I never read comics when I was a kid, but I did watch superhero movies, including Batman, X-Men and Spiderman. Batman was my favorite superhero until I was introduced to Oliver Queen on Arrow.
The Green Arrow and Batman definitely have similarities, so not surprising I would fall for another dark, brooding hero. I think it had more to do with Stephen Amell’s portrayal of Oliver than anything else.
I also like The Flash, Supergirl, Stargirl and Batwoman, but Arrow is my favorite, maybe until now.
I’ve never been that big on Superman. I watched some of the series with Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher. I loved Lois Lane, but Superman just didn’t do it for me.
I was super excited when Tyler Hoechlin was cast as Superman in Supergirl. I loved him in Teen Wolf.
I was, of course, going to watch Superman & Lois because of Tyler, but what made me fall in love with the show was Bitsie Tulloch’s portrayal of Lois. I love how she goes right into danger to find the answers. She also has such emotional range. Her work on “Holding the Wrench” was incredible. Jordan Elsass (Jonathan Kent) also stepped up his game in that episode.
What I love about this show, while it has a lot going on, it does it so well. We get amazing fighting scenes with Superman, like the one in “Loyal Subjekts,” where he’s following a lead for Lois. Then he hears a bank robbery in Mexico and goes to save the day. Only to find out his powers have been weakened. But he brushes off the fact that he’s covered in bruises.
An even more intense action scene in this episode was when Emily (Leeah Wong) and the hotel guy came to kill Lois, and Jonathan pushed her out of the way of the lasers. Then, we find out he took some of John Henry Irons’ (Wolé Parks) weapons, which ultimately saved them against three superhumans. This has to be the most intense scene yet for the series.
The show also does the family storylines so well. Jonathan and Jordan (Alex Garfin) are trying to adjust to their new life. We’ve got Jordan gaining his freeze power while also almost dying because of the gas his grandfather created to subdued Superman if it ever came to that. We’ve got Lois furious at her father for this. I love to see her stand up to him because he’s a General, a powerful man, but nothing intimidates her. Probably the reason she can be married to Superman.
I loved the scene when Jonathan called his grandfather a coward and that he would never be scared of his family. He’s taking after his mother already, and I’m here for it!
Sam (Dylan Walsh) ultimately helped save Jon and his daughter by using one of his weapons created to stop Superman to at least buy them some time for his grandson to get a weapon too. While it’s not great that he’s experimenting with weapons that could hurt his family, with an army of Kryptonians, they probably need them.
I also love the twists the writers are giving us. They first made us think the stranger was a Luther, and why not. There’s always a Luther trying to take down Superman. Then, it turns out he’s not a Luther, and he was married to another Lois on his earth.
The biggest surprise of all is Morgan Edge (Adam Rayner) being a Kryptonian. It’s not clear if Kal-El gained a brother after Crisis or if they are just the same species, and he’s calling them brothers. I definitely did not see that coming.
It wasn’t such a surprise that Kyle (Erik Valdez) went to Morgan to be in the “Executive Program.” He is a loyal Edge follower, after all. The episode was aptly named “Loyal Subjekts.” While I feel for Lana (Emmanuelle Chriqui) and Sarah (Inde Navarrette), I hated his character, and it makes sense to make him one of Edge’s army. I actually feel sympathy for him now because he doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into. There may be redemption for him yet. Or they are just going to make him a full-on villain. Either way, this could be interesting.
What ties everything together is the incredible cast. Everyone brings their A-game. I’ve mentioned how great Jordan Elsass is doing, but Alex is also doing an amazing job. Jordan gaining powers is scary and confusing, and he still wants to show up and play piano for Sarah while he’s sneezing ice. He’s got so much heart. That scene where he told his mother that he thought his powers would bring him closer to people, but they’re doing the opposite was so profound. He’s a 14 year-old-boy not only dealing with those problems but anxiety too, and now he has to learn to control powers. That’s a lot to go through.
Inde’s got a great story to work with for Sarah. She has difficult relationships with both of her parents, like many teenage girls. She’s also in a place of transition, just like the twins, since she quit cheerleading. We’re watching her find her way. I’m hoping that Lana will tell her the truth soon since her mom is helping Lois and her dad is now a superhuman. I feel like that’s the next step for her character to be brought into the loop.
I’m so excited about the role Lana is playing in all of his. She’s Lois’s secret agent, and she’s being pulled in even more, now that her husband is mixed up in it all.
Sadly, I’ve mentioned very little of Superman in all this, but Tyler is also making me rethink my stance on the iconic superhero. He’s incredible in the fight scenes, but I love the family moments with him. He doesn’t always know what he’s doing. Proof when he was caught spying on his boys, for their protection, of course. But he’s figuring it out. No one knows what to do when one of your sons inherited your powers, and there’s an army of superhumans being built in your hometown.
There’s just so much excitement in this show. We’re not even a season in, and Superman & Lois may be taking over Arrow as my favorite CW DC show. And just like Arrow, there is another badass woman I’m in love with. In Arrow it was Felicity, and in S&L, it’s Lois.
I’m excited to see what happens next!
What’s your favorite Arrowverse show? Tweet me @MandyTTCarr or comment below.
