“Superman and Lois” TV Series Character Breakdowns

February 5, 2020 Television News 48
Superman and Lois
Pictured (L-R): Tyler Hoechlin as Superman and Bitsie Tulloch as Lois Lane – Photo: Katie Yu/The CW – © 2018 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Primetimer.com claims to have gained access to the script for the pilot episode of the upcoming “Superman and Lois” TV series, posting a brief (mostly spoiler free) breakdown of the characters we’ll be introduced to.

As the series opens, LOIS LANE (Elizabeth Tulloch) is still working at the Daily Planet, but CLARK KENT (Tyler Hoechlin) has just been fired following a massive layoff plan at the journal. His father JONATHAN KENT is no longer with them, while his mother MARTHA KENT is living alone on the farm where he grew up in Smallville. They have twins, JONATHAN and JORDAN KENT, who are thirteen and very different – both physically and otherwise. Jonathan is the popular one, an all-star athlete who’s about to enter the Varsity team, while Jordan is more introverted, anxiety prone, and very much into computers and video games. They don’t know who their father really is… yet. And they may or may not have inherited his powers.

Lois’s father GENERAL SAMUEL LANE is in the picture and knows about Clark. LANA LANG is also a big part of the show. She’s a banker, still living in Smallville, with her husband KYLE CUSHING, a firefighter, and their daughters, SARAH, who’s fourteen, and younger SOPHIE who’s eight. They are in a dark place: Kyle is a drunk and Sarah tried to take her own life a year ago.

And yes, Superman has an enemy in this version of the story, who appears as THE STRANGER in the pilot. His true identity is revealed ar the end of the episode…

Produced by Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, “Superman & Lois” is being written and executive produced by Todd Helbing, former showrunner of The Flash. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Geoff Johns will also executive produce the series.

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Da-Om-Alor
Da-Om-Alor
February 5, 2020 2:26 am

After reading these alleged plot details for the pilot and following series I’m beginning to miss Lois & Clark and Smallville even more than I realized. It’s sounds like this going to be another drama series that focuses more on Clark and Lois’s disrespectful kids with daddy issues. The whole you lied to us for our entire lives so how can we ever trust you again crap. They run the lie and trust thing into the ground. As if we didn’t get that enough from Smallville. I truly hope I’m wrong about this and I’ll be the first one admit… Read more »

micah
micah
February 5, 2020 7:34 pm
Reply to  Da-Om-Alor

That was a lot of negative with not much more than pessimism behind the wheel….but i agree with you on one point….Brandon Routh for Superman!!!

Rod
Rod
February 8, 2020 2:56 pm
Reply to  micah

He is not wrong and you have done nothing to provide fact or reason that he is wrong outside of your feelings.

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
February 5, 2020 5:35 am

Oh for f– stop Uncle-Benning Pa Kent. Either kill them both off or keep them both alive. That aside… did they open the little box of cliche’s and started throwing them into the show? “Why have one son when they can have two and one can be the popular one and one can be the quiet one?” We all called this when the casting call went out, btw, that’s never a good sign. “How about we add Lana Lang to the show, who may or may not express feelings for Clark later on to add to that tasty drama? Why… Read more »

The_News_Editor
The_News_Editor
February 5, 2020 6:43 am

I’m still super excited to see this show, but I have to agree with the others. It’s the same, tired old formula we have seen before. Teenage angst in the form of the two Super Sons (one will probably have powers and the other won’t, causing more needless angst) and more drama than I care to have. Really, I’m not too big on Superman’s home life. In fact, I’m not too thrilled that they threw two grown sons at us and Superman. If we have to watch Superman’s family life, I want to see it grow naturally. What I really… Read more »

KANSAS-SUPERMAN
KANSAS-SUPERMAN
February 5, 2020 7:10 am

Oh Gosh no! This sounds terrible! But I’ll still watch it and give it a chance.

schnitz
schnitz
February 5, 2020 7:36 am

I don’t want to be too negative about a show I haven’t even seen yet but I’m just not very happy that Lois and Clark have TWO sons? And they are right away starting off with Lois on the job (The women on WB are ALWAYS stronger and more capable than the men are) and Clark out of a job. I also agree with some others that I hope it’s not going to be a ‘team Superman’ like the other shows are. And I also hope that Lex Luthor will move from Supergirl to Superman. I really did like Tyler… Read more »

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
February 5, 2020 8:49 am
Reply to  schnitz

Oh, no. I didn’t even think about Clark being laid off, because there is precedence in the comics and if one of them was going to be laid off, it makes sense that it would be Clark. But now I realize who makes this show, what network it will air on and I’m starting to draw all sorts of potentially terrifying parallels with Lana’s drunk husband.

