Supergirl's Season 4 Premiere Sets a Political Tone with a Hot Button Issue

Supergirl's Season 4 premiere, American Alien, has earned glowing reviews from IGN, TVLine, and Den of Geek to name a few, but as Den of Geek mentioned, there are still clear political messages peppered throughout the episodes—messages not every viewer wants to watch.

There are still clear messages: anti-alien hatred on creepy message boards and the concept of a path to citizenship for aliens relate directly to current American politics.

In a nation already divided, the question remains whether Supergirl will venture further into the political arena. Den of Geek's reviewer, Delta Hamilton, echoed the sentiment of viewers across the nation last year that were simply tired of political messages soaked into television shows that are watched for entertainment purposes.

But the lack of winking catchphrases for either side, whether “lock her up” or “nevertheless she persisted” is an improvement over what quickly became tired last season.

While some comments relating to the reviews mentioned some viewers felt the episode was too heavy-handed in its message, others praised the episode for a quality return to its roots. Others feel the show can deliver a message while still creating excellent story lines that entertain.

With the focus of this season set to be on the hot button topic of immigrants with hate crimes taking center stage, the show does take us back to Season two when aliens were hated and factions wanted them eliminated. This time, though, there seems to be a force even bigger than Lena's mother that is determined to extinguish all alien life. With the introduction of Agent Liberty, Mercy, and Otis, the show promises to deliver big on the evil this season. And possibly even drive some points home.

Last season, the show focused on Reign and other Kryptonians determined to take over Earth and create a New Krypton. Some said that plot, too, was political in that it represented certain partisan groups that were interested in government domination.

AV Club's review of the season four premiere doesn't deny the political side of Supergirl and reviewer Caroline Siede takes it a step further by saying, "“American Alien” is less so an episode in its own right and more so a statement of purpose for the season to come."

Perhaps the executive producers of Supergirl feel as though it is incumbent upon them to make a difference in this world they're entertaining. And it's possible that, by presenting a view through the superhero lens, it will allow both sides to see something they haven't seen before. No matter which side of the political aisle a fan is on, #Supergirl presents its message from both sides, giving voice to proponents and opponents of the issues.

While some fans might be turned off by the messages Kara and her friends share on the small screen, there's no denying the DC show is still a viewer draw. And in the end, as long as the series tells a story that viewers enjoy, it's doing its job.

It's understandable that people are tired of politics and the lines drawn in the sand. There is much contention in politics, and Supergirl has tackled serious topics before that verge on reality, but none more so than immigration. While not everyone wants to have their views challenged when they’re trying to watch television, Supergirl’s producers don’t shove the issues down viewers’ throats. Instead, they present the story in a way that makes viewers think while they’re enjoying an hour of television. But, some fans like to keep their politic separate. In that instance, as one viewer said, if she doesn't like the way the plot is going, she'll turn the channel, certainly an option available to every viewer.