11 Comments

1. 

   Aaron on April 8, 2021 at 2:49 am

   Some blog post comments…

   “Speaking of escape, Lex is avoiding jail time by pinning his crimes on a few good women.” – I have to say thinking about the episode I also didn’t like this part and how the trial kind of became women versus some man as that felt like sexist reality too much. I did like Lex flipping the Eve defense into that of a jealous lover because it was a smart move but everything after that just felt to heavy handed towards reality; Lena as she said had no reason to lie so if they wanted that to spin together with Eve and not feel so heavy handed then they could have just had Lex say how did the jury know for sure this wasn’t just Lena being jealous and attacking her brother as well because Eve loved him and not her (it’s still arguably problematic yes but more about jealous love than “these women just want to tear down a successful man”) and say how Lena was with Eve for a year herself almost, brainwashed as we know yes but still he could have said Lena was a jealous ex and called it a day there also (this also kind of plays into Lex being jealous of Lena at times because she can outwit him and build some things he can’t) but it’s like they don’t want to confirm Lena is bisexual. He even could have mentioned how Lena brainwashed Eve so how did the jury not know if this was just on her the whole time because again she’s jealous of him; they didn’t have to go all “they want to tear me down because I’m powerful and they’ll do it to you too” and have even a male juror say not guilty but they did and yeah I just didn’t like how that was handled either thinking on the episode again.

   On to the podcast…

   You picked a location that’s not pet friendly to stay at John? You’re the real monster this week not Lex! Ha.

   100% Kelly does NOT need to Guardian; just let her be a shrink writers. This is just like them trying to do too much with James as Guardian in the first place instead of just letting him be a newsman because they think everyone needs some suit to be special now even though for years Alex has proven you need no such thing! Much like with the reboot instead of recast news for “Batwoman” you can see this train wreck coming a mile away but the writers just keep pushing down the track instead of switching lanes! 🙁

   Be safe wherever you are Monty!

   “Count them two, ha ha ha!” – 😐 I see what you did there Count Vox. 🙂

   “Being the final season I thought it would focus on Kara and her journey.” – same Blackhawkfan; I will admit I hoped for a dose of Danvers sisters in there as well but Kara should be the focus which she’s currently not. Then again I’ve been waiting for Kara to be the focus of the series for awhile now; I still feel like they write her and her reactions to situations too much like she’s her cousin Clark and that’s hurt the series over years but that’s just me.

   7?! Way to make it depressing Justina; I feel you could be right though because this is the perfect cover plot to keep Kara out of a lot of stuff and this kind of explain why she’s not around so much because Melissa was pregnant and on leave. Ugh you realize this does mean basically half the final season without our lead up front right? The final season continues to be both a disappointment and a prime example of how they don’t care about us anymore. I know they had to work in baby room but all the more reason to give us another season post this because we had COVID against us and a baby to plan around…real talk if you can renew Legends you can renew us for one more go; I know our ratings were down but they can’t be that low, also you gave BATWOMAN a third season to finish things even though season two has had horrible reception pieces so why can’t we get a true final season? Again I go back to care and how it feels like since they got their boy toy Super they no long care what happens to Supergirl and I hate that! I know you two disagree on this but when you see FLASH being renewed even though it dropped in ratings and repeats plots and Legends renewed even though it’s frequently at the bottom of the list and you hear about “Batwoman” getting a third season to wrap up (essentially so they don’t have to admit they made a mistake in rebooting instead of recasting) and you have Superman renewed before it even aired an episode…you can understand why I feel like we’re being pushed aside and it’s distasteful. Some may argue it’s because of the cinematic Supergirl coming they’re kind of shutting down show her but my response to that is if you can have two Flashs and Supermans via movie and show why can’t you have two Supergirls?

   I have to say a fellow fan made a great point about the Phantom Zone stuff in that they asked why did Jor speak English instantly? If he’s been there alone the whole time shouldn’t he speaks Kryptonese to Kara seeing her for the first time? Yes we know it’s because viewers don’t want to read subtitles for a whole episode but the least they could have done is throw in some lines before we find out he magically knows English and can speak to her; again these little details would mean so much and help bump up things but I feel that involves care and again I’m not convinced the creative team has that anymore. 🙁 Also when exactly did Alura tell Kara about these portals? That doesn’t seem kid friendly conversation and even as an adult on Argo I don’t see it in Kara’s character to really stay on topic of the Phantom Zone much given how much it hurt her so when did she supposedly tell her of these magic escape hatches?!

   Jon Cryer is really good in this part I agree…we still never needed Lex on the series for this long I believe!

   I hope Kara’s dad is a mirage; let some family member be dead from that experience!

   YES, give me an Agent Arias comic please which also has Kara in it for sister moments! 😀

   Jor couldn’t have known because Astra’s whole thing was they didn’t pay attention and even Alura says they waited until it was too late to believe them so no, I’m sorry but Jor is dead; everyone can’t survive just because Kara is the hero. You blew up her planet – some family member has to die! Her mom and aunt lived so bye bye dad.

   “I think it’s the make-up.” – lol John; so can support this, blame the crappy suit! Ha. They’re making Alex someone even Chyler doesn’t feel fully so yeah maybe her heart isn’t currently in it; someone get her a black polo stat! 🙂 I’m only 50% on directing distracting her and limiting screen time because David filmed his episode before I think and look how much J’onn has been in this season so far; it’s a possibility but even still Chyler usually brings it no matter how much time she has so it still feels weird to me. Hopefully she can return to her glory before it’s all done! If she has to save it up though for the spin off I’ll get it…you should totally give us that spin off announcement now CW as you foolishly ended the series too soon – don’t be foolish and let Chyler get away also!

