Supergirl
Melissa Benoist as Supergirl in new CBS series CBS

CBS has released the official plot synopsis for the Supergirl premiere episode which is titled Pilot. The show is an action-adventure drama based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El, and will air on 26 October.

The official synopsis for episode 1 reads, "After 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth, Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, decides to finally embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be, on the series premiere of Supergirl." The hour-long drama centres on Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, who was born on the planet Krypton and escaped amid its destruction years ago.

Since arriving on Earth, she has been hiding the powers she shares with her famous cousin. But now at age 24, she decides to embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be.

According to CBS's official statement, Kara, 24 now, lives in National City assisting media mogul and fierce taskmaster Cat Grant. She works alongside her friend and IT technician Winn Schott and famous photographer James Olsen, who Grant just hired away from the Daily Planet to serve as her new art director.

However, Kara's days of keeping her talents a secret are over when Hank Henshaw, head of a super-secret agency, enlists her to help them protect the citizens of National City from sinister threats. While Kara will need to find a way to manage her newfound empowerment and her very human relationships, her heart soars as she takes to the skies as Supergirl to fight crime.

Melissa Benoist plays Kara Danvers aka Supergirl, Calista Flockhart plays Kara's boss Cat Grant. Chyler Leigh is seen as her foster sister Alex Danvers. Mehcad Brooks plays James Olsen, David Harewood as Hank Henshaw, and Jeremy Jordan plays Winslow "Winn" Schott.