This is the one we’ve been waiting for! The Last Daughter of Krypton and The Fastest Man Alive team up in a gloriously fun crossover…
The timing couldn’t be any better – while Batman and Superman are glowering at each other in a dark, stormy night in the DC movie corner, The Flash and Supergirl are high-fiving in a bright, sunny metropolis over in DC’s TV universe. Not to criticise BvS even more – superhero TV and films have to have different tones to stay fresh – but I know which one I enjoyed more in the moment.
Yes, ‘Worlds Finest’ saw Barry Allen come to Supergirl’s world (and namedrop a lot of CW characters) to team up with the Girl of Steel. Barry has been increasingly weighed down on his own show this season, so it was great to see him all upbeat again. Supergirl clearly brings out the best in him, as Melissa Benoist and Grant Grustin have terrific chemistry (I love how excited Kara is by Barry’s surprise ice cream). Winn and Barry’s bromance was also fun, as was James getting envious.
The show also let out its meta streak this episode, as Cat makes a fourth-wall breaking comment about her staff looking like “the attractive yet non-threatening, racially-diverse cast of a CW show.” In a regular episode this might be a bit much, but in this one it all adds to the fan-pleasing fun.
Once you get past the crossover aspect, it isn’t a perfect episode, though. Even with two in one, Supergirl‘s villains are often on the weak side. Siobhan Smythe’s transformation into Silver Banshee was silly (why is Livewire suddenly an amazing costume designer?) and the reveal that she was cursed is just bizarre. These niggles aren’t really important, though, as seeing The Flash and Supergirl having fun together can’t help but put a smile on your face.
In short, this one is far and away the best episode of Supergirl‘s first season so far. Not exclusively because Grant Gustin turned up, but because basically everything in the show shifted up a gear. To the episode’s credit, Barry’s appearance didn’t steal the show away from its own ongoing plot threads. Things are finally kicking off with Kara and James while Uncle Non’s nefarious plan is forming. A myriad things could happen next…
Rating:
Fandom Factory 