   Oh Blackhawkfan I TOTALLY agree with you about Kelly becoming Guardian! I remember the DEO. Alex not in a super suit is the best version of Alex!

   I agree with Justina, social commentary is not new for the series it’s just the heavy handedness that is; season one definitely had commentary – Astra with the fact Krypton essentially global warmed itself to explosion hello, you had Sam Lane hating on Kara because she’s an alien which can speak to immigration, you had James call out Alex for imprisonment without a trial and questioning the DEOs handling of suspects (police injustices) and that’s just season one to name a few things that went down. What made season one different is they had a set up of “bad” and then countered it with “good” but there was a character for each side so it was more point-counterpoint than preachy because everyone is saying the exact same line basically now. You even had back in the day main characters who sometimes understood the “bad” side and so it felt real versus clearly pushing which side you are on as if there’s no middle ground to things…middle grounds while not always pretty or satisfying in debates do create great organic drama and organic drama is one of the things people loved about season one so if they went back to that I agree with Justina a balance would not be a bad thing and they can still make comments but it would feel more earned versus in your face. As much as I’m pro more female characters on series what are the odds both the judge and prosecutor would be women? We had a whole plot in season one about the guy trying to badmouth Cat to have her fired because he didn’t like her yet that didn’t feel heavy handed like this bit; there was sexism still sure but it didn’t leave me going “Ew” like some of this week’s imagery did. Again I don’t know if it’s just a lack of passion on their part or this is the C team of writers now but again I would advise them to rewatch season one because there’s definitely social commentary in there but it’s realistically portrayed and handled with counterpoints based on facts not just opinions. You know you’re doing something wrong when even people who agree with your stances are like “Too much”.

   As for Kelly taking on Guardian because of social issues and wanting to explore being a hero of color…why does she need a suit for that? She had a suit once if you think back on continuity because unless my memory is crap now (Leslie correct me if I’m wrong) wasn’t Kelly in the military? She was already a superhero of color. Do they think this is some big new thing for the DCTV universe because please the fact we have superheroes of color on every show and they’ve been on for multiple seasons. Our own show alone – J’onn is a superhero of color; Detective Maggie Sawyer – hero of color (yes you can debate Floriana’s race but Maggie the character is Hispanic). What can Guardian Kelly really do that therapist Kelly can’t?! The city has cops, it has Kara, it has J’onn, and it has the DEO – what it needs is a therapist (and really good civil engineers)…what our main characters need is a therapist! Kelly will always do more good out of the suit than she will in it; that metal can is a curse for anyone named Olsen! Again I would also like to remind people that Kelly has PTSD over her fiancée dying in battle so why is she encouraging Alex to suit up much less joining her?! Is this immersion therapy for her…does she think suiting up will ease that pain? Guardian Kelly is going to make her as boring as it made James and just like with James there’s clearly an easier more productive way to give her screen time but are they taking it, no; Guardian is an Olsen character killer and the only thing that’s going to save Kelly from being pushed out by fans from the bad plots that you know are coming is the fact it’s the last season. ALSO she told James being Guardian was a dumb move to solve his problems so her taking on the mantle makes NO sense and it’s just UGH! 😡 Let Guardian go with James; if Kelly wants to hang on to the shield because things fall all the time in National City fine, but that doesn’t mean she has to use it each week or even every other week (or at all in a televised season)!

   I’m going to say no Justina for your reasoning on why the Phantom Zone is fractured because it still exists in other worlds even if the characters haven’t encountered it, it’s not special to Earth 38 so if the Earths are combined then it should be combined. If they were going to use this to prove to the characters and we’re the first team to find out other Earths are still around because we landed on their Phantom Zone that would be one thing but you know they’re not going to do that. Had this occurred at the same time Beth popped up on “Batwoman” because of Crisis it would be one thing because you could argue reality is still healing itself if you will but at this point in the timeline there is no reason beyond plot that the Phantom Zone is fractured; they would have been better off trying to Stargate in this episode only to take a few moments with dialogue and then the PhanSkrulls pop out and so the machine gets broke and it takes time to fix it and then you can literally end the same way with Silas dying so it sets them back farther because Brainy has to learn his tech to try again! Again to me it’s drama for the sake of drama which is like seeing behind the curtain and so the fun of it is gone.

   The writers are totally phoning it in Leslie. 🙁

   You write fanfic Leslie?! What’s you’re handle and where do you post?! Also could you PLEASE do a rewrite of season four where Sam stays because #SamStillHasPowers and can finally be the trainee Kara has always wanted to train and she and Alex get together?! Let’s be honest Winn trained Mon and Brainy has been over Nia’s training and Clark never even asked her for help as she was a kid when she arrived so she’s never officially been a trainer like J’onn has been for her over the years. Also again Agent Arias because you saw Sam making sexy eyes at Alex too right; if you need a refresher on those I can always relink them. 😉 You can explore the flip side of Kara as a hero with Sam and how not everyone is going to go easy on villains. There’s the fact Sam is scared of Reign to a degree so how does she deal with wanting to help at scenes but also being scared to?

   You’re a lawyer Leslie…this totally means you have a fic somewhere where the city sues Kara for destruction of property right and it’s kind of a comedy; it explores who pays for any potential damages and if Kara is liable because someone else threw her into the building first sometimes and if it’s another alien how do you get reimbursed for that? Ha. At there very least you have to have a fic which expands on Maggie’s dislike of Kara’s disregard for police procedures right? 🙂 “There’s a nice Supergirl sized hole in it!”. Ha!

   If they cut an Alex scene for William…I will riot.