If my spider-sense tingled any harder, it would explode my head.

approuty
approuty
February 5, 2020 8:22 am

Ummm…I have mixed feeling about this. Why not Berlanti start the Superman tv series when Superman and Lois’s sons are babies and eventually growing up? Starting as teenagers make it look like this show is taking place YEARS ahead of the rest of the CW shows. Make me wonder if they would ever explain what Supergirl, Flash, etc would look like at that period if that’s the case? Also it sucks that they have Clark fired from the Daily Planet, it is an important part of Clark Kent because it allows him to know what is happening in the city… Read more »

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
February 5, 2020 8:44 am
Reply to  approuty

The continuity is all up in the air following the last event. Green Arrow was “the first” costumed hero, but that means that Superman didn’t find young Kara (changing Kara’s origin story) and that Lois and Clark had their kids before he ever put on the suit.

And we thought Clark driving a different truck in Smallville ever week was bad continuity.

kal-bert
kal-bert
February 6, 2020 5:58 am
Reply to  approuty

Don’t worry. If something happens Lois will fix it with her reporter superpowers while the real Superman is at home taking care of the kids and baking cakes and cookies with Ma Kent

MattComics
MattComics
February 5, 2020 8:40 am

I think the biggest thing throwing me off here is that he has two kids instead of one. Guess I’m just more used to the dynamic of Clark, Lois, John. The addition of another kid just seems kind of random to me.

Also, I agree about the “Uncle Ben-ing” of Johnathan Kent. I say have either both of The Kents alive or both gone (prefer alive).

lcmcbain
lcmcbain
February 5, 2020 9:51 am
Reply to  MattComics

Of course, if and when this fails, they’ll blame the character. WB/DC continues to not have a clue about Superman anymore. It’s quite pathetic and has been for a relatively long time imo.

MattComics
MattComics
February 5, 2020 10:12 am
Reply to  lcmcbain

While I don’t necessarily agree that it will fail, I do agree that if it does the WB would put the blame squarely at the character for it and worse go back to the strategy of mining Superman’s mythos while Matrix dodging ever using him or using him fully formed.

“It’s Superman BEFORE the powers” or “It’s the story of Supermans uncles cousins former roomate BEFORE the legend!” or a Perry White series that takes place before Superman is born yet Perry will manage to encounter Clark’s entire rouges gallery anyway.

lcmcbain
lcmcbain
February 5, 2020 4:01 pm
Reply to  MattComics

Yeah, sorry, didn’t mean to state that I definitely think it’s going to fail as I hope it does not. But the premise sounds very iffy to me if accurate. As always though, time will tell.

MattComics
MattComics
February 6, 2020 10:35 am
Reply to  lcmcbain

It sounds iffy to me as well but I was expecting something a little more along the lines of Rebirth with Jon being an only child and an actual kid. The teenage twins thing has left me scratching my head since it came out of nowhere in COIE.

lcmcbain
lcmcbain
February 6, 2020 4:25 pm
Reply to  MattComics

I seems like they’re going for more melodrama and teen angst. On the one hand i get it as that also seems to be their target market of tweens and teens, but on the other hand, Superman should not be involved in that type of show imo. I just think their going about the character all wrong on just about every front at the moment, which stinks for me. Oh well, easy come, easy go. 😉

sundevil82
sundevil82
February 8, 2020 12:09 pm
Reply to  MattComics

Yes I hate both the mining of the mythos and the blaming of the character. I think at this point they should fully embrace the character and see what happens. What do they have to lose at this point? My biggest issues with the modern takes of Superman was that his charm and charisma were removed as if that was ever the problem. Having charm and personality doesn’t make it juvenile or ‘aw shucks’ either. Tired of that argument. Im over Jonathan being dead. This has become a very tired concept. Why not try something different? I was very disappointed… Read more »

Supermans_Pal
Supermans_Pal
February 5, 2020 10:36 am

“And here…we….”

