Superman & Lois Review: 5 Ups & 2 Downs From 'Pilot'

1. A Thoughtful Reinvention Of A Familiar Old Tale

Superman and Lois
The CW

Superman has been a staple of Hollywood for decades now and during that time creative forces have tried their hardest to reinvent him for generation after generation without having to lose what made him so great in the first place. As Superman is such a traditionally heroic character, these reimaginings have had varying degrees of success and it's gotten to the stage where some have even suggested that the character is no longer relevant in this modern world.

Superman and Lois instantly disproves that theory because it is the property that somehow managed to keep the character relevant. It's a property that, on paper, shouldn't have worked because, in a way, it overlooks all of the elements that made a Superman show in the past. But that's exactly why it works, because it dropped the traditional superhero TV elements we see on offerings like Supergirl and The Flash and opted to give us a family drama more in-line with the likes of Friday Night Lights.

It's a bold move - one that understandably raised eyebrows when the premise was revealed - but it's one that absolutely pays off. Superman and Lois isn't a 'Superman show' but it is very much a show about Superman that, by doing something different, rediscovers what made him so great in the first place.

As a result, Superman and Lois achieves exactly what it sets out to do: Reintroducing the Man of Steel in all his glory and reminding us all why he remains such a revered hero. And after that, the sky is the limit for this show.

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Michael Patterson is an experienced writer with an affinity for all things film and TV. He may or may not have spent his childhood obsessing over WWE.