   Green Butterfly’s Medical Minute. 🙂

   He could be a figment and still escape John, see the phantom escaping via Silas this week – will he continue to look like Jor or not is the question.

   “then is ‘Lost Souls’…that sounds like a real upper doesn’t it?” – lol! It would be cool if ‘Fear Knot’ was an episode featuring Scarecrow’s fear toxin but that would mean nodding to the Gotham area and they don’t have him on there yet I don’t think (I’ve stopped watching) and also I don’t think these writers have that passion in them to do a comic nod like that; it will probably be something more phantoms related, as Justina said this will probably burn half our final season. The more I think about the more I feel we’ll only have like 10 episodes at best to wrap up the series and that doesn’t feel like a lot; I wish I could see a light for better but I just feel it will end meh at best and all we can really hope for is they give us a great sister moment at the end because they are the heart of the series and if the final episode doesn’t have them heavily featured it will feel like a wasted season for sure. I’m not holding my breath for them to end anything well though honestly, I hope they can surprise me though and again I want CW to make me happy with an Alex Danvers spin off produced because it’s a no brainer to do (as John said she’s some people’s favorites – she’s mine I’ll be honest) but we’ll see what happens as sadly I can also see them letting the series go except for maybe a guest appearance here and there by the likes of a Nia or Brainy since they have the future ties. J’onn of course when they tease the Justice League with Clark but I feel once the show is gone the sisters are definitely gone. 🙁 Maybe they get Melissa back for some stunts, but outside of a spin off I don’t really see Alex in things (maybe a comic if they get centric that way) and that just makes me really sad. 🙁

   Reply
   • 

     Montefescu on April 15, 2021 at 2:47 pm

     1. WMP arguments are powerful push buttons and would drive show numbers in two ways, Aaron…

     a. Young female demographics. This argument resonates with an advertiser targeted demographic for advertising presentation.
     b. Counter-valence advertising as the anti-feminists social media lack-wits pile on to tear into the episode. Viewers will look in to see what the fuss is. More demographic targets for the advertisers to haul in. Why does one think I griped about Agent Liberty and all the Liberty Mutual commercials? Did one think I was JOKING?

     So yes it is brainwashing with an added rinse cycle.

     ===========================================

     Get rid of Kelly and sub in Sam. Get a kid, get a love interest, get a financial advisor, and get a Kryptonian in that package. What more does Alex need?

     ===========================================

     Kangaroos say, “Hi!”

     ===========================================
     The joke about Carol Danvers over at Marvel is that she is CARL because her plots are recycled Wendel Dawson Captain Marvel plots now. These showrunners, likewise, are using 1990s Superman plots (including this season) for Supergirl, because NONE of them did the Supergirl homework on Blackstarr or Leslie Lar or the Gang of Five or WONK or any of the great PAD Supergirl storylines with the Earth Angel and the Devil.

     It is sad that with a heritage as rich or richer than Superman that these showrunners just did not get it. The one good thing, the otherwise odious, Andrew Kreisberg brought to the show was that institutional historical character knowledge which showed in Season One. Since then… garbage, with the sole exception of the World Killers which was also Kreisberg…
     ============================================

     We have what we have. The baby was an interruption, a permanent one. I wrote once before, that human beings have a ten year window when they can be “superheroes” and that is about age 20 -30. Once past that age, man or woman, the body cannot do the stunts anymore. If one does not believe me, look at the two leads in “Thunder Force” and tell me if those two actors can do what they attempted and make it look decent? Nope.

     Melissa knew the jig was up. She is trying to exit at the top of her game.

     ============================================

     The Phantom Zone garbage is a handwave and needs of the story. I am post the point of nitpick here. I am just happy that in “Phantom Menaces”, the PZ stuff works when the Search for Spock / Kara and Vampire plots is just star drek.

     ===========================================

     Jon Cryer can hang around. His bald cap is hilarious.

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     Zor has got to go. The actor is terrible.

     ===========================================

     DC comics should look at Sam, the WK, as an anti-hero addition to their “S” lineup.

     They need a FEMALE LEAD comic aside from Wonder Woman and with the New Supergirl movie planned for 2022, this is a ready-made drop-in character.

     ===========================================

     Did you not know that Krypton was blown up by the Guardians of the Universe? Read the latest Supergirl by Mark Andreyko for that one. What potential for a Green Lantern story! It would feature Kara out to KILL THEM ALL in a roaring rampage of revenge. That was nixed due to “reasons” in the comics, but I can dream can’t I?

     ===========================================.

     Referring to the previous (^^^) and that Alex is practically a Green Lantern without the name, might as well go Haley Jordan ATW and Rocket Raccoon her, Then use the Mark Andreyko storyline in her own series. It writes itself.

     ===========================================

     Season One was story (Red Faced was about rage and measured judgment.). Seasons after that were “Preach it and forget about teach it.”

     ===========================================

     Guardian never worked because of the inability to function serve in story. Sam, the WK, worked because she was THE STORY for season 3 until the witchypoos showed up and Derek Simon screwed everything up.

     ===========================================

     Kelly as therapist was incompetent, is incompetent, and though Azie Tasfei is a good actress, she has ZERO chemistry with Chyler in the romance scenes as well. (See my Phantom Menaces review.) Odette is the better actor; better story fit.

     Rest of your complaints, Aaron? Spot on.

     ===========================================

     Lesley the lawyer covered my complaints about the courtroom nonsense. Did one catch that Otis had wired up Judge, jury and prosecutor for the TNT arrivederci?

     No BOOM. That would have been more story logical than what we got.

