Superman & Lois S3: Spoilers, Speculation, and Discussion

[Frontier]

Finally the Irons Family returns and gets some focus!

Jon and Jordan asking Lara for help makes all the sense in the world, I’m glad someone made sure to address that.

Lmao all these crazy romances (Kyle/Chrissy, Lana/JHI, etc)

Sending Clark to interview Mannheim is perfect lol

Howling at the Irons lunch date, Wole’s facial and body expressions were perfect. He was so grumpy at Nat having a boyfriend and it was hilarious

Lois’ apology to Peia was really sweet even though Lois is actually right to be snooping because Peia is lying to her about Mannheim.

Chrissy is a pothead? Haha never in a million years did I think a Superman show would portray one of those in a positive light.

The Lex actor has a hell of a competitor in Mannheim, as bad a guy as he is the actor is just so so damn good at making him sympathetic. Couldn’t help feeling bad for him when he came to pick up his wife from the hospital.

Everyone running into each other at the theater was definitely convenient but it worked for me. Like seeing a bunch of cars just crash into each other over and over again.

Goddamn I fucking loved that speech from Jon, just ripping into “hold on to hope” spiel that Clark gives so often. It’s nice how this is a tough/bleak situation where everyone is going through hell and really exploring how hard having hope can be. Loved th little heart to heart between Clark and Jon at the end.

Feels like they're setting up Manheim to be so sympathetic so we can have a pure villain in Lex come in and make everybody have to team up or work together to stop him.

[Vordan]

Feels like they're setting up Manheim to be so sympathetic so we can have a pure villain in Lex come in and make everybody have to team up or work together to stop him.

I’d love to see Lex come in and just start putting the screws to everyone. Maybe he has that same midlife crisis he had in All-Star and decides he needs to kill Superman and everyone else who interferes in his plans more than he needs his wealth and reputation back.

[Vordan]

Synopsis for upcoming The Dress episode:

[Frontier]

Synopsis for upcoming The Dress episode:

So:

- I wonder if John Henry wants to go guns blazing against Bruno while Clark wants to go with a more moderate response?

- More early Clois flashbacks?

- Seems like Nat learns pretty quick who her boyfriends' parents really are.

[daBronzeBomma]

Thoughts on #SupermanAndLois s3e07 "Forever And Always". Spoilers follow ...

1. We're at the halfway mark of the third season (13 episodes total this year) and it finally happened: we waited for Superman and he never showed up.

I'm trying to recall any episode of any Superman show (live-action or animated) that went the whole episode without actually showing Superman (not counting Smallville, which famously wasn't an actual costumed Superman show at all for 10 full seasons) ... and I got nothing.

Did this ever happen on Lois & Clark in the 1990s? Or the Adventures Of Superman back in the 1950s? I know it didn't happen on Superboy in the 1980s. And definitely not in any of his cartoon shows.

2. DESPITE that glaring lack of the title character (it's called *Superman* And Lois for a reason) this episode, I was still invested in the episode.

This definitely feels like a one-off, kinda like an almost-but-not-quite bottle episode. I doubt they let another episode without the costumed superhero be released.

3. The title of the episode is "Forever And Always" but I'll remember it simply as "Bruno Mannheim".

Again, Chad Coleman imbues such humanity into the typically two-dimensional Intergang boss. And here we see what makes him tick.

I am a little concerned they're leaning way too much into making Bruno relatable while kinda glossing over the fact that he is also a bona fide ruthless crime lord. But this may be as "nice" as we'll ever see him here.

4. Jonathan had maybe his best episode as a character since Season 1.

He's been the fifth wheel pretty much ever since Steel came into the fold. He was the supportive sibling in Season 1, the screw-up sibling in Season 2, and halfway thru Season 3, he's been the forgotten sibling so far. His brother Jordan's overall elevation pretty much came directly at Jonathan's expense.

But his anger at his parents was very real and felt very earned. There are few things more patronizing than someone thinking you can't handle bad news, especially if it's coming from your parents. Great confrontation scene: Clark and Lois deserved that anger.

5. Lois was right ... but also very wrong.

One annoying thing about this show is that no one seems to call out Lois when they think she's wrong.

Clark is damn-near hen-pecked whenever he gets yelled at by her but it's fine ... because you REALLY don't want Superman yelling back.

And even though we as an audience with our gods-eye view of the whole situation know that Lois' journalist instincts are actually onto something, her badgering Pia (whom Lois only knows as a fellow cancer patient) made me very glad when Pia finally shut her down and made Lois deservedly feel like ��.

