Superman & Lois Season 2: Bizarro Bugaloo

 As far back as I can remember Superman has been my favorite superhero.  Which is why sometimes I can judge his adaptations more harshly than some others.  When Tyler Hoechlin was announced to play Superman in the second season of Supergirl I was unfamiliar with the actor.  After seeing his first few episodes I thought he did a fine job as the Man of Steel, but not great. Plus, he seemed a little short. Then the announcement came that he was getting his own show beside his Lois Lane co-star, Elizabeth Tulloch.  Again, I wasn't thrilled with these versions of the characters, but I was happy Superman was getting some attention after Henry Cavill's portrayal left Warner Bros treating the character almost like a pariah.  

The first season of Superman & Lois was a pleasant surprise to me.  We saw Clark and Lois moving back to Smallville, being parents with teenage boys, and one even developing his own powers.  It still had that CW/Arrowverse feel to it, but with a little more in my eyes like better effects.  Plus, the series seemed to distance itself from the rest of the Arrowverse with almost no references aside from a brief appearance by David Ramsey playing John Diggle. A cameo that didn't even need to be in the episode.  I think my enjoyment from this series really owes a lot to my age.  As a Superman fan I'm now at the point in my life where I am raising my own child and juggling a work-to-family life balance.  Much like how Smallville related to me being a teenager navigating my way through the world at the same time Tom Welling's Clark Kent was.  

As I said, the first season of this Superman series left me enthusiastic about a second season, especially with the additions of John Henry Irons and his daughter; Natalie. And much like how season one tried to trick us into thinking The Stranger was Lex Luthor, the creators also tried to trick us into thinking Doomsday was coming.  And fell for it hook, line, and sinker.  I didn't like the idea of bringing in such a definitive character so early in the series, and apparently neither did the showrunners.  It was revealed that the creature giving Clark headaches was a version of the character Bizarro, that set-up this season's overall story arc.

In season two a character known as Ally Allston is looking to merge with her alternate self from another world, and bring the two worlds together, thus merging every two people into one.  But we were never told what actual consequences this would have.  Would each one be as powerful as Ally? Would someone need the pendant to have that power?  I just never truly got the big ramifications of making the two worlds one, or why Ally even wanted to do it? After she had merged, she was all-powerful.  What else does she want?  Why merge the worlds?  The idea just doesn't sit right with me.

One the other side of this season is the Lane family dealing with Lucy, who was brought into Ally's cult and believed in her to the point of turning against her family at every turn.  I was honestly disappointed when Ally turned out to be the big powerful villain Superman has to defeat in this season.  Ally started off as someone who Lois was trying to deal with to get her sister back, but then became Superman's problem, leaving Lois kind of in the dust for the rest of this season.  

Season 2 saw our supporting characters struggle as well.  Jordan was dealing with whether to tell Sarah his secret or not.  Jonathan had to accept being the powerless brother, and the Cushing's struggled to get back together as a family after Kyle's deceit. Lana, Sarah, and Chrissy also all learned about Clark's secret identity. This is a story point that doesn't sit well with me. Arrow and The Flash started to lose its luster when so many people knew the main hero's alter ego, and their homebases became very crowded.  I'm glad Sarah knows about Jordan because after many seasons of Smallville I've see the teenage hero hide his secret from his would-be-girlfriend already, and that went on for too long as is.  But Lana and Chrissy knowing I think could hurt the series in the long run as it's only a matter of time before all the main characters know Clark is Superman, which is really just Kyle at this point.

However, the real short coming of this season was the release schedule.  I count almost five breaks in twenty-five weeks for the 15-episode season. This kept me having to try and remember what was happening in the series after weeks of not having a new episode.  I think it interrupted the flow of the season, and possibly lessened my interest in the story. I also could never remember when new episodes aired. 

But don't get me wrong. This season had some great moments like the submarine save, and Lois reminding Clark that Superman isn't just about saving people, he's about giving them hope.  I'm very interested in what's to come for season 3.  What's Tal up to in the other world?  Will Clark's major exposure to sun rays affect him long-term like in Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman?  Is John Henry and John Diggle about to team-up like an 80's action movie?  And how does Aquaman feel about Superman setting up his new clubhouse in the middle of the ocean? I don't expect that last question to be answered, but it'd be cool if it did.  This season I felt wasn't as strong as its predecessor but was still solid enough to get me to watch season 3.  I just hope that as The CW and Arrowverse seems to be falling, Superman & Lois continues to fly up, up, and away.