     ===========================================

     These show writers are science illiterates. In the multiverse, the Phantom Zone can be ONE of the multiverses (Bubbles in THE BULK). It can be locally boundary fractured with any other universe it touches. (Like the cold spots we see on the cosmic microwave background maps we have. Figure we have about a dozen intersections?) So, more clear explanation and simpler logic for why Kara is lost, if REAL science is invoked. Pick a cold spot and dive in. No Kara? Wrong universe. Try again. Sheesh, it ain’t that hard to figure out.

     ===========================================

     For four years they have phoned it in. Why?

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     Let’s try the Oans blew up Krypton and Sam and Alex investigate and have to hide it from Supergirl, because you know, Martians were implicated, too?

     Laugh riot.

     “Powers” has already done the “We’ll SUE!” story line. YES. Bendis wrote something like that plot.

     ===========================================

     Staz Nair has to go.

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     Splints R’ Us. Read my “Phantom Menaces” review for the phantom zone joke. Kara takes the Devil’s Cure.

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     Maybe that Zor is a Phantom? Not likely. I think he is the real heel and is scheduled for the Zaltar sendoff. Sooner the better.

     ===========================================

     Story Coda? Try the Andreyko plot, or failing that hilarity ensues: Supergirl, Braindead and Nia go LOSHing and the rest of the cast go into the Green Lantern series and try to fit in?

     Monty

     Reply
2. 

   Leslie on April 9, 2021 at 4:28 pm

   Yes, Kelly was in the military. When she arrived at the hospital after James was shot in “O’ Brother Where Art Thou?” (Season 4 x 15 episode), Kelly had a huge army green backpack hanging off her right shoulder.

   In “Will the Real Miss Tessmacher Please Stand Up?” (Season 4 x 20 episode), Kelly told Alex that Kelly had been in love with her female sergeant and they were engaged. Kelly said that she and her girlfriend “could not be out serving abroad.”

   Unfortunately, I do not have a handle for my fanfic. My story is sitting as a file in Word. Anyway, I would love to rewrite not only Season 4, but other seasons of Supergirl as well. My re-write would certainly include more mundane adventures centering around the Danvers family.

   Supergirl as an agent of a governmental organization may have some immunity for the damage she does. This was an issue legitimately raised by Agent Liberty Ben Lockwood. Aliens should pay for the damage they cause to the personal property owned by humans as well as aliens.

   I have always thought that Alura and Zor-el, who were both familiar with humans on Earth, would have put not only memory crystals in Kara’s pod, but also some diamonds, gold, other precious gemstones and metal which perhaps were abundant on Krypton and of little value there, but of great value on Earth.

   Even if someone tried to hold Supergirl accountable for the damage she causes, I feel Supergirl would readily pay. It is easy enough for her to pressurize pure carbon into diamonds or dig up some gold.

   I had hoped in “A Quest for Peace,” Season 4’s finale, the Supergirl series would have addressed the legitimate concerns Ben Lockwood had raised. I wanted Supergirl to propose a means for aliens and humans to address the wrongs each side had done to the other. But no. Instead, Kara says to James and Nia in the finale, “Can you believe the 4th Estate saved the day?” No, Kara, I can’t believe the 4th estate saved the day and the 4th estate didn’t save the day. The show raised these issues and took the issues too far and left all of them unresolved. If these issues were not going to be resolved, why raise them in the first place.

   Agent Liberty was a terrible storyline that was made even worse with the Alex mind wipe which disrupted the relationship between the Danvers sisters, the backbone of the show.

   Reply
   • 

     Aaron on April 9, 2021 at 7:24 pm

     Just don’t rewrite Sam’s lusting for Alex and we’ll be okay. ;D

     We need to get you a pen name and out on either, or both, Fanfiction.Net or Achieve Of our Own so fans can read these stories! 🙂

     “It is easy enough for her to pressurize pure carbon into diamonds or dig up some gold.” – exactly. Do you ever wonder if she pops off a diamond every now and again to pay Eliza back some for the apartment rent since it’s Eliza’s name on the property not either sister’s? Or does she pay the rent and that’s how…make a diamond, fly to some area that’s not National City to sell it as Kara, and then fly back with the cash and pays the landlord? 🙂

     Reply
3. 

   Montefescu on April 10, 2021 at 3:25 pm

   A little poetry before I go into “Rebirth” and tear it a new one.

   “Where do you go for Easter;
   When you’ve been knocked on your keyster?
   By someone who goofed on the switchy.
   And almost blew you up, the son of a glitchy…

   Well, if you are lucky and you like your tuckie…
   Especially after that Minbari Blunder.^1
   Not-Free all expenses paid by me for me
   to that land down-under.

   Where one can see the Not Easter Bunny
   Hop around with easter eggs in the pouchy,
   Mixing business with hard earned money
   Spent and oh so Supergirl missed grouchy.

   Two weeks to get the time on.

   First episode “Rebirth” not worth a dime on.
   But episode two? Written by Derek Simon.
   Yay! Vampire, inserted into the cast for no reason.
   I knew it. This is how we will spend the Sixth Season?

   BOING, BOING, BOING, this show hops to its final chapter.
   With Derek flushing it all down the crapter.
   Not a misspelling. For the vampire diarehea
   Must be a new form of Derek Simon in-apter
   Foolish audience pandering preconceived idea
   That misses the Mark Goddard mark^2
   And lacks the specie of a story arc…
   To explain a drop in story so insane.
   For the story of a “A Few Good Womane…
   ——————————————————————————–
   ^1 Minbari… Babylon 5 Joke… “Boneheads”; so bonehead blunder especially those characters who make really “stupid needs of the story” writer mandated mistakes.

   ^2 Major Don West, the pilot of the Jupiter II that failed to check ballast balance of the Jupiter II at launch and hence is as guilty as the Robot B-9 and Zachary Smith for getting the Robinsons… “Lost In Space”.

