Judging by recent promo shots, it looks like Smallville isn’t modeling its Supergirl character after Doris Day.
Well … in a world where “serious” actresses still take time to pose for Maxim centerfolds, it’s hardly a surprise that network executives would take a cue from Michael Turner and Ian Churchill’s infamous “Sexygirl” designs.
(A move that is a tad ironic, given DC’s recent decision to portray Kara in a more age-appropriate manner … )
It’s obvious that Smallville producers hope that Kara will boost the aging show’s ratings, but presenting the character in such a splashy fashion makes us wonder if Supergirl will ultimately be the program’s answer to the Brady Bunch’s infamous Cousin Oliver.
For those of you born after 1974, Cousin Oliver was an irritatingly cute character added to the Brady clan in a vain attempt to boost ratings. Despite its failure, the attempt was so memorable that child actors added to subsequent - and equally desperate - shows have been branded “Cousin Olivers.”
Laura Vandervoort is no child actor, but certainly qualifies as a member of the “C.O.” club. The big question is whether TV fans will welcome the character to their homes, or throw her into the trash bin along with such duds as Tiffany Welles and, of course, poor little Oliver himself.
It depends on whether Smallville’s creative staff remembers that “sexy” and rebellious” don’t necessarily rule out qualities like “intelligence” and “heroism.”
We’ll be interested to see which way the character goes …
