TV Discussion: Superman & Lois (CW & HBO MAX) CANCELED! ARROWVERSE IS DONE!
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Superman might be the Man of Steel, but as the new trailer for the CW’s Superman & Lois reveals, he’s also a bumbling dad just trying his best to raise two teen sons. Superman & Lois, executive-produced by Greg Berlanti, follows its titular characters in the aftermath of the Crisis on Infinite Earths. The pair, played by Supergirl’s Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch, move their family to Smallville, where, it seems, Superman figures out he’s not immune to the stresses of parenting. “We all begin as one version of ourself, but as we grow, life changes us,” Hoechlin’s Superman says in the trailer. “Every moment shaping our character, shifting our priorities, stretching every fiber of our being until we think we’ve lost ourselves to the stress of it all.” In a speech worthy of Danny Tanner, Superman concludes, “Under the torn fibers is a strong person forged like steel with the courage to fight for those we love. What was lost can be found in family.” Superman & Lois premieres on the CW in January 2021.
I'd be shocked if this is how they going to do the Arrowverse debuts of Batman(for the inevitable World's Finest episode) and Wonder Woman (the Trinity)
Exclusive: 'Superman & Lois' return to Smallville in epic new trailer
The iconic couple faces lost jobs, anxious teens, and a mysterious foe in the CW superhero drama's new trailer.
Superman & Lois return to Smallville in epic new trailer
The iconic couple faces lost jobs, anxious teens, and a mysterious foe in the CW superhero drama's new trailer.
By Chancellor Agard
January 21, 2021 at 12:30 PM EST
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You can always come home again, even if you're the Man of Steel.
EW is exclusively debuting a new trailer for Superman & Lois, starring Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch as the titular couple. Yes, the CW released a teaser for the forthcoming drama a few weeks ago, but this is the spot contains approximately 95 percent more footage and gives a better sense of what you can expect from the show. While the 60-second, Superman-focused promo tells you the series hails from the creators of The Flash, the glossy shots of open midwestern landscapes, purposefully muted colors, and overall epic tone make it look and feel unlike the aforementioned speedy series or the network's other bright, technicolor superhero programs (Certain moments also evoke both Man of Steel and Superman Returns).
Presumably picking up after the Arrowverse's massive "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover, Superman & Lois follows Clark Kent (Hoechlin) and Lois Lane (Tulloch) as they relocate from Metropolis to Smallville with their anxious teenage sons Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin) and contend with the pressures of being working parents. Well, the working part is up in the air; a shot of the worried duo walking through the Daily Planet is paired with a voiceover of Lois saying "lost jobs," implying that the show's fictional media industry might be facing the same hardships as the real one. (Yes, this moment stressed us out!) Either way, the simple life one hopes to cultivate in a small Kansas town definitely eludes them, as evidenced by Clark finally telling his kids he's Superman, General Sam Lane's (Dylan Walsh) presence, and Superman fighting a mysterious foe in black armor (Is that Wolé Parks' "mysterious stranger"?)
"You've got the weight of the world on your shoulders," Clark's high school sweetheart Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui) tells him at a cookout in the promo.
"Really wish I could get drunk sometimes," Clark mutters to himself as she walks away.
With the exception of the DCEU movies, Superman adaptations tend to be visually vibrant, because he is the Man of Tomorrow after all; however, the trailer's faded colors hint that Clark's hometown has fallen on hard times and isn't as idyllic as it once was or as depicted on Smallville, which concluded its historic run a decade ago this May.
"The story of Superman has taken place in Metropolis for very long, obviously there was a Smallville series," said showrunner/executive producer Todd Helbing during the show's DC FanDome panel in September. "But I came from a small town in the midwest. And the town that I grew up in had a business leave that sort of affected everybody in the town, and the town started to slowly dry up. It felt very current with recent years after 2008. So we wanted to tell a story where you have the parents after this tragic event happens move back to Smallville and find that it's easier to raise kids maybe in a place where life isn't so hectic as it is in Metropolis."
Watch the trailer above.
Superman & Lois launches Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. with a 90-minute series premiere, followed by a Superman & Lois: Legacy of Hope special, on The CW.
Superman & Lois Gets Additional Season 1 Episodes, Season 2 Decision To Come
The CW extends Superman & Lois' season 1 episode count with two additional episodes, but it has yet to be officially renewed for season 2.
