'Superman & Lois' : The CW TV Series

[GSman]

No, but she was asking for forgiveness, he's being a douche.

He's 15, he doesn't have to immediately be accepting of the fact his girlfriend kissed someone else, and has been brushing him off for a bit. That's some toxic s##t. He'll probably forgive her but he's jutstified in his feelings of betrayal.

[Shadowras]

I wonder who that geologist is working for? I remember that Armatek was a villain group in the 90's Steel comics.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I wonder who that geologist is working for? I remember that Armatek was a villain group in the 90's Steel comics.

I'm hoping it's Conduit.

[Frontier]

He's 15, he doesn't have to immediately be accepting of the fact his girlfriend kissed someone else, and has been brushing him off for a bit. That's some toxic s##t. He'll probably forgive her but he's jutstified in his feelings of betrayal.

Yeah, if she'd been more open about it and wasn't treating him like she didn't care at all about all the effort he's putting in, it might not have hurt as much.

[Anarchist]

Great second episode. Natalie and Sarah seem to have a good chemistry. Do you wonder if they'll eventually end up together? I just hope there won't be any unnecessary drama. So far, the relationships are handled very well.

[90'sCartoonMan]

I continue to be amazed at how this show juggles all its plots in a satisfactory way. I'm okay with the fact that it's not constantly super powered action, although I did love seeing Jordan protecting his father.

So is Sarah bisexual or is she discovering that she's actually gay? She did seem pretty into Natalie, that might be where this story is going.

Really looking forward to seeing Lucy now and what her dynamic with Lois will be.

Tag is part of the Super Corp and Anderson sees no issue putting a teenager with powers on a government team to handle special threats. Then again, this is the DC Universe.

Teenager, yes, but he is 18. I guess to Anderson, Tag being a legal adult means they can put him in any sort of situation as they see fit.

But I guess at least now they have a working Fortress with an AI. Lara, for the first time ever in the Superman canon!

Didn't we sort of get that in Superman IV?

I'm hoping it's Conduit.

Sadly, it's never Conduit.

[Frontier]

I continue to be amazed at how this show juggles all its plots in a satisfactory way. I'm okay with the fact that it's not constantly super powered action, although I did love seeing Jordan protecting his father.

He's really growing into being a Superboy (sorry Jon).

So is Sarah bisexual or is she discovering that she's actually gay? She did seem pretty into Natalie, that might be where this story is going.

On the one hand she didn't seem to have any qualms about kissing a girl, but she also didn't think it was serious in relation to her relationship with Jordan, but she's also been acting weird and disinterested in him the whole time.

She's sending a lot of mixed signals.

Really looking forward to seeing Lucy now and what her dynamic with Lois will be.

Could Smallville Lucy have believably joined a Cult?

Teenager, yes, but he is 18. I guess to Anderson, Tag being a legal adult means they can put him in any sort of situation as they see fit.

Just what I'd expect from a government official.

Didn't we sort of get that in Superman IV?

Fair.

Sadly, it's never Conduit.

Too true.

[Captain Smith]

Good episode. A touch of tactical stupidity as usual. Lots of cops can't hit a guy standing there or was he already bullet proof? Kal watches him use the inhaler, did he think it was for asthma? Note - if someone is playing with a gadget, stop him.

I could see Tal coming - surprise! But OK.

How do the government super kids get their powers - some X on the side? Mutants?

Doomsday in the mine?

[AnakinFlair]

Didn't we sort of get that in Superman IV?

Didn't they use Laura in the theatrical version of Superman II? Or was it some random Kryptonian they replaced Brando with? It's been ages since I've seen that version of the movie.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

Good episode. A touch of tactical stupidity as usual. Lots of cops can't hit a guy standing there or was he already bullet proof? Kal watches him use the inhaler, did he think it was for asthma? Note - if someone is playing with a gadget, stop him.

I could see Tal coming - surprise! But OK.

How do the government super kids get their powers - some X on the side? Mutants?

Doomsday in the mine?

They got their powers by being infused with Kryptonite or something along those lines, and others had powers that were enhanced...

[RobinGA]

Thoughts on the episode.