The Problem With Doomsday

WARNING:  This post contains SPOILERS for the season 2 premiere of Superman & Lois!

I would like to think of myself as a bigger Superman fan than the average Joe.  I've been following/reading Superman comics since The Death of Superman event that started 30 years ago this November. This storyline introduced us to a villain known as Doomsday. It was later that we would find out this creature had Kryptonian origins and would be responsible for the death of The Man of Steel.  It is arguably the biggest event in comics history.  Since then, Doomsday has been used in DC Comics in many ways as the big boogie man for not only Kal-El but also other heroes in the DCU.  Doomsday has also been used in other mediums. Superman/Doomsday, Justice League Unlimited, Smallville, Krypton, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a just some of the times Doomsday has shown up on screens big and small.  But with a character like this I feel like he is a crux that some creators lean on too quickly when making a Superman story.  I was quite shocked when Zack Snyder put Doomsday in the second installment of a new Superman movie franchise.  Doomsday is a third, fourth, or even fifth film villain I believe.  It's not a second film, or even second season, villain for The Man of Tomorrow.

In the season premiere of Superman & Lois earthquakes begin to happen in Smallville.  At the end of the episode, we see a hand punch out of rock deep beneath Smallville quarry.  Wearing a greenish outfit, and given that it's buried deep in the Earth, most people assume it's none other than Doomsday himself come to take on Tyler Hoechlin's Superman for this season of The CW series.  But my question is why introduce the biggest storyline in Superman mythology, his greatest battle, in just season 2 of a TV series?  I'm assuming since this is a more seasoned Superman that he's faced most of his rogue's gallery like Metallo and Brainiac (even though Supergirl used a lot of Superman characters and storylines) but it seems he has not yet faced his own death.  

My other worry is that if we're about to get Superman vs Doomsday it will need good special effects to do it justice.  Even though I thought Doomsday was used way too soon in the DCEU, Doomsday did look good, and its battle with DC's Trinity had an epic feel.  The series Smallville brought the character of Doomsday in on season 8 of the series and was played by Sam Witer with a dual identity plot.  But every time he fought Tom Welling it just wasn't satisfying on a CW series budget.  While Superman & Lois I feel has better effects than most Arrowverse series the creators would have to blow an entire season's budget to make it the epic battle it deserves.  To be honest, my favorite version of the fight between Superman and Doomsday is in the animated film, The Death of Superman. 

 The Syfy series Krypton also brought in the character of Doomsday in its second season.  The show was a prequel set on the not-yet-destroyed planet but saw Doomsday's Kryptonian origins.  Bringing in the creature that killed Superman is kind of top-of-the-hill as far as storylines go.  Something that can kill The Last Son of Krypton is the biggest challenge.  As excited as I was to see Doomsday brought to this series, I thought they were writing themselves into a corner much too soon. When Superman fought Zod and his gang of Kryptonians in his first film, Man of Steel, I thought they started too high on the difficulty level. Metallo, Lex Luthor, Parasite; these are more Earth-based smaller villains that can start a new Superman series and then you work your way up to the bigger villains like Zod, Brainiac, Darkseid, and Doomsday.  At least Smallville waited eight years. The last few Superman interpretations can't seem to wait till year 3.  

Now, personally, I don't see Doomsday as Superman's greatest villain.  To me, that title goes to Darkseid.  He's almost as smart as Lex Luthor, and almost as strong as Doomsday.  Superman stands for hope and freedom, while Darkseid stands for fear and oppression.  But Doomsday is a force of nature that (at first appearance) doesn't think, doesn't sleep, and doesn't tire. It just destroys.  Bringing in a force of nature like that so early in a fresh Superman TV (or film) series I feel like gives you little room to one-up the stakes for what we all would hope to be many more seasons. 

Showrunner Tom Belbing has confirmed we will get a full reveal of Doomsday by episode 3 this season, but where are they going with it?  One theory I have is that they may do the full Death/Reign/Return of Superman in this series.  In the comics, Superman's death brings four other characters in to try and replace him.  The phrase "Eradicator" has been brought up in the series.  John Henry Irons a.k.a. "Steel" is already here, and we have a "Superboy" as well. If they wanted to do a version of Reign of the Supermen all they would need to bring in is the villainous "Cyborg Superman". Tackling that three-part storyline over the course of one or two seasons of TV would be something I am interested in.  However, like I've said, a good budget (and story) is needed to do it right.  I just hope the super creators realize it.

