CW’s Supergirl has built up quite a rap sheet of liberal offenses over the years. But that’s all supposed to change since this fourth season will, allegedly, “try and unite a divided people,” according to executive producer Robert Rovner. From this second episode alone, I’m going to have to call that bluff.
The October 21 episode “Fallout” follows the public revelation that President Olivia Marsdin (Lynda Carter) is, in fact, an alien herself. This information leads to a contentious political debate between people mad that their president isn’t even from Earth, never mind a natural born citizen, as required by the Constitution, and people fine with it since she pushes policies they like. The latter is actually an argument Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) makes, saying, “You've done so much good. People need to remember that. Every step of your presidency promoted compassion, and equal rights for all.” And people think Trump wants to destroy the Constitution...
This leads to the inevitable violent mobs in front of the White House with Supergirl flying in to stop the fighting, bring back hope, and prevent another Charlottesville scenario.
"Now is the time to talk to each other?" Someone should alert them that not even the Democratic Party believes in the “when they go low, we go high” mantra anymore. We should be promoting discussion and free speech over mob tactics, yes, but the ship has sailed for Supergirl to play moderator. This is a show that claims America is racist and goes out of its way to cast transgender actors to score diversity points, whose main character condemns guns and blasts "America's xenophobic right." It’s like Sarah Silverman trying to preach tolerance and understanding.
Speaking of transgender actors, the premiere introduced us to Nia Nal (Nicole Maines), a new reporter who works with Supergirl’s alter ego Kara Danvers. If the actor’s name sounds familiar, it’s because Maines was previously the subject of a transgender bathroom case back in 2013. Now, she’s acting as the first transgender superhero. While her character doesn’t have any superpowers yet, she’s already trying to work as a symbol of justice.
After stopping men from threatening an exposed alien, Nia talks to her boss James Olsen (Mechad Brooks) about the media taking a stance in the alien debate. She gets this courage to stand up to men and even her boss because, of course, she’s a transgender woman.
James: What's on your mind?
Nia: You may not know this about me, but, I am a transgender woman. I know what it's like to be attacked and denied because of who I am. When I saw that alien being attacked, I couldn't let it pass. I... [Sighs] I had to stand up, hold a mirror to that bully's face. And I made a difference. And that was just one person. You are the editor-in-chief of Catco Worldwide Media, you can hold a mirror up to the entire city. We have to show people that violence against aliens is not okay. And that the only way we are going to survive is if we start truly seeing each other.
Later in the episode, James does have his paper take a stance against alien violence, so Nia is already a hero in her own right. It’s so ironic that the episode emphasizes people with different arguments while shoving a transgender character in for diversity points. I doubt they’re that open to hearing arguments about not promoting people suffering from gender dysphoria to a wide audience.
Right off the bat, this new season of Supergirl is already worse than its last. Rovner said, “In a world where a lot of us are divided it's great to explore how a character like Supergirl can try and unite a divided people.” The only problem is that Supergirl has been anything but unifying for the past three plus seasons. Trying now just seems disingenuous at best and downright ignorant at worst. Toss in a transgender character, and the show proves it has no idea how to unite a divided people. I doubt it even cares.
