I just caught Superman and Lois Ep. 1, and I gotta say - I dug it more than I thought I would. I'm not the biggest Superman fan, but I have some favorite Superman moments - and I think this show has the potential to show those off.
First off - let's talk about the cast. I think Tyler Hoechlin makes for a fantastic Clark Kent, and a pretty good Superman. His cheerful disposition as Superman is exactly how it should be. Can't talk hope if you have doom and gloom all over your face, so those tiny character moments, where he smiles and credits his mom for making his super suit or when he just gives this "whoops" face at some dude whose car he almost smashes, make me love his Superman. As Clark Kent, he gives off a goofy vibe which Clark really is supposed to have. His suit looks so weirdly fake, though - I know he's hella buff, but the suit looks like it's padded.
Lois Lane is a little less likable for me. I dunno - maybe I'm just holding her to the Superman: The Animated Series standards of Lois Lane. She just feels a little flat, but maybe she'll grow on me as the season goes.
The kids, Alex Garfin and Jordan Elsass, are good actors. It's super unfortunate that their characters, Jon and Jordan Kent, are just tired stereotypical tropes - the cool football jock and the socially awkward emo loner who buries himself in video games and notebooks.
As for the show format, what I liked about it is that, like the best Superman stories, it's less about world-ending events and more about human connections and family. World-ending events aren't exciting for Superman. He's going to win for sure. How he's going to win isn't a surprise either - he overcomes his limits and uses his unbridled strength to pull off some super feat. Superman lost one fight ever - so, you know, it's good that the show gets the super spectacle out of the way in the first 10 minutes of the episode. What is interesting, though, is how Superman does as a father, as a husband, as a son, as a member of society. How does he deal with his family and balance catastrophes and fighting the big bad - those are what make a compelling Superman story - a lot less super and a lot more human.
There were a few things that didn't fly with me, but overall, it's a good start to the season. The first episode made me wanna see the next one, for sure.
Superman and Lois premieres on Warner TV on February 24, 2021 at 9:00PM. New episodes air every Wednesday at 9:50pm.