6. Onomatopoeia already had her powers for 20 years?

I don't know the backstory of the comix version, but through flashbacks we see that Pia has always had her powers independent from Bruno. Is she born this way from humans (mutant), gained powers thru sci-fi means (metahuman), or an alien raised by humans? How long is her body count? We know she's killed at least 2 people: Moxy and this world's John Henry.

7. John Henry is back! I missed him a lot. He got a lot to do this episode: from being an overprotective dad to Nat, to confiding in Lana (that 'ship is pulling into the harbor already) to talking to Matteo.

8. Matteo is who we thought he was!

The son of Bruno Mannheim and Onomatopoeia ... who is dating the daughter of Steel.

I really wish they wouldn't default to making all POC characters on a superhero shoe somehow related to each other. OTOH, Matteo is now going to be involved in a lot more of the story given who his parents are.

9. The Mannheims and the Irons' family are going to fulfill that Romeo & Juliet teaser line to become the Montagues and the Capulets of this season.

I'm a little worried how they're going to resolve the Mannheims being a loving crime family (how much does Matteo know). Then again, The Godfather pulled it off with the Corleones but not without a lot of bloodshed.

10. Still no Lex.

Given that the ongoing WGA Strike already ensures that if there is a season 4 it won't air until later in the year next year ... you need to give Luthor enough episodes to really spread his wings. And you only have 6 episodes left.

Bottom Line: Good episode, fair amount of payoff, glad to have JHI back. But I really hope this is the only time we don't get Superman in a show called Superman And Lois.

Grade: B.

[Vordan]

So:

- I wonder if John Henry wants to go guns blazing against Bruno while Clark wants to go with a more moderate response?

- More early Clois flashbacks?

- Seems like Nat learns pretty quick who her boyfriends' parents really are.

I assume JHI has told Nat what the situation is regarding his counterpart on this world.

[The Frog Bros]

I'm behind, just watched last week's episode (and avoided spoilers for this weeks so far)...

This season keeps dialing up the emotion to 11, yet this particular episode managed to work in some good humor as well.

Chrissy's gummies bit was hilarious, esp Sarah's line, "my Dad's dating a pothead." Too funny.

JHI pretty funny as intimidating Dad. (as an aside, I can't not think about that image of him napping in the Steel suit )

Jon and Clark scene on the porch was pretty great, and Jon's whole bit this episode was among his best showing to date. I also loved this exchange leading up to the porch convo:

Jon: Dad, is this a good time?
Clark: You tell me.

So simple, yet so perfectly Clark in every way, esp after everything that had transpired.

Mannheim actor is just great.

Matteo was pretty obvious but still looking forward to what comes next.

This season is surely emotional, but it's perhaps the most full-on soap opera plot twistiest of the lot.

An episode without JHI is clearly noticeable, an episode without Kyle is solid. Just saying.

(an another aside, the good thing about being late on watching is that I get two just about back-to-back, lol)

[Journey]

God I just hate how they handle Jon on this show he’s the REAL son & he can’t have shit! They take so much from him just to make the CW OC character a thing him calling Jordan Superboy irked me to my core. If he doesn’t get powers by the end of the season I think I’m done honestly.

[Frontier]

Lois isn't doing too great and her family is obviously trying to do their best to take care of her. They're in the thick of her cancer now and every minute matters.

What a shock it would've been if John Henry had gone in immediately instead of afterwards, although I guess it wouldn't have ended that differently.

As much as it sucks that Lois is sick, having her be more in the background has really let Clark step up as a reporter which is something the early seasons neglected a lot. Oh and of course Lois taught a Master Class in reporting that is probably the first thing any rookie reporter should watch.

The elders of Smallville are fans of The Cure? How cultured!

It's nice to see Jon making progress in his own career even if his brother ended up making that more complicated. Although one of Jordan's first hero saves was Kyle in season 2, so feels like they're building on that.

Sam Lane having a date and Lois pushing him to go on it is probably one of the more surreal moments of the show. Well, that and Sam getting a moment with Lana, though I guess they can both relate as two people who were betrayed by their spouse.

There's the rub. Jordan feeling some sense of superiority over his brother because of his powers while Jon doesn't. It's been there for practically most of the series.

Chrissy learning that, yeah, it's rough accusing the kind and compassionate lady with cancer of being a criminal. Though it sounds like something happened to Peia in high school that really changed her. How she got her powers?

Jordan finally gets called "Superboy" in a relatively more official sense (though Jon was still having fun with it), though it seems like he's close to his public debut. Will this lead to Kyle finding out the truth about the Kents?

