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'Supergirl': How Comic-Con reacted to the pilot episode

'Supergirl' stars Melissa Benoist as Kara, a cousin of legendary superhero Superman. The show will air on CBS and debut in October.

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CBS Entertainment/AP
'Supergirl' stars Melissa Benoist (l.) and Mehcad Brooks (r.).

A screening of the pilot for CBS’s “Supergirl” series has gotten the fan community buzzing about the upcoming show.

“Supergirl” will follow the female superhero, also known as Kara Zor-El, who is a cousin of Superman and is played by Melissa Benoist of “Glee." The creation of the show follows the box office (but not critical) success of the 2013 film “Man of Steel,” which centered on Superman and had actor Henry Cavill portray the character for the first time. Superman is set to hit the big screen again in next year’s “Batman v Superman,” in which Mr. Cavill will again portray the character and Ben Affleck will play Batman. 

The screening of the “Supergirl” pilot was part of Comic-Con, which is currently happening in San Diego, and early buzz for the pilot is mainly positive so far. Collider writer Dave Trumbore gave the pilot a rating of four stars, writing that “this coming-of-age action-drama pulls no punches when it comes to the emotional side of human/Kryptonian relationships… Ms. Benoist has a charming innocence about her that makes Kara instantly likable… the action is on par with ‘Arrow’ and ‘The Flash.”” 

Hypable writer Kristen Kranz was also impressed, writing that “Supergirl” is one viewers will “want to tune into this fall… Kara’s desire to embrace her powers is a breath of fresh air… the show [is] defy[ing] the tropes that have plagued Superman adaptations for decades.”

Meanwhile, Mangala Dilip of the International Business Times wrote that “’Supergirl’ was received well by the Comic Con community” and called the show “eagerly anticipated.”

It’s less news now that a superhero program is coming to TV than that CBS is getting in on the genre. Following the massive success of superhero movies at the box office recently, every other major network besides CBS currently has or recently had a superhero program on its schedule, with the shows having ranged from less critical success (NBC’s “Constantine,” Fox’s “Gotham,” and sometimes ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” which has gone up and down in quality) to more (ABC's "Agent Carter," the CW’s “Arrow,” and “The Flash”). In addition, Netflix’s “Daredevil” has met with success on the streaming platform. If “Supergirl” can distinguish itself in the crowded marketplace – for example, expand on the theme of Kara wanting to be a superhero, versus the often tortured themes of superheroes resisting their powers in other shows – it could be a success.

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