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 5, 2020 11:03 am

While I am a little disappointed that Clark was laid off from his work as a reporter, I do think this will mean that will see him more as Superman. This would mean that he wouldn’t be in Kara’s shadow since she wouldn’t be on his show and that he will be getting more respect for the Superman part of his character. As for his kids, I have a theory that one of them will be Superboy and the other Superboy Prime since it’s been established that they live on earth prime. I don’t know what to think of about… Read more »

redcape
redcape
February 5, 2020 1:34 pm

The Adventures of Domesticated Superman!! What else would it be? Look at what’s going on with Supergirl-(SG) right now. Most of the time she’s doing nothing more than standing around in costume involved in conversation. Over the last three seasons they have restructured SG into being a series revolving around personal relationships. They’re going to do the same thing with this show. There’s no way to show case their powers with out spending money. We might see a little cash thrown at the first couple of episodes but it will sink down to the same level. With the demise if… Read more »

Steve Eden
Steve Eden
February 5, 2020 5:40 pm

I think my post here will likely be pulled by Stevie Y once posted, but I’m going to post it anyway, though most of you will be quite upset with me. You know what I hate? I hate it when a show or movie (specifically about Superman) hasn’t seen the light of day and people are already tearing it apart! This is what happened with “Superman Returns”. Fans were so upset about the trunks Routh was sporting in the promotional photos, that they were ready to boycott the movie. THE TRUNKS!?!? And those who weren’t angry about that (along with… Read more »

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 5, 2020 6:16 pm
Reply to  Steve Eden

I can see what you are saying and you have a good point. And yes I do agree with you that Superman Returns wasn’t given a fair enough chance. It’s not my favorite Superman film but I enjoyed it. And the “deadbeat dad” complaint that’s some people have had said,wasn’t a fair one because it was an inaccurate description of Superman for that part of the film. It’s a common misconception but he wasn’t a deadbeat dad because he didn’t know that he had a child. If he were a deadbeat dad then he would’ve known that Jason was his… Read more »

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 5, 2020 10:41 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Steve Eden, did my explanation on the whole deadbeat Superman thing sound harsh? If it did I’m sorry. I was just trying to help explain why he isn’t one and maybe the way I explained sounded maybe a bit rough. I do apologize if I offended you and I do apologize if it did sounded harsh,rude, or mean.

Steve Eden
Steve Eden
February 6, 2020 11:31 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Nah. No apology necessary. How could I be offended when you agree with what I said. I would’ve said the same things you did in my original post, but it was already getting too lengthy. Thanks for backing me up!

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
February 5, 2020 6:36 pm
Reply to  Steve Eden

Nah, Superman Returns is still pretty average and Routh was still fairly wooden at the time. But seriously, it’s not our job to promote their work properly. We all invest something into these things; be it money, time or both. For fans especially, we also invest energy and passion that we often see thrown back in our faces. The first promotional picture of Brandon in the costume was terrible; the angle was wrong, the pose was wrong, the background was wrong. It was their fault, not ours. That’s only an example, of course. Here, we have a summary of a… Read more »

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 5, 2020 7:16 pm
Reply to  NeoRanger

For Superman Returns I can only speak for myself but I really liked it. I believe Routh did a fantastic job. True that he was playing a version of Superman that was modeled after Reeve’s. A loose sequel to the first two Superman films, he did a great job for what he was given. True the story wasn’t perfect and that it needed some work, but Routh was never the problem from that film. In fact his return to the role only proved that he is a great Superman actor. My only complaint from the crossover in regards to Routh’s… Read more »

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
February 5, 2020 8:25 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Don’t be afraid of offending someone in expressing your opinion, there’s nothing rude about that. And certainly don’t be afraid of offending me, personally.

I was responding to Steve earlier, just so we’re clear, but of course you can advocate for and support anything you want, that’s absolutely your prerogative. I don’t think anybody would suggest otherwise.

