Superman & Lois: Season 2

Based on: DC Comics characters Superman and Lois Lane, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Developed by: Greg Berlanti, Todd Helbing

Executive Producers: David Madden, Geoff Johns, Kristi Korzec, Sarah Schecter, Lee Krieger, Todd Helbing, Greg Berlanti

Starring: Tyler Hoechlin (Superman/Clark), Elizabeth Tulloch (Lois Lane), Jordan Elsass (Jonathan Kent), Alex Garfin (Jordan Kent), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Lana Lang), Erik Valdez (Kyle Kushing), Inde Navarrette (Sarah Kushing), Wolé Parks (John Irons), Tayler Buck (Natalie Irons), Sofia Hasmik (Chrissy Beppo)

Season premiere review: 

I think this show has been my favorite small-screen iteration of Superman I've ever seen. 

Although that opinion is obviously subjective, I think it's mostly comprehensive: I've seen close to half of Smallville, a season of The New Adventures, and close to half of Supergirl. I've also seen all of Justice League & Unlimited and a couple seasons of Superman: The Animated Series, and all of Young Justice to date, though I'm not sure how much animated versions count. I definitely have a lot to go, but I feel like I have a good taste of all of them. I would call none of them bad and many of them are even iconic. I can't think of any small-screen version that has a bad reputation or that's even looked upon unfavorably. 

Of course, I come in unbiased by comic origins. I've never been into comics... I just can't get into them for no particular reason that I can think of. I've tried a couple times; I picked up issues of some of my favorite characters and gave them a full read and came out just really not feeling it. I think I just love seeing movement and hearing voices. Plus, I find a lot of comic art very crowded, loud, and oftentimes oversexualized. 

The main flaw I feel in many versions of Superman (especially movies) is that he's "nerfed" when it comes to fighting bad guys on his own. For the unfamiliar, "nerfed" just means that his power is depicted as lesser than it should be. When the plot needs it, he can willpower through almost anything and punch through almost anything. But when the plot needs it, he's conveniently weak or unable or there's lead or kryptonite somewhere. That's been very annoying to me. Especially kryptonite--I know it's his one famous weakness, but so many stories (especially Smallville) have let a tiny bead's worth of the stuff touch him and he's totally debilitated. That just doesn't seem realistic to me. 

That hasn't been the case in Superman & Lois. First off, getting punched--even by a very strong antagonist--hasn't knocked him on the ground like a normal human. In this show, he shrugs it off quickly and jumps back into action. But the most exciting part for me was when he was actually shot with kryptonite bullets. Knowing the stakes--his kids were present and in danger--he looks in rage at the bullets sticking out of his chest and simply grabs them and throws them to the ground before darting right back into action. That made me so happy because I think that's what should really happen every time. 

Superman listening to locate someone via superhearing, something I haven't seen him doing in many (any?) other shows! 

Superman being dismissed by a Lt. Gen. Mitch (Ian Bohen) because he won't prioritize saving the US over other countries

That also presents a great segue to the next thing I love about this show, and what's made it very popular with fans: his kids and wife. Superman has a full family in this show, which has never been done before. Lois, Jon, and Jordan aren't just a side part of the show that raise the stakes and make him vulnerable for villains. No--every one of them gets equal screentime. Lois and her investigative journalism take half of each episode and intertwines with whatever villain Superman is facing. Lois has an equal part in taking down these foes. Jon and Jordan also get their own focus, especially since Jordan inherited some of Superman's powers in season 1. This gave Jordan and Clark a strong bond and led John and Lois a new bond of being the two "normal" ones in the family. 

The Kent family

Jordan bonding with Sarah, Lana Lang's daughter

Finally (but certainly not least), I really love the strong family values in the show. They're particularly great with Clark and Lois, who are excellent models of parents, just doing their best, making mistakes along the way, and owning up to those mistakes with each other. The four of them make an excellent team, every one of them supporting every other one of them in every way. I was at first afraid that Jon and Jordan might have a toxic I'm-better-than-you relationship as brothers, but they've proven to more than have each other's backs and support each other. This was especially crucial when Jordan got powers which could have permanently alienated them from each other. But instead, this makes their bond even stronger as Jon realizes that Jordan's life has been made more difficult than better with the powers and needs even more support. 

This show has been received as the best to come out of the Arrowverse, and I have to say I agree. It stands apart from other CW shows in terms of drama, as there is much less bickering between our heroes. The Clark family rarely squabbles over petty issues. The writing and visuals also seem to stand out and have a superior, cinematic quality to them that really draws me in. Just hoping the quality remains steady and that the show is renewed for a third season and beyond! 

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Update 6/29/22: 

As season 2 has come to an end, I thought it got a little weaker over time, but it also compensated with very strong and satisfying moments. 

I thought its area of weakness was a lack of more personal arcs. In season 1, Lois, Clark, their kids, Lana, and John Irons all seemed to have individual goals that came to a head in the finale. That seemed to be the case going into season 2 as well, and that felt like a strongpoint in the above part of the review. But toward the middle, they all kinda petered out. Lois wanted to bring her sister back into the fold, but that lost its zest. Lana and her husband went through a marital crisis, and their separation became the new status quo. Lois and Chrissy were intensely investigating the season villain Ally Alston, but they seemed to run out of usable leads. Jonathan went through an intense journey of falling into drugs and getting caught, but he confessed and the drug's source was found and punished mid-season. And Jordan was going through romantic drama with Sarah, but they also separated mid-season. 

So by that mid-season point, all the characters' individual arcs seemed to be put on pause for sake of the main season plot. I think that detracted from the tension and my emotional investment because the stakes seemed less personal. 

The satisfying moments helped a lot, but they would have been even better if all those other things hadn't been on pause. Lana won a mayoral election and her mayoral ability was tested by the season finale. Additionally, Clark's secret identity as Superman was revealed to Lana, Sarah, and Chrissy all at different moments (and by different people), which made for three pretty awesome moments. The definite favorite was Clark himself telling the truth to Lana, which gave immense satisfaction to my younger self who had watched Smallville. (Even though I haven't finished the series.) 

Chrissy and Lois investigating Ally (Rya Kihlstedt) together. Their journalistic partnership has been great to watch over both seasons. 

Unfortunately, I felt that the finale climax and resolution lacked some punch. It was great to watch, of course, but it didn't hit home as much as I'd like or as much as the first season's had. I think that's because of all the reasons above: the pause in character arcs made it feel less personal. The world was saved, yay, but whose lives were impacted by this and how? The first season did a much better job at making me love that yes, Chrissy and Kyle (Erik Valdez) and Lois all get to keep living and experiencing life and achieving goals! This season, it was more like yay, they're all still alive, now what? 

But the show has been renewed! So those more satisfying payoffs mid-season will hopefully become so much better. I'm very excited for a third season where Lana is mayor and more trusted friends know Clark is Superman!