Superman & Lois has been my favorite interpretation of the character in a while.  His speech to Jordan in episode 6 last season about the responsibility he feels every time he steps out as Superman was perfect! I think the writers really get what the Man of Steel stands for, and how his relationship with Lois fits into it.  I just hope they have the next three season already planned and bringing in Doomsday is the beginning of great foes, and not the best villain Tyler Hoechlin will have in this series.

TV-Giving: My Thannksgiving Tradition

The holidays are upon us.  And as a guy who has worked retail for the past decade I can honestly say that it comes sooner and sooner every year.  While some stores plan to open Thanksgiving night I'm thankful that my employer has not succumb to that shameful gimmick.  Instead I get to enjoy my time doing two of my favorite things; pigging out and watching TV.

A few years back I started a tradition for myself the week of Thanksgiving, and on Thanksgiving day. I'd spend the nights leading up to turkey day watching Thanksgiving-themed episodes of my favorite shows, as well as watching some on Thanksgiving day that everyone enjoys.  

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 4, Episode 8 "Pangs"

With Buffy's mom out of town for Thanksgiving Buffy decides to make the meal for her and the Scoobies.  Unfortunately, the preparation does not go smoothly as Spike shows up looking for a place to hide, and Indian ghosts are on the prowl hunting people and causing curses.  Luckily Angel is in the shadows lurking, and able to lend a hand. 

This episode is hilarious!  Buffy wants nothing more than to have a nice, normal, Thanksgiving, but not in Sunnydale.  Willow feels that the Indians are justified in their revenge, Spike just wants to eat someone, and Xander comes down with syphilis.  It's a zany episode that is a lot of fun.

Smallville: Season 6, Episode 6 "Rage"

While the Kent's are preparing to have everyone over for Thanksgiving Oliver is busy stepping up his role as Green Arrow.  He begins taking a self-healing drug that alters his emotional state and makes him dangerous.  He injures Lois, yells at Clark, and is on a mission to kill Lex Luthor.

This episode, like most of the early Season 6 episodes, are good because of the Oliver/Clark scenes.  Oliver is the focus of the episode but it takes place during Thanksgiving so it counts.  I also enjoy the end of the episode when you see Thanksgiving at the Kent farm vs the Luthor mansion.  That alone should have made Lana realize Lex was the wrong man for her.

The O.C.: Season 1, Episode 11 "The Homecoming"

It's Thanksgiving at the Cohen's and the guys have banded together to stop Kristen from going anywhere near the food preparations.  But Ryan gets a call from his inmate brother that sends him and Marissa back to his old neighborhood to do his brother a favor.  One that could get him killed.  Meanwhile, back at the Cohen's, Seth is juggling two girls who showed up to make-out with him, and his mother is dealing with her father who showed up just because his caterers didn't arrive.

I stopped watching this show after Season 2, but I still enjoy the first few seasons.  Seth Cohen is one of my favorite characters ever on TV and this episode highlights why.  It's hilarious to see Adam Brody in this episode, and I'm a bit disappointed he hasn't become a bigger star after The O.C. ended.  Maybe a guest appearance on Gotham could re-unite the "Cohen brothers."

How I Met Your Mother: Season 3, Episode 9 "Slapsgiving"

Last year, Barney lost the Slap-Bet to Marshall and he's been planning something special for Barney ever since.  He plans on giving Barney a big ol' slap in the middle of their Thanksgiving meal, leaving Barney petrified with fear.  Meanwhile, Ted and Robin end up dealing with their post-relationship status after accidentally sleeping together.  And all Lily wants to do is prepare a nice Thanksgiving meal for all these jerks.

After the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the dog show(not my favorite) it's time for comedic Thanksgiving episodes that everyone likes.  Usually, if there is time, we watch "Slapsgiving Part 2: Revenge of the Slap" but this one is just a must-see.  It's one of my favorite episodes of the series. You get probably the best performances out of everyone in this one episode.  Plus it ends with a musical number!

