Superman & Lois Season 2 Episode 1 Review – ‘What Lies Beneath’

]]> ]]> Ricky Church reviews the season 2 premiere of Superman & Lois… The Kent
family is back with plenty more drama both within and outside their household as
new threats – including one of the most dangerous in Superman history – emerge in
an impressive second season premiere. ‘What Lies Beneath’ takes the best aspects
from the first season and builds upon them with intriguing character work and
gorgeous visuals that defy the typical look of a CW show. Picking up a couple
months after the first season, Superman, Lois and their children are trying to get
life back to normal (or as much as normal is for them) but are confronted by
several problems. First Lois’ daughter from an alternate universe has shown up,
throwing all the Kents for a loop as each deals with and ignores her sudden
appearance in their own way. Secondly, General Sam Lane’s DOD replacement Mitch
Anderson is much more passive-aggressive than Superman’s father-in-law, pushing him
to become an official agent for the American military and put their country first
over rival nations. Right from the start of the episode, ‘What Lies Beneath’
continues to hold up the tone the first season set with its balance of superhero
adventure and family drama. There is not a scene that feels unnecessary or too long
as everything is used to its maximum effect. Regarding the family drama, Superman
& Lois doesn’t feel nearly as melodramatic as other CW family shows or even
other Arrowverse series with cheesy monologues about family values, forced romances
or a simple miscommunication turned into a big deal. Rather, Lois’ growing
irritation and anger with Clark, Jordan and Jonathan is dealt with in a serious and
realistic manner – at least as realistic as an alternate daughter suddenly
appearing can be – but it speaks to both the writing and Tyler Hoechlin and
Elizabeth Tulloch’s acting that Clark’s pushiness for her to talk about it and
Lois’ stubborn refusal to address it feels relatable, especially when Clark opens
up to Lana about his frustrations. Tulloch was fantastic as Lois throughout the
episode, giving a window into Lois that was vulnerable and upset without coming
across as unlikable or even unreasonable in her stubbornness. Whether it was
chewing out Jonathan over his bedroom moment with his girlfriend, fighting with
Clark or pushing back on Chrissy’s potential hires for the paper she portrayed Lois
with a great deal of emotional range. The two scenes where she finally opened up
about her own mother’s abandonment and met with Natalie were among Tulloch’s best
as Lois considering she’s already been stellar as the ace reporter. When it comes
to the Superman side of things, Hoechlin again nails it as the Man of Steel. He
constantly exudes the strength and humbleness of Superman when he’s in the suit and
that is apparent in his scene with Ian Bohen’s Anderson, marking a Teen Wolf
reunion for both actors. Their discussion brings to light the complexity of
Superman’s presence in the world as he rescued a nuclear North Korean sub, an act
which is heroic but causes American brass to question Superman’s personal policy of
staying out of geopolitics. Bohen’s passive-aggressive manner is in stark contrast
to Sam Lane’s open bluntness as Anderson tries acting like he’s Superman’s friend
and biggest fan. He’s already set himself as a nice foil for Hoechlin’s Superman
and the season’s overall theme of where Superman stands in the world and how
Anderson is now co-opting the ‘S’ symbol for his own super-program should prove an
interesting subject to examine. For a show that airs on the CW, it is very
surprising Superman & Lois looks as great as it does with its visuals and
cinematography. It might even improve upon the visuals of the first season with how
great the sub rescue looks as the rain comes down on Superman or his rescue during
Smallville’s sudden earthquake. Compared with the likes of The
Flash or Supergirl, Superman & Lois seems like it belongs more on HBO Max than
the CW with how fantastic this looks. The visuals are great and certainly lends
itself to the idea that Superman is the greatest and most powerful superhero in the
genre. The cinematography is also impressive as is the use of colours, not being as
bright and flashy – no pun intended – as other CW DC series but not nearly as dark
and muted as Zack Snyder’s DCEU films. It’s more the perfect balance of both
styles. ‘What Lies Beneath’ was a very good re-introduction to Superman &
Lois by setting up new problems for Lois Lane and both Superman and Clark Kent to
solve. The family drama was done in a serious and character driven manner while the
action was visually compelling. Even the teen storylines as Jon and Jordan dealt
with their respective romances wasn’t as riddled with teen cliches as most other CW
or teen dramas. The premiere promises an exciting and thought-provoking season,
though the cliffhanger tease of Doomsday raises a few skeptical hairs since this
marks the most recent time in the last few years Superman has dived down the
Doomsday well after Batman v Superman and The Death of Superman animated
adaptation, though with this year being the 30th anniversary of that landmark story
it’s to be expected DC would honour it in some media. Hopefully this time will
bring something new and interesting to Doomsday and a potential ‘Death and Return’
arc. Rating: 9/10 Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd
talk. ]]> ]]>

‘Superman & Lois’ Season 2: The Final Shot of Episode 1 Is an Homage to a Classic
Comic Book Cover

