Reviewed by: Steve Younis
Originally Aired: September 1, 2023
Story by Serena Whu and Jake Wyatt
Directed by Jen Bennett
VOICE CAST:
Jack Quaid as Clark Kent/Superman
Alice Lee as Lois Lane
Ishmel Sahid as Jimmy Olsen
Darrell Brown as Perry White
Joel De La Fuente as The General
Michael Emerson as Brainiac
Jason Marnocha as Jor-El
Reid Scott as Pa Kent
Kari Wahlgren as Ma Kent, Kryptonian Warrior
Debra Wilson as Amanda Waller
Clark has invited Lois and her father to Thanks Giving dinner. Jimmy will also be there. However, Clark asks them to help him track down the General who captured him. As he goes to get coffee, Jimmy confronts Lois about the data globe and when she plans to tell Clark about it. They both agree the information about evil, alternate versions of Superman would destroy him.
At the Daily Planet, Perry White confronts the three interns. They’ve proved to be horrible interns, so he shows them the front page of the latest edition of the Daily Planet newspaper… The headline reads “City Saves Superman” with the byline reading Lois Lane, Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen. Perry is promoting them to full-time reporters! As they celebrate with the rest of the staff, Perry wants a word with Jimmy about Flamebird.
At the Kent farmhouse, Clark, Martha, and Lois have an awkward conversation with Lois’ father. Sam Lane is The General! Martha doesn’t like him. Jonathan is too busy trying to cook the Thanksgiving Turkey, when Jimmy arrives with yams. Everyone wants Jimmy’s advice on their problems. Clark reveals to him that Lois’ dad is The General. Jimmy pulls Lois and Clark outside for a chat. The data sphere falls out of Lois’ bag, and Clark sees the image of the evil Superman it projects. Clark’s confusion is cut short when the sphere opens and a piece of Kryptonite falls out. Clark falls to the ground in agonizing pain, as a green sickness overtakes him.
The proximity of Kryptonite activates the Kryptonian craft beneath the Kent Farm. The ground shakes as the craft emerges above ground, sending the General into full alert. He calls Waller reporting that the alien invasion is taking place once again. Jimmy encases the Kryptonite in the sphere, protecting Clark from its radiation. Clark flies off to the spacecraft.
As a portal opens in the sky above the farm, alien robots emerge from the Kryptonian spacecraft and begin attacking everyone. Lois and Jimmy become separated as they try to hide in the cornfields. As a robot lumes over Jimmy, the Kryptonite falls out of the sphere once again, destroying the robot.
Lois confronts her father about being The General who has been trying to kill Superman. He says he’s just trying to protect her and everyone from the invasion. He races off, on the phone to Waller demanding she send more backup.
When Lois and Superman find Jimmy, he explains about the Kryptonite destroying the robot. Superman realizes it could stop the Kryptonian invasion, but Lois doesn’t want him to sacrifice himself to save them. Kissing her, Superman flies up and rams into the spacecraft, forcing it above the clouds. Smashing his way inside, he is attacked by more Kryptonian robots, but when Jor-El’s AI helps destroy the robots, Superman fights his way to the heart of the ship. Opening the data sphere to reveal the Kryptonite, Clark’s body is once again wracked with pain as the green sickness overtakes him. Fighting against it, he grabs the Kryptonite and rams it into the heart of the spacecraft.
Jor-El approaches his son, finally speaking English, calls Superman his son, and tells him to live. Encasing Superman in an escape pod, Jor-El ejects the pod from the collapsing spacecraft, sending it to the fields below. As the Kryptonian spacecraft explodes, the larger, invading spacecraft that was making its way through the portal is cut in half and plummets to the ground.
The General points a gun at Superman, who is lying semi-conscious on the ground. Lois races to stand in front of Superman, begging her father to let him live, arguing that he just saved everyone from the invasion. The General lowers his weapon, telling Waller over the phone that it was a false alarm.
Finally able to sit down to Thanksgiving Dinner, Clark uses his heat-vision to properly cook the turkey. Jimmy reveals that he’s now a millionaire, having sold Flamebird to the Daily Planet for $5.6 million!
On the Kryptonian spacecraft that was emerging through the portal, Brainiac watches on as the portal closes, destroying the ship. Brainiac approaches another Kryptonian figure, telling the cloaked person that he’s found a new planet for him, a planet in rebellion. As the figure turns to face Brainiac he says, “Let them rebel. It does not matter. In the end they will kneel.”
Rating – 5 (out of 5): Brainiac. Zod. Bring on Season 2!
While Zod isn’t named, the “kneel” comment makes it obvious to any Superman fan who that person was.
This episode is full of action. Yet, it also contains some great character moments.
Clark squirms under the questions of Lois’ father, while also freaking out that Lois’ father is The General who captured and tortured him. That’s a pretty big deal, especially for a guy who has such a close relationship with his own parents.
Speaking of Ma and Pa Kent. It’s a little unsettling how distracted Jonathan is in this series. Martha seems to be the more grounded, supportive of the pair, with Pa Kent being relegated to being a side joke. For an episode focusing on fathers (in Sam Lane and Jor-El) it’s a little sad that the other father in this episode is given such short shrift.
Lois dealing with the knowledge that her father is The General is handled well. She’s never had a great relationship with Sam Lane, so for her to find out why, while not helpful, at least gives her a bit more of an insight into what he’s been dealing with all these years. To see him choose his daughter over his own agenda was a touching moment.
Jimmy is once again a great foil in this episode. Bouncing around from one person to the next as they try to confide in him was funny, but in the end, as per usual, Jimmy’s role is pivotal. He’s the voice of reason most times, and to see him become a millionaire because of his quirkiness, was a nice touch. It’s also in keeping with the continuity of other versions of Jimmy, where he’s also super rich.
I hope we haven’t seen the last of Jor-El. It looks like he was destroyed when the spacecraft was destroyed, but being an AI, who knows. I’d like Clark to finally be able to understand who is birth father was, and learn about his Kryptonian heritage, now that Jor-El has been able to properly communicate with his son.
The emergence of Brainiac as a servant of Zod is an interesting revelation. Michael Emerson as the voice of Brainiac is an inspired choice. I look forward to seeing where this story goes in Season 2. It’s interesting to note that the voice of Zod (credit as Kryptonian Warrior) was provided by Kari Wahlgren, the same person who voices Ma Kent. Obviously it’s deeply changed through computer filters to sound very different.
While we’ve seen Zod lead an invading army to earth many times before, having that invasion stopped before it really began, makes this version somewhat different. Having Brainiac involved adds a completely new element as well.
No doubt Season 2 will see Brainiac and Zod reappear, but I have a feeling they won’t be the main focus of Season 2 until the second half of the season. What the story will focus on before that I don’t know. I imagine Clark, Lois and Jimmy being employed as full-time reporters at the Daily Planet will no doubt come into it, and there’s the half of the Kryptonian spaceship that crashed on the Kent farm that will also need exploring.
Season 1 of “My Adventures With Superman” did not disappoint. If anything, I think most fans will agree it has been a surprise packet. I don’t know what I expected, but I didn’t think it would be this good. I’m so glad it has already been renewed for a second season. I can’t wait!