Friends: Any of the Thanksgiving Episodes

Let's be honest, the Thanksgiving-themed episode is the best of every Friends season. From "The One With the Football" to "The One Where Ross Got High" we just put in our Best of Friends DVD's and laugh until we fall asleep into our mid afternoon naps.  By the time we wake up, it's time for football!  

Man of Steel v Arrow: Dawn of the 2 Justice Leagues

It was a typical Thursday night back in January 2007.  My friends and I had purchased some beer and pizza and were about to watch the newest episode of Smallville before heading out to our usual bar for some karoke.  On that Thursday night we were a little more excited that usual to watch Smallville. In this episode Clark was teaming up with Green Arrow, Impulse(Flash), Aquaman, and Cyborg in an episode called 'Justice'.  After twenty years of reading superhero comic books it was the first live-action Justice League I had ever seen.  I still haven't seen the TV movie done years ago, and I plan to keep it that way.  Skip ahead to present day. We are about to get two different Justice League teams within the next five years.  One on the small screen, and one on the big screen. But which one will be better?

 In it's second season, Arrow introduced Barry Allen, and even showed him being struck by lightening.  The show has already featured Black Canary and will bring in Ray Palmer, the future Atom, and Arsenal in season three.  Meanwhile, Barry is about to zoom over to his own Flash series and Firestorm is set to make an appearance.  This will make six Justice League members in The CW television universe that started on Arrow.  It was also announced that Arrow and The Flash co-creator, Greg Berlanti, is pitching a Supergirl series next.

 Over on the Warner Bros set another DC Comics team is slowly being assembled.  In 2016 the world will see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that will feature Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Victor Stone(Cyborg), and a rumored Aquaman.  Man of Steel director, Zach Snyder, is directing this film, and has already said he's directing a Justice League film that has not gotten a release date yet.  Most speculate though that the release of Justice League will not be too far off from Batman v Superman.

 WB and DC executives have already said that the television and film worlds will not connect like Marvel Studios is doing.  This means eventually audiences may have two Flashes, or two Barry Allen's, at the same time that have nothing to do with each other.  I bring up the Scarlet Speedster as an example because he is one of the dominant Justice League members just behind the Trinity, but with his own TV series about to debut, and hopefully be a hit, will he be featured in Snyder's upcoming film?  The smart thing would be to have another Flash besides Barry(such as Wally) in the film.  But so far evidence supports that Snyder and WB aren't that smart.  Besides the Flash, most of the other Arrow heroes are B to C stringers(love it) which wouldn't come to a fan boys mind when you name off their top five or seven key Justice League members. But given that Cyborg wasn't an official JL member till just a few years ago he wouldn't be on my A-team either. 

 What about Green Lantern?  The Ryan Reynolds film failed to start the DC Cinematic Universe so WB jumped off with Man of Steel.  But he's also another A-lister.  Do you just skip GL or replace him with another member of the Corps and give the Hal Jordan stench more time to dry out? By the time these questions in DC's film universe will be answered I feel like The CW will have already had their own Justice League multi-series crossover event.

I can't hide my opinion that I am way more excited for what is happening on my TV than at my local cinema.  As a big Superman fan I had quite a few issues with Man of Steel, Zach Snyder, and the vision of the DC Cinematic Universe so far.  Arrow creators are crafting a long narrative by getting to know the characters quite well. Meanwhile, Snyder and his film makers are just rushing to catch-up with Marvel Studios. 

I feel like WB still doesn't get why they've fallen behind in this comic book movie race.  The strength of the Marvel Media Universe is that everything is connected!  Bruce Banner can pop-up at the end of Iron Man 3, or Lady Sif can appear on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It's all a pay-off for someone who follows it all.  I don't watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, if I did I would have enjoyed Captain America: The Winter Soldier that much more because of the tie-in and vice versa.  But I didn't have to catch the television series, or any other Marvel franchise movie, to enjoy Cap 2.  So why would I pay $12 to see another Flash when I already love the one I get for free on my TV? Minus the better special effects I'm sure it would only disappoint. Basically I'm saying what Marvel has done is brilliant.

 My hope is that Warner Bros has already answered all the questions I have posed in this article and I'm just going to eat my words later.  And while I am excited for comic book properties kicking ass in every medium, and seeing another a live-action Justice League back on my screens, I continue to be disappointed how Warner Bros is handling these modern day Gods in film.They are trying so hard to be different from Marvel that they are being different; they're sucking.  So for now, I'm with Team Arrow.