Superman & Lois: Season 2

I want to talk about last week's cliffhanger first. I declined to talk about it last week. I'll tell you what I thought about it and why I decided not to share that in the last review.

I didn't like it. At all. Because it was a sci-fi high-concept that seemed a bit shady in execution (classic Berlanti stuff) and I know that is this specific franchise's weakness. I was worried the character moments, which the show always nails, would take a backseat to the tepid sci-fi.

I was both right and wrong. I was wrong that the characters would take a backseat. As always, the family dynamics are the most important thing on the show, and the thing that drives everything else. But I was totally right that the sci-fi premise was shady. Which is why I'm glad when you get right down to it, the episode isn't actually about it.

We'll talk about the characters in a moment. I think the biggest thing of note that happened in the episode is the suggestion that the entire series doesn't take place in OUR Arrowverse. And frankly, Diggle being present does nothing but confuse that issue. Especially because Earth Prime is supposed to think it's the only Earth left after Crisis. And let me also say I don't approve of the idea in general. I would have been perfectly fine if the show never crossed over with the characters from The Flash or Supergirl ever again. What I don't like is the show taking the stand that those are separate. I liked and enjoyed the fact that that was up for debate. And I get the logic of wanting to have a world where Superman is the only real hero. But it takes a LOT of the appeal out of the series since the Arrowverse has been on the air for ten years. I don't mind the show thumbing its nose in the fans' face for the lack of Kara references. I don't like the actual explanation for that. Because I don't think an explanation is necessary.

Time to talk about the characters.

I cringed at Lana's ultimate rebuff of Kyle. And I have to give her a lot of credit for that. No matter what happens, it will never be what it was. That is a very firm boundary limit to set after the guy has been pulling out his hair in fear of never seeing them again. I respect Lana for it. I would have preferred some forgiveness, but Kyle is not owed that, and neither is the audience. I like that Lana is allowed to keep her pain hers. That makes her character feel like a totally self-sufficient and autonomous woman, and considering what's going on in the news, we need as many of those in fiction as we can get. Can you ever picture the Lana Lang from Smallville ever laying the law down with either Clark or Lex that way? No ,because she enjoyed the mind-games and attention too much. Lana Cushing being an adult about the situation is utterly refreshing instead.

If I were writing the show, Tal would not be redeemed here, at least not at this stage of the game. Which is why it's interesting, whether I agree with Clark or not. I'll tell you something interesting that I wouldn't have predicted last year: Him caring about Clark and his family is absolutely 100% sincere. It's not the trucks that says it. It's the fact that he tells him that and Clark believes it. Big character moment there.

Ultimately, the arcs of both Bizarro AND Parasite wound up underwhelming. Which would be a problem if this specific superhero show was about superheroics. Since it's a family drama instead, it's both accepted and excused by me.

Speaking of not putting in the work for a redemption arc... The Kents embrace of Tal's love bothers me far less than the fact that the one time we saw Lucy at the end, she was not begging both Lois and her father's forgiveness. I understand that part of the reason things got so bad with Lois is because Lois emotionally punished her sister for disappointing her expectations of her (which is admittedly uncool). But really, considering what Lucy was a part of right up until the very end, SHE is the one who should be walking around on eggshells with her father and sister, not the other way around. I firmly believe that.

That was a solid ending arc for the characters. I was not happy about the explanation of the place in The Arrowverse, or the actual superheroics, but both those things are secondary to Jordan's puppy dog eyes to Sarah when the truth is out, or Christina's hug of Lois when she's let into the Secret Club. ****.