BY COOPER HOOD3 HOURS AGO
The CW extends Superman & Lois' season 1 episode count, but a decision on season 2's renewal has not been made. The Arrowverse is turning over a new leaf after the end of Arrow and the approaching conclusion to Supergirl. The evolution of the DC TV universe will bring Superman to the forefront again, at a time when DC's movies have no clear plan for the character. Superman & Lois is the latest spinoff for the Arrowverse and will give the famous couple of Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) even more to do.
Superman & Lois has been in the works for over a year after initially ordered straight to series by The CW in early 2020. However, the show - like every other production - experienced delays and setbacks caused by COVID-19. Delays pushed the launch until 2021, and Superman & Lois' extended 90-minute premiere is now rapidly approaching its long-awaited debut. Now before even a single episode of the show has hit the air, The CW is extending the first season while waiting to make a decision on the long-term future.
As revealed by TVLine, The CW has extended Superman & Lois' season 1 episode count to fifteen. The CW initially ordered the series for a thirteen-episode first season, much shorter than other Arrowverse shows traditionally run. Now that another two episodes have been added, audiences get more Superman & Lois than expected. The report also notes that a decision on whether or not to renew Superman & Lois for season 2 has yet to be made.
The extension of Superman & Lois' episode count comes at the same time The CW renewed most of the other Arrowverse shows. The Flash is returning for season 8, Batwoman got picked up for season 3, and Legends of Tomorrow is coming back for season 7. While Superman & Lois is not among the Arrowverse shows to get an early renewal for the next season, the extended episode count should be a good sign. The network wouldn't be ordering more episodes now (and spending more money) on a show they didn't think had a future.
What exactly Superman & Lois' future holds will become more apparent in the coming weeks. The show premieres on February 23, which will finally give audiences a chance to see where the story goes. The first Superman & Lois trailer has depicted a more grounded, family-drama show than most expected. The presence of Superman, his two possibly-powered kids Jonathan and Jordan, and a host of other DC characters should guarantee Superman & Lois transforms into a bigger series as time goes on. If the response to the show is positive, then a season 2 renewal is more likely to occur.
The CW extends Superman & Lois' season 1 episode count with two additional episodes, but it has yet to be officially renewed for season 2.
BY COOPER HOOD3 HOURS AGO
The CW extends Superman & Lois' season 1 episode count, but a decision on season 2's renewal has not been made. The Arrowverse is turning over a new leaf after the end of Arrow and the approaching conclusion to Supergirl. The evolution of the DC TV universe will bring Superman to the forefront again, at a time when DC's movies have no clear plan for the character. Superman & Lois is the latest spinoff for the Arrowverse and will give the famous couple of Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) even more to do.
Superman & Lois has been in the works for over a year after initially ordered straight to series by The CW in early 2020. However, the show - like every other production - experienced delays and setbacks caused by COVID-19. Delays pushed the launch until 2021, and Superman & Lois' extended 90-minute premiere is now rapidly approaching its long-awaited debut. Now before even a single episode of the show has hit the air, The CW is extending the first season while waiting to make a decision on the long-term future.
As revealed by TVLine, The CW has extended Superman & Lois' season 1 episode count to fifteen. The CW initially ordered the series for a thirteen-episode first season, much shorter than other Arrowverse shows traditionally run. Now that another two episodes have been added, audiences get more Superman & Lois than expected. The report also notes that a decision on whether or not to renew Superman & Lois for season 2 has yet to be made.
The extension of Superman & Lois' episode count comes at the same time The CW renewed most of the other Arrowverse shows. The Flash is returning for season 8, Batwoman got picked up for season 3, and Legends of Tomorrow is coming back for season 7. While Superman & Lois is not among the Arrowverse shows to get an early renewal for the next season, the extended episode count should be a good sign. The network wouldn't be ordering more episodes now (and spending more money) on a show they didn't think had a future.
What exactly Superman & Lois' future holds will become more apparent in the coming weeks. The show premieres on February 23, which will finally give audiences a chance to see where the story goes. The first Superman & Lois trailer has depicted a more grounded, family-drama show than most expected. The presence of Superman, his two possibly-powered kids Jonathan and Jordan, and a host of other DC characters should guarantee Superman & Lois transforms into a bigger series as time goes on. If the response to the show is positive, then a season 2 renewal is more likely to occur.
