It’s kind of crazy to think that it’s been nearly a decade since Tyler Hoechlin first donned the cape as Superman.
It was 2016 and the television landscape was a different place back then, with the Arrowverse still going strong and traditional TV networks like the CW still dominating the zeitgeist. Supergirl had moved over to the aforementioned network for its second season and this time her cousin, Superman joined her for the ride. It was the first time Clark Kent had appeared on live-action TV since Smallville ended in 2011, and Superman hadn’t properly appeared on TV since Lois & Clark back in the ‘90s.
It was a time when opinions had been mixed on Henry Cavill’s gloomy, neck-snapping depiction of the character on the big screen. So to see Hoechlin show up as a much more classic, dorky Clark Kent, and a Superman who actually smiled – it was a breath of fresh air.
It was a long and winding road from that first guest appearance to landing his own show, but after several more appearances in the Arrowverse and the introduction of Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane, followed by Covid delays, Superman & Lois finally landed in 2021. It was an underrated masterpiece and a testament to what can be accomplished on the small screen.
Sadly though, the shifting sands of the media landscape have seen it cut down in its prime, with season four (currently airing on Foxtel and Binge) set to be the final season. So as we prepare to say goodbye to the last remnant of the Arrowverse, let’s take a moment to appreciate what made it so special.
Few characters have made as big an impact on pop culture as Superman, and even fewer have been adapted for film and television as much as he has. All the best interpretations of the character focus on his humanity, but it’s actually pretty impressive how each new iteration of Superman on TV manages to find a new way to approach it.
Lois & Clark was all modern and sexy (for the ‘90s), focusing on the titular romance, while entwining investigative journalism with campy superheroics. Smallville was an extended coming-of-age story that started out grassroots, but steadily expanded into a wider universe. Superman & Lois essentially took the best of those two approaches, mixed them together and threw in some new family dynamics.
While Clark and Lois were shown to have a baby in previous Arrowverse episodes, that was retconned for this show, with the pair now having two teenage boys. This was initially implied to have been a result of the multiverse being shuffled around at the end of the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. However, it would later be established that these versions of Hoechlin’s Clark and Tulloch’s Lois were distinct from those seen previously, with this show taking place in another universe.
While it was disappointing to see the last ties to the Arrowverse severed, the decision to place Superman & Lois in its own universe was probably a wise one. With Covid preventing crossovers and the other Arrowverse shows coming to an end almost all at once, it wouldn’t have made sense for the show to hitch its wagon to a sinking ship. Plus, this left the show unbound by nearly a decade’s worth of continuity, giving them greater freedom in the stories they could tell.
The upshot of this is that it’s the first time outside of comics that we’ve had a Superman at a later stage in his life, trying to be a father and husband. It’s a mundane and mortal challenge that wider audiences aren’t used to seeing him face, but can certainly relate to. The initial premise of the show sees Lois and Clark moving back to the Kent family farm in Smallville, with their children Jordan and Jonathan in tow.
Like Smallville before it, this simple, homely setting really helps keep the show grounded and relatable, which is bolstered by the show’s exquisite cinematography. The show looks gorgeous and somehow it manages to maintain a cinematic feel, even in its current season which has had significant budget cuts. Scenes set in Smallville and the Kent farm just feel so homely, with a comforting, earthy colour palette.
The rest of the credit must go to the show’s strong character work, both in terms of writing and performance. Each member of the Kent family, as well as the supporting cast, is fully fleshed out with their own believable character journey. It creates a real sense of community for the fictional town, and enriches the tapestry of the show.
While every actor has brought their A-game over these four seasons, there’s been one who deserves a special mention. Sorry Supes, Tyler Hoechlin does a brilliant job, but it’s his co-lead who really shines. Elizabeth Tulloch has been nothing short of phenomenal as Lois Lane, turning in consistently powerful performances.
Tulloch’s Lois is fierce and determined, with a presence that commands the screen. Yet, buried beneath all of that is a vulnerability that she desperately tries to bury, often leading her to be too stubborn for her own good. Without a doubt though, her most powerful storyline came in season three when Lois was diagnosed with breast cancer.
This is such a heavy topic to tackle and definitely not one you’d expect to see in a superhero show. But despite the fantastic world of the show, this painfully real subject is treated with the utmost care and respect, while never shying away from the uncomfortable realities of the disease.
It’s not just Lois who’s affected though, her family is put through the wringer as well, especially Clark. To see the greatest superhero in history rendered useless in the face of an enemy immune to all of his powers – it’s harrowing stuff. A whole essay could be written just on Tulloch’s performance in season three alone, it’s an acting masterclass. The fact that she hasn’t won an Emmy for this role is a crime.
Despite this grounded approach and exploration of heavy topics, the show has still found plenty of ways to play around with bigger stories and concepts from the Superman mythos. Oftentimes these grander aspects are perfectly interwoven with the core family themes, such as how season two introduces two classic Superman villains – Bizarro and Parasite – and opens up a very multiverse-heavy storyline. Yet this is all in service of a very personal story which explores the fabric of the Kent family. They even managed to make a classic ‘long-lost brother’ storyline work, putting a spin on a classic Superman villain to turn him into Clark’s Kryptonian brother.
Then there’s supporting characters John Henry and Natalie Irons, a.k.a. the fan-favourite comic book character Steel and his daughter. In this version they’re refugees from a universe that was destroyed by an evil version of Superman, meaning that they have just a few trust issues when they meet this version of Clark. The real kicker though is that in their native universe Lois was married to John Henry and mother to Natalie. It’s another perfect example of using these big, comic booky ideas to explore small, personal stories and character work.
At the end of the day, Superman & Lois has succeeded in not only forging its own unique identity within the Superman mythos, but it’s managed to craft an acclaimed piece of television in the process. It feels cinematic, but intimate; epic yet grounded. Despite facing trials and tribulations – a pandemic, the collapse of the Arroweverse and the continual threat of cancellation – the show has continued to maintain the high quality it’s been praised for since day one. Even now, in its final, truncated season, in which the supporting cast has been scaled right back, the show hasn’t compromised on its writing or cinematography.
The actors are still turning in powerhouse performances and the story still has audiences hooked. So as we bid a final farewell to this version of the Kent family, let’s remember just how super this show has really been. It took Superman to new heights while keeping his red boots planted firmly on the ground.
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