Superman & Lois: Soars High in Pilot Episode

We all know the story, planet Krypton explodes, alien baby is sent to Earth in a pod, crash lands in Kansas and is brought up by two kind, elderly parents who raises him as their own. He is Clark Kent, who grows up to become Superman. We have all seen it, in so many times and so many ways in different iterations and different versions. Whether in a movie or a TV series, and yet somehow, the CW’s pilot episode for their own Superman & Lois spin-off (I grew up watching the Dean Cain, Terri Hatcher take when I was a kid and I was already a teen, by the time ‘Smallville’ was on TV) is a fresh, new, contemporary and more emotional take in the Superman lore. We see the Man of Steel, as a married man, a father to two twin teenage boys, Jonathan (Jordan Elsass), easy-going and athletic and Jordan (Alexander Garfin), a bit of a loner and who has been diagnosed with socio-anxiety disorder. As if that wasn’t already a challenge for a normal family but what if, one, or both of the boys inherited their father’s Superhuman powers?

Clark (Tyler Hoelchin) is determined not to let his sons know about their possible lineage, while Lois (Bitsie Tulloch) thinks otherwise.       

There is a lot to love about the new series, which has shown great potential, by not only taking a new approach to the Superman story (as mentioned) but also going a having a different tone from the other CW shows (check, the Arrowverse). The pilot episode opens with a fast-paced recap from Clark himself and even offers a direct from comic to TV adaptation of his comic book cover debut in 1938 as well as some panels, for eagle-eyed fans.

Move to the present time, the new series seems to be adding some family-drama elements to the superhero formula and so far it works. There’s trouble in the Kent-Lane household, layoffs are happening at the Daily Planet and Lois isn’t happy that journalism is being replaced by click-bait news, courtesy of the newspaper’s new billionaire owner, Morgan Edge. The boys are starting High School and as father and son relationship goes, Clark needs to work on his with Jordan. There’s also a bit of trouble in the Kansas farm, which may shift the family closer to their Smallville roots. Plus, you know the usual disasters that keep Superman from his family. So yeah, you’re typical slice-of-life, family drama with superhero elements.

Don’t worry, if you’re still looking for the big action fights, we still have those, in the form of a mysterious, armored flying being, who seems to know a lot about Superman. It was a well-made, emotional and action-packed pilot episode and if what we’ve seen so far is any indication as to the direction of the show, then we’re on for one super series!

Superman & Lois is exclusively on Warner TV starting February 24, 9:00pm with new episodes air every Wednesday at 9:50pm.