Unlike many of its contemporaries on the CW, Superman and Lois feels more mature and cinematic in its vision and scale, and I can only hope this vision finds a second season.
It is hard to believe that it has been ten years since Smallville came to a close on TV and nearly fourteen years since The New Adventures of Superman hung up its cape. In the years since, the Man of Steel has had a pretty bumpy flight; after all, no matter how great Henry Cavill has been on film, neither Man of Steel nor Justice League really allowed his Superman to fly or find a distinct voice.
However, as Supergirl soared on the small screen, the world was about to be introduced to a new Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) – one that felt more positive and in tune with the comic books we all grew up with and loved. Now, Hoechlin’s Man of Steel is about to get his own dedicated CW show, Superman & Lois, but does it soar to new heights or quickly fall to Earth?
When CW announced Superman and Lois, the joy was tinged with apprehension, as the series creators stated it would focus on Clark Kent as a husband and father and on the family pressures his super life creates. Many had flashbacks of the New Adventures of Superman – a show that, while popular at the time, held a sitcom-like aesthetic that jarred with many lifelong Superman fans. Many of those fans had hoped for something more akin to Smallville in its ability to reinvent Superman for the small screen. Well, it turns out that any apprehension fans may have had was misplaced because it’s ‘Up, Up and Away‘ for Tyler Hoechlin’s Man of Steel.
Superman and Lois is one of the strongest DC premieres on CW we have seen in recent years and a breath of fresh air given the stalling Flash and tired Legends of Tomorrow. With beautiful cinematography, an engaging screenplay and energetic performances, it’s clear that this show means business. Housing elements of Smallville, The New Adventures of Superman and more than a few nods to Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie, Greg Berlanti and Todd Helbing’s first season is bathed in creativity, nostalgia and innovation. The opening twenty minutes may be a love letter to Superman’s history on screen and in print, but the rest of the show turns a new page as we are introduced to Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alex Garfin) as Clark’s teenage sons.
Unlike many of its contemporaries on the CW, Superman and Lois feels more mature and cinematic in its vision and scale, and I can only hope this vision finds a second season. With outstanding performances from Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch as the strong and resilient Lois, this super partnership feels sincere, loving and authentic.
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