One question that often comes about around here is what to think of these CW shows. The quality can be all over the place. I think Superman and Lois is
just of a completely different order than all the other superhero shows. It is clearly the best on the air: writing, special effects, a degree of realism, it is just
better than anything else. It isn't perfect by any means. But if you have just gotten so burned out by the ridiculousness of the Arrowverse you ought to give it a shot.

One thing that has bugged me is how they handle Kansas and middle America in general. Because the show is supposed to be in heartland America, an area they
just flail with repeatedly. I mean Smallville showed what you could do here. I get that they are avoiding the Smallville imprint like it has measles, but there should
be more of an effort to actually convey what a Superman family would look like in rural America. It really does feel at times that the social mores are that of rural California or well
Canada where the show is shot. There needs to be more of a sense of what living in Smallville and Kansas is like. I know that is like wishing for the impossible.

The adventures or misadventures of the Kent boys is driving much of the story so far. Last year they avoided a super version of Dawson's Creek. This year it has been more hit and miss.
Jordan took it badly when Sarah admitted to kissing a girl. I don't blame Jordan for being annoyed, because Sarah hasn't exactly been all that interested in him. She seemed more into
Natalie to be honest. I really hope we avoid the whole triangle with the three of them. Jon continues to get the short end of the stick. He is always doing the right thing, but gets ignored
by his parents, relegated to the bench on his football team, feels like a fish out of water in Smallville. I get the sense that the writers are having fun with the weakling Kent storyline for Jon,
until it gets flipped up somehow.

I found the whole Lois story to be not that exciting. I mean really who cares what is or isn't said on a podcast? There are so many of them, the impact they have on North American society
is fairly minimal. But it allows them to give this highly convoluted way to go search after Lucy Lane. That is the best they could come up with for Lois? I mean this is what I feared when they
bought half interest in the stupid Smallville Gazette, namely ridiculous storylines.

Then you had the continuing problems of Clark. The blackouts have left him fairly devastated. As a viewer you don't get much of a sense of what is going on. I wish Superman had decked Anderson
when he was chortling about his blackouts. Has Anderson never heard you don't tug on Superman's cape? But then Superman has more restraint than me.

It was a nice touch that Superman brought Jordan along, it was a sign that Dad sees that Jordan is advancing in his superpowers, but also showing more maturity. I'm not a huge fan of the whole trek to the
fortress to pop up the talking a.i. But the people who produce this show love it, so we are going to continue to see more holograms.

On the whole the first two episodes have been OK. You really don't have a visible villain to go and confront, it has been mainly spinning wheels as the family struggles. Lois and Clark have felt a little
marginalized at times. The Irons', the Kent boys have taken much of the focus. That doesn't even include the whole Lana for Mayor bit.

[j9ac9k]

On the one hand she didn't seem to have any qualms about kissing a girl, but she also didn't think it was serious in relation to her relationship with Jordan, but she's also been acting weird and disinterested in him the whole time.

She's sending a lot of mixed signals.

It wouldn't surprise me if it's because she's questioning herself and not sure what to do about her feelings yet.

[daBronzeBomma]

Thoughts on the #SupermanAndLois s2e2 "The Ties That Bind". Spoilers follow ...
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1. Clark takes a lot of Ls this episode : he got his ass kicked by a low-grade criminal hopped up on X-K, had to get saved by the military's knockoff "Supermen Of America",(where we see the return of Tag from Season 1), got cut off from government support, took an untested Jordan on a dangerous mission, and most stupidly, trusted Tao Rho to NOT stab him in the back.

Blame it on those psychic visions, I guess, but Clark is definitely not on his A game here.

2. Lois is finally getting some storylines not directly dependent on Clark: clashing with Chrissy over a brewing smear job, failing but trying at least to bond with Nat, working together with John Henry, and doing actual reporter work.

Also ... this may have been the first time I've seen Lois Lane actually cook a meal.

3. Mitch Anderson's "What can I say? Everybody wants superpowers" line is such blatant foreshadowing, even if you're not aware of his character's history in the comix.

Mitch is definitely joining Tag as a super-soldier before too long, IMO.

4. Tal Rho channeling Hannibal Lecter in prison was fun (even if we already got that vibe from him at the end of Season 1). I still dislike the show making Morgan Edge Superman's half-brother (human , but I also don't think he's surviving this season.

