Finally, Clark and Lois are back on the CW. From the moment Superman & Lois were announced in October 2019, there hasn’t been a show I’ve looked forward to more since the pilot for Gotham. Every interview, casting announcement, and rumor constantly had my mind turning with anticipation and wonder. So does this show live up to the hype? Let’s find out.
The Superman & Lois pilot centers on our titular characters as they adjust to balancing raising two boys with Superheroics and journalism. One twin, Jonathan, is a star athlete while the other, Jordan, struggles with Social Anxiety Disorder. This causes Clark to think twice before revealing his secret to them. When the family returns to Smallville for Martha Kent’s funeral, the boys stumble upon their father’s ship. Clark is then forced to tell them the truth, ultimately deciding to stay in Smallville. This is much to Dylan Walsh’s Sam Lane’s chagrin.
Mixing Family Life and Heroism
In some recent interviews for the show, the creators referred to it as a family drama starring Superman, which would recall early Berlanti Productions such as Everwood. You can absolutely see that throughout the show and as a result, it’s better for it. Outside of the comics, fans have never quite seen Superman like this. Amid several Easter Eggs, like references to the Donner films and Action Comics # 1, moments such as Clark showing Lois his abilities, would be major milestones on another series. Instead, they are glossed over in favor of moving the Superman story forward. While at first glance there were things I found questionable, particularly the fact that the boys didn’t know their father’s secret, the show does an excellent job of justifying this idea. Much like Jonathan’s death, there isn’t much Clark can do to help his son with his anxiety disorder except for the nearly impossible; being there. That is made difficult by Clark trying to balance his duties as Superman and being a father.
In addition, I really loved the dynamics between General Lane and the rest of the family. That’s going to make for some potent narrative potential in the weeks ahead. Much the same could be said for the revelation of the villain, which wasn’t exactly that big of a surprise to anybody who follows the comics. I’m really curious to see where they’re going to take this iteration of the iconic villain. However, there have been a few things that didn’t work for me, particularly the fact that the pilot overall felt rather slow. I understand the mandate was a family drama starring Superman, but something just felt a bit off. Especially given the lack of Superheroics and the twins doing little to rectify that as Jordan discovers his powers. In addition, several members of the cast felt underutilized; particularly Entourage’s Emmanuelle Chriqui and General Hospital’s Erik Valdez.
Super Performances
That’s not to say any of the cast was bad, far from it in fact. I’ve been following several of these actors in one form or another for years. Tyler Hoechlin since 7th Heaven, Elizabeth Tulloch since Grimm, and the aforementioned Chriqui and Valdez since Entourage and General Hospital, respectively. Having seen Hoechlin and Tulloch throughout the Arrowverse, I pretty much knew what to expect. I’m pleased to say that they did an excellent job here. Both actors instantly sell the fact that they are parents to teenagers. there’s a sense of verisimilitude to the relationship throughout the 90-minute premiere. I can wait to see it develop this season. Special mention must also go to Dylan Walsh.
I had been a bit disappointed they weren’t bringing back Glenn Morshower as I felt he was one of the greatest actor and character pairings the CW has ever achieved. I was very pleasantly surprised by Walsh. At turns paternalistic and stern when necessary, Walsh gives the character a nuance that is going to be incredibly fun to watch. He is arguably going to serve as a bit of an antagonistic force. As Clark tries to strike a balance between being a father and being a Superhero, an interpretation of the character that we’ve never really seen before on screen. This brings me back to Chriqui and Valdez. I’ve been looking forward to these two actors take on their roles. I just wish there was a bit more to their parts. Particularly Chiriqui who’s inheriting the Lana character from Smallville. Hopefully, these two are given a bit more to do.
Closing Thoughts
I’ve been following Helbing since his time on Spartacus and was very excited when he joined the Arrowverse. His work here, while not perfect, is a fantastic start for this series. Helbing said he wanted to tell a new story with these characters, and he definitely achieved that. I can’t wait to see what comes next in this exciting new show. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Lee Toland Krieger’s direction. I loved the cinematic almost Snyder-Esque feel that permeates the pilot. It gives the show a grandeur that separates the series from other entries in the Arrowverse. Despite a slow pace and some underutilized actors, Superman & Lois is a worthy entry into the Superman television canon. Hoechlin and Tulloch take these icons in bold new directions, and I can’t wait to see what comes next for this show. I just hope they strike a better balance between family drama and super heroics.
