Supergirl Review [2×03]: “Welcome to Earth”

Politically charged, “Welcome to Earth” tackles prejudice, immigration, and xenophobia with mixed results.

How do you top Superman? You can’t really but the show certainly tried this week in one of the busiest episodes yet. “Welcome to Earth” saw Supergirl take on political commentary in a big way. This topical tale of oppression introduces a swath of new characters, each of whom adds a distinct symbolic piece to the episode’s greater allegory.

Amnesty is coming to the aliens of America by way of President Olivia Marsdin. Assuming she can survive a barrage of fireballs, of course. Protecting her idol from extremists is but the tip of the iceberg for Kara however, as her real troubles lie within. Bias and intolerance aren’t a great look for our supposed champion of justice. Will she ever be able to see Mon-El as more than a Daxamite? Meanwhile, Alex’s new “friend” Maggie opens her eyes to the plight of the extraterrestrial because apparently hanging with Kara and Hank didn’t do the trick. I suppose love does crazy things 😉

Alex: “I’ve been hunting aliens for so long that I never really stopped to consider that maybe they weren’t all hostiles to be caged.”

Over in Lena Luthor land plans forge ahead for an alien detection device. Don’t worry though, she’s totally not “shamelessly fear-mongering to the country’s immigrant- fearing lowest common denominator.” It’s all about protecting the people from the bad seeds. Now where have I heard that one before? Okay, enough with the preamble. Let’s dive into this political minefield.

The American Way

Sifting through my feelings on this episode’s blatant political leanings has been tough. I went in expecting a mindless popcorn show but got something teetering on the edge of propaganda. While I personally agree with a lot of the messaging, it was an unexpected turn for the show. I mean a heroic female president opened up borders to a potentially dangerous alien population and Kara wondered how anyone could have voted “for that other guy.” They might as well have said he wanted to put up a dome and make the Kryptonians pay for it. Lack of subtlety aside, I do applaud writers Jessica Queller and Derek Simon for writing something they believe in. This isn’t Kara’s article. Art is always Op-ed. Superman’s journey has often been used as a metaphor for immigration and I appreciate the expansion of this symbolism.

That said, a few things didn’t sit well with me. While I certainly see the timely merit of a sci-fi story that preaches against prejudice and fights for refugees, it felt like the opposing point of view was largely dismissed. Yes the show is using hyperbole but it’s basically implying that fully opening our borders would be a wholly positive event. No executive order could achieve that in the real world and for legitimate reasons. Furthermore it feels inaccurate to even imply Hillary wants to do that. I did at least appreciate Snapper mentioning how some might oppose the Amnesty Act for fear of their jobs or disease. And hey, looks like President Marsdin might be two faced and untrustworthy despite her positive demeanor. Could that be a joking nod to Hillary or am I taking the metaphor too far?

Kara: “Won’t a device like this… doesn’t it go against everything America is supposed to stand for… freedom against persecution, oppression. America has always been a country full of immigrants.”

Lena Luthor did provide a different stance but as she carries the Luthor name one assumes this is headed towards diabolical lane. If not, then Lena’s alien detection plot-line seems rather deftly handled. Kara calls out the negatives of this de facto registration of immigrants and critiques the xenophobic right. However, Lena genuinely seems to want to protect people from alien extremists so, while Kara doesn’t agree with her, she does learn to understand her.

Lena: “Some people are just bad and there’s nothing you can do to change that but you can learn to protect yourself.”

Meanwhile, even our villain of the week was politically motivated. Scorcher was one of the better villains Kara has faced but unfortunately that isn’t saying much. Her effects were lackluster and performance shoddy, but I did like the idea of the character. Having dealt with years of oppression she herself is now fearful and prejudiced. Her cynical view of Amnesty as a mask for registration is a cool idea. Sadly, an idea, however intriguing, is not a fully fleshed out character and why on earth did she kidnap Maggie?

Meet the Newbies

Speaking of Maggie, this episode introduced us to a ton of new characters and guess what? They’re all great! Detective Maggie Sawyer was a fun addition for comic fans and general audiences alike. Floriana Lima infused the character with equal parts spunk and vulnerability. Her snarky comments played well off of Alex’s stoicism and the two have solid chemistry. Maggie also fit perfectly into the themes of the episode having grown up feeling like an outcast. Mentioning race and sexuality nicely broadened the message of the story and helped to ground them in our reality. Speaking of sexuality, I really appreciated the subtle hints towards Alex’s growing attraction for Maggie. Seeing her unsure and slightly vulnerable adds a nice new dimension to her character.