How Superman & Lois Is Avoiding A Common Arrowverse Problem
The Superman & Lois trailer promises a cinematic new adventure within the Arrowverse — and emphasizes that it'll further fix a common story problem.
BY JOHN ATKINSON5 DAYS AGO
The Superman & Lois trailer emphasized it will fix a common story problem that often plagues the Arrowverse. In the aftermath of the Crisis on Infinite Earths event, Clark/Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) was met with several life-altering revelations. As well as being permanently relocated to Earth-Prime, he and Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) were no longer parents to a single baby boy. Instead, they had two teenage sons: Jonathan and Jordan Kent, played by Jordan Elsass and Alexander Garfin, respectively. It was then confirmed that this new family dynamic (and more) would be explored in a solo series.
Continue Scrolling To Keep ReadingClick the button below to start this article in quick view.
START NOW
Fans were treated to the first full look at the show earlier last week. The show was immediately praised for its apparent cinematic-level quality. Many were even surprised by how blown away they were. As such, they had trouble correlating it with previous Arrowverse offerings. The reasons put forward regarding the tonal and style shift included an increased budget from HBO Max. Whatever the case, Superman & Lois immediately became evermore anticipated and potentially marked a fresh turning point in the small-screen multiverse. Alongside everything else, the new Superman & Lois trailer also offered signs that it'll avoid some frequent Arrowverse criticisms.
RELATED:Superman & Lois Trailer Breakdown: Biggest Story Reveals & Hints
One of the most common complaints is that the Arrowverse seasons are overly long. As a result, many shows have had to embrace an episodic format that often deviates from that season's serialized story. These episodes have often been widely considered filler and a detraction from the overall quality. In recent years, many DC Comics adaptations have embraced truncated runs - to great success. They have included such loosely connected properties as Swamp Thing, Stargirl, and more, and shows directly associated have also benefitted. The final season of Arrow was a heavily serialized 10 episodes and viewed as a decent send-off. Equally, despite consistently having shorter seasons than its network siblings, Legends of Tomorrow has been deemed the best Arrowverse show. Superman & Lois will continue that promising trend, being comprised of only 13 episodes.
Also more in keeping with the best of the Arrowverse and wider DC offerings is that Superman & Lois has appeared to look more streamlined and serialized. In the wake of several setbacks, the titular duo will return to Smallville. Potentially inspired by the happy ending enjoyed by Tom Welling's Clark Kent in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Hoechlin's version will be in search of "the quiet life". That will see him reengage with elements and friends from less tumultuous days. However, trouble won't be too far away — with Clark having to share his Superman identity with his sons and halt the machinations of Superman & Lois' mysterious villain: The Stranger. There will definitely be one-and-done elements (literally and thematically) woven into the story of each episode. Still, it definitely doesn't feel like it'll have the traditional villain of the week on top of everything else.
The future of the Arrowverse has recently looked in doubt. Both stalwarts and relative newcomers of the shared continuity have been confirmed as on their way out. The next seasons of Supergirl and Black Lightning will simultaneously serve as the last. Equally, such anticipated spinoffs as Green Arrow & The Canaries were not picked up. Though several other shows are reportedly in the works, nothing has seemed certain with the Arrowverse's combined future. Furthermore, those that are definitely in the pipeline will be far less connected than usual. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a previously-planned Superman and Ryan Wilder/Batwoman (Javicia Leslie) crossover was canceled already. Whatever the future holds, it's apparent that certain missteps have been noted and will seemingly be avoided. As such, Superman & Lois looks set to offer a further breath of fresh air and show that there is still life to be found in the Arrowverse overall.
The Superman & Lois trailer promises a cinematic new adventure within the Arrowverse — and emphasizes that it'll further fix a common story problem.
BY JOHN ATKINSON5 DAYS AGO
The Superman & Lois trailer emphasized it will fix a common story problem that often plagues the Arrowverse. In the aftermath of the Crisis on Infinite Earths event, Clark/Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) was met with several life-altering revelations. As well as being permanently relocated to Earth-Prime, he and Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) were no longer parents to a single baby boy. Instead, they had two teenage sons: Jonathan and Jordan Kent, played by Jordan Elsass and Alexander Garfin, respectively. It was then confirmed that this new family dynamic (and more) would be explored in a solo series.
