The CW’s Arrowverse is always expanding. Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow each occupy a different corner of DC’s TV universe. However, if we had to pick a favourite, we know which one it would be. Here’s why Supergirl is the best Arrowverse show.
Realism
With Supergirl now officially a part of the Arrowverse, we can all stop bickering and agree — it is clearly the best show they have. Despite a little problem known as ‘science’, The Flash takes on every problem with speed. What happens when a meta-human can slow him down? More speed!
And look at Legends of Tomorrow. It might be a mashup of Doctor Who and Firefly, but the physics are questionable. Remember when Vandal Savage reverse-engineered a part of the Atom suit and conquered Star City? Thankfully “it takes ‘time’ for the effects of time-travel to take effect”. That is literally how they escape the consequences. Arrow isn’t as bad but a windy day ruins his aim. Good hero, outdated equipment.
Supergirl and her show share none of the insanity that permeates the rest of her crew. Okay, Kara might be an alien from another planet. Minus the flying, all her powers make sense. She’s basically a solar-powered badass with a good heart.
Take away sunlight too long, and she gets weak. Kryptonite radiation weakens her unique body chemistry – because aliens – but doesn’t affect humans. Speed, strength, hearing, and her various eye and breath abilities are powered by the solar radiation she collects. There’s no ‘mystical force that binds them all together’. Yes, Barry. I’m looking at you.
Character
Admittedly, Kara has a few character flaws. The break between seasons was squeezed into an overnight period instead of the typical few months. In that time — possibly due to new management — she suddenly overcame her attraction to Jimmy Olsen. But she also deals with a lot of genuine character development. Hiding her cost her adoptive father his freedom. Draining her powers forced her to realise that she couldn’t save everybody as she watched a man die in front of her. There was even a believable friend-zoning of Winn.
Teamwork
While Kara might be the star of the show, she is not always the brains behind the schemes. Each choice is run past her friends, family, and associates at the D.E.O. Winn is the technical guru who has some insane computer abilities. He also got bored and taught himself Kryptonian — a language unlike anything on Earth.
Moral support comes in the form of James Olsen who can calm Kara and keep her on the right track. Fellow alien J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, is another alien living on our little blue marble and can recognise the existential loneliness that comes with being one of the last of their respective kinds. Even the usually curt Cat Grant pushes Supergirl forward.
By comparison, Arrow is a grumpy bowman and Barry is almost psychotically cheerful. The guy caused the death of his own mother and was smiling the next day!
Spotlight
Maybe the single clearest reason why Supergirl is the best Arrowverse show is because we’re finally seeing Kara take the lead while Clark stands in her shadow. Superman has had films, TV shows and several comic series at once, but Supergirl has mostly been pushed into the background.
With Kal-El being raised from a baby as Clark Kent, there isn’t really much alien in him. He has more in common with the X-Men than he does with Kryptonians. Kara had to watch the destruction of her planet and then found that she had missed her cousin’s entire life. It might not be the biggest disaster story in the history of fiction, but it is one that we can sympathise with and understand.
Disagree? Here’s why the other Arrowverse shows are better.