Fans of The CW‘s Superman & Lois got their first look at one of the Big Bads of
season 2 during the final scene in episode 1. And although the shot of him was
brief and easy to miss, many soon realized that it was one of Superman’s most
infamous foes because it directly referenced a comic book cover. Clark is about to
face one of his biggest threats in Superman & Lois Season 2. Tyler Hoechlin as
Superman | Photo: Shane Harvey/The CW Doomsday caused earthquakes in ‘Superman
& Lois’ Season 2 Episode 1 Throughout Superman & Lois Season 2 Episode 1,
“What Lies Beneath,” Clark experiences headaches and visions that seem to connect
to earthquakes rumbling through Smallville. And since the small town is in Kansas,
the tremors are strange. It’s not until the end of the hour that the seismic events
start to make sense. While welcoming John Henry and Natalie into the Kent home,
Clark’s superhearing picks up on a strange noise coming from the Shuster Mines. The
show then takes viewers deep beneath the surface of the mines, where a hand bursts
through rock. Immediately, fans understood who this hand belonged to and what
villain is about to wreak havoc in Smallville in Superman & Lois Season 2 —
Doomsday. Showrunner Todd Helbing reveals that Doomsday’s arrival was a tribute to
a comic book cover Superman & Lois Season 2 showrunner Todd Helbing spoke with
Entertainment Weekly following episode 1. During the interview, Helbing confirmed
that the final shot of the hour depicts Doomsday. He also revealed that the image
is a tribute to the cover of Superman: The Man of Steel #18. “That is our homage to
a classic Doomsday cover,” the showrunner shared. “Then in episode 2, you’re going
to see him a little bit more. In episode 3, you’ll get the full reveal. There’s so
much lore [and] mythology in the Superman universe that we feel it’s our obligation
to tell a unique story. We take inspiration from the comics as much as possible,
and then we try to twist it. We did the same thing here.” Helbing added, “I think
one of the things that we all really dig about the comic book world, but
particularly with the villains, is finding ways to use assumptions about a
character and then flipping that. And finding ways to explain things that haven’t
been explained in the comics, like the use of something, or why a character does a
certain thing.” “It’ll all be revealed in episode 3, but there are a couple little
things that we’re doing that I can’t explain too much because I’ll give it away,”
he teased. “But you’ll see how we’re influenced by certain pieces and why we used
it to create work that is hopefully a cool reveal.” More problems arise in
‘Superman & Lois’ Season 2 Episode 2 Unfortunately, Doomsday will not be the
only villain Clark encounters in Superman & Lois Season 2. During an interview
with TV Insider, Todd Helbing said, “I’ll just say there’s multiple [villains] this
season. They all start out maybe unrelated — ‘unconnected’ might be a better way of
describing it — but they start to merge. That’s really all I can say, only because
if I tell you, if I give you one little tidbit, everybody out there is gonna know
who it is.” Fans can look forward to learning more about the villains in Superman
& Lois Season 2 Episode 2, “The Ties That Bind,” directed by David Ramsey. The
synopsis reads, “Clark opens up to Lois about his ongoing struggle with visions and
admits that there is only one person who might be able to help. Meanwhile, Lana
receives some unexpected news, and tensions begin to rise between Lois and Chrissy.
Lastly, Sarah breaks plans with Jordan to spend time with Natalie.” Superman &
Lois Season 2 airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. RELATED: ‘Superman & Lois’
Actor Reveals if Jonathan Kent Will Come out as Bisexual in the Show Too

Did Yellowjackets Unmasking Surprise? Is Superman Snubbing General? How Did Dexter
Flub Drug?! And More Qs