Continue Scrolling To Keep ReadingClick the button below to start this article in quick view.
START NOW
Fans were treated to the first full look at the show earlier last week. The show was immediately praised for its apparent cinematic-level quality. Many were even surprised by how blown away they were. As such, they had trouble correlating it with previous Arrowverse offerings. The reasons put forward regarding the tonal and style shift included an increased budget from HBO Max. Whatever the case, Superman & Lois immediately became evermore anticipated and potentially marked a fresh turning point in the small-screen multiverse. Alongside everything else, the new Superman & Lois trailer also offered signs that it'll avoid some frequent Arrowverse criticisms.
RELATED:Superman & Lois Trailer Breakdown: Biggest Story Reveals & Hints
One of the most common complaints is that the Arrowverse seasons are overly long. As a result, many shows have had to embrace an episodic format that often deviates from that season's serialized story. These episodes have often been widely considered filler and a detraction from the overall quality. In recent years, many DC Comics adaptations have embraced truncated runs - to great success. They have included such loosely connected properties as Swamp Thing, Stargirl, and more, and shows directly associated have also benefitted. The final season of Arrow was a heavily serialized 10 episodes and viewed as a decent send-off. Equally, despite consistently having shorter seasons than its network siblings, Legends of Tomorrow has been deemed the best Arrowverse show. Superman & Lois will continue that promising trend, being comprised of only 13 episodes.
Also more in keeping with the best of the Arrowverse and wider DC offerings is that Superman & Lois has appeared to look more streamlined and serialized. In the wake of several setbacks, the titular duo will return to Smallville. Potentially inspired by the happy ending enjoyed by Tom Welling's Clark Kent in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Hoechlin's version will be in search of "the quiet life". That will see him reengage with elements and friends from less tumultuous days. However, trouble won't be too far away — with Clark having to share his Superman identity with his sons and halt the machinations of Superman & Lois' mysterious villain: The Stranger. There will definitely be one-and-done elements (literally and thematically) woven into the story of each episode. Still, it definitely doesn't feel like it'll have the traditional villain of the week on top of everything else.
The future of the Arrowverse has recently looked in doubt. Both stalwarts and relative newcomers of the shared continuity have been confirmed as on their way out. The next seasons of Supergirl and Black Lightning will simultaneously serve as the last. Equally, such anticipated spinoffs as Green Arrow & The Canaries were not picked up. Though several other shows are reportedly in the works, nothing has seemed certain with the Arrowverse's combined future. Furthermore, those that are definitely in the pipeline will be far less connected than usual. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a previously-planned Superman and Ryan Wilder/Batwoman (Javicia Leslie) crossover was canceled already. Whatever the future holds, it's apparent that certain missteps have been noted and will seemingly be avoided. As such, Superman & Lois looks set to offer a further breath of fresh air and show that there is still life to be found in the Arrowverse overall.
this gay ass Superman was only barely acceptable as a supporting character for Melissa Benoist's Supergirl. This shit look weak as fuck. They should have kept Supergirl if this all they had. At least she had....
im still mad about how fuckt up Smallville was.
they aint getting me again.
they aint getting me again.
The CW needs to shorten the seasons of their superhero shows.
The 22+ episode format drags storylines out. The long seasons is what is killing the Flash right now.
Shorten the seasons to about 10 to 12 episodes and get to the point.
Europe, Canada, Korea and Japan do their shows like that. That’s why they are more interesting than US shows.
The 22+ episode format drags storylines out. The long seasons is what is killing the Flash right now.
Shorten the seasons to about 10 to 12 episodes and get to the point.
Europe, Canada, Korea and Japan do their shows like that. That’s why they are more interesting than US shows.
Superman & Lois Trailer Changes the Entire Super-Family Dynamic
The CW's Superman & Lois released a new trailer, weeks ahead of its debut episode, proving that Clark Kent's toughest battle will be with his sons.
www.cbr.com
Superman & Lois Trailer Changes the Entire Super-Family Dynamic
The CW's Superman & Lois released a new trailer, weeks ahead of its debut episode, proving that Clark Kent's toughest battle will be with his sons.
