‘Superman & Lois’ Review: A Good Show, but Good Only Goes So Far

It’s hard to believe that nine years ago, CW’s Arrowverse kicked off with the titular Arrow, but even harder to believe that there was only a one year gap between Arrow starting and Smallville ending. The premiere live action superhero series at the turn of the millennium, Smallville starring with Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum was the framework of many modern TV adaptations of the series and the existence of the Arrowverse is in part owed to the groundwork that Smallville laid. So, in many ways it feels appropriate to harken the return of the Man of Steel with a series that has him all grown up, happily married, with two (yes two) sons. And when Supergirl first aired, it was only a matter of time before we would see her older/younger cousin (depending on how exactly you measure time) and some worldline reconsolidate and rewriting, we did manage to meet the latest TV iteration of Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch as Clark Kent and Lois Lane and the warm reception to the casting meant that a full series was probably inevitable, and I’m mostly here for it.

Superman & Lois — “Pilot” — Image Number: SML101fg_0001r.jpg — Pictured: Tyler Hoechlin as Superman — Photo: The CW — © 2021 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

As a baseline: Tyler Hoechlin is a good Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman. He is warm and affable and is able to convey the adorkable fumbling of Clark and the stalwart paragon nature of Superman. He’s a great addition to the pantheon of actors who …