Everything you know about Supergirl is different in ... well, "Supergirl" the TV show. The 2026 movie starring Milly Alcock may have stumbled at the box office, but long before Hollywood tried to bring Kara Zor-El to the big screen, the Melissa Benoist-led CW series quietly ran for six seasons.
Personally, I loved Milly’s hot-mess "Party Girl Kara" in the film (and think audiences slept on it!), but for anyone who didn’t vibe with that chaotic origin story, the 2015 show offers the warm, wholesome take the character deserved all along. And all six seasons are currently streaming on Netflix.
The CW launched its DC era in 2012 with "Arrow," but in my opinion, "Supergirl" beats them all — and she does it in heels. Benoist's version proved to be far more than just a blonde girl in a super suit. Comic book lore is riddled with women who serve as little more than love interests or hyper-sexualized villains, but not Kara Danvers. Benoist’s iteration gave fans something they desperately needed: genuine hope.
A heart of gold in a gritty superhero era
When "Supergirl" debuted on TV, screen superheroics were a boys' club dominated by jaded protagonists and dark storylines. And in many ways, they still are. I adore Henry Cavill’s Superman, but he's undeniably one of the darkest versions we’ve ever gotten.
"Supergirl," by contrast, captures the charm of "Smallville" with a dash of classic Christopher Reeve energy. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Kara’s bright optimism and earnest drive to do the right thing.
That heart extends directly to her workplace and support system. Step aside, Miranda Priestly; Calista Flockhart’s Cat Grant absolutely makes the show as a trailblazing, no-nonsense mentor. As a journalist myself, I love that CatCo Worldwide Media gives Kara the perfect platform to tackle real-world systemic issues like immigration, hate groups, and media fearmongering with her pen as well as her powers.
Supported by a fantastic ensemble including her sister Alex (Chyler Leigh), best friend Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath), and superhero Nia Nal (Nicole Maines) — plus Jeremy Jordan's Winn Schott, who easily counts as one of the girls — the series finally gave us the powerhouse, female-led super squad we deserved.
Groundbreaking representation is the real super legacy
With episode titles like "Nevertheless, She Persisted," "Supergirl" was genuinely groundbreaking. Its LGBTQ+ representation is stronger than steel. Early on, Alex Danvers embarks on a coming-out arc focused on queer joy rather than the tired "doom-and-gloom" tropes TV loves to recycle. Later, Nicole Maines made history as Dreamer, TV’s first trans superhero, tackling bigotry without reducing her character strictly to her identity.
Granted, the show wasn't without its flaws. As someone who shipped Clark and Lex in "Smallville," I naturally rooted for Kara and Lena Luthor, and the series did invite fair criticism for queerbaiting by playing into classic CW romantic tension without following through (just ask "Supernatural" fans about Destiel!). Yet even with that misstep, its progress remains undeniable.
Like many female-led comic book projects, "Supergirl" faced pre-release review bombing and harsh bad-faith critiques — a pattern we saw again with "Captain Marvel" and the 2026 "Supergirl" film. Mainstream comic book fans may have slept on it, but the 2015 series remains the crowning jewel of the Arrowverse. Up, up, and away with the haters.
Stream all six seasons of "Supergirl" on Netflix
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