Supergirl (VPN Smallville Spinoff)

[The Doctor]

Supergirl

Series Premise:

Its been years since Kara Zor-El donned the Legion Ring and left the 21st Century. Once in the future Kara finally found a place where she belonged and blossomed as a member of the Legion and even found love in the rebuilt Brainiac 5. But that all comes crashing down when she suddenly reawakens in the Fortress of Solitude with no memory of how she got their and her legion ring gone. After speaking with Jor-El, Kara decides to leave and retake her identity as Linda Lee in the city of Chicago while she waits for her comrades from the Legion to return and save her. While taking up residence in Chicago, Kara soon realizes the city has descended into chaos and that she might be able to help if she returns in being Supergirl. Along the way Kara gains new allies and even newer enemies. But when the mysterious Powergirl makes herself known to the criminal underworld, Kara needs to re-examine her past in order to defeat this new foe and maybe fulfill this destiny that has been laid out for her.

Main Cast:
Laura Vandervoort as Kara Kent/Supergirl
Peyton List as Lucy Lane
Eka Darville as Wyatt Donovan
And Katee Sackoff as Karen Starr

Arc One:
1.01 Arrival (Series Premiere): After arriving at the fortress of Solitude with no memory of her arrival, Kara heads to the city of Chicago where she awaits her legion teammates rescue, but while she waits she gets entangled in a scheme to destroy the city.
1.02 Growing Pains: Lucy and Kara roommate status is put into question when Lucy’s past starts causing them to clash with someone from her past who wants revenge.
1.03 Targets: Receiving word that Supergirl is getting to close to Phase One, Powergirl hires trained assassin Cheshire to hunt down Supergirl.
1.04 Meta: As Lucy starts taking clients for the newly opened Isis foundation, Meta-related deaths start happening around the city. With Kara busy, Lucy decides to figure out the deaths on her own.
1.05 Council: As a new villlainous organization called The Council starts waging war against Powergirl in a bid for the criminal underworld, Kara must try to figure out how to stop it before it tears the city apart.
1.06 Power (Mid-Season Finale): With Powergirl finally ready to unveil Phase One, Kara must prepare for battle. But when Wyatt contracts a mysterious illness, Kara must decide between saving a friend or stopping a villain

Arc Two:
1.07 Offline:
1.08 In The Beginning:
1.09 Omen:
1.10 Kill Your Darlings:
1.11 Revenge:
1.12 Absolution (Season Finale):



Laura Vandervoort as Kara Zor-El/Linda Danvers
Being the cousin of Superman may have its perks, but KARA KENT cant seem to shake the shadow of her famous cousin. Brave,mysterious,and headstrong, Kara is just trying to stay afloat in a world that has changed in her absence. After appearing at the fortress with no memory of how she got their and her legion ring missing, Kara decides to handle this one solo. Cut off from any source of help, can Kara cut it as a solo hero and change her fate, or is she destined to fail?


Peyton List as Lucy Lane
If there was one thing LUCY LANE was good at, it was having people clean up her messes. Blunt, clever, and sexy, Lucy is the sister of Lois Lane.Lucy always lived in her sisters shadow. With her father too busy for her and Lois busy with work, Lucy packed up and went off to Chicago hoping to start over. Getting a waitress job and a decent apartment, Lucy figures she's doing pretty well. But she still feels like she hasn't done enough to get her out of her sisters shadow. That all changes when Kara appears at her doorstep asking for help.


Eka Darville as Wyatt Donovan
Kind, Witty, and Brave are the core characteristics for WYATT DONOVAN. Born with the ability of Telepathy, Wyatt dealt with trying to hide his powers amongst his peers while also hearing their deepest thoughts. With time and practice, Wyatt soon learned control and worked on mastering his ability. Not knowing where his powers came from, he decides to ask his parents only to glean the information in his parents mind and discover he is adopted. The only clue his parents could provide was that he was born in Chicago. With that news, Wyatt makes his way to Chicago in order to learn more about himself and hopefully get some answers.


Katee Sackoff as Karen Starr
KAREN STARR is an enigma - a beautiful young woman, fiercely intelligent with surprising business acumen that has enabled her to start her own business called Starr Tech, a company with technical aspects to rival S.T.A.R. Labs, and LexCorp with a focus on genetics. Rarely seen out in public, or giving interviews, she has become something of a white whale to many folks in the media world, as they all try to land ‘the’ scoop about her and her company. But Karen doesn’t care about any of that - she has a particular purpose with which she is using Starr Tech to achieve, no matter the consequences.



