TV Review: ‘Superman & Lois’ Season 3, Episode 5
by Frank Martin
It’s truly amazing how much Superman & Lois gets right for both sides of the iconic title character. This version of Superman is strong and unshakable in his convictions. And while a lot of adaptations struggle with the Clark Kent side of the character, this show does not. Instead of relying on the character’s superpowered abilities, the show highlights the truly human moments that give the audience a sense of Superman’s greatest strength: his compassion. All it takes is a scene of Clark listening wholeheartedly to two women talking about their experience with cancer to ground the character in reality.
This episode followed up on last week’s decision for Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) to change hospitals to the one under Bruno Mannheim’s (Chad L Coleman) control. While undergoing treatment, she sneaks away to try and find information. Manheim catches her and the two have a candid discussion about what he’s trying to accomplish in his community. Meanwhile, Manheim also sends an agent to steal secrets from the DOD. Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) stops him, but not before the upload was complete. Also, a lot of the side characters bonded during a high school dance.
Even though Superman and Clark Kent’s character growth is an important part of the show, it’s not the only part. The show continues to succeed with the drama involving its minor characters. All aspects of the show are top notch storytelling, especially Bruno Mannheim as a villain. He’s not a typical egomaniacal crime boss. He’s certainly bad, but he’s very good at laying out his motivations. In a world where Superman can fly around and stop buildings from falling, he’s notably absent from communities that are struggling. This is where Bruno grew up, and his disdain for Superman is understandable. This makes the show even more complicated as it’s hard not to sympathize with every one of its characters.
Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays on The CW.
