New CBS 'Supergirl' Trailer Focuses on Action, Heat Vision

CBS’ Supergirl arrived to the world in the first trailer from the Upfront presentations yesterday, though fans were quick to note the omniprescence of romantic comedy schtick recently skewered by SNL with Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow. Second time’s the charm it seems, as the latest, shorter Supergirl trailer drops the romance in favor of action, bringing out some famous Kryptonian abilities to do it.

Clocking in a good deal shorter than its predecessor, the second Supergirl trailer also doubles down on the mayhem, as Kara (Melissa Benoist) and Vartox (Owain Yeoman) toss one another around like ragdolls. The action actually looks pretty impressive for TV, but few moments prove as exciting as Kara first using her heat-vision, which takes on a blueish sheen, rather than the traditional red.

So reads the official CBS logline for Supergirl:

SUPERGIRL is an action-adventure drama based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist), Superman’s (Kal-El) cousin who, after 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth, decides to finally embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be. Twelve-year-old Kara escaped the doomed planet Krypton with her parents’ help at the same time as the infant Kal-El. Protected and raised on Earth by her foster family, the Danvers, Kara grew up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex (Chyler Leigh), and learned to conceal the phenomenal powers she shares with her famous cousin in order to keep her identity a secret.
Years later at 24, Kara lives in National City assisting media mogul and fierce taskmaster Cat Grant (Golden Globe Award winner Calista Flockhart), who just hired the Daily Planet’s former photographer, James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks), as her new art director.
However, Kara’s days of keeping her talents a secret are over when Hank Henshaw (David Harewood), head of a super-secret agency where her sister also works, enlists her to help them protect the citizens of National City from sinister threats. Though Kara will need to find a way to manage her newfound empowerment with her very human relationships, her heart soars as she takes to the skies as Supergirl to fight crime.
Greg Berlanti (“The Flash,” “Arrow”), Ali Adler, Sarah Schecter and Andrew Kreisberg are executive producers for Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. The pilot was directed by Glen Winter (“Arrow”).

In addition, Supergirl features Owain Yeoman as DC’s Vartox, Iron Man villain Faran Tahir as The Commander, Smash star Jeremy Jordan as Toyman, former Super-stars Dean Cain and Helen Slater in unknown roles, and Laura Benanti as Kara’s Kryptonian mother Alura. As with DC’s approach to movies and TV thus far, the new Supergirl series will establish its own independent continuity, outside of Arrow and The Flash, or the inevitable Justice League movie, as CBS boss Nina Tassler previously downplayed the possibility of any CW crossover.