Two new superheroine shows debuted this fall; CBS’ Supergirl and Netflix’s Jessica Jones. Jessica Jones received acclaim from critics and viewers alike, while Supergirl has already received a full season order for its first season. Both shows have wildly different themes, different tones, different distribution channels, and different core demographics… and yet within a few days of Jessica Jones' release, opinions popped up about how the dark, gritty Jessica Jones is a sign that bright, optimistic Supergirl will fail, or that the arrival of Jessica Jones means that Supergirl is irrelevant and unnecessary.
Let’s not talk about what one show has over the other, or why one show will “make” the other one fail. Instead let's talk about something the shows have in common --- an ability to connect with female audiences --- and how that can provide a template for more successful superheroine shows.