BY CASS CLARKE18 HOURS AGO
1
The CW's Superman & Lois released a new promo clip, showing that even superhero families struggle with sticking together when secrets are being kept amongst one another.
Superman & Lois' latest trailer opens with Lois Lane reminding Clark Kent that "it's more dangerous" if their sons don't know their father's real identity. Shortly after, the audience sees Clark convincing his two teenage sons -- who don't believe he's really Superman -- by taking off his glasses, lifting up a truck in the air and hovering above their shocked faces.
RELATED: Superman & Lois's Trailer May Reveal Why The Kents Move To Smallville
Quickly, their sons Jonathan and Jordan go from bafflement to anger, realizing that their parents have been lying to them for a long time about what their father does and where he goes and the danger that comes with both. In a voiceover, we hear Lois' father, General Samuel Lane, telling Clark he made the wrong choice. "It'll tear your family apart," he says.
The trailer ends with Clark Kent revealing that the move to Smallville was to keep his family together, not apart -- but he worries about "abandoning the world." Lois says, "The world will always need Superman, but right now, this family needs you more."
RELATED: Superman And Lois' Super Sons Complete The Family On Season 1 Poster
Superman & Lois' Season 1, Episode 1, synopsis reads,
Superman & Lois stars Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, Dylan Walsh, Alex Garfin, Jordan Elsass, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Inde Navarrette and Wolé Parks. The series premieres Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.
you dropping logic here...
but maybe there is more to it.
WHY would WB execs WANT to pay MORE money ...
UNLESS
the bigger season orders makes them MORE money in the long run?
Maybe the contracts with the stars are longer and cheaper..
and then the more spisodes per season makes them hit that syndication mark FASTER and get that re run and streaming money SOONER?
I'm just putting that out there.
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This is looking like it’s going to be deep and not some corny shit.
No official word yet, but it’s possible John Diggle might make a surprise appearance before the Green Lantern series debuts.
No official word yet, but it’s possible John Diggle might make a surprise appearance before the Green Lantern series debuts.
Clark Kent looks like Stifler with glasses on.
Wonder if any of Superman's villains,,aside from Gen.Zod,Bizarro and possibly Lex,will show up
yeah the deadly duo of boredom and corny will and than the trinity of cancellation will follow
'Superman & Lois' review: It's a good premiere — but is it a show?
Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch raise (super?) boys in the new CW spin-off, 'Superman & Lois.'
Superman & Lois review: It's a good premiere — but is it a show?
Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch raise (super?) boys in the new CW spin-off.
By Darren Franich
February 16, 2021 at 09:00 AM EST
Make Superman sad, or make him evil. Ditch those red underpants and butch the bright blue tights into dark blue kevlar. Let him snap somebody's neck. Kill his parents — no, kill him! Now bring him back, in black! Almost three decades after the Man of Steel died hard and bloody in one of the bestselling comics ever, the "mature" or "dark" take on him is the conventional wisdom. Amazon has two shows about nefarious Superman-types. HBO Max promises to delete all Henry Cavill's smiles from Justice League. There's a hit videogame franchise where Superman brutally conquers the world — and, in a new Suicide Squad game's trailer, he incinerates an innocent human with heat vision. Superman & Lois takes a much bolder creative risk, transforming the hero into the most embarrassingly uncool creature in the multiverse: A dad.
The new CW series (debuting Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m.) arrives with a lot of runway. Elizabeth Tulloch and Tyler Hoechlin previously guest-starred as Lois and Clark across the network's DC lineup. In Hoechlin's seventh appearance, he played an evil Superman doppelganger in a black costume threatening to snap Flash's neck: Check, check, checkeroo. The 90-minute premiere welcomes fresh viewers, though, skipping from familiar crash-landing origins into unfamiliar territory.
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Lois and Clark are married, living in a Metropolis brownstone with teen sons. Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) plays football and has a girlfriend. His twin brother, Jordan (Alexander Garfin), plays lonely videogames and suffers from social anxiety disorder. Raising a Winklevoss and a Zuckerberg isn't easy. Before the opening title even appears onscreen, Superman stops "a meltdown the size of Fukushima!" with ice breath — which makes him late for Jordan's therapy. "You really do need to be around more," grandma Martha Kent (Michele Scarabelli) chastises her son. "The boys need to see what a strong and loving and vulnerable man looks like." No, no, you're crying.
