A complaint that plagues Superman fans all across the internet is that the character is “boring” or “unrelatable,” and with that has come a slight distaste for the character in media. But that changed for many on February 23, 2021, with the release of Superman & Lois. The show offered something that had never truly been portrayed in Superman movies and television before: it gave Clark Kent and Lois Lane children.
By forcing them to return to Smallville after the death of Ma Kent, who left the Kent Farm in their hands, the show reframes their story and brings it back to basics. Superman & Lous has received near-universal acclaim, with critics and audiences lauding it as one of the best modern interpretations of the Man of Steel. Fans on IMDb have rallied behind the show, granting high ratings to its best episodes and cementing it among the best shows to come out of The CW.
Superman & Lois
- Release Date
- February 23, 2021
- Cast
- Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, Erik Valdez, Inde Navarrette
- Main Genre
- Superhero
- Rating
- TV-PG
- Seasons
- 3
10 “Broken Trust” (Season 1, Episode 6)
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
As Clark considers taking Jordan out of football after an incident with his heat vision, Lois teams up with none other than “Captain Luthor” to track down X-Kryptonite for her investigation into Morgan Edge. Meanwhile, Tag kidnaps Sarah and tries to convince her that Jordan had something to do with the fire that gave him powers.
Drama and tensions are high amidst the social life of Jordan, and actor Alex Garfin brings his all in this episode. This, along with most Superman & Lois episodes, was praised upon release for making Lois Lane a standalone character and really giving her a plot all her own as she discovers more about the mysterious “Captain Luthor” while investigating Morgan Edge.
9 “Truth and Consequences” (Season 2, Episode 11)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Picking up right where the last episode left off with Jonathan’s Bizzaro World doppelganger, Jon-El, arriving at the farm, Jordan tries to defend his brother from him but proves to not be strong or fast enough. Plus, Clark finally makes it back to his Earth after his long stint on Bizzaro World.
Fans enjoyed “Truth and Consequences” quite a bit as it slowed down its pacing compared to the previous episode, “Bizzaros in a Bizzaro World,” which was heavy and fast in its exploration of the other universe. This episode brought backwhat makes the show as good as it is at its core, focusing on the Kent family and their social dynamics.
8 “O Mother, Where Art Thou?” (Season 1, Episode 10)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
When her husband, Kyle, begins acting strange, Lana asks for Lois and Clark’s aid. Trying to figure out what’s happening, Sarah lashes out at Lana for covering for Kyle and not being open about the happenings in their family. Meanwhile, Morgan Edge reveals his true name is Tal-Rho.
The stellar editing of “O Mother, Where Art Thou?” makes it one of the most well-edited episodes in Superman & Lois. The editing creates a wonderful sense of pacing for the episode and enhances the wonderful performances from the entire cast,specially Adam Rayner as the recently revealed Tal-Rho, one of the Arrowverse’s best villains.
7 “Loyal Subjekts” (Season 1, Episode 9)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Superman & Lois Season 1, Episode 9, “Loyal Subjekts,” brings the entire season’s tensions to an all-time high as the cast attempts to discover why a small town like Smallville would be so important to Morgan Edge. Jonathan gets a moment to step up to the plate when he must protect his mother from Morgan Edge’s goons.
“Loyal Subjekts” sees the villainous Morgan Edge reveal to Superman that he, too, is Kryptonian and refers to Superman as his “brother.” Earlier in the episode managed to deliver some wonderful moments between Kyle and Sara and with Jordan’s lungs being infected with kryptonite gas, everyone’s world is being flipped upside down.
6 “Man of Steel” (Season 1, Episode 7)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
With Jordan’s super-hearing kicking in and there being no cure besides training, Clark tries to help his son adjust to the new heightened sense. Lois and “Captain Luthor” team up again, and with the secret help of the D.O.D., they discover that this “Captain Luthor” is a man named John Henry Irons, known in the comics as “Steel.”
