A Few Supergirl Thoughts

It’s been a couple weeks since the announcement that the upcoming season of Supergirl will be its last, and given my many posts about the show (linking just the tag, since there are too many to pull out individually,) it’s no surprise that I have feelings about it.

However, those feelings are mostly peaceful. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m going to miss the show. Even though the writing can veer into silliness at times and even though the series has at times missed the mark on important things, I continue to love it and I’ll be sad not to have it on my TV. My feelings on Kara Zor-El are well known, and she’s one of the many reasons that Supergirl will always be special to me.

But at the same time, this is the sort of cancelation notice I can get behind, similar to how I felt about The Good Place ending. Most shows are either canceled way too soon (Pushing Daisies, Kings) or drag on way too long (How I Met Your Mother, Dexter,) either leaving you mourning what it might have been or regretting what it became. Very rarely does a show end at the right time, leaving you wistful for more but not clamoring for closure you won’t get. Not that I would’ve called season 5 Supergirl at the top of its game, but I don’t personally feel the show has fallen into any great decline. They’re still in a pretty good position to go out on a high note.

Which they have an opportunity to do well, thanks a full final season lying ahead of them. Plenty of time to steer the ship the way they want and bring it to a strong close. I would always rather a show go into a season knowing it’s the last rather than get cut off at the knees with an intended season finale being forced to stand in as a series finale. I’ve also seen some shows that get a brief warning before the end, and they’re able to scramble together a finale with what little time they have left, but it’s so much better when the writers and the cast walk into the whole season knowing it’s their last rodeo.

The only thing that gives me pause in this particular situation is the still-looming specter of COVID-19. Supergirl isn’t due to return to the CW until late in the 2020-2021 season, so they still have a lot of time for things to improve, but I’m really hoping that they have a chance to fully realize their vision. It would be a shame if they have to adapt on the fly to cobble episodes together due to an ill-timed shutdown, much like they had to construct last season’s finale. And regardless, it’s too bad for the cast, who have to go into their final year working on the show together with the pandemic hanging over them and the inevitable restrictions it calls for.

Which brings me to my last point: the cast. Another reason that I mostly feel all right about Supergirl ending next year is that most of the cast reacted so graciously on social media to the announcement. Post after post of cozy-looking behind-the-scenes pics accompanied by expressions of gratitude for the ride, honor for what they were able to bring to the show, and love for the friends they met along the way. As much as I adore Kara, Supergirl is very much a total-package show for me (if you don’t believe me, scroll through the tag for my copious Favorite Character and Relationship Spotlight write-ups.) Plenty of superhero media really sell the “team” aspect, but I feel the bonds between the Superfriends in my bones. Over the years, these actors forged a family together, and that’s reflected in how they play off one another onscreen. Once it’s over, when I think of Supergirl I’ll think of Kara being a powerful badass and giving speeches about hope, but I’ll also think of karaoke outings, game nights, and Danvers sisters movie-and-takeout couch sessions. Truly, el mayarah.