The Adventures of Supergirl/The Lost Children of Krypton (S2, E1 & E2)
Yes, I’m cheating a little here by having two episodes, but since they’re pretty much a two-parter I’m going to put them together. Initially there was a danger that placing Superman into the show could take the focus away from its leading lady, but amazingly Supergirl not only doesn’t allow its leading lady to be overtaken, but manages to give us a Superman that the world really deserves. With none of the intense brooding of his current big screen version, Tyler Hoechlin enters the show like the love child of Dean Cain and Christopher Reeve and makes the role his own in such a short space of time. Better yet, he has a lovely familial chemistry with Benoist that is a joy to watch.
Together the season two premiere presents an emotional, funny and action packed blast of fun and the two-way action sequence where Kara/Alex and Superman/Martian Manhunter engage in the episode’s final act is probably the best set-piece from the entire run of the show so far.
Changing (S2, E6)
Many a television show has featured a coming out episode, but none have been anywhere near as powerful as this. With Chyler Leigh frequently being one of the best things about the show, the series takes her on a journey where she discovers that she has feelings for her new friend, Maggie Sawyer. Honest, beautifully raw and deeply emotional, if the Emmy awards weren’t so bias against superhero shows, then Leigh’s performance and the teleplay courtesy of Berlanti, Kreisberg and Caitlin Parrish would have been a contender for awards.
The work done here by Leigh and Benoist is superb and the final moments of the episode are amongst the most heartrending performed on any of the DC Television Universe shows, with Leigh’s performance in particular cementing her position as the show’s most powerful performer.
Supergirl airs every Monday in the UK on Sky. What would your top five episodes be so far?