CBS’ ‘Supergirl’ drama will focus on ‘flawed humanity’ of Superman’s cousin

CBS Entertainment has officially found their Supergirl in former Glee star Melissa Benoist, but the network is already warning viewers not to expect the highly-anticipated drama to be like the other superhero shows on television. Even though the series will center on the cousin of the near-perfect Superman, its producers insist that Supergirl will be more about Kara Zor-El’s flawed humanity.

With the CW pulling in record numbers with The Flash and Arrow, Fox’s Gotham gaining steam, and Agents of SHIELD capturing the massive audience of Marvel’s cinematic universe for ABC, it is no surprise that CBS wanted to capitalize on the success that superhero shows have been seeing over the past year. While the network hasn’t really jumped on the genre before, CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler told TV writers last week that it’s a “real passion” of the network’s and that they hope Supergirl will provide female viewers with a positive role model.

“We heard the pitch for ‘Supergirl’ and realized that she embodied so many of the qualities and the characteristics of classic female heroines on this network,” said Tassler. “We think it’s a story and a coming-of-age opportunity for us.”

Fans of DC Comics know that Supergirl has most of her iconic cousin Superman’s amazing powers, Tassler revealed that the series will be more about the human aspect of Kara Zor-El’s life.

“There’s a human drama there. We know there are so many superhero characters portrayed in films, but I think we’re watching an evolution with regard to the way they’re portrayed,” said Tassler. “There’s a humanity. They are flawed. There’s a relatability, and I think for our network right now, what we did respond to was the character’s humanity.”

Benoist will take over the role Helen Slater first made famous in the poorly-received 1984 Supergirl. In addition to Glee, the 26-year-old actress has appeared on Homeland and starred in the 2014 independent film Whiplash. Viewers hoping to see her again before she dons the cape and spandex in the upcoming CBS drama can find her alongside Jennifer Garner and Al Pacino in the theatrical film Danny Collins, which will be released later this year.

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