He is resentment personified now.

5. Jordan took even bigger losses than Clark this episode. He finally empathized with his dad having what look like anxiety attacks and actively wants to help, only get his ass kicked by his evil "Uncle Jerkface". Then he finds out that his girlfriend Sarah cheated on him.

All in one day no less.

6. Jonathan didn't have much to do except sulk in the locker room. Kid needs direction. Feels like if he's not going to follow in his father's footsteps as a superhero, then maybe he should try following his mother's.

What about investigating that "school"?

7. John Henry finally admitted it was not that easy being reminded of his dead wife every time he looked at "our" Lois. Felt like he had adapted way too quickly to being on "our" Earth in Season 1.

That scene with Clark, Lois, and John Henry trying to figure out the connection between the visions and the earthquake reminded me of high school students in study hall trying to figure out a question they KNOW is going to be on the next test.

Also appreciated the episode's mention of Amertek Industries from his own comic book Steel title back in the day.

8. Nat is going to disrupt things. She and Sarah had such immediate chemistry that IMO those two are clearly going to hook up very soon. And while that development would probably unsettleJordan for at least a little while, I do hope her and her alt-half brothers develop into siblings.

And Nat's hairstyle at school is so cool.

Also, Sarah's coming out in this ep is so markedly different from Alex Danvers' on Supergirl a few years ago. There it was loudly a huge deal, but here it's pretty much quietlyq matter-of-fact like.

Progress.

9. Lana Lang was always going to become mayor of Smallville one day on this show. Without the old-timey romantic triangle with Clark and Lois from the comix, adult Lana rarely has had any arc in any medium.

And Kyle (aka Modern Pete Ross) came up with the idea and actually wants to be Smallville's first "First Dude" ... ****, do I like actually Kyle now? Maybe.

Take a bow, writers.

10. Lara Lor-Van, mother of Kal and Tal (damn, I didn't notice the brothers' names rhymed until just now) makes a necessary appearance. Jor-El too often gets an unfair amount of the credit and appearances between Clark's bio-parents. And here she designed the Eradicator herself.

I dislike that this show's Jor-El is a much older-looking hologram husband with a much younger-looking hologram wife. Either make them look both grandparent-ish or both look the same age as adult Clark and Lois.

11. Lucy Lane was in a crazy cult under the leadership of an ...Ally Ackson? Maybe ... no,11 definitely referencing the Smallvilleactress Allison Mack (played Chloe Sullivan) who IRL helped lead a cult and is now in prison.

Yet another storyline for Lois this season!

12. Doctor Faulkner might be a deep cut from the comix. Especially if she goes by Kitty. Might be worth a Google.

Also, that scene where Lois and Chrissy interview Dr. Faulkner (and then that female miner comes in the conversation) passed the Bechdel test pretty convincingly.

13. Doomsday is in that containment suit.

Part of me was really hoping last episode's stinger was a fake-out and that we weren't really getting the most overrated Superman villain of all time for this season of SAL.

But nope, that's him. I'd recognize that bulky, wordless, pointlessly murdering style in any medium.

Sigh ... maybe SAL can somehow make Doomsday interesting. Maybe the fourth time in live-action (Smallville show, Dawn Of Justice movie, Krypton show) will be the charm.

I'd rather they revamp fricking Nuclear Man from The Quest For Peace movie.

Bottom line: Lots of moving parts this episode with a lot of setup aiming for a lot payoffs down the line. Some questionable judgments from Clark, Lois, Nat, Jordan, and Sarah. Not too much Superman action due to him constantly getting sidelined by the new psychic link to Doomsday. Overall, not bad but not great either.

Looking forward to the next episode!

Grade: 7/10.

[AnakinFlair]

I'd rather they revamp fricking Nuclear Man from The Quest For Peace movie.

Only if Jon Cryer's Lex Luthor brings him out of the Phantom Zone when he inevitably escapes.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

I keep getting the feeling that Natalie will try to do something to help get rid of Clark with the hope that if he's out of the picture then her family can be whole again, that if Clark was to die that her dad and Lois could be together, and she would use anyone, including Sarah, in her hopes of hurting Clark and everyone in the family that isn't Lois...not as some cackling supervillain though...