A/N: So I am finally gotten the right formula for this now. Thanks to the great words of Jack Malone, I am getting back out there and doing this pitch. I dont have a clue if you guys will like it, But Im gunna give it a shot. The pilot is already planned out and the teaser and the first act are done. Hopefully I will have more content soon!!!

[Jack Malone]

So this is a lot more developed than the last pitch, and I like it.  I will say, though, that there's not much of an original edge to the series, especially with this very "Arrow" based "team" with the primary hero, an ex-army guy and a "tech savvy" computer genius (who, I'm not keen on taking a character who is already similar to Oracle, and then crippling her to make her completely identical to the character now).  It just seems a little "been there, done that" in regards to superhero type shows.  The other thing that baffles me is the incorporation of the Watchtower ruins -- ruins that should have been patched up and rebuilt on by now.  It's unbelievable to me how ruins are just resting in a city for five years now for no apparent reason... 

Now, what I do like is the future/past aspect of the show, the incorporation of the Legion, and this mysterious start to the series and to Kara's journey.  It's a nice starting point, and the episode with the vision quest sounds most interesting in regards to exploring it.  While I definitely like the inclusion of "Jake Gold," I do think that linking him to Lana more or less is wishful thinking in regards to "Trinity" as opposed to making logical sense.  I mean, Lana branched up and out of that life with the Luthors, and so I don't see her crossing paths with the brother of Lex Luthor and helping him keep "invisible."  In fact, if this Wendy character is as much of a genius as her bio says, I'd imagine she would be able to do a job reliant on skills Lana never had.  I'm also not sure what I think about a team being grouped together so quickly -- inserting history between characters we've never met to quickly establish a superhero crime-fighting team.  It would make more sense if you had Jake Gold crossing paths with Wendy, and her working to keep him hidden (rather than Lana), exploring Cadmus Labs with her as she is this investigative blogger, and left Mal and Kara's paths to join as its this vibe of "whose city do you think this is?"  I mean, you definitely have an interesting cast, albeit a dynamic we've seen done time and time again, and I think there are a lot of parallels between Kara and Jake that makes it easy to believe that they could help each other out somewhere down the line, but I do think a pilot is what will sell me on a Supergirl spin-off show, rather than another revised pitch.  I am interested in seeing how these characters read, how this story takes off, and what makes this different to whatever they're doing with the Berlanti Supergirl series in the Arrowverse.  

Three more notes before I go: I would really like a human side to Kara.  I think she was always the "Kryptonian" on Smallville, and bringing in a character like Lucy Lane -- as you said earlier -- could definitely bring out the human side to your main protagonist that will make her more endearing, and more relatable, and what-have-you.  Secondly, all Batman properties/characters and etc are reserved for 'Watchtower' so you can't use Anarky.  And lastly, I think the title is a bit too plain.  I understand it's difficult with a tv show coming out right now called "Supergirl" but "The Story of Kara Zor-El" is a bit ordinary.  

Anyway, those are just my initial thoughts.  Again, I think you just need to sit down and write a pilot for us to read so that we get a better idea of the show and the approach to these DC Comics characters, and expanding the universe of Smallville/Watchtower/MSCU. 

[Alex Matthews]

I may not be the idea-man behind this pitch, but I did have a hand in the reworking of it, and some of the character changes from the original pitch, so I'd like to add my two-cents and reasonings behind the characters.

Jul 29, 2015 3:32:17 GMT -6 Jack Malone said:

So this is a lot more developed than the last pitch, and I like it. I will say, though, that there's not much of an original edge to the series, especially with this very "Arrow" based "team" with the primary hero, an ex-army guy and a "tech savvy" computer genius (who, I'm not keen on taking a character who is already similar to Oracle, and then crippling her to make her completely identical to the character now). It just seems a little "been there, done that" in regards to superhero type shows. The other thing that baffles me is the incorporation of the Watchtower ruins -- ruins that should have been patched up and rebuilt on by now. It's unbelievable to me how ruins are just resting in a city for five years now for no apparent reason...

In regards to Wendy, her being a tech-genius is part of her comic character back-story, as is her being crippled - she was actually Barbara's protege, before the Nu52 returned her to her 'Batgirl' status. I will admit, I did have misgivings about crippling her, especially after the trailer and teasing comments you've made about WTR Barb possibly going down that road, but left them in after discussions with Karl. However, it is still something we can review.

Now, about the Watchtower ruins, again that was me - the only reason they are mentioned in the pitch speil is to show that Kara returned to the exact spot she travelled from when she went to the future in "Prophecy". But story-wise, I like to think of it as a dark spot in Metropolis' skyline - that for one reason or another, the city either doesn't have the budget, or whoever owns the building has chosen to leave it derelict. That actually will become a plot point in the finale of "M:SCU" and follow through into the 2nd season.