We’ve got questions, and you’ve (maybe) got answers! With another week of TV gone
by, we’re lobbing queries left and right about dozens of shows including
Yellowjackets, The Cleaning Lady, Superman & Lois and New Amsterdam! 1 | Isn’t
it something that Blue Bloods has made Lyle Lovett (Lyle Lovett!) such a badass
(and a sometimes-scary af one at that)? More from TVLine 2 | 1883 viewers: Do we
think there’s anything more to Elsa’s tears than just the trigger of a sad song?
And why were Josef and his wife speaking English, and not German (their native
language), to each other in the privacy of their own bedroll? 3 | Are you surprised
— or simply relieved! — that The Rookie isn’t doing a “Who’s the daddy?” with
pregnant Nyla, who had hooked up with her ex on Halloween? 4 | Did you also enjoy
The Equalizer‘s meta moment when Queen Latifah’s Robyn told young rapper Sid Slay
the best emcees are the ones who aren’t trying to be anyone but themselves? 5 |
Didn’t you expect Yellowjackets‘ Van’s face to look much worse when Tai took off
the mask? And even though Adam didn’t turn out to be the blackmailer, do you think
there was still something kinda shady about how he showed up in Shauna’s life?
Dexter New Blood Finale Episode 10 6 | Why did Dexter: New Blood go out of its way
to fudge continuity by stating the Bay Harbor Butcher had dosed his victims with
ketamine, when it was a conspicuous Dexter plot point that he used M-99 (etorphine
hydrochloride)? 7 | Sure, host Jesse Palmer was once The Bachelor himself, and he
is happily married now… but couldn’t he have clarified that he’s not actually
married to the woman who won his season? 8 | Are you buying that The Cleaning Lady
was able to clean that bloody crime scene with no industrial equipment? And we
don’t mean to question Thony’s methods, but… vacuuming all those jelly beans? How
did she not break the vacuum?! Story continues Superman & Lois 9 | As many a
TVLine reader has noted, why is Superman & Lois‘ Clark addressing Lt. General
Anderson as “Lieutenant” and not the proper “General”? And Sarah totally met
someone at camp, right? 10 | On Queens, how big of Lady Z fans must the police have
been in order to coordinate the arrest of Frank Black with the chorus of the abused
rapper’s big #MeToo anthem? 11 | Can Our Kind of People‘s Raymond/Tyrique alliance
last, or are they both too handsome for harmony? 12 | Did this week’s American Auto
storyline prompt you to Google “new cars for $10,000”? Were you shocked that there
weren’t any? 13 | Anybody else disturbed that This Is Us‘ Nicky, who’s not the most
technologically savvy person, was able to easily Google search Sally’s home
address? And did NBC get a rights deal on “Hooked on a Feeling”? Two Ordinary Joe
characters sang it last week, and then this week, This Is Us‘ Rebecca belted it.
New Amsterdam - Season 4 14 | Was New Amsterdam‘s Dr. Wilder unwise to bring Dr.
Castries into the resistance fold, considering Veronica hired her? (Speaking of Dr.
Castries, how funny that Genevieve Angelson aired back-to-back on NBC this Tuesday,
also seen as This Is Us‘ Young Sally?) Oh, and how does Helen have enough money to
hire three deputies? 15 | Is The Book of Boba Fett being a bit too generous in
“humanizing” what had largely been outright Star Wars villains? The Tusken people
are one thing, for sure, but a Rancor? What, will we next learn that Wampas just
crave a warm hug? Legends of Tomorrow 16 | How fortuitous was it that DC’s Legends
of Tomorrow returned with a bunch of “John Cena arms” references just one day
before the premiere of his Peacemaker series? #corporatesynergy 17 | Since
Batwoman‘s Pam Isley, aka Poison Ivy, is an eco-activist, does that mean she’s also
vegan? Like, where does she stand on plant-based meat substitutes? 18 | Were you
surprised how long it took The Conners‘ Dan to mention that Darlene should be more
worried about Mark’s reliance on amphetamines after losing her own mother to a drug
overdose? And wouldn’t losing her sister to opioids have made Jackie think twice
about begging her doctor for painkillers? 19 | Did Sistas‘ Danni make you cheer
when she took down that sex trafficker… but groan when she showed up at Karen’s
salon to confront Preston? (Didn’t they break up?) And Just Like That Jon Tenny 20
| And Just Like That… fans, did you get Mark Ruffalo vibes from Carrie’s date
Peter, aka Professor Puke? And did you even recognize The Closer vet Jon Tenney as
Peter? 21 | Did Thursday’s Call Me Kat feel like the start of a new chapter for the
show — one that relies less on Kat’s quirks and more on the whole ensemble? And how
surprised were you to see the show go deep, revealing Randi’s ongoing battle with
depression to Carter? 22 | If Pivoting even lasts that long, who do you want to
cast as the ladies’ late friend Colleen for the inevitable flashbacks? Eliza
Coupe’s Happy Endings pal Casey Wilson, perhaps? 23 | Does anyone watching B
Positive buy Gina’s sudden interest in Drew? And at what point does her kidney
buddy/potential love interest give up on van life and take a job as Valley Hills’
in-house shrink? Young Sheldon 24 | Young Sheldon only wants us to think that Mary
might cheat on George first, right? And George will use Mary’s emotional affair
with the youth pastor to justify him (eventually) sleeping with Brenda? Did you
look up Texas’ age of consent when it was insinuated that 17-year-old Georgie
(played by 18-year-old Montana Jordan) was going to go all the way with Emily
Osment’s 29-year-old weather girl? Similarly, did you pause the episode to Google
whether Christian Teen (featuring Growing Pains‘ Kirk Cameron on the cover!) was a
real magazine circa 1991? 25 | On Bull, how do you think Marissa’s new job — with
her name on the door, the amazing office, the easy-going boss and the perfect
coffee order — will eventually go terribly wrong? (Surely she signed a contract and
can’t simply change her mind/return to TAC.) Hit the comments with your answers —
and any other Qs you care to share! Best of TVLine Get more from TVLine.com: Follow
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