The newest show to join the CW’s Arrowverse, Superman & Lois, just dropped a few new details at the Television Critics Awards press tour, and they range from intriguing to “huh, OK.” Suffice it to say, the Kent-Lane family has more to deal with than just saving the world.
Arguably the most important revelation is that Superman & Lois isn’t focused on being a superhero TV series as much as a family drama à la Friday Night Lights that also happens to star Superman (Tyler Hoechin). That might be a bit of a bummer for some Super-fans, but I think we’ve had more than enough live-action incarnations of the Man of Steel to accommodate this more fatherly version of Clark Kent. Happily, the drama apparently won’t include any romantic tension between Clark, Lois (Bitsie Tulloch), and Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui), who apparently is a “loan officer” in Smallville. However, the same might not be true for Lana’s daughter Sarah (Inde Navarrette) and Clark and Lois’ teenage boys Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin).
[referenced id=”1670260″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2021/02/the-new-superman-lois-trailer-brings-the-teen-angst/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/08/zvy1eisloev0pxrmrpxp-300×169.jpg” title=”The New Superman & Lois Trailer Brings the Teen Angst” excerpt=”There is certainly no shortage of emotion in the Arrowverse, but the new trailer for Superman & Lois seems equal parts thrilling heroics and sentimental family drama. Possibly more like 60/40 in favour of the malaise. We’ve got pissed off teens, a judgmental father-in-law, and a whole lot of feelings….”]
That said, you can still expect some superheroic drama. Apparently, according to Elsass, one of the twins has or will inherit his dad’s Kryptonian powers, while the other won’t. Meanwhile, Lois’s military father General Lane (Dylan Walsh) will still be calling on his son-in-law to save the day from various threats.
Speaking of threats, it turns out “the mysterious stranger” (Wolé Parks), the touted villain of the series, is apparently a Superman character we’ve seen in live-action before. According to TV Line, Parks said:
“We’ve seen this character a lot before, but the difference between this one and the other ones is his backstory. … I’m a comic nerd, but as far as I’m aware, we’ve never covered this kind of stuff on TV before. He’s not just a bad guy for bad guy’s sake. There’s a reason why he’s doing these things. Every bad guy is the hero of his own story.”
That “hero of his own story” line sounds a lot like Lex Luthor, given that he’s convinced he needs to save the world from Superman. Of course, the Arrowverse already has a delightful Lex in Jon Cryer, but a rumour last year surfaced that he’s a Lex from another part of the universe. Having two Lex Luthors running around the same time would be a very strange choice for the show to make, but a streamlined version of the multiverse is still kicking around after Crisis on Infinite Earths, so it’s possible. My gut is telling me it’s General Zod, however, because I doubt the show could resist bringing Superman’s second best-known foe to the Arrowverse.
Here’s the official summary for the show, courtesy of Deadline:
Complicating the already daunting job of raising two boys, Clark and Lois must also concern themselves with whether or not their sons Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin) could inherit their father’s Kryptonian superpowers as they grow older. Returning to Smallville to handle some Kent family business, Clark and Lois are reacquainted with Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui), a local loan officer who also happens to be Clark’s first love, and her Fire Chief husband Kyle Cushing (Erik Valdez). The adults aren’t the only ones rediscovering old friendships in Smallville as the Kent sons are reacquainted with Lana and Kyle’s rebellious daughter, Sarah (Inde Navarrette). Of course, there’s never a dull moment in the life of a superhero, especially with Lois’ father, General Samuel Lane (Dylan Walsh) looking for Superman to vanquish a villain or save the day at a moment’s notice. Meanwhile, Superman and Lois’ return to idyllic Smallville is set to be upended when a mysterious stranger (Wolé Parks) enters their lives.”
Superman & Lois will premiere on Binge on February 25.