Hoechlin has a sweet smile, and the build of a decent athlete who doesn't go crazy with the weight training. In the opening montage, Superman rescues a little boy from a falling car. He sets the automobile down, picks up the dazed kid's baseball cap, and hands it back with a smile: "There you go, friend!" Hoechlin makes the line sincere and unforced, like he just helped his neighbor carry a couch upstairs.
He's a bit retro, is what I'm saying, and the notion of the last son of Krypton as a genial patriarch harkens back to a bygone Beppo-the-super-monkey era. But this old-fashioned man of tomorrow lives in a scary new today. The Daily Planet got purchased by billionaire Morgan Edge (Adam Rayner), and the paper's experiencing another round of layoffs. When Clark visits Smallville, he finds a typical 20th-century town gone to typical 21st-century rot. "It's hard for family farms to make it around here nowadays," a local tells Clark Kent — the boy raised on maybe the most famous family farm in pop culture history! Clark's teen crush Lana (Emmanuelle Chriqui) has her own kids, and she works as a loan officer, which in this debt-ridden burg makes her an angel of death. Her brooding fire-chief husband Kyle (Erik Valdez) keeps busy putting out meth explosions.
"Everybody else we know moved away," Lana tells Clark. Is that an accusation?
CREDIT: DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
An orphaned refugee lands in Kansas and gets shadily documented into American citizenship; a plucky midwestern boy zooms off to an exciting life in the big city. The Superman origin story is a double exodus, and Superman & Lois unconventionally zeroes in on the departure from Smallville as an act of abandonment. Is Clark a class traitor, the former farm boy raising next-gen coastal elite? Jonathan is a quarterback at "one of the most competitive high schools in the nation" — and a brash Metropolis kid who waves off Smallville as "a place where you can spend a full year in one afternoon." Meanwhile, Martha's farm is struggling — an idea direct from the Justice League movie, sans the batty billionaire to bail her out. Grandma is also saving money to pay for the twins' college, the implication being Lois and Clark can't.
I'm focusing on the world-building because there are story twists I don't want to reveal. Suffice it to say that the first half of this premiere is heavy on emotion and openhearted sincerity. I cried, but I'm also a dad, and Superman & Lois continues the onscreen superhero genre's midlife turn into parental tales. (See also: Iron Man's daughter, Wolverine's clone kid, yeesh, Wanda and Vision also have twins!) Jonathan and Jordan don't know about their father's secret identity. What if only one of them inherits his superpowers?
On a trip back to Kansas, the boys hang out with Lana's daughter Sarah (Inde Navarrette). The romantic implications turn soapy — will the former young lovers' kids also fall in love? — but the teen drama embeds into harsh realities. The Metropolis kids are rather innocent, actually, cloistered in their comfortable luxury city patrolled by a trusty alien supercop. Sarah comes from a community rifted by drugs and depression. "People around here? They catch this sadness," is how she sums up Smallville — not something I remember hearing on, like, Smallville.
This is just one of many spin-offs in Greg Berlanti's DC TV-verse. But Superman & Lois is also a reset, and maybe an attempt at audience expansion. Visually, the premiere stretches for awe: farmland horizons, Earth from space, widescreen portraits of sorrow and hope. It avoids the usual bantering CW playfulness, and fans of Supergirl will note (perhaps angrily) some canonical tweaks. The premiere is directed by Lee Toland Krieger, a go-to guy for stylish pilots. Riverdale, Life Sentence, You, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Deadly Class, Prodigal Son: Weren't those first episodes so fancy? Although, hmmm, didn't a lot of those series go downhill fast?
There's a lot to enjoy in the premiere — and some serious question marks. The CW also released the second episode to critics, where some problems really come into focus. A powerful mystery man (Wolé Parks) keeps causing nuclear meltdowns. In plot terms, this means that sensitive family drama keeps getting interrupted by Clark super-hearing bad activity on the other side of the world. That mix isn't sustainable, and it doesn't help that the villain's invulnerable exo-suit looks exactly like Master Chief from Halo. Much worse is the ricocheting presence of Sam Lane (Dylan Walsh). He's an army general in charge of, like, all national security. He's also Lois' father, which foregrounds the larger family story — but also makes the whole dynamic silly. Not everyone has to be related, and Walsh's generic heart-of-gold toughness detracts from the show's quirky personality.