   Thought I forgot about the review?

   ===========================================

   Supergirl (TV Series) “Rebirth” (2021)(601)

   Full Cast & Crew

   Directed by Jesse Warn Writing Credits
   Otto Binder … (based on characters created by) and
   Al Plastino … (based on characters created by)

   Greg Berlanti … (developed by) &
   Ali Adler … (developed by) &
   Andrew Kreisberg … (developed by)

   Jay Faerber … (teleplay by) &
   Jessica Kardos … (teleplay by) (as Jess Kardos)

   Robert L. Rovner … (story by) (as Robert Rovner) &
   Jessica Queller … (story by)

   Katie Rose Rogers … (executive story editor) &
   Jessica Kardos … (executive story editor) (as Jess Kardos)

   Nicki Holcomb … (story editor)

   Cast (in credits order)
   Melissa Benoist … Kara Danvers / Supergirl
   Chyler Leigh … Alex Danvers
   Katie McGrath … Lena Luthor
   Jesse Rath … Brainiac-5
   Nicole Maines … Nia Nal / Dreamer
   Azie Tesfai … Kelly Olsen
   Julie Gonzalo … Andrea Rojas
   Staz Nair … William Dey
   David Harewood … J’onn J’onnz / Martian Manhunter
   Jon Cryer … Lex Luthor
   Cara Buono … Gemma Cooper
   Brenda Strong … Lillian Luthor
   Andrea Brooks … Eve Teschmacher
   Sharon Leal … M’gann M’orzz
   Lynda Boyd … Eve Teschmacher’s Mother
   Robert Baker … Otis Graves
   Valeria Ascolese … Argentine Woman
   Arran Henn … New Anchor
   Jaymee Mak … Mackenzie
   Neemish Parok … Hari
   Isidro Rodriguez … Argentine Man

   =====================================================

   We are in trouble. When the opening scene is a shot for shot rip-off of the Spock dies scene in “Star Trek III The Search for Spock” it is going to be one of those episodes.

   Strap in, Gerbils, it is going downhill in a rocket powered sled full of horse apples about to plow into the aromatic ocean of cow flop that passes for writing on this show.

   What do I mean by that greeting? Ever hear of the comics trope; “Women in Refrigerators?” Right in the first episode of Season Six, not even halfway through it and, what do we get? I knew it, right when Melissa Benoist read the line, “Well; I was stuck in the Phantom Zone, replaying the destruction of my planet for ten years… Bring it on.”

   If you were expecting a good rating for this episode, I am afraid you are about to be disappointed.

   That clang you hear is the refrigerator door closing on Supergirl.

   She got Phantom Zoned.

   “Brainy, you are not stupid.”

   “Yes, Braindead is.”

   “The heart is not logical.”

   “That explains why Dreamer loves an idiot?” Okay writers.

   Any further rate, lets note that, Lena wipes Lex’s and Lillian’s minds and presumably Otis and Eve’s minds, with Myriad too, of Kara’s secret identity knowledge; but we will see them again. We see at one point that Kara is menaced by trogs in the Valley of the Shadow as the closer. But who cares? This episode was really more or less a warp speed hurry up and get Leviathan out of the way, and let us hope people forget Derek Simon’s trash Season Five so we can try something different for Season Six, guys?

   Haha. Fat chance. Anybody care that Acrata, Andrea Rojas, robbed her daddy to save her rich life style and still run Catco? No? How about Staz Nair? He’s still around; wearing the sling on the wrong arm. Cannot even keep that continuity straight? Would have been simpler to comic book edit him out of the season like the writers just refrigerated Supergirl. Hey did we not see this stupid prison plot already on Arrow? Just asking.

   Sentinel? I am thinking of another super-hero for Chyler Leigh. More on that one in a moment.

   Remember Claymore, the satellite? Her twelve sisters this episode form a circular firing squad and I imagined that was exactly what the writers in the Supergirl writers bullpen apparently without understanding the Three Stooges reference to THEM, visualized metaphorically this episode as a neat idea for M’gann and J’onn to become a part of in a Martian mind meld type Spock reference callback. It sure made me laugh. But this whole episode had me rolling on the floor hiccupping. I actually was hiccupping. Especially when Lex was doing his Fortress of Stupitude remodel to Queen.

   Supergirl’s spoken “Last Will and Testament”? Only Five Words. “Get Me Out of Here!”

   Ah; Sentinel and her do-everything gun. Reminds me of another comic superhero with rings around the eyes who LOVES guns.

   Yup, I know that Chyler Leigh’s next gig, after this show is over. will be at the Marvel Cinematic Universe as their new Rocket Raccoon. Can they put any more eye shadow on poor Chyler on this show? Think about it and visualize Chyler in Guardians of the Galaxy IV with her current get-up. They do not even need to CGI the character. She can play the raccoon live. Save them a tonne of money.

   ======================================================

   I would like to remind people of how I rated the Zack Snyder cut…

   Brace for impact…Gerbils…

   Rate it? -∞-∞-∞ out of 5/5/5

   eta

   ===========================================

   Reply
4. 

   Aaron on April 11, 2021 at 11:58 am

   Welcome back Monty! 🙂

   Reply
   • 

     Montefescu on April 11, 2021 at 12:27 pm

     Thanks. The Easter Kangaroo says “Hello!”

     Boing, boing, boing and all that cartoon jazz.

     ===========================================

     Should I watch BATWOMAN before or after I down a few Starwards?

     Monty.

     Reply
5. 

