Martin Carr reviews the third episode of Supergirl season 3…
A lesbian wedding shower might be a first for American network television but that is just a smoke screen for something more contentious. As the tagline suggests family plays a big part either through reconciliation, repressed prejudice or shared memories, as Supergirl taps into emotional narratives and comes out swinging.
For the first fifteen minutes with the exception of a very cool shape shifting Martian spaceship we are on familiar ground. Alex and Maggie are planning pre-nuptial celebrations, Jonn and Kara are taken half way across the galaxy on a distress call and everything feels likes business as usual. Megane talks Jonn into extracting information on a Martian McGuffin from someone dear, while back home old wounds are re-opened for Maggie. We get clashes on both sides that dredge up old memories but also provides the beating heart behind the drama.
Ultimately ‘Far from the Tree’ works best when epiphanies are experienced for both Maggie and Jonn. It is these moments that absorb the audience and make things dramatically cohesive. For the most part this involves a lot of dialogue, emotive glances and painful silences. Both Lima, Leigh and Harewood milk every last drop from the scenario and really make you invest. Hats off also to the respective older patriarchs who feature heavily, as they are able to build a believable chemistry which works towards an honest resolution.
Benoist may not have much to do but she is very much the sidekick here as proceedings are driven by Harewood. A character actor who could sell ice to the Eskimos he provides Jonn with further depth, while we get to experience elements of Martian life hidden until now. Lima also does a majority of the heavy lifting back on Earth where the writers take advantage of certain elements in order to take a pop at their President. It may only be a few lines and it may be surrounded by other drama, but this is a very definitive taking of sides. Other shows might have said it more dramatically but Supergirl might be the first comic book series to plant its flag in the sand.
Beyond that what initially seems like a piece of LGBT television designed to broaden the fan base, turns into something dramatically fulfilling, subtlety poignant and topically challenging. There is no cliff hanger leading into episode four, no need to set up anything or otherwise carrot dangle for a prospective audience. ‘Far from the Tree’ is self-contained, self-aware and strikes the balance between entertainingly glossy and character driven in a way which is refreshing. With the season still young it’s nice to sense a feeling of confidence which comes through in an episode so precisely put together.
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Originally published October 25, 2017. Updated November 29, 2022.