Maggie: “I can relate to [aliens]. Growing up a non-white, non-straight girl in Blue Springs Nebraska, I might as well have been from Mars.”

Now, we have to talk more about the President herself. Lynda Carter was the perfect pick for this role and it was so fun watching Kara geek out over her. I just wish the former Wonder Woman got a little more screen time. The character, while fun, was little more than a tease this week. That said, teases are perfectly acceptable when they come with invisible plane references. Going forward, I wonder just how villainous a role she may take on.

President Marsdin: “It’s hope J’onn. How can it be false?”

Kara: “did you hear that? That was like a legit quote!”

“Welcome to Earth” also served as the official introduction of Mon-El, the Daxamite scum! After months of waiting, Chris Wood finally gets to deliver some lines! Turns out the guy can act. While Mon-El has a slight twinge of CW bad boy syndrome, Wood does a good job of humanizing the character. The best thing to come out of Mon-El’s plot-line was Kara’s hatred of the Daxamites. Sure the whole warring states thing has been done to death (complete with them not even remembering who started it) but it was great to see another side of Supergirl. She was angry, aggressive, and bubbling with prejudice. Kara became what she hated and I think that was a really nice humbling moment for the character.

Who’s the Boss?

The weekly Catco high jinks are starting to feel like a totally separate show. On the plus side, it’s still a show I enjoy watching, albeit in small doses. Snapper Carr felt far more palatable to me this week. Still a jerk, but less of a cartoon. Admittedly, that might just be me getting used to his take on the character. Either way, it was fun to watch his little sparring match with James. Who wouldn’t try to steamroll Olsen? Dude seems totally out of his depth. It’s almost like he got the job because some screen writers didn’t know what else to do with him… Seriously though, nothing against Mehcad Brooks, but the show really doesn’t need him anymore.

Snapper: “Are you gonna be a pale carbon copy of your old boss or you gonna be a hard news man, make your own mark?”

Meanwhile, Kara’s clashes with Carr were a nice sub-arc for her as she learned to burry her bias. Her first article produced some of the episode’s most cutting social commentary and it was fun watching her attempt neutral reporting. The only problem? These plots are so low on the totem pole that they rarely get enough time to breath. Lately it feels like Kara screws up at work and then she perfectly fixes it. There’s not much of a middle. We don’t see her actual struggle. Hopefully next week they can shake up the formula.

Final Verdict: Despite its flaws, “Welcome to Earth” was a solid episode that introduced a great slate of new characters and provided a positive social message.

This was SUCH a jam packed episode. I mean Miss Freaking Martian showed up at the end of this and I haven’t even gotten to that yet. I liked Hank’s mini arc but it also exemplified the problems with the episode. Too much was going on to really dive into his psyche. This was an ambitious episode with lofty goals. Sometimes it hit the mark but often it was just too busy to stick the landing.

Hank: “People in this world don’t have much tolerance for others who look different. I say that as an alien and as someone who has wore the face of a black man for 15 years.”

While the action was lacking and some complex issues were oversimplified, overall “Welcome to Earth” was an enjoyable installment. It introduced a fleet of new characters while still providing some solid development for our old timers as well. Kara seethed with hate, Alex opened up, and Hank displayed vulnerability and fear. Lena and Snapper also stepped up in their sophomore outings as this cast grows stronger by the episode. At the end of the day, Supergirl did something special this week. More directly than ever before it tackled real life issues. It had something to say and it stood up for the oppressed. Supergirl is a symbol of idealistic hope after all. It’s only fitting that the show should look to her for inspiration.

Comments/ Concerns:

• Alex got hit by a fire ball and immediately gets up…
• I’m glad the villain wasn’t from Cadmus. Seemed like the obvious go to.
• It’s confusing that he’s named Mon-El. Makes it seem like he’s related to Kara.
• Wouldn’t superman come back if another Kryptonian woke up?
• Mon-El’s opening escape scene was the best action sequence in the episode
• Love the alien dive bar. Hope we see it regularly.
• It seems like they’re setting up a “coming out” arc of sorts for J’onn but logistically how is that possible? The effects budget can’t handle a full time Martian Manhunter. Problem is, if he stays Hank Henshaw it sends the message that he’s hiding his true self to make others feel better.