   Montefescu on April 11, 2021 at 12:23 pm

   eta = estimated time of affectedlessness…

   ============================================

   Supergirl (TV Series)”A Few Good Women” (2021) (602)
   Full Cast & Crew

   Directed by Jesse Warn

   Writing Credits
   Otto Binder … (based on characters created by) and
   Al Plastino … (based on characters created by)

   Greg Berlanti … (developed by) &
   Ali Adler … (developed by) &
   Andrew Kreisberg … (developed by)

   Derek Simon … (written by) &
   Elle Lipson … (written by)

   Jessica Kardos … (executive story editor) (as Jess Kardos)

   Nicki Holcomb … (story editor)

   Jessica Queller … (story by)
   Robert L. Rovner … (story by) (as Robert Rovner)
   Jessica Kardos … (as Jess Kardos)
   Jay Faerber … (teleplay by)

   Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification
   Melissa Benoist … Kara Danvers / Supergirl
   Chyler Leigh … Alex Danvers
   Katie McGrath … Lena Luthor
   Jesse Rath … Brainiac-5
   Nicole Maines … Nia Nal / Dreamer
   Azie Tesfai … Kelly Olsen
   Julie Gonzalo … Andrea Rojas
   Staz Nair … William Dey
   David Harewood … J’onn J’onnz / Martian Manhunter
   Jon Cryer … Lex Luthor
   Brenda Strong … Lillian Luthor
   Andrea Brooks … Eve Teschmacher
   Sharon Leal … M’gann M’orzz
   Robert Baker … Otis Graves
   Claude Knowlton … Silas
   Jason Behr … Zor-El
   Dustin Brooks … Rent-A-Cop
   Wonita Joy … Judge
   Lucy McNulty … Prosecutor
   Roman Podhora … Jury Foreman

   Hello Maid of Steel podcasters: bait and switch Monty here.

   Why the surprise? We’ve seen the showrunners’ attempts to mislead viwers on writer credits before on this show when Derek Simon pens a script. Did we forget “Crisis of Infinite Stupidity?”

   Chuckles softly…

   Lesley? I love the professional legal point of view that you bring in your commentary. I often forget to mention those unrealistic aspects of a story arc or writing treatment. You would do it better than I* would anyway. More talented than I am, frankly smarter, and you pay closer attention at these things than I do and should.

   What I do, is notice the OBVIOUS.

   a. Why is there a no-talent, no-charisma, no “Q” actor playing a rather dumb vampire character introduced?
   b. Why is Chyler Leigh phoning her performance in?
   c. When did Sharon Leal forget how to act?
   d. Why did the lighting crew decide on depolarization and yellow lensing for the Phantom Zone scenes?
   e. Why did Jesse Kardos not proofread Derek Simon’s incompetent and illiterate script and at least fix the George Lucasisms and grammar?
   f. Why was Derek Simon ALLOWED to write this garbage?
   g. Why is Zor-el in the story? (See a and think about an UNNECESSARY CASTING COST FOR A SECOND RATE COMMUNITY THEATER QUALITY ACTOR.)
   h. Why is Staiz Nair still around drawing a pay check?
   i. What was the POINT to this episode aside from trying to repair the Jesse Rath (Braindead) / Nicole Maines (Dreamer) storyline?
   j. Why are there 14 “validation speech monologues” instead of 14 actual story progressions and accompanying BEATS to this GARBAGE?
   k. Where is the ACTION? This is a Superhero Show, not BATWOMAN.
   l. Why are the practicals terrible, the stunt-work shoddy (and in one observed setup with Mz. Maines actually dangerous.).
   m. Why is the lighting and camerawork so far beneath Jesse Warn’s usual competency standard?
   n. Why is the CGI muddy?
   o. Why is most of the cast so low energy this episode? (See a., b., and c., and p. .)
   p. Why is David Harewood now staring just past the camera as his focus point, standing there and reading his lines into it off an idiot prompter?
   q. What happened to Katie McGrath? Did her makeup person decide that the Mrs. Frump look was it for Season Six?
   r. Poor Melissa was poorly costume-fitted for the Phantom Zone scenes. I NOTICED.
   s. Who gave Jon Cryer the Bald Cap? I noticed.
   t. Blockhead (Staz Nair) still forgets that he is supposed to be injured and which side it is supposed to be. I noticed.
   u. Count the blown lines? Chyler has 6, Azie has 4, Melissa has 5, Sharon has 8, David has 2, and I lost track on the “vampire” after he mumbled through about a dozen.
   v. Referring to u., Jesse Rath and Nicole Maines ACTUALLY tried to act together and carry their parts. I noticed.
   w. Edits of scenes were out of logical story sequence. I noticed.
   x. Pacing was too slow and the action as in kinetics was “minimal”. I noticed.
   y. Camera shots; group, 2 person, 1 person, face close ups were botched. I noticed.
   z. Timing for marks, story beats and run times were a FULL 2 seconds off. I noticed.

   ====================================================================

   Generally… The actor ensemble and production crew went through the motions. I noticed.

   Rate it: -200, -200, -200 out of 5/5/5. We are actually in BATWOMAN territory, here. That is the terribleness of this episode after it is technically skinned.

   Monty

   Reply
6. 

