to a bad start with Lucy and the DEO attempting to release the Fort Razz prisoners. Given the havoc Jemm created with his mind control power, you’d think J’onn would make his HQ a mind-altering safe zone. Lucy personally freed Maxima (played by one of my all-time favorite WWE Divas Eve Torres) but Supergirl arrived to stop the breakout. Although there was a funny exchange between the two over Maxima trying to make Superman her mate, it seemed a waste of a potentially great longtime rival for Supergirl.
After stopping Maxima and knocking out Lucy, Supergirl goes to the one place immune from mind control — Catco. It was pretty laughable that Myriad would require its mind controlled victims to report in to work or does Non not believe in telecommuting?
And of course Supergirl can’t function without Cat making snippy wisecracks and namedropping celebrities so naturally she’s unaffected. But Superman is since he was raised as a human. Apparently Kara’s childhood on Earth weren’t all nearly as important as ages 1-7. Sigh. And maybe Kara should have clued Clark in to the problem instead of letting him blindly fly into a potential problem?
Lex Luthor’s understudy, Maxwell Lord, isn’t affected either. He realized Non was trying to take control of his satellites and rocked some gaudy Bluetooth inhibitor to block the Myriad transmission. And he made some far more practical and subtle blockers in the form of earrings for Cat. That’s a major stretch. So Cat immediately put the earrings on and never took them off in the night she got them? BTW, who is responsible for the National City news broadcast if everyone is under Myriad’s control?
Non arrives at Catco and after some mild posturing, threatens James, Winn and …. co-worker Karen by forcing them to drop from the top of Catco. Naturally, Supergirl saves James and Winn. Karen isn’t so lucky. Maybe if she’d been around since episode 1…
On the other side of town, Alex and J’onn make their way to the Danvers household. Not to tell Eliza that her husband is alive, but to stock up? So was EVERY 7-Eleven along the way closed? Clued in on the National City drama, J’onn and Alex decide to head back to aid Kara.
This brings up several questions. If cell phone service could get through Myriad why can’t some expert whip up a counter signal? Failing that why doesn’t Gen. Lane order a missile strike on Max’s satellite system? And what’s the point — besides the budget restrictions — of J’onn arriving as Hank since presumably that would demand more focus in addition to protecting Alex from Myriad?
Indigo arrives to casually take care of J’onn, which immediately makes Alex the latest Myriad victim. Great plan guys. DEO’s finest for sure.
Not to be outdone on the incompetence front, Max has now whipped up a superweapon that will stop Non, but likely kill thousands as well. Kara’s considering going along with the plan to prevent further destruction and needs a pep talk from Cat to remember she’s a hero and heroes typically don’t sign off on the whole mass murder solution. In a ridiculous about face for the character, Max decides to go along with Supergirl’s plan and come up with a way to not kill half of National City. Remind me again, is Non the bad guy this season or Max?
Before the plan can get put into action, Supergirl finds Non’s latest weapon — Alex in a Kryptonian suit complete with Astra-killing sword. Now that would have been handy a long time ago. This battle will unfold in next week’s season finale.
What an episode for Supergirl to lay an egg. The momentum has been horrendously derailed thanks to the silly, ever-changing Myriad logistics and Non’s nonsensical plan. And the show has done Supergirl vs. a family member too often this season for this battle to have the proper impact. It’s possible the season finale rebounds, but this was a terrible way to set the stage for what should have been a powerful hook to have viewers eagerly anticipating how it concludes.
4 out of 10? Maybe I was just having a bad day and wanted to see some mindless tv for a second. I thought it was a good start to wrap-up the first season.
Granted, there were numerous logical leaps but it made for a more entertaining show. (See Martian Manhunter and Alex). But that makes for some bigger fight scenes next week.
You’re definitely not alone. I think a lot of people are willing to forgive Supergirl for some of its flaws. I call them out cause I believe it can be a lot better. ;-)