While the Arrowverse came to an end last year with The Flash‘s final season, DCTV on The CW was still around, with Superman & Lois being the last DCTV show on the network. It was the one show that didn’t receive hate and wasn’t made fun of due to its higher budget, significantly better visual effects, and great writing for both the story and the characters. It felt like a dream come true to finally get a DC show that was good, airing on The CW. Not only that, but it was also a Superman show that was true to his character.
‘Superman & Lois’ Season 4 Is a Touching Tribute to the Last Remnants of the Arrowverse
Back in 2016, we first saw Tyler Hoechlin‘s Superman (when he was originally part of the Arrowverse). Almost a decade later, we are finally saying goodbye to these beloved characters, and from the first three episodes alone, it seems like we’re going to have a very touching ending.
Superman & Lois Season 4 picks up directly after the jaw-dropping cliffhanger of Season 3, where Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) unleashed his monstrous creation to fight Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), which took them all the way to the moon. While Superman fights and uses all his power to defeat this monster, Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) and her two sons, Jordan Kent (Alex Garfin) and Jonathan Kent (Michael Bishop), find their own way to stop Luthor’s plans with the help of Sam Lane (Dylan Walsh), Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui), Sarah Cortez (Inde Navarrette), John Henry Irons (Wolé Parks), and Natalie Irons (Tayler Buck).
The Emotional Core of the Series
Superman & Lois has always been a show where the drama is the priority, and it has always worked well because Superman’s family is at the centre of it all. This season intensifies the drama as the stakes rise, and they shouldn’t be taken lightly by his family or the viewers. The first episode throws you into the deep end as you continue to witness the fight between Superman and Luthor’s creation, but time doesn’t stop. Lois Lane and his kids must still fight a bigger battle on Earth and deal with Lex Luthor as he plans something yet unknown.
Michael Cudlitz as Lex Luthor is one of the best castings we’ve gotten for the show and the character overall. We all know how much Luthor hates Superman, but his hatred doesn’t just boil down to him; it extends to Lois Lane, too, as she is the reason he was imprisoned for 17 years. We’ve never had a Lex Luthor who has been so deprived of his life, his daughter, and everything he cares about.
This version of Luthor is not only menacing but ruthless; if he says he’s going to do something, it will be done. There’s a specific scene where Lois Lane must choose which one of her sons lives or dies by dialing “1” or “2” on the phone—a moment that struck me as it showcases how threatening he can be.
A Doomsday-Inspired Finale?
While no official name has been given for Luthor’s creation, it’s very obvious from the marketing and trailers that this final season is a loose adaptation of The Death of Superman, meaning the creature could only be Doomsday. What better way to close out the series than with a storyline as tragic as this? This storyline has been adapted many times but never replicated well enough.
Superman & Lois makes this story its own but still manages to deliver the best adaptation of it. Each season of the show has proven to be more devastating than the last. It was only last season when we had to deal with Lois’ cancer storyline—a story that seemed impossible to surpass in heartbreak. Yet, with the dilemmas the Kent family faces now, it truly seems like there isn’t any hope.
It’s Not Just About Superman
What’s so unique about Superman & Lois compared to every other Superman film or show is that it isn’t solely about Superman. It’s pretty obvious, considering the name of the show. This isn’t a standard action superhero show; it’s a family drama with some pretty badass action mixed in. None of that changes for this final season; it gets darker with its story but still sheds some light when we get to see flashbacks from when Clark and Lois were working at the Daily Planet or when Clark revealed his identity as Superman to Lois.
These are beautiful moments that fit so well and serve as a reminder of how beautifully crafted the entire show is. Just as Michael Cudlitz feels like one of the best castings, the same can be said for Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch; their chemistry has always been unmatched. With scenes that show us the love between them, not only does it make you want to believe in love, but it also gives you hope that everything will end well, even when it seems like it won’t.
Unfortunately, the show not getting to fulfil its full seven-season plan meant there had to be some cuts to the supporting cast. A few of them return but only in guest roles, meaning their time on the show will be limited. Although the main focus is on the Kent family, the show wouldn’t be the same without the supporting cast. They make up a lot of this show, and without them, you can feel the difference. The show handles the departure of some of these characters well, but for others, it’s not yet known what kind of ending their characters will get and whether it will do them justice.
Final Thoughts
This is truly the end, and with the first three episodes of Superman & Lois, they show they’re ready to go above and beyond to deliver their best season yet. Superman & Lois Season 4 is one of the best DC TV shows to come out in the past 20 years. It’s emotional, raw, intense, and, most of all, with everything going on, still doesn’t lose its roots and feels human.
Michael Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor is unhinged, ruthless, and threatening; for the first time, I truly feel scared for our characters. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch show why they are the best portrayals of these characters we’ve seen in live-action, with their passionate performances. If the seven remaining episodes keep up the pace, this will undoubtedly be one of the best Superman stories to grace our screens.
Superman & Lois airs on The CW from Monday, 7 October. New episodes release every Monday. Check out the trailer below:
