While Supergirl still has my heart, it’s nice to have this series picking up the torch as Supergirl approaches its series finale. Superman and Lois is different than tone and feel than most of the Arrowverse shows, and I’m a fan of what it’s doing as a superhero family drama (premise spoilers.)
When some unexpected upheaval strikes the Kent family, Clark and Lois make the decision to relocate to Smallville. While their 15-year-old twin sons, Jonathan and Jordan, aren’t crazy about uprooting their lives in Metropolis and moving out to the boonies, it’s a strategic decision. In light of recent evidence that Jordan has started to develop powers, Lois and Clark realize 1) they finally need to let the boys in on the secret that their dad is Superman and 2) Jordan is going to need space and support to navigate his new powers, which a calmer life in Smallville will hopefully provide. But of course, when your dad is Superman, trouble has a way of finding you wherever you are.
From the moment they first showed up, on Supergirl and the “Elseworlds” crossover respectively, I’ve really loved Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch as Clark and Lois. The performances – and the writing! – display such a clear understanding of the characters. Hoechlin nails both the Clark and Superman sides to the Man of Steel, and I’m always here for a portrayal who gets that “good” doesn’t have to mean “boring.” A flashback to Clark’s first outing as Superman sets the tone for just how right the show gets this character – when a kid compliments Superman on his suit and he cheerfully replies, “Thanks, my mom made it!” So wholesome! Meanwhile, Tulloch’s Lois is whip-smart and sharp-eyed but has an enormous heart and never lets the fact that she doesn’t have powers get in the way of her going to bat for her family. She’s a dogged reporter who keeps her head in a crisis, and she and Clark are one another’s rock in the midst of everything they’re dealing with. Together, they’re just a powerhouse duo – there’s a big flashback episode in season 1 that depicts the origins of their love story, and it’s just everything.
Honestly, this could’ve been a show with hardly any supervillains, and I still would’ve had a good time. I’m here for Clark trying to teach Jordan to control his powers, Jonathan doing his best to be supportive of his brother even though it sometimes feels he gets lost in the shuffle, and Lois holding it down like a glorious boss. (Also, Clark is such a dorky dad, and I love it.) I like the boys’ high-school drama, with added superpower angst on Jordan’s side. I enjoy Lois getting invested in digging into some local issues that the town is dealing with, fighting to uncover the truth even as some Smallville folks look at her as a big-city newcomer trying to interfere in their lives. And I really appreciate Clark struggling to navigate how to connect with the boys when, for so long, his secret identity was something of a wall between them.
But of course, this being a show called Superman and Lois, we do get threats of the week, supervillain master plans, and Kryptonite shenanigans. The show is definitely at its best when it’s leaning into the character/family stuff, while the more comic-book action plots are a little more rote. Still, there are some good action set pieces, and in most storylines, there are still personal stakes mixed in with the superhero stuff.
In addition to the excellent Tulloch and Hoechlin, I really enjoy Jordan Elsass as Jonathan, who’s maybe the glue of the family, and Alex Garfin brings the angst as Jordan, who’s having a difficult time even before he starts developing powers he doesn’t understand. Wolé Parks, who I’m not familiar with but who’s great here, turns in a compelling performance as a mysterious newcomer on the scene, and I like Emmanuelle Chriqui as Lana Lang.
Warnings
Comic-book violence, language, drinking, sexual references, and thematic elements.
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The Tony Leung Chiu-wai love train continues! Here’s a great article in Vanity Fair about the importance of getting Wenwu right, and what Leung brought to the project. Here are some of my favorite bits.
This part, about Wenwu’s costumes, is just 100% fact – so damn cool:
Part of that swagger was entirely practical. Because Leung was never actually wearing the titular rings during production, his arms were marked with “dots” that acted as markers for the post-production CGI. It was only when he saw the completed film that Leung realized how “cool" the rings looked. But in order to show them off, costume designer Kym Barrett had to design a series of looks that left the arms exposed. Leung says his first costume fitting is where he really began to understand the core of his character.
“The way Tony plays Wenwu is just so damn cool,” Shang-Chi writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton told Vanity Fair. “Kym really contributed to that coolness. In order for the rings to work, she had to roll up the suit jacket sleeves and it just created this relaxed look. He'd be wearing sandals with suits and rolled up sleeves with the rings. When we saw it, I was just like: 'Man, that's the coolest guy.'”
I love Cretton’s remarks here:
“He infused everything with love which was surprising,” Cretton says. “I asked him in the middle of shooting whether he thought Wenwu truly loved his kids and he didn't hesitate. He said he has always loved his kids he just has no idea how. That was a really big epiphany for me.”
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