   Montefescu on April 13, 2021 at 1:26 pm

   Batwoman (TV Series) “Time Off for Good Behavior” (2021) (210)
   Full Cast & Crew

   Directed by Eric Dean Seaton

   Writing Credits
   Bob Kane … (based on characters created for DC by) &
   Bill Finger … (based on characters created for DC by)

   Caroline Dries … (developed by)

   Chad Fiveash … (written by) &
   James Patrick Stoteraux … (written by) (as James Stoteraux)

   Natalie Abrams … (story editor) &
   Ebony Gilbert … (story editor)

   Maya Houston … (staff writer) &
   Daphne Miles … (staff writer)

   Cast (in credits order)
   Javicia Leslie … Ryan Wilder / Batwoman
   Rachel Skarsten … Alice
   Meagan Tandy … Sophie Moore
   Nicole Kang … Mary Hamilton
   Camrus Johnson … Luke Fox
   Dougray Scott … Colonel Jacob Kane
   Peter Outerbridge … Roman Sionis / Black Mask
   Christina Wolfe … Julia Pennyworth
   Laura Mennell … Enigma / Evelyn Rhyme
   Bevin Bru … Angelique Martin
   Ava Sleeth … Young Beth
   Keeya King … Jordan Moore
   Samantha Cole … Imani
   Jaime M. Callica Jaime M. Callica … Horten Spence
   Rachel Maddow … Vesper Fairchild (voice)
   Allison Riley … Dana Dewitt
   Derek Morrison … Ellis O’Brien
   Sean Kohnke … Mickey K / Kilovolt
   Rochelle Okoye … Chrome Mask
   Sonya Proehl … X’ed-Out Eyes
   Bola Omodara … Agent Abara
   Wyatt Cameron … False Face
   Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
   Gracyn Shinyei … Young Kate (archive footage)
   John Emmet Tracy … August Cartwright (archive footage)

   “Should I watch BATWOMAN before or after I down a few Starwards?”

   Hello MOS podcasters. I’m drunk and looking at kangaroos.

   That is the only way I can write this stupid review.

   This is the 14th time that Jacob Kane has been shot, stabbed, bonked on the head, or otherwise molested in the CROWS parking lot. The idea the False Face Society has is to get him addicted to drugs?

   You know? -∞-∞-∞ out of 5/5/5. I think I will pass out now.

   Monty

   –

   Reply
7. 

   Montefescu on April 14, 2021 at 3:39 am

   Supergirl (TV Series)”Phantom Menaces” (2021) (602)

   Directed by Sudz Sutherland

   Writing Credits
   Otto Binder … (based on characters created by) and
   Al Plastino … (based on characters created by)

   Greg Berlanti … (developed by) &
   Ali Adler … (developed by) &
   Andrew Kreisberg … (developed by)

   Dana Horgan … (written by) &
   Emilio Ortega Aldrich … (written by)

   Jessica Kardos … (executive story editor) (as Jess Kardos)

   Nicki Holcomb … (story editor)

   Cast (in credits order)
   Melissa Benoist … Kara Danvers / Supergirl
   Chyler Leigh … Alex Danvers
   Katie McGrath … Lena Luthor
   Jesse Rath … Braindead
   Nicole Maines … Nia Nal / Dreamer (credit only)
   Azie Tesfai … Kelly Olsen
   Julie Gonzalo … Andrea Rojas (credit only)
   Staz Nair … William Dey (credit only)
   Peta Sergeant … Myxlgsptinz
   David Harewood … J’onn J’onnz / Martian Manhunter
   Jon Cryer … Lex Luthor
   Sharon Leal … M’gann M’orzz
   Claude Knowlton … Silas
   Jason Behr … Zor-El
   Tricia Collins … Reporter #2
   Sandy Robson … Scar
   Nina Ann Solberg … Reporter #1
   Simon Webb … Philippe

   ================================================

   Hello Maid of Steel Podcasters…John M. Stryker mindset Monty here.

   Who is John M. Stryker? Ever watch Sands of Iwo Jima? That was the fictional
   character modeled on John Basilone, a real human being, who was a Marine.

   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Basilone

   Does one get my driftg as to how I am approaching this episode?

   I don’t care about Kelly’s validation speeches to Alex. I don’t care about the character, Silas who is a vampire and should fictionally “die in episode” because he IS a vampire. I don’t even care about Alex’s cowardice.

   What I do care about in story is the mission, the duty, and getting the job done.

   1. Alex has failed her mission to protect Kara.
   2. Jonn is off mission in recovering Kara.
   3. M’Gann is contradicting the mission in backtracking on her advice to J’onn from the last episode, that is be a soldier and not a father.
   4. Zulian Militarians? If one is a world of warcraft fan and I am NOT, then the reference is to the game ripoff of Larry Niven’s Kzinti as a concept. They were Warrior Space Tigers as Niven conceived them who always attacked humanity before they were ready. Pierson Puppeteers tamed them in those Known Space wars. In the back story we get here, these wraiths as described are a lot like
   5. Kara is ON MISSION. There is something gold here with a dingbat lady and a crystal ball and the natives who want to sacrifice Kara’s dad to the lake monster or volcano god (not sure which) and Kara has to save him despite her sprained knee? Wow. Kara has found an imp in Krypton Hell. Who saw this one? Raises hand here. Diablo ex machina cliché, but it fits the goofery in play. Sands of Iwo Jima, baby with Kara presented with her own Mount Suribachi, complete with enemies and a future raise the flag moment.
   6. Now, does one see The Sands of Iwo Jima meme kick in hard? Who disobeys J’onn’s orders? This is starting to be a good Supergirl episode.
   7. Even the Braindead and Lena plot C contributes to the action as Lex and Lena duel over charities and corporate control. I am liking it, liking it, loving it!
   8. By now I understand why the first five minute setup felt so wonky with J’onn, M’Gann and Alex with each written so out of character. We have to have that start point for them. Alex has to funk out so that she can woman up and play Hero Rocket Raccoon (Peter Conway character in the movie) later, but it is a serious writing glitch. J’onn has to have his disobedient reckless M’Gann (Al Thomas character in the movie) to jerk him into sergeant mode for M’Gann has to be the first reckless hero.

