Out of respect for the victims of the very real terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday, television networks are making some last minute changes in programming. The originally scheduled episode of CBS’ Supergirl apparently featured terrorist bombings so it was pulled from running Monday night and replaced with a Thanksgiving episode that introduces a major new character instead.
In the episode “Livewire,” a disc jockey working for a radio station owned by Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) disses Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) in true mean girl fashion on air. She snarks about her body shape, questions her sexuality, and mocks her costume, too. Cat is not happy about Leslie (Brit Morgan), the disc jockey, disrespecting a superhero named by her. Cat demotes Leslie to traffic helicopter reporting as punishment after explaining that listeners want hope and uplifting messages, not negativity. While up in the air reporting during a thunderstorm, Leslie is struck by lightning but, thanks to Supergirl, a crash is prevented. Awaking from her coma in the hospital, she transitions into the villain Livewire. Her superpower is electricity shooting from her eyes and hands.
Seeking revenge, Livewire looks to kill off both Cat and Supergirl. During the final showdown, Cat lures Livewire to force a battle with Supergirl. As Livewire expresses her disappointment that only Cat is there, Cat reassures Leslie that a fight isn’t necessary – Cat tells her, “If we got through you not supporting Hillary in 2008, we can get through this.”
Ah, there it is. The ultimate feminist betrayal from a Hollywood writer’s perspective - Leslie wasn’t a Hillary Clinton supporter in her first run for president!
In the end, as Kara (Supergirl) and Cat discuss stories to run after Thanksgiving, Cat realizes she has the opportunity to run inspiring stories spotlighting people and organizations doing good deeds during the holiday instead of the normal gossipy celebrity stuff. She wants to “sell Thanksgiving” because “liberals love to feel guilty” and she wants to squeeze "those turkeys."
Kara: The photo department's been calling.
Cat: About the Paparazzi shots from over the weekend of the young stars and starlets, compromised in assorted humiliating ways.
Kara: Monday morning tradition.
Cat: Mmm-hmm. Which one would you pick? The 20-year-old singer who face-planted in front of Club Apocalypse because she had too much to drink? Or the closeted teen heartthrob who was caught slipping out of National City's randiest gay bar?
Kara: Wait, who's...
Cat: Let's run... MMM. Neither. The world is full of so much noise and snark, much of it we generate. Today, why don't we elevate this city's level of discourse instead with a photo essay of all the people who spent their holidays volunteering at soup kitchens and shelters. Let's not see if we can't bring some attention to those organizations.
Kara: I think that's a great idea.
Cat: Well, of course you do, I pitched it. Thanksgiving sells. Liberals love to feel guilty, so let's just squeeze as much juice out of those turkeys as we can.
Elevating the discourse. Now that’s something we can all be thankful for.