John Henry is trying to better get to know his AU Sister (and improve her security system while he's at it) and next thing you know he's realizing his daughter is dating the son of his personal nemesis. Although Manheim went really overboard after seeing him again. Bruno is a loving and affectionate husband and father but he's also a vicious criminal with too much pride to know when to take it down a notch.

Matteo can throw a punch!

Superman in the suit again! Even if he mostly just stands there and takes Onomatopoeia's blast until Peia's lungs give out. Ouch.

It's funny how the first time we hear Lex this season it's a faked voice of Peia pretending to be him so they could frame him for murder. I love how Clark managed to figure it out thanks to his encounter with Onomatopoeia and his reporter instincts. Although with this information they'll probably take down Manheim but in doing so release Lex for the one crime they had him in prison for...so that won't end well.

Pretty understandable tension between Clark and John Henry in this episode. Clark sees the humanity in the Manheims while John Henry can only see the criminals, Clark got to know them on a more personal level while John Henry can only think how they killed him on this Earth.

Nothing says modern star-crossed lovers like telling your daughter you can never see that boy again and taking her phone. Sucks for Nat and Matteo though.

Bizarro lives! I'm guessing Manheim will rope him and Atom Man into raiding the DoD to free Peia.

[Vordan]

Jon with another win in finally graduating from being a trainee (hope the show actually lets him enjoy his win for once).

Lois has gotten too close to Peia and now she doesn’t want to do anything that would make her upset. Of course she doesn’t know that Peia has been lying to her about a lot of things. Damn Lois giving up on a story? I definitely understand why and I think it’s believable but that more than anything shows how the cancer is getting to her. Dug the way Clark laid out the situation for her.

Good on Sam for backing Clark up with Lois.

Damnit Jon, you know that’s Jordan, why would you get yourself into trouble like that?

Oomph Chrissy walked straight into a wall with that question.

Jon is really getting fed up with Jordan it seems. Didn’t expect to see the two of them fighting but at least this time I can see where each one is coming from.

I was wondering why Sam and Lana were paired up, gotta give the writers credit there, the two of them being hurt by their significant others and then numbing the pain in work was a parallel I never would have come up with myself. Good character moment with the two.

Oh shiiiiiiit, JHI walking in on the Mannheims was a great moment, tension just shot through the roof. GODDAMN Mannheim beat the hell out of him. Props again to Coleman, he’s absolutely kicking ass as Mannheim. He can make Bruno feel sympathetic and likeable and then completely flip it on a dime and make him terrifying.

Loved how Clark and Lois both look crushed at the idea that Lex might be getting out of prison because he was framed.

Jesus Clark, just grab JHI and get out of there, really dumb of him to just try and tank Peia’s scream. Guess Peia’s secret is out now, and Matteo is about to find out what his parents are really like.

This is going to be interesting. Clark and Lois bonded with Peia and now see her as more than just a monster while JHI obviously doesn’t feel the same sympathy for either her or Bruno. Man the juggling here of the multiple plotlines is night and day compared to how badly they handled the Parasite stuff last season.

Oh crap Bizarro is alive again! Also looks like JHI is modifying his suit, dare I hope he finally is getting the s-shield?

S3 is shaping up to be the best one yet, man I cannot WAIT until Lex enters the picture.

[Vordan]

https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/the...cw-1235608193/

This marks the latest cancellations at The CW, with the network previously canceling “Walker: Independence.” “Walker,” meanwhile, has been renewed for next season, as has the high school football drama “All American.” The shows “All American: Homecoming,” “Superman & Lois,” and “Gotham Knights” are still awaiting word on their fates, though none are expected to continue at this time.

Lol the show finally finds its footing right in time to get cancelled. Oh well, at least S3 seems to be ending the show on a high note.

Edit:

With the cancellations, The CW has just three shows left on which to make a decision, DC dramas Superman & Lois and Gotham Knights and All American’s college-set spinoff All American: Homecoming. Sources tell THR the network will likely opt to bring only one of the two DC shows back. Superman & Lois has the bigger audience — it’s averaging 1.2 million viewers over seven days to about 675,000 for Gotham Knights — but is also considerably pricier. Gotham Knights is the least expensive DC series The CW has ever aired, sources say.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv...cw-1235484225/

Likely will be GK given it’s cheap and that’s what Nexstar is prioritizing, but maybe they’ll surprise us.

[llozymandias]

If Lex has been in prison for the last 20 years, what was he put there for? Up til now i thought he killed Moxy. It's looking like this Lex will just be a street thug with a lot of money. But not any kind of genius.

[Vordan]

If Lex has been in prison for the last 20 years, what was he put there for? Up til now i thought he killed Moxy. It's looking like this Lex will just be a street thug with a lot of money. But not any kind of genius.