This episode brought none other than David Ramsey to the director’s chair, most well-known for playing Diggle inArrow, the show that launched the Arroverse. “Man of Steel” lives up to its iconic title, bringing some incredible moments to the screen. The flashbacks to Steel’s origin, where he lived on an alternate Earth where an evil Superman killed Lois, brought loads of depth to his character and cause.
5 “Pilot” (Season 1, Episode 1)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
The episode that started it all brings audiences into this new iteration of Superman. The “Pilot” starts by bringing us into the past, introducing viewers to how Clark met Lois Lane, the origins of their love story, and the upbringing of their two sons while Clark has to operate as Superman. But everything changes when Clark gets a call that his mother has passed, and they must return to Smallville.
This is a great example of everything a television pilot should be. It perfectly establishes the duality between Clark’s life as Superman and a father with all the conflict that comes with it. The death of Ma Kent does a great job of shifting the Kent family into a new environment and kicks off the show gracefully. Meanwhile, Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch are stellar in their roles, sharing a gentle but evident chemistry that lights up the screen.
4 “The Eradicator” (Season 1, Episode 14)
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
When Tal-Rho breaks Larr out of the D.O.D. center, Superman and Steel must face them head-on in Metropolis. But things become more complicated when Tal-Rho uses his powers to create four new Subjekts and release them into the city. Distracting Superman and Steel, Tal-Rho leaves and kidnaps Jordan.
“The Eradicator” features an incredible full-circle moment for John Henry Irons when Lois is put in the same scenario she was in when she died on his Earth. He finally gets his chance at redemption, and saves her, earning the long-awaited release that long-eluded him. It’s a wonderful episode for his character. To top it all off, the reveal of Jordan being taken over by Tal-Rho’s father is groundbreaking, to say the least.
3 “Last Sons of Krypton” (Season 1, Episode 15)
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
With Jordan still missing and Smallville needing to be cleared immediately, everyone’s got a job to do. Once they’ve located Jordan, Superman and Steel make their final stand against Tal-Rho. Steel makes a self-sacrificing move and is saved by Superman. Once Tal-Rho is defeated and all seems well, a strange object arrives during a friends and family picnic and none other than John Henry Irons’ daughter from another Earth steps out.
“Last Sons of Krypton” is the Season 1 finale and an outstanding ending to a brilliant debut. The show’s focus on family shines brightly, showcasing Superman’s heroic nature and his allies’ importance to his mission.The core cast brings their all in this thrilling episode and everyone gets their full-circle moments to conclude their arcs feels earned and satisfying.
2 “What Kills You Only Makes You Stronger” (Season 3, Episode 13)
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
As all of Smallville unites to view the incoming meteor shower, Lex Luthor makes a move that will change everything forever. After testing and torturing Bizzaro for quite some time, Lex effectively transforms Bizzaro into Doomsday and unleashes him onto Smallville to kill Superman. The fight that unfolds is bone-chilling.
Superman & Lois aced Doomsday with stellar CGI and an interesting story that made it feel genuinely menacing and dangerous. This episode also gave Lex Luthor, played brilliantly by Michael Cudlitz, a chance to prove why he’s Superman’s greatest foe ever. The episode leaves fans on a giant cliffhanger, wondering if Superman can make it out of this fight alive.
1 “A Brief Reminiscence In-Between Cataclysmic Events” (Season 1, Episode 11)
IMDb Rating: 9.1/10
This episode sees Superman returning to the Fortress of Solitude, weakened. Audiences are treated to a lot of scenes that provide more detail and context to the flashbacks used in the pilot, showcasing moments like Clark revealing his identity to Lois, the first time they met, and discovering Lois is pregnant.
After an action-packed first half of the season, “A Brief Reminiscence In-Between Cataclysmic Events” slows the pace down to give audiences breathing room. This also let the writers have a ton of fun with their take on Lois and Clark, the cornerstone of this show. The pair is showcased beautifully in this episode, which contains some of the best writing in the entire series.
Superman & Lois is available to stream on Max in the United States and Canada.
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