   9. The shame is that this heroism outside the PZ is all being done in this Supergirl story for a completely worthless vampire! I am not sure the heroism in the PZ is being done for a worthwhile character either, because I really dislike the actor, Jason Behr, as Zor-el. Sacrifice him to the Lake Monster!

   10. Anyway, Backstory on Myxlgsptinz is she is a princess of the 5th dimension. Wonder if we get the Kara “hope speech” and if Myxl gets her powers restored?
   11. back on the Lex and Lena front, guess what Otis gets to torch? A children’s hospital of course: what is a good Supergirl episode without a charitable donation of gasoline and matches?
   12. Lena and Braindead fantasize about how to off Lex. Now I expect the validation speech about how it is wrong to kill Lex, but this scene is FUNNY. The clown just ordered a hospital full of kids burned down. And I really think it is comedy when Jesse Rath tries to act. He can actually approach Jon Cryer levels of scenery chewing every now and then, just without any real talent. It makes my smile muscles hurt because of the broad grin I wear, when I quantify just how bad the acting is. Katie McGrath almost loses it on camera when Jesse Rath rants and pants. I expect that at least one of those takes made the gag reel.
   13. Rough patch… Alex and J’onn have a validation speech drop in that slows it all down and makes it boring. Don’t stall the story here, Dana Horgan and Emilio Ortega Aldrich. You two writers were so doing so well up til now, so get back on the action wagon, “Charge That Hill!”
   14. They are going to practice battlefield medicine without a license on infected M’Gann. Of course there will be a transfusion, (Not the green blood transfusion, that was part of act two rising action already, gerbils. this is a SOUL transfusion. Try to keep up with the gonzo in play here.). Ingredients needed are an Obsidian North neuro imager and a U’ra er Run, which appears to be a Martian shock paddle to jump start the process and one VERY DUMB MARTIAN and a Faltorpan ritual as Braindead explains it. Faltorpan? Yes! If you remember from the my review of “Rebirth” I observed that this plot smelled the acrid stench of “Star Trek III, The Search for Spock”. Ahhaha… It is ROTF time.

   “The fal-tor-pan was a Vulcan ritual designed to reunite a Vulcan’s katra with his or her body. It literally meant “re-fusion” in the Vulcan language. A mediating Vulcan, using his or her inherent telepathic abilities, transferred the katra into the original body. The ritual was considered very dangerous, both to the recovering deceased person, and to the keeper of the katra. For this reason, it was almost never performed, and, in 2285, it was in doubt that the ritual had ever been performed at all.”

   quoted from here:

   https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Fal-tor-pan

   15. I have returned to normal; The trap the Phantoms set-piece now happens as promised all this episode as the “flag raising” action apex. If Alex’s do-all gun is not a Green Lantern rip-off here, then I do not have an explanation for her Rocket Raccoon transformation into Sentinel as if she were Hailey Jordan. Why not just make her a GREEN LANTERN? it is clear that is what the show-runners wanted for her; but were not allowed to write.

   16. The fight and the transfusion goes as expected but the director BOTCHED THE TIMING and missed the emotional beats and hacks. Music was off, too. That hurts the cathartic impact that should have happened here. The flag is hanging limp, because there is no wind on Mount Suribachi. It is a visual metaphor, Hang with me.

   17. Back to the Lena Lex front… how is that one going, since it is a coda and falling action? Here’s another movie reference: “Wargames”. Lena has her “Joshua” (WOPR if you are Dabney Coleman’s character.), moment as she declares to Lex, that the only way she can win the game is “not to play”. There is a Mutual Assured Destruction” avoidance strategy. Might even work.

   18. M’gann Jonn coda scene … blah blah words words and I noticed something else besides Sharon Leal muffing her lines… FIRE the costumer for Sharon Leal and FIRE that director and FIRE that editor!. How did that wardrobe malfunction make it past post-production?

   19. Kelly and Alex? Their scene was supposed to romantically parallel the M’Gann and J’onn couple scene. It failed. There is no on screen chemistry between Azie and Chyler here. None. The way Azie Tasfei scrunches her face up almost as if in distaste as Chyler tries to sell her own faked emotions is painful for me to observe. That, too made it past post and should have been reshot or cut.

   20. Then Zor-el is rescued. Boy was that one easy. I figure that now that Kara is best buddies with a she-devil, she, Kara< will soon be out of Hell. Needs of the Story = diablo ex machina, gerbils. Refer to 5., take two aspirin for the hangover and expect a return to sludge next episode after this roller coaster. Oh hi Oh… means it is time to rate this one.

   For Acting, Directing, Writing? 5/0/3 out of 5/5/5. It was uneven. It suffered from an incompetent director, some sketchy writing which frankly soured in patches and glitchy acting. Chyler was in there swinging and Melissa performed, I mean she performed. Peta Sergeant as the Imp was competent. Katie was trying and so was Dave. Azie, Sharon and Jon were dumpster fires in their respective roles. Jason Nehr and Claude Knowlton were useless as Zor and Silas. Editing was atrocious and production values for costume, set, and post were AWFUL.

   Monty

   Reply
8. 

   Montefescu on April 14, 2021 at 5:28 pm

   Edit…

   4. Zulian Militarians? If one is a world of warcraft fan and I am NOT, then the reference is to the game ripoff of Larry Niven’s Kzinti as a concept. They were Warrior Space Tigers as Niven conceived them who always attacked humanity before they were ready. Pierson Puppeteers tamed them in those Known Space wars. In the back story we get here, these wraiths as described are a lot like… Dungeons and Dragons Wraiths as seen in Warhammer 40K.

   Complete the thought.

   Reply