He was put in there for killing Moxy, but it turns out he didn’t do the crime. Mannheim and Peia framed him for the deed.

[daBronzeBomma]

Thoughts on #SupermanAndLois s3e08 "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner". Spoilers follow ...

1. That cold open.

I was wondering when and how much deeper we'd get into Lois' cancer treatment. Anyone who's ever had to care (however long or briefly) for a sick loved one will probably feel something strong here. Really well done sequence.

2. Lois not wanting to go after Bruno now that she's friends with Pia is ... not Lois.

Lois Lane traditionally doesn't have close friends precisely because she always single-mindedly pursues the truth at almost all costs (Clark's secret being the BIG exception).

I agree with Sam, that's effect of the cancer treatment talking for her there.

3. It's only when Beppo and Lana are talking to Clark that you're reminded a LOT of people on this show know his secret identity.

But it at least doesn't have like the dreaded CW-ness of "Team Flash". It doesn't feel forced at all. Also ... Clark likes The Cure? Very Gen X.

4. Is Jordan the a-hole here?

Yes. Yes he definitely is.

That confrontation with Jon was 2 years coming, ever since the pilot. Jordan was mean (to the point of thoughtless cruelty) but caught some karma at the end: his career as "Superboy" is suddenly in jeopardy because of his own carelessness.


5. Jordan at this point has so much over Jon that it makes me wonder what storytelling benefits are left by keeping Jonathan from having powers on this show.

Lois and John Henry don't have powers and they always manage to affect the storylines in different but meaningful ways. Hell, KYLE has been more interesting than Jon this season.

Season 1 Jon was refreshing (everything going for him despite no powers), Season 2 Jon flipped that, and now Season 3 Jon just feels pointless. Hopefully they have an interesting plan for him soon.

6. You know how we give Christopher Reeve rightful credit for playing the two sides of Kal so distinctly and so effortlessly ... well, Chad Coleman deserves similar praise here.

His Bruno Mannheim goes from convincingly loving family man to convincingly terrifying gangster in a heartbeat.

He seems genuinely interested in Nat and Matteo's relationship one minute to being ready to brutally murder John Henry the next.

7. Onomatopoeia putting her full power at work was impressive.

Shout out to the SFX crew: the way her jaw looked slightly unhinged while screaming at both Superman and Steel was freakily effective, bordering on body horror.

8. John Henry is pretty much this show's Batman now.

The disagreement between Superman and Steel about what to do with the captured cancer-ridden Pia felt like so many World's Finest arguments of the printed pages. I think Clark is wrong and John Henry is right.

9. Poor Nat.

All she wanted was a nice Meet The Parents dinner and instead she gets the rug pulled from under her. Her surprise at not being allowed to see Matteo afterward would be hilarious ... until you remember she's supposed to be only 16 years old. Then it makes sense.

10. Luthor corner!

So let me see if I have this straight: Lois sent Lex to jail based on captured testimony that she now finds out was false. Behind bars for 20 years, Lex still has his own luxury airline, still makes money, still has sway.

And now he's going to be released because of that false confession (done by Pia). Lois' single greatest professional feat about to be undone by being fooled by Pia's deception.

There's no way Lex doesn't murder Bruno in retaliation before this season is over, is there?

Bottom line: I enjoyed this episode. It moved the chains, so to speak, and got us farther along plotwise than any other episode this season.

Sucks that there is now another hiatus (for 2 weeks) before the next episode is released. And rumor has it that SAL is definitely leaving The CW after this season (hopefully to be picked up by HBOMax to finish the 4th and presumably final season).

Grade: B+

[The Frog Bros]

Man, JHI's face when he crashed the Mannheim dinner date was sooo badass. Hell, that whole scene was so badass. Shades of the mafia flick Bronx Tale, the incredible "now 'youze can't leave," right before they close the doors and unleash an incredible unholy beating.

Great to see Clark on the investigative reporting trail throughout this season.

I think the way they're playing the long game with Lex is paying dividends. The way it's all plotting out has me on edge waiting for when it happens.

And add in another Bizarro tease and the back half of this season is shaping up to be action packed.

Jon gets shit on yet again, guy is born to lose and destined to fail* in this show. I'd like to see some serious confrontations with Jordan. Frankly, I thought it was going to come to it way back in season 1.

With all the emotion and seriousness of this season, I'd forgotten that Sam was on a dating app. Wonder if we'll ever see him on a date... Maybe in the finale?

(*Since they played some good Cure in this episode, thought I'd throw in another music reference, the great Social Distortion )