The bigger issue: Lois is the fifth most crucial character in the premiere, sixth if you count the enigmatic stranger, seventh if you spark to Lana's quiet domestic tragedy. In episode 2, she starts a deeper investigation into Morgan Edge, which foregrounds a lot of Bigger Conversations about the state of investigative journalism. Something's missing here, though. You get zero sense of the work-life balance for an award-winning reporter with twin teenagers and a husband who's always away. I think it's crucial that Lois Lane seem just as busy as Clark Kent — that, in fact, her powerless professionalism should come off way more impressive than her invincible coworker-bae who's secretly writing his own positive press.
"You do your Superman stuff and I will do my Lois Lane stuff," Lois Lane tells Superman. That's the right mission statement, yet there are times when she's helplessly relegated to the Superhero Support Staff, like she's one of three people typing away at Flash HQ. Lois winds up spending a lot of time in Smallville, which offers great possibilities. All that brassy Metropolitan attitude, now making big waves in small pond! But we don't really see much of Lois' city life, so the contrast isn't as stark as it should be. You want to feel like someone from Billions just strolled into Friday Night Lights.
The bare minimum, thus far not achieved, would be the elemental clarity of Green Acres' theme song: Fresh air vs. Times Square, farm living vs. hay allergies.
Superman & Lois turns on a couple big decisions that change the Kents' lives. One of those decisions is interesting, yet much easier than it should be. You keep waiting for Lois or the twins to say something spiky; instead, they nod along in agreement. Garfin gives Jordan a melancholy edge, but I'm skeptical of the show's ability to really dramatize his mental health. He stumbles over conversation with Sarah — and then just stops stumbling. I guess she likes him because he's quiet and different: Nice, but not not the plot of Garden State.
This is a hard one, really. I enjoyed a lot of things about the premiere, even if one final twist left me baffled. The second episode offers promising routes forward — and bends the larger serialized story in a dispiritingly familiar direction. In a letter sent to press, executive producer Todd Helbing describes the series as "a post-mythology story." That thrilling phrase suggests a bright new future of superhero stories that aren't forever adapting old stories into familiar vibes full of winky references. That future looks unlikely just now, with viewers gone cuckoo for Quicksilver cameos. So I hope Superman & Lois lives up to its ambitions, even though I worry it's taking on a lot. High-flying action, scenes from a marriage, cosmic twists, teen romance, Recessionary ruin, the notion that young Clark Kent liked Soul Asylum, global stakes, the American cultural divide: Superman himself couldn't carry all that weight. Which, after all, is why he needs Lois. B
Superman & Lois' Tyler Hoechlin explains why the Man of Steel is more relevant than ever
With the Man of Tomorrow, the actor has found a character who shares his "romantic" worldview.
By Chancellor Agard
February 17, 2021 at 11:00 AM EST
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This article was written independently by Entertainment Weekly's editorial team and meets our editorial standards. The CW is a paid advertising partner in Winter 2021.
How do you make Superman relevant and interesting? That question inevitably arises in any conversation about the Man of Tomorrow, and it's easy to understand why. The do-gooding Man of Steel is extremely powerful, near invincible, sometimes too perfect, and his eternal optimism can come across as cheesy in these cynical times. But for Tyler Hoechlin, who stars as the Boy Scout on the CW's Superman & Lois, Superman's relevancy has never been in question.
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"As far as being relevant, the one thing I always look at is, 'When is it irrelevant that you need someone who is always there to do good?'" the 33-year-old actor tells EW. "I hope to God we don't have a time where we don't think it's important to have people around who just stand up for what's right and help those who can't help themselves kind of thing. For me, that relevant question always come back to that. I don't know a time that we're ever not going to need people who step in to do good and do the right thing."
CREDIT: THE CW
The latest Arrowverse spin-off, Superman & Lois, sends the iconic titular couple into unknown territory, for live-action at least. The series follows Clark Kent and his wife, Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch), as they move from Metropolis to Smallville to raise their twin teenage sons, Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin). Even though Clark feels the pressure of being a superhero and parent, he doesn't lose his trademark hopefulness, which is one of the reasons Hoechlin has enjoyed playing the character.
