Martin Carr reviews the fifth episode of Supergirl season 5…
Episode five is treading water. Interest has merged with indifference in recent weeks as things show no intention of moving forward. There are good ideas, well-intentioned sub plots and potential dramatic heft waiting in the wings. That though remains the problem with season five; all that wasted potential is just waiting. Espionage, corporate double dealing and human brainwashing are solid dramatic avenues to explore, but unfortunately Supergirl is moving at a pedestrian pace making choices.
Friends might be coming out of the woodwork who resemble Doctor Octopus while Arctic flooding is mildly diverting, but threats are vague at best. There might be talk of Leviathan as an overarching organisation looking to dominate worldwide, but old ladies in limousines do not a villain make. Similarly capturing, experimenting and forcing Martians into cooperation through manipulation might sound good on paper, but the scenes themselves feel static.
In truth the only thing which maintains interest is Obsidian North and their virtual reality contacts. This might have been lifted from Black Mirror and retrofitted to work but it still manages to engage despite the derivative nature. However any vendetta segue involving William Day and Andrea somehow falls flat because the characterisation is painfully thin and predictable. As for Lena and J’onn’s brother the dynamic is never really explored in favour of a charlatan Guardian who is easily neutralised.
Brainiac meanwhile gets possessed by sentient tattoos while Dreamer holds back banks of water and Kelly has a meltdown over Alex. Unfortunately that is exciting as it sounds which is not very even if time passes quickly. For the first time in five years there is a sense that Supergirl might be slipping. There is nothing contentious being said here even in a subtext sense of the word. Benoist, Harewood and Leigh are being given little to work with, while the elements which do engage have been bettered elsewhere by others.
Although liaisons frequently happen in episode five there is nothing even vaguely dangerous about them. Unless something drastic happens soon audiences will begin abandoning ship and move on to something with more meat on the bone.
Martin Carr
