In the first scene of Superman & Lois, Ma and Pa Kent refer to Clark as their “greatest surprise.” This is a fitting way to kick off my favorite surprise of 2021. The show is on break after an excellent fifth episode, but so far Superman & Lois is a love letter to the Superman mythos that has surpassed all of my expectations and restored my hope in the CW’s DC franchise. It is a profoundly human story that, in a strange way, is actually helped by the series’ tight budget. Instead of relying on massive-scale fights in the same vein as Snyder’s Superman, the Superman in this series is instead forced to battle against foes that leave emotional wounds instead of physical: moving to a new home, being fired from his job, and raising children. Instead of traditional villains, Clark must overcome the problems of regular people, and he’s a far more relatable protagonist as a result. His allies? Excellent acting, pacing, and music, as well as a script that rivals the best comic books. Balancing the super with the mundane is what has always made heroes and their stories so interesting, and Superman & Lois portrays this balance perfectly. When a fight does break out, and the budget can’t quite match the action, creative cinematography and editing gets the point across even more effectively than past CW projects.
Clark Kent, however, is only one of the stars of this show. These beginning episodes have already established this Lois Lane as the best interpretation of the character. Even in comic books, love interests tend to lack agency outside of their interactions with the hero, but here Lois has been made into a character who could easily carry her own story. She has just as much screen time as her co-star, and although her main plot with Morgan Edge has yet to fully develop, I am excited to see that it has virtually nothing to do with Clark’s story. And when both Clark and Lois are on the screen together, their chemistry makes the relationship believable, without getting too cringy like some other CW romances.
The final members of the main cast are Clark and Lois’ children: Jonathan and Jordan Kent. Jonathan is the popular, athletic older brother, and Jordan is an introverted shut-in. They aren’t exactly original characters, but they serve their purpose and are becoming more complex as the story unfolds. Jordan quickly discovers his powers, although he isn’t as powerful as his father. Jonathan has no powers as of yet, and watching his previously equal—or perhaps even inferior—brother take his spot on the football team and gain popularity is a far more interesting storyline. Jonathan tries to be supportive of his brother, but watching his father and brother constantly fly off to train is starting to take a toll on him. There is no doubt in my mind that his latent potential will manifest soon, but I am enjoying the relationship between the brothers as it stands.
As for the show’s future, I am cautiously optimistic. My greatest fear is that it will intersect too much with other CW shows. I have watched my fair share of Arrow and The Flash and was not impressed. Both shows are fine for what they are, but neither are eager to become anything more than second-rate TV. Crossovers are already common within the CW Universe, so any unnecessary interruption to the immediate plot in Superman & Lois would be a disappointment.
The story arc of Superman & Lois has serious potential. As Episode 5 revealed, Lex Luthor is from another universe where Superman appears to be a tyrant, leading Luthor to come to this universe in an attempt to stop this world’s Superman from becoming the same oppressor. As a huge fan of the Injustice comic series, which explores a similar alternate reality, I am hopeful that they go further with this idea, possibly with longer flashbacks or a confrontation between the two Supermans. This could allow for a deep dive into Superman’s motivations as a character and the circumstances that apparently drove his other-dimensional self down a path of evil. If treated with care, it could be an excellent story that hasn’t been properly explored outside of comics. However, the human side of this show is the priority, and I hope it stays that way. The stakes can rise without devolving into mindless action, and from what I’ve seen to date, I believe the showrunners have what it takes to do just that. I will be eagerly watching when the show returns from its break on May 18, hoping to see the heart and soul that made the first five episodes shine. If this story can continue its momentum and create interesting villains out of Luthor and Edge, this will be a fantastic first season. The show has already been renewed for a second season, so with time this could very well be among the best of Superman media, even outside of TV and film. My expectations were not high for Superman & Lois, but I have been humbly and happily proven wrong!