"We always need optimism. We always need to be hopeful. If we ever get to the point where we're waking up and no one is hopeful for the future, then what are we doing?" says Hoechlin, who made his debut as Superman in Supergirl's second season. "So I really enjoy and appreciate about the character that even though this isn't his home, it's become his home, but it's not and he doesn't have to do this. But I think the fact that he continues to believe in humanity and a better tomorrow for the human race and continues to fight for that says a lot about his character."
In fact, Hoechlin tries his hardest to adopt Superman's cheery worldview in his every day life.
"I grew up an eternal optimist and romantic, and then I think I went through a cynical phase in my 20s and then just decided, 'You know what? This sucks, I don't like looking at the world this way,'" he says. "At least for me, on a daily basis it's feeling like a choice: How do I want to look at things? And I just realized that I'd rather look at the world through a romantic, glass- half-full kind of view, and hope that glass would be completely full at some point [rather] than assume that it's never going to get there. That's just, to me, not a way to wake up every day. So, I like playing a character who seems to wake up on a daily basis with that same mindset and point of view."
CREDIT: DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
Superman & Lois also stars Emmanuelle Chriqui, Erik Valdez, Inde Navarrette, Dylan Walsh, and Wolé Parks. It premieres Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the CW.
(Video provided by the CW)
With the Man of Tomorrow, the actor has found a character who shares his "romantic" worldview.
By Chancellor Agard
February 17, 2021 at 11:00 AM EST
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This article was written independently by Entertainment Weekly's editorial team and meets our editorial standards. The CW is a paid advertising partner in Winter 2021.
How do you make Superman relevant and interesting? That question inevitably arises in any conversation about the Man of Tomorrow, and it's easy to understand why. The do-gooding Man of Steel is extremely powerful, near invincible, sometimes too perfect, and his eternal optimism can come across as cheesy in these cynical times. But for Tyler Hoechlin, who stars as the Boy Scout on the CW's Superman & Lois, Superman's relevancy has never been in question.
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"As far as being relevant, the one thing I always look at is, 'When is it irrelevant that you need someone who is always there to do good?'" the 33-year-old actor tells EW. "I hope to God we don't have a time where we don't think it's important to have people around who just stand up for what's right and help those who can't help themselves kind of thing. For me, that relevant question always come back to that. I don't know a time that we're ever not going to need people who step in to do good and do the right thing."
CREDIT: THE CW
The latest Arrowverse spin-off, Superman & Lois, sends the iconic titular couple into unknown territory, for live-action at least. The series follows Clark Kent and his wife, Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch), as they move from Metropolis to Smallville to raise their twin teenage sons, Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin). Even though Clark feels the pressure of being a superhero and parent, he doesn't lose his trademark hopefulness, which is one of the reasons Hoechlin has enjoyed playing the character.
"We always need optimism. We always need to be hopeful. If we ever get to the point where we're waking up and no one is hopeful for the future, then what are we doing?" says Hoechlin, who made his debut as Superman in Supergirl's second season. "So I really enjoy and appreciate about the character that even though this isn't his home, it's become his home, but it's not and he doesn't have to do this. But I think the fact that he continues to believe in humanity and a better tomorrow for the human race and continues to fight for that says a lot about his character."
In fact, Hoechlin tries his hardest to adopt Superman's cheery worldview in his every day life.
"I grew up an eternal optimist and romantic, and then I think I went through a cynical phase in my 20s and then just decided, 'You know what? This sucks, I don't like looking at the world this way,'" he says. "At least for me, on a daily basis it's feeling like a choice: How do I want to look at things? And I just realized that I'd rather look at the world through a romantic, glass- half-full kind of view, and hope that glass would be completely full at some point [rather] than assume that it's never going to get there. That's just, to me, not a way to wake up every day. So, I like playing a character who seems to wake up on a daily basis with that same mindset and point of view."
CREDIT: DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
Superman & Lois also stars Emmanuelle Chriqui, Erik Valdez, Inde Navarrette, Dylan Walsh, and Wolé Parks. It premieres Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the CW.
(Video provided by the CW)
Exclusive 'Superman & Lois' clip reveals the iconic couple's meet-cute
Exclusive: See how Clark Kent and Lois Lane meet in 'Superman and Lois,' the CW's new Arrowverse drama.
Thing is who'splaying the new Luthor,since it looks like Jon Cryer not coming back...
now we got to merge threads..
a TON