Supergirl Season 1 was a very fun entry into the DC TV superhero world, highlighting a strong female protagonist with a great message. It wasn't a perfect season of television—it can be pretty cringeworthy whenever Kara "chats" with her famous cousin over an instant messenger screen—but it is definitely a show that's worth catching up with, and one that will certainly get even better as the series matures. Though these 10 episodes represent the best of the best, don't think that the other 10 are without merits. If you only watch these, you might miss the first look at Supergirl's version of the Fortress of Solitude, and a great Bizarro story, for example. But, if your time is limited and you don't want to watch 20 episodes, here's a cheat sheet with the essentials that will get you caught up before Season 2.

Supergirl's second season takes off on The CW October 10th, and you can catch up with the first season Blu-ray or DVD, or during the current, repeat airings on The CW and cwtv.com.

Episode 1 - “Pilot"

Teleplay by Ali Adler - Story by Greg Berlanti & Andrew Kreisberg

Directed by Glen Winter

The first episode of Supergirl isn't without flaws; there's a distinct avoidance of actually saying the word "Superman" that becomes annoying and even comical. With that said, the Supergirl "Pilot" does reveal everything to the viewer that we need to know. We’re quickly shown what kind of a person Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) is, we’re introduced to her friend Winn (Jeremy Jordan), and the bond between Kara and her adoptive sister Alex (Chyler Leigh) is established right from the get-go. Critics of the first episode saw a "Devil Wears Prada" vibe between Kara and her hard-nosed boss, Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart), and while there are similarities, Flockhart's performance elevates the character to a level that while sometimes is over-the-top, Cat is not annoying, and is definitely one of the highlights of the show.

Episode 4 - “Livewire"

Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa & Caitlin Parrish

Directed by Kevin Tancharoen

It was tempting to include the show's third episode "Fight or Flight" on this list, as it is the first to establish Peter Facinelli's Maxwell Lord character, but "Livewire" is a better highlight for a few reasons: One, it features a well-known villain from Superman comic book and animation lore, and two, it has a great Kara/Cat scene. It also features an appearance by original Supergirl movie star Helen Slater as Kara's adoptive mom. And any time Helen Slater is on screen, you know you will get a great performance. Brit Morgan's first turn as the volatile Livewire—a villain who is not just after Supergirl, but Cat as well—adds layers to her character.

Episode 6 - “Red Faced"

Written by Michael Grassi & Rachel Shukert

Directed by Jesse Warn

Let’s be honest: the character design for Red Tornado might not have been the best, especially in a time when Marvel's Vision looked so much better. But a sequence where Kara lets out all of her emotions and rage makes for one of the best moments of the series' first season. Yes, Kara/Supergirl is a "nice girl" but sometimes she needs to let it all out. Let's just hope that when and if we see the Red Tornado again he looks a bit less like shiny cardboard.

Episode 7 - “Human For A Day"

Written by Yahlin Chang & Ted Sullivan

Directed by Larry Teng

This episode picks up immediately after the events of "Red Faced" and shows the audience what happens when Kara has burned out her powers. The highlight of this episode, though, is a story with Kara's sister Alex and her boss at the DEO, Hank Henshaw (David Harewood), that reveals a big secret that Henshaw has been hiding. It also ties him more to the popular DC Universe than any viewer would have anticipated. Harewood's performances as Hank had always been great, but once viewers learned the truth of his character motivations, it only made him more well-loved.

Episode 11 - “Strange Visitor From Another Planet"

Written by Michael Grassi & Caitlin Parrish

Directed by Glen Winter

Episode 10, "Childish Things" with the Toyman, is one of the best stories for Jeremy Jordan's Winn and it almost made this list. But I admit that I wasn't as invested with the Fort Rozz storylines as the producers may have liked for me to have been, and honestly, if you skip them, you're not missing a whole lot aside from some always-great performances by the brilliant Laura Benanti.

So what makes this episode special? More connections to Hank Henshaw, for one, as we learn more about his people and the associated conflicts within. Glen Winter, one of the series' best directors who also helmed the pilot, took the directing duties for this one as well. It's a great "mythology" episode, and so to avoid spoilers, I'm just going to leave it at that.

Episode 13 - “For The Girl Who Has Everything"

Teleplay by Ted Sullivan & Derek Simon - Story by Andrew Kreisberg

Directed by Dermott Downs

Based on the classic Alan Moore Superman comic book story, "For The Girl Who Has Everything" bridges a dream world where Kara still lives on Krypton, complete with a family there along with the one that she has on Earth. Again, the sisterhood of Kara and Alex is at the core, accentuating one of the show's absolute best assets. The episode also features our first look at Superman's face in the series -- although, it's Superman as a 13-year-old in the Kryptonian dream world, so it might not count as much.

Episode 16 - “Falling"

Written by Robert Rovner & Jessica Queller

Directed by Larry Teng

Hailed by many as one of the best episodes of Season 1, "Falling" sees a Kara exposed to Red Kryptonite and becoming a threat to National City. It gets so bad that not even Cat can defend her actions, and it sets up a mistrust from the people of the city that persists for several episodes. If that's not enough, Cat Grant appears on The Talk! Really.

Episode 18 - “Worlds Finest"

Teleplay by Andrew Kreisberg & Michael Grassi (Story by Greg Berlanti)

Directed by Nick Gomez

A counter-balance to all of the talk about the darkness of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, "Worlds Finest" brought the light. When Melissa Benoist's Supergirl meets Barry Allen (Grant Gustin, visiting from The Flash), there exists a fantastic level of happiness throughout the whole hour. It is actually impossible to watch certain sequences without smiling. The writers, the crew, and the actors all brought their A-game to this one, crafting what might be one of the best episodes in all of DC Comics television from the past year. I, for one, can't wait to see Kara and Barry meeting again. And, yes, again, Calista Flockhart's Cat gets all of the best lines.

Episodes 19 & 20 - "Myriad/Better Angels"

"Myriad" written by Yahlin Chang & Caitlin Parrish, Directed by Adam Kane

"Better Angels" teleplay by Robert Rovner & Jessica Queller - Story by Andrew Kreisberg & Ali Adler - Directed by Larry Teng

It would be difficult to separate these two episodes, as they are meant to be seen back-to-back, and they work better as two parts of a greater whole. The plan by Non and Astra comes to fruition, alliances are made, and Kara may even have to fight her sister. The stage is also set for a second season that thankfully we are getting. Smallville veteran and former Supergirl Laura Vandervoort, who made her first appearance as the Mystique-looking "Indigo" in the show's fifteenth episode, makes a return visit. These two episodes are a great cap to put on your Season 1 journey before tackling the show's sophomore year.