Supergirl (3/4)

Thanks to Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, DC has a handle on how to do good TV shows. It sucks that they're not able to merge it with their movies universe, or even all other shows (it seems), but whatever. At least the TV shows are good!

The pilot episode of Supergirl was superb. Finally a show with female superhero in lead, who & which kicks ass. For an opening episode, it sets the plot pretty quick, defines the allies and enemies, preps our superhero quite fast, and gives some interesting action too. The casting and performances are superb. 

  • Melissa Benoist as brilliant both as Kara and Supergirl. She's naive, cute, dorky, nerdy etc etc as Kara, and a kickass superhero as Supergirl. Calista Flockhart is another gem, as Kara's boss Cat. And it was cool to see Dean and Helen as Kara's foster parents (the Superman & Supergirl form past).

The writing is quite good, with a good mix of humor and drama. The special effects are good for a TV show, although the expectation these days can be higher. Specially the action sequences can be better. The villains don't seem too bad yet, but let's see what more is in store.

***spoilers***

Kara-Zor-El is sent form Krypton to earth, to protect Kal-El (the Superman). But she gets stuck in time warp and lands on earth years after Superman is already established as a superhero. Considering her mission to protect Kal-El is not needed nay more, she joins the family of Danvers and starts leading a "normal" life as an assistant to successful but snobby Cat Grant. She wants to be more, she wants to be a hero, but seems she's needed. Until there's a plane crash, with her adopted sister in that plane. This gives her chance to be the superhero, exactly superman style, and save the plane. With this, the city and the world gets a new superhero, Supergirl!

Why Supergirl and not Superwoman? No need to ask Otto Binder and Al Pastino (creators of Supergirl comic character), the show explains that through Cat. There's also Jimmy Olson, sent by Superman to help Supergirl, be the hero she deserves to be. She also has help from Winn, her co-worker and friend who becomes her associate, helping her with her costume and find crimes to fight. And her adopted sister Alex works with DEO (Alien fighting agency), and the boss of DEO doesn't like Super-people. But they join hands together to defeat first of the many kryptonian super villains, who got released from kryptonian jail. And all of them were jailed by Kara's mom Alura-Zor-El. Also, there's evil twins sister of of Alura, Astra, who wants to rule earth.

***spoiler ends***

It's not a bird. It's not a plane. It's not a man. It's Supergirl. In the new drama from the world of DC Comics, Superman's cousin, Kara Zor-El, embraces her superhuman abilities and becomes the hero she was always meant to be. This Fall on CBS.

So, it was a good start to a possibly good show. As the show says itself during a scene, someone for young girls to look up to. But if it goes in right direction, this show may have some young & old, girls & boys and all kind of other fans too. Let's see where is Supergirl looking to fly next!

Mini Review - EMPIRE is a hit on FOX!

empire-mini review

When you mix the sound of Timothy "Timbaland” Mosley — Timberland with the calibrated perfection of director-producer Lee Daniels, it’s a no-brainer that an empire would rise from such a connection.

“Empire” is a hit.  The Fox 1/6 premiere opened impressively with 9.8 million viewers and a 3.7 rating among adults 18-49. 

This Fox drama beat ABC’s “Modern Family” head-to-head.

Shakespearean in tone with a nod to “King Lear” this series is about Black wealth inside a modern music dynasty which was earned from a life on the gritty, Philly streets by Empire Entertainments' head, Lucious Lyon, played by the riveting Terrence Howard.

If “money makes the world go around” then wealth tells it when to “stop and go.”

Straight talk, Lucious is a drug dealer-turned-rap star-turned-record mogul with a midas touch who, of late, has turned his eye to global diversification and, to one of his three sons, is  ''more concerned with selling T-shirts and watches and whatever."

His driving ambition to transform Empire into a global brand rests in his desire to cement a place in the history books. His health failing, he learns that he’s dying from ALS. 

His sacrifice that affords him a life of luxury—has to be carefully protected and to that end, he reveals his monstrous shades.

He needs the right successor, and sets his three sons in motion to fight for the crown.  

On paper, it’s an unfair fight; a gladiatorial spectacle that will get gory.

The eldest, Andre (Trai Byers) is a seasoned businessman with an 

Ivy League M.B.A. and a white girlfriend to back-up his bid. He’s that comfortable face that will make, a mostly white board of directors, comfortable that their agenda will be safely achieved.  

On the other side is the baby, the very green Hakeem (Bryshere Gray) who, according to his father is “lazy" and "hasn’t worked a day in his life” but from the videos he appears to be earning his street credits with his hard-partying and skillful rap skills. 

His strong relationship with his brother Jamal (Jussie Smollett), clearly a musical prodigy seems, on the surface is a mis-match since Jamal is also gay which, in Lucious' eyes, makes him a marketing nightmare and his least favorite choice.

In a heart breaking flashback he puts his young, high-heel wearing son inside a trash can cementing a lasting impression that he was never wanted. 

It’s a knock out moment expressed in Jamal's song  ''I Just Want You to Look at Me,'’ which is filled pain and old heartache. 

But, don’t get it twisted the empire  belongs to  Cookie, played with verve by Taraji P. Henson. 

Offering one of the most interesting characters in years, she plays the “hell out of” Cookie, Lucious' ex, the boys' mother, and a clever iteration of the neglected, and incarcerated good wife.

Cookie was serving 17 long years (in prison) for selling drugs for her husband and her surprise, early release makes the series pop and sizzle with energy.  

Not only is Lucious not pleased, he is stunned at the timing.  

The second Cookie struts out of the slammer, rocking a fur and utterly furious, the audience is rooting for her to get what’s hers. 

The stakes are high and not only because billions are on the table, it’s family and personal.  To that end, she turns her deft hand at constructing Jamal's career and backs his coming out of the closet. 

Cookie says the damnedest things, but it's Henson’s show. This role would come off as pandering, or worse, campy instead  she elevates the role and keeps the character human, endearing and fascinating. 

Lee Daniels is a game changer and he brings his A team along to build the empire correctly.

“Empire" comes from writer Danny Strong ("Game Change") and director Lee Daniels (“Precious")—collaborators on 2013's “Lee Daniels: The Butler."

Empire keeps it gritty and authentic and the music makes it relevant. A+