Now, what I do like is the future/past aspect of the show, the incorporation of the Legion, and this mysterious start to the series and to Kara's journey. It's a nice starting point, and the episode with the vision quest sounds most interesting in regards to exploring it. While I definitely like the inclusion of "Jake Gold," I do think that linking him to Lana more or less is wishful thinking in regards to "Trinity" as opposed to making logical sense. I mean, Lana branched up and out of that life with the Luthors, and so I don't see her crossing paths with the brother of Lex Luthor and helping him keep "invisible." In fact, if this Wendy character is as much of a genius as her bio says, I'd imagine she would be able to do a job reliant on skills Lana never had. I'm also not sure what I think about a team being grouped together so quickly -- inserting history between characters we've never met to quickly establish a superhero crime-fighting team. It would make more sense if you had Jake Gold crossing paths with Wendy, and her working to keep him hidden (rather than Lana), exploring Cadmus Labs with her as she is this investigative blogger, and left Mal and Kara's paths to join as its this vibe of "whose city do you think this is?" I mean, you definitely have an interesting cast, albeit a dynamic we've seen done time and time again, and I think there are a lot of parallels between Kara and Jake that makes it easy to believe that they could help each other out somewhere down the line, but I do think a pilot is what will sell me on a Supergirl spin-off show, rather than another revised pitch.  I am interested in seeing how these characters read, how this story takes off, and what makes this different to
whatever they're doing with the Berlanti Supergirl series in the Arrowverse.

Again, the Jake Gold/Lucas Luthor thing was something I developed back when I was helping Chris with some ideas for the "Trinity" relauch, and the possible prequel I mentioned to you a while back. You're right on the money about the wishful thinking, but I preferred to think of it as a 'tip of the hat' having him know Lana .

And lastly, I think the title is a bit too plain. I understand it's difficult with a tv show coming out right now called "Supergirl" but "The Story of Kara Zor-El" is a bit ordinary.

Again, my fault: I wanted to give the series a kind of subtitle, and show that although there was an overarcing mystery to both the first season and the series as a whole, it would still focus on Kara as a 'human', not just a 'heroine'. That's why I included the idea of the whole secret identity thing she started in the episode "Supergirl", and the use of the 'Linda Lee Danvers' name.

[Brady Brown]

I agree with a lot of what Jack has said, but I want to specify what I'm mixed about with the inclusion of Wendy. I don't know much about her comic book character, but if she is so much like Barbara Gordon and so much like Felicity Smoak, then I would have replaced her with a more original character, or completely rebooted her characteristics and persona. It's very repetitive in a superhero show to have perky, witty, tech-savy characters, and I think changing her - whether it be replacing her or altering her - would give this show a fresh, unique take.

Now, something that jumped out at me immediately is the character description. There's too much. If this was an actual television series, it would be impossible for us to know all of this information going into it. If you're saving this info for the show - great! It gives you so much backstory to cover and help develop your characters, but for right now it's just getting in the way of what we need to know about them before the pilot. For example, I think the Lana mention is really weird of out of place, as well as a lot of other names you don't necessarily explain and just expect us to know. There were, I think, too many throwaway DC Comics names. Also, if Lana is going to have a presence in this show, I'm not really for that. I agree with Jack in saying replacing her history with Jack to Wendy would be much more beneficial, because if you're only having her connected to Jake because "she's a Smallville vet" and doesn't really add anything to the plot, then a more unique take would work better.

Other than those things, everything else looks fine. I always thought Kara left before her story even really began on Smallville, so a take on her is intriguing. I eagerly await a pilot.

[Jack Malone]

Jul 29, 2015 16:05:39 GMT -6 Alex Matthews said:

In regards to Wendy, her being a tech-genius is part of her comic character back-story, as is her being crippled - she was actually Barbara's protege, before the Nu52 returned her to her 'Batgirl' status. I will admit, I did have misgivings about crippling her, especially after the trailer and teasing comments you've made about WTR Barb possibly going down that road, but left them in after discussions with Karl. However, it is still something we can review.

