TV Review: ‘Superman & Lois’ Season 4, Episode 4 Demonstrates The Importance Of Side Characters
by Frank Martin
There’s a striking difference between Superman’s (Henry Cavil) returns in Zack Snyder‘s Justice League compared to Superman & Lois. In the film, he comes back and immediately fights the other heroes in a CGI slugfest. The current CW series takes a much more familial approach. After coming back to life, Clark (Tyler Hoechlin) immediately heads back home to see his wife and kids while they grieve his father-in-law. This touching moment reflects the emotional drama the show prioritizes over physical action, and it’s what elevates it.
Even though Superman is back, he’s still not perfectly healthy, as evident when he took Jonathan (Michael Bishop) flying and crashed while racing him. His recovery takes place over the backdrop of Chrissy (Sofia Hasmik) and Kyle’s (Erik Valdez) wedding at the Kent farm. Before the wedding occurs, Lois (Bitsy Tulloch) and Jordan (Alex Garfin) reconcile while also trying to keep tabs on Luthor. Jonathan tracks down one of his agents, but it was a trap, forcing Superman to come to his rescue and reveal to the world that he’s still alive.
It’s hard for a lot of people to get into Superman stories, and this is largely because the character is extremely misunderstood. People see a strong guy in a superhero suit flying around and beating up bad guys, but that’s not what makes Superman special. Superman & Lois thrives not just on the “super” side of his name, but also on the “man.” The character is grounded in his friends and family. It’s what makes him who he is. So that an episode without any big superhero fights, that’s mainly about a friend of his getting married, can still be compelling and noteworthy. Hopefully, this lovable hopefulness is what will allow Superman to ultimately succeed in the end.
Superman & Lois airs Mondays on The CW.
