Ranking all six seasons of Supergirl from most problematic
By Shaun Stacy
![Supergirl -- “Welcome Back, Kara!” -- Image Number: SPG608a_0410r -- Pictured (L-R):Melissa Benoist as Supergirl and Chyler Leigh as Alex Danvers -- Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW -- © 2021 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Supergirl -- “Welcome Back, Kara!” -- Image Number: SPG608a_0410r -- Pictured (L-R):Melissa Benoist as Supergirl and Chyler Leigh as Alex Danvers -- Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW -- © 2021 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/5e90680050e5d112bf8409072bf21c30087cc0b4f658e14bb2a583e468583b2b.jpg)
4. Season 4
Season four was a time of change for Supergirl, with villains shifting to more street-level threats and a stronger focus on Kara Danvers as a reporter, not just a superhero. The new addition to the season included Jesse Rath being upped to a series regular as Brainiac 5, Sam Witwer (Being Human) as Ben Lockwood, April Parker Jones as Lauren Haley, and Nicole Maines as Nia Nal.
The series also took a closer look at what it means to be an alien living on Earth, using the immigration status of people from other countries who come to the US as an analogy Lockwood is a radical anti-alien bastion who ignites hatred and bigotry in people who are afraid of aliens. Haley serves as a new boss at the DEO who turns into one of the many antagonists of the season once she decides that Supergirl is too dangerous. We also get the Arrowverse’s version of Mercy Graves, played by Rhona Mitra, and Lex Luthor, played by Two and a Half Men alum, Jon Cryer.
Following the defeat of Reign in season three, season four started with a fairly clean slate for the show. It was nice to shift focus back to our heroes’ civilian lives, and the introduction of Maines’ Nia Nal as the first trans superhero was simply inspired. Her slow-burn romance with Brainy is one of the highlights of the season, as well as the mentorship she develops with Supergirl. Azie Tesfai’s Kelly Olsen also begins as a recurring character, although they don’t give her much to do.
Unfortunately, that is pretty much it for the pros of season four. The rest of the season was just kind of…boring. There’s a lot of unnecessary angst between Supergirl and Lena, which foreshadows their even bigger rift in season five. Brainy turns “evil” for a large period to work with Lex to save his friends. Alex voluntarily undergoes a procedure to forget that Kara is Supergirl to protect her from a Spanish Inquisition going on inside the DEO.
Lex’s manipulation of Lena, in particular, is one of the darker points of the season, and this comes to a head when he outs Kara as Supergirl to Lena in the final moments of the season finale (only for her to shoot him dead). The shady, immortal organization known as Leviathan is introduced but is underwhelming for the most part.