Two days after being beaten halfway to death by Reign, Kara is in a coma. As Brainiac tries to help her wake up and Reign ‘cleanses’ the city, the DEO fight a last desperate holding action.

What’s becoming increasingly clear is that the CW shows are at their best when they’re at their most individualistic. Black Lightning‘s street-up view of superheroics, Legends of Tomorrow‘s magnificently goofy approach to time travel, The Flash‘s newfound and immensely strong ensemble – and, it’s now clear, Supergirl’s embodiment of its own lead characters’ ideals.

This episode is vastly goofy. There is a moment where the Legion ride into battle to ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ by Bon Jovi. And it works. The culture clash between the distant future superheroes and the past they’re working to protect is neatly handled and very even handed. Mon-El, Saturn Girl and Brainiac could so easily have been staid, static characters. Instead, all three play much like The Flash ensemble; individuals with their own unique flaws and strengths. People. Heroes.

Jesse Rath’s Brainiac 5 is the clear standout. Rath plays the Legion’s favourite Coluan as an endearingly enthusiastic genius who’s confidence constantly wars with his awe at getting to talk to Supergirl. The scenes where he and Kara are trapped inside her own mind could so easily have been cackhanded or heavy. Instead, thanks to Rath and Benoist’s lightness of touch the emotional impact is there but, crucially, earned. Streaky the cat has never had more impact than they do here.

Were the episode just a goofy character study… it would probably be an episode of Legends of Tomorrow. What makes it stand out is the way character and action are combined with the arc and individual plots. Kara’s return to action, the DEO’s valiant stand against Reign (whose all new, all spiked ponytail is a delightful touch) and the Legion’s debut are all given the space they need to have an impact. Even the C plot, where J’onn has to impersonate Kara to keep Lena off the scent, works.

Verdict: With three of the four CW mid-season premieres in the can now, it’s clear that the ones that work (Supergirl, The Flash) do so because they’re both a restatement of their show’s core and a progression of it. This is a surprisingly great jumping on point for the show, escalation of the established plots and a look at why Kara is one of the CW’s most inherently lovable characters. Plus, Bon Jovi and Brainiac 5. All in all, the weirder the CW shows get the better they get. And this is pretty weird. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart