SUPERGIRL Review: "Homecoming"
By Ade Adeniji on February 28, 2017 3 - TELEVISION NEWS, TV Reviews
This week's SUPERGIRL, "Homecoming" felt like a homecoming of sorts for fans of the 1990s superhero soap Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Yep, that's right, Dean Cain is back, reprising his role as Jeremiah Danvers, father to Alex and Kara. I feel like every time Dean Cain comes onto the scene, Supergirl is the stronger for it, and this is episode proves no exception. Last we caught up with Danvers, he was still in Cadmus' clutches, selflessly staying behind when the DEO calvary came in to protect his two daughters. That episode left a solid cliffhanger that's been quietly looming over season two for a bit now, so I'm glad that it was finally revisited.
The DEO receives a ping about a Cadmus caravan. Kara and J'onn arrive on the scene and fairly easily stop the band of vehicles in their tracks. And lo and behold, contained inside one of Cadmus' jet black SUVs is Jeremiah. Seems too easy right? Well, yes. But that doesn't stop sisters Kara, Alex, and heck the rest of the DEO for celebrating the triumphant return of one of the DEO's most storied agents.
Did I mention that this is an episode where a lot of people smile?
Kara's all smiles. Alex is all smiles. Typically stoic agents are abeam. The celebration continues at Kara's place, where those closest to Jeremiah get him caught up. It's not long before J'onn starts talking about letting Jeremiah step into the role he once held at the DEO long ago. This is all happening too quickly for Mon-El (remember how long he took to get into the graces of the agency?) who's the first to ring some alarm bells about how much trust they're putting in a man who's been held by the enemy for years. Sure, be happy the guy is back, but maybe not give him the keys to the Lamborghini to start with.
Mon-El pushes too far though, so much so that he totally messes up the honeymoon phase that he and Kara are in, and gets promptly booted from Jeremiah's homecoming party. Shunned from the fete, Mon-El goes to that alien watering hole to drink away his sorrow. When Winn arrives with his new alien boo, Mon-El finally finds a sympathetic ear. Later, Winn snoops around on Jeremiah's first day, and discovers him accessing classified DEO information. Winn and Mon-El report to Kara, who has no choice but to question Jeremiah out in front of everyone.
One important factor in these kinds of episodes where it's clear that an old friend isn't exactly the person he once was, I think, is to get to the good stuff quickly. Unfortunately for Supergirl's "Homecoming," I think it just takes a bit too long for the twist we all know that's coming to happen. It does help that Jeremiah is pretty darn cunning, and quickly talks his way out of his sketchy action by blaming it on wanting to see what the DEO and his daughters were up to during all of this time.
When Jeremiah later sends Kara and Alex on a fool's errand, that's when things finally start to heat up. With most of the DEO occupied, Jeremiah goes rogue and snatches up some classified information. You'd think J'onn would be able to stop him, but this Jeremiah has some sort of cybernetic arm like Cyborg Superman. Jeremiah incapacitates J'onn, gets what he came for, and flees to meet up with Cadmus.
Kara and especially Alex are devastated when they find out that Jeremiah betrayed them. They track down Lillian Luthor, Jeremiah and Cadmus in a forest where the sisters are ready to enact revenge. But as it turns out, Lillian has set an explosive device below a train bridge, and a huge train is about to plummet into a ravine. Kara springs into action while Lillian flees. Alex corners Jeremiah and has a chance to shoot him, but ultimately lets him go. This confrontation was probably the strongest moment of the episode, and one which will probably have lasting effects for the older Danvers sister. Later, she comes home to Maggie, who comforts her. Same goes for Kara who returns home to Mon-El.
As for what Jeremiah actually stole, we find out in the closing scenes that he stole DEO's alien registry, which lists all the aliens on Earth. Jeremiah brokered a deal with Lillian, presumably agreeing to help Cadmus in exchange for sparing Supergirl, but we'll see.
Supergirl airs Mondays at 8PM on CW
Read all of our reviews of Supergirl here.
Ade writes about the philanthropy of billionaires and millionaires by day, and writes screenplays by night.
Follow Ade on Twitter: @derekadeniji
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Ade Adeniji | Contributor
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