Helen Slater, Dean Can, and Calista Flockhart to Boost Supergirl on CBS

CBS and DC reveal that Helen Slater and Dean Cain will appear this fall on “Supergirl” as Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) battles Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) and Hank Henshaw (David Harewood). And who is Supergirl’s mom?

Recent casting news on CBS’s “Supergirl” television series is looking to up the ante against Marvel television by calling in a former Superman and Supergirl to help save the world.

Coming Soon reports that Helen Slater and Dean Cain are on board to appear. Helen Slater played the titular Supergirl in the 1984 film. While the film is universally panned, adding Supergirl on screen will definitely give a little wink to Melissa Benoist’s Supergirl.

In the modern version, Kara Zor-El has been secretly living with an adoptive family as Kara Danvers until the 24-year-old begins to use Kryptonian superhero powers to save the world like her cousin Superman.

Does that mean the early teaser about Lumberjack battling Superman is true and there’ll be a hint of red cape? Who knows with Dean Cain’s confirmed appearance.

During the 1990s, Cain played Clark Kent, aka Superman, in “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” alongside Teri Hatcher (“Desperate Housewives”). And the nostalgia factor /4/lead uncertain viewers into watching the new show, which has already been given a full season without testing the market.

This isn’t the first time DC and Warner Bros. have incorporated canon from different eras. CBS’s 1990s Barry Allen John Wesley Shipp is now on CW’s “The Flash” as reboot Barry Allen’s father. Of course, the CW is jointly-owned by CBS and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

But unlike “The Flash,” Slater won’t be playing Kara’s mom.

Instead, “Nashville” star Laura Benanti will play the superhero’s biological mom. The actress couldn’t reveal too much in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, but did remark that the nine-year age difference will not have the same effect because “on Krypton age doesn’t necessarily matter.”

There’s also the fact Krypton went kaboom and landing on Earth would warp the timeline. If science fiction and “Doctor Who” has taught fans anything about space travel—everything’s a little timey-wimey.

Benanti’s cryptic message doesn’t mean that Kara’s going to be without family, though. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Chyler Leigh (“Grey’s Anatomy”) definitely takes charge as confident and slightly competitive foster sister, Alex. Kara’s superpowers inspired Alex’s move into medicine and a lifelong fascination with of what the Kryptonite was really capable of.

This incarnation “Supergirl” series will be produced by the same team as CW’s breakout DC Comic hits “The Flash” and “Arrow”, but will not share the same universe at the moment.

Berlanti Productions’ Warner Bros. Television-based banner is producing the series. And after working together on ABC’s “No Ordinary Family,” Ali Adler (“The New Normal”) and Greg Berlanti wrote the “Supergirl”’s pilot script. Andrew Kreisberg has joined the team as writer and executive producer—just like on “Arrow” and “The Flash.”

It’s all well and good to know and give a nod to the superheroes, but what about the morally gray characters and villains?

Kara will work for Cat Grant as her personal assistant at CatCo, a media company that places Supergirl in the middle of superhero intrigue. THR points out Calista Flockhart (“Ally McBeal”) recently signed on to play Grant, which will pair writer and producer Berlanti up with the actress after five seasons of ABC’s award-winning “Brothers and Sisters.”

Cat will be a fierce, hard boss. Think Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” meets J.Lo. Kara’ll have her work cut out for her as Grant’s activities /4/not always been the most aboveboard.

Tracy Scroggins played Cat in “Lois & Clark.” The character appeared twice in “Smallville.” In the episode “Crossfire,” Emilie Ullerup’s Grant is hired as a morning anchor instead of Clark after his attempt to use online dating piece as a platform for advancement. The version of the media magnate was far more studious and do-gooder since she also served in the PeaceCorps. Later, Keri Lynn Pratt(“Brothers and Sisters”) played Mary Louise Shroger, a woman looking to escape her past by using the Grant moniker and who exposed vigilantes.

David Harewood (“Homeland”) will portray Hank Henshaw, a former CIA agent now in charge of the Department of Extra-Normal Operations (DEO). If following the comic book series the television series is based on, Henshaw /4/be playing Cyborg Superman. Not to be confused with Victor Stone’s superhero Cyborg, recently portrayed by the late Lee Thompson Young (“Rizzoli & Isles”) on “Smallville.”

And in October, CBS announced villainous tech wiz Winslow ‘Wynn’ Schott would be carrying a torch for Kara.

The hour-long drama series “Supergirl” will premiere this fall. All the little casting news and hints offer fans the chance to see the world being shaped for Benoist’s Kara. Will Berlanti Productions focus on a more gritty “Gotham” or a little more cheeky “The Flash”? Fans are anxious to find out.

Sources: ComingSoon.Net, Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter