Season Two, Episode Eight — “Medusa”
© 2016 The CW Network. All rights reserved.
By Molly Jane Kremer. All right, so who else is completely stoked on this crazy four-episode “Invasion!” crossover event on The CW? I know I certainly am. Rather, I will be when it actually starts.
Because this week’s installment of Supergirl, supposedly the first chapter to “Heroes V. Aliens”, had (spoilers!) about three minutes of actual crossover-giddiness, found in one tiny scene tucked underneath this otherwise completely packed episode. Cute as those few moments were (Cisco and Kara!), “HvA” should have been touted as a three-episode crossover, because aside from that ending, after two previous/pointless wormhole appearances, this was just another week of typical (and typically dense) Supergirl storylines. However, despite such flagrant false advertising on CW’s part, “Medusa” was a fairly good — if often cornier than usual — mid-season finale.
The contrasting family dynamics of the Luthors and Danvers’ were a highlight this week, with Brenda Strong continuing her lightning run as Lillian Luthor, also known as the best villain this show has ever had. She plays the part with an excellent combination of chill and passion, and the scenes of strained interaction between Lillian and Lena were never anything less than riveting.
Helen Slater’s performance as Eliza Danvers was, thank goodness, much less cringe-inducing than her last appearance on the show, and Alex’s coming-out scene with her was lovely and well-done.
Mon-El, as he approaches the inevitable Supergirl-relationship-singularity, is improving in both depth and demeanor. His ignorance of American customs and phrases has become, to this writer anyway, incredibly endearing, and I can’t express enough gratitude for the show finally downplaying his previous douchery. He’s becoming a character who fits on this show, and who could also be a fit with Kara. (Even if Jimmy still makes way more sense and is hecka cute but whatevs.)
Then there’s Hank Henshaw, who continues to be a generic threat with little to do but punch and shout threats that sound like they came from the back of a cereal box. For all of David Harewood’s actorly might, the Cyborg Superman — who still needs to find a justification for that name, btw — Henshaw remains little more than a typical henchman. And where his face should look like the Terminator homage it always was, right now? He looks like he’s the Phantom of Supergirl.
BEST LINE(s):
“Kara tells me that you are a brilliant scientist. That must be riveting. I have to hear about this science. What is science?” – Mon-El’s goofy dumbness is sometimes terribly cute.
“So last night the space-time continuum ripped apart in the middle of your apartment, which only makes it slightly less intense than last year’s Thanksgiving.” – Winn.
“Life is too short. We should be who we are. And we should kiss the girls we want to kiss.” – Maggie
BEST MOMENT: The episode’s climax at the port was a well-organized sequence, action-heavy and effectively paying off the past two months’ worth of plot build-up. (We’re just going to forget Kara’s dorky as heck “You may be a cyborg… but you’re no Superman!” line, though, okay? Okay.) The fight choreography, effects, and CGI were excellent, and after all that, Kara’s — and the viewer’s — faith in Lena was rewarded with a total bait-and-switch on her meanie mom. Yeah there were some goofy bits (“whoops, Henshaw just disappeared from our grasp — again!”) but it was a satisfying end to this half of Season Two.
EPISODE’S MVP: It’s Alex. It had to be Alex. In an episode where she both comes out to her mom and finally, after weeks of suspense, gets the girl, Chyler Leigh again knocked it out of the park. It’s a testament to Leigh’s performance and abilities that in a show with this many plot points, the one that doesn’t even feature the eponymous lead is the most riveting and rewarding. Keep it up, Chyler. You’re rocking this shit, and I can’t wait to see where it all goes next.
© 2016 The CW Network. All rights reserved.
HEAT VISIONS:
– Aww, of course Kara lives on Hope Street. Or Avenue? Or it could be Parkway, I guess.
– Why is anyone surprised Mon-El has no idea what stuffing is? Why wouldn’t Kara have told him what it was before she asked him to bring it? He’s already proven himself absolutely ignorant of American idioms or traditions, and rightfully so. At least he brought something to dinner — and it wasn’t even beer. Now that’s character growth.
– Kara taking the booze away from Alex caused a little giggle at DoomRocket HQ. We wouldn’t want a repeat of last year’s Supergirl Thanksgiving, now would we?
– Apparently empty wormholes over the dinner table means dinner and all conversations therein come to a complete halt. Isn’ that… convenient.
– What. On. Earth. Is this cover. Of Santana and Rob Thomas’ “Smooth”. Oof, I’m having flashbacks to last year’s terrible soundtrack now.
– Hahaha, I get it — Mon-opoly with Mon-El.
– Kara would totally say “like me, like me” in an actual conversation.
– J’onn’s face turning part White Martian was fucking terrifying. Gotta say though, I’m very disappointed at how easily J’onn was “cured” of the White Martian blood; what a narrative afterthought.
– I don’t know who that is looking for Mon-El and his errant pod, but those are some extremely Kylo Ren lookin’ costumes right there.
8 out of 10
NEXT ON ‘HEROES V. ALIENS’: “Invasion!”
Next: “Supergirl Lives,” soon.
Before: “The Darkest Place,” here.