The thing is though, we already have a character type just like this "Wendy."  We've had several characters in recent superhero adaptations that kind of nail in this "tech savy genius" and to add even further to the inclusion of her and the role she carries, the "crippled" aspect, which is arguably one of the most popular Batman storylines involving Barbara Gordon, is being used in a similar way.  I understand in the comic book world certain things can happen to characters multiple times, but these are millions of comics, and so many decades worth of stories, and alternate worlds, and so on and so forth that two similar characters getting crippled in a similar way can happen but on television, it's a little too much and lacks a certain believability that two tech savy girls who work with superheroes and serve a role in using computer knowledge to aid heroes and fight crime at the same time just happen to be severely crippled and/or paralysed from the waist down.  It'd be like if Kara showed up on Smallville and had the exact same experiences and life as Clark...  it just makes you scratch your head a little.  Everything Brady said on the topic is 100% something I agree on and think you guys should look into.  It may seem nit picky but for another superhero show I'd want to see something new, and so far with "Supergirl" the new aspect of it is the past/present/future stuff. 

Now, about the Watchtower ruins, again that was me - the only reason they are mentioned in the pitch speil is to show that Kara returned to the exact spot she travelled from when she went to the future in "Prophecy". But story-wise, I like to think of it as a dark spot in Metropolis' skyline - that for one reason or another, the city either doesn't have the budget, or whoever owns the building has chosen to leave it derelict. That actually will become a plot point in the finale of "M:SCU" and follow through into the 2nd season.

It just seems really strange to me, so that's why I pointed it out.   I guess if it's something you're tackling in MSCU, I can't argue about it.

Again, the Jake Gold/Lucas Luthor thing was something I developed back when I was helping Chris with some ideas for the "Trinity" relauch, and the possible prequel I mentioned to you a while back. You're right on the money about the wishful thinking, but I preferred to think of it as a 'tip of the hat' having him know Lana . 

To be honest, I don't think Lana and Jake/Lucas would cross paths for the reasons that I mentioned before.  A lot of what Lana has been through in the last six years, and the journey she has been on will be tackled in Watchtower, and moving on from Clark and Lex and Smallville is a huge aspect of it.  Even talking to Chris with "Trinity," I remember for a long time he didn't want Lex on the show, or want Lana/Lex to cross paths.  I don't think he was strongly adamant on it so much as it wasn't a plan until later in the game.  But from where I stand, I don't see her helping out a Luthor, or getting involved in something that could summon Lex back into her life, and giving her a Mary Sue boost of computer skills that she doesn't have in order to create a 'tip of the hat' moment or reference makes her appearance feel cheap and a little redundant.  I think adding a different take on Wendy, or a new character like Brady suggested, who has these skills and pairing them up with Jake for his storyline would be best for the show rather than a "hey, this is in the same universe" moment. 

Again, my fault: I wanted to give the series a kind of subtitle, and show that although there was an overarcing mystery to both the first season and the series as a whole, it would still focus on Kara as a 'human', not just a 'heroine'. That's why I included the idea of the whole secret identity thing she started in the episode "Supergirl", and the use of the 'Linda Lee Danvers' name.

Oh, is the show still called Supergirl?  I thought it was changed to "Story of Kara Zor-El."  That's a fine subtitle, I just thought you guys had changed the title of the show.  I definitely look forward to humanising Kara, and watching her sort of return to this time, and maybe even figuring stuff out for the first time.  I mean, she didn't get much time on Earth, between being the new alien in town to getting her memories wiped and later taken over by Brainiac.  I definitely liked the idea of having Lucy Lane on the show, and I think they could share both their desire to get approval from their fathers, and maybe even splitting off from that and forging their own destiny in a paralleled kind of way.  I would take a character like Lucy and a dynamic she would share with Kara over this Wendy, and Wendy/Kara dynamic.  Its hard for me to picture her reporting back to a computer expert, or requiring their skills when Kara has always been a lot more independent, and a lot more capable than Clark was in his earlier days (whereas he doesn't have a "tech savy" sidekick anymore).  

I hope anything I've said has been constructive.  To recap (as I tend to ramble): I think either lose Wendy or change her up a little (as Brady suggested), and feed her more into the Jake side of the storyline, as he's got one of the more interesting storylines of the series.  Drop the Lana nods, and find characters that could potentially do the same thing you wanted without jeopardising or going against who they are -- for example, you could use the "Chloe Sullivan fanatics" from the 200th episode of Smallville who have probably reached Chloe's level by now.  And I reckon bringing Lucy back into the scheme of things would add even more to the show and serve to deliver on what you're going for in exploring the human sides of Kara. 

[The Doctor]

So I decided to revamp this. I finally got the story I want to tell.
As you can see there have been major changes to the cast and to some of the episodes. So hopefully you guys enjoy this new take.

I know most won't say much until the pilot gets done, but I'm for sure going to have that done soon!!!