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 5, 2020 9:10 pm
Reply to  NeoRanger

Thank you for understanding and for your words of encouragement NeoRanger. Sometimes I second guess what I say and wonder if others might misunderstand what I say or take what I say the wrong way. Thank you for letting me know that you understand. 🙂

Steve Eden
Steve Eden
February 7, 2020 12:05 am
Reply to  NeoRanger

Yeah, I liked SR. Was it a great film? No, and I WAS hoping for more. My biggest gripe about Brandon is the writers gave him very little dialogue except the “airplanes are statistically very safe” bit. Wooden would probably be an accurate description. The picture thing? What you said was exactly right but unfortunately at the time, the naysayers didn’t think of that. The CW IS a niche type network, and for that, I am glad they are around. You mentioned two shows that have had long runs when other nets would’ve cancelled ’em. Hey! Ya think CBS would’ve… Read more »

sundevil82
sundevil82
February 8, 2020 12:25 pm
Reply to  NeoRanger

I don’t understand why they really downplayed the charm and charisma of the character in both MOS and SR. If the actors were wooden (which was a criticism of both routh and cavill) it was because of how they were written, not because of the actor or the character. I like certain aspects of the films, and I defend them to the death as a Superman fan outside of our little circle here, but the truth is I did not enjoy the way his character was written in either version. I would go as far as to say that the… Read more »

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
February 11, 2020 3:17 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

With Routh, it was inexperience more than it was the writing. I like Routh and he’s good now, but he was still fairly new at acting back then. It’s easier to see in the deleted scenes on the Kent farm, where he had the chance to be a little more flexible and he didn’t quite pull it off. Having to fill Chris’ shoes didn’t help. With Cavill it was a bit more complicated. One of the reasons I like BvS more than Man of Steel (again, talking about the 3-hour-cut) was that it allowed the actor the show some range,… Read more »

sundevil82
sundevil82
February 13, 2020 10:54 pm
Reply to  NeoRanger

Agreed that Goyer is terrible. There are certain things I like about Snyder’s style, but as you stated, he’s most definitely not an actors director. Costner is on record saying that he wanted to try different things with Jon Kent and Snyder was just satisfied with a few takes. Even if they fall flat on their faces, I still want to give the actors a chance to sink their teeth in the role. At least they try, ya know? I enjoyed the directors cut more of BvS, but you know Snyder just told him to stand around and scowl for… Read more »

micah
micah
February 5, 2020 7:42 pm
Reply to  Steve Eden

Agreed. Shut up…get excited….and wait….if it sucks….then complain….

redcape
redcape
February 6, 2020 12:34 pm
Reply to  Steve Eden

First off Steve since your post is right after mine I assume that it’s over my opinion of this show. And that’s ok. Posts usually do not get pulled unless there are derogatory remarks made against another poster. However my mind set is based off of what we’ve been seeing. FOR ME, I just can’t stomach another Lois and Clark/Superman TV series. And now we have a series with their young children in the mix. I have watched ALL the CW shows since day one and as it stands right now the content has taken me to the end of… Read more »

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 6, 2020 3:23 pm
Reply to  redcape

There is nothing to be sorry about redcape. There is nothing wrong with having a different opinion. I may not agree with your opinions sometimes but I respect it. Everyone has their own opinions on Superman. And that’s ok. 🙂
As for the new Superman series, it’s really just a matter of time till we find out out how it does. Weather if It will be a success or not is anyone’s guess at this point.

Steve Eden
Steve Eden
February 7, 2020 12:20 am
Reply to  redcape

No, Redcape. It wasn’t you in particular. Like I said to NeoRanger, the negative posts were mounting and I needed to say my piece. But I thought about it a few minutes before because I felt I might give the impression that “I think everyone should think like I do.” Not my intention at all. And I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but no, I’m perfectly okay with your opinion. We both agree on one thing if not more – We all love Big Blue, and that gives all the right to speak out. Like I said earlier, Doesn’t… Read more »

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 5, 2020 8:07 pm

I don’t mean to start any debates over what I have said. I hope that haven’t. I do apologize if I have. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 5, 2020 9:05 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I hope that I haven’t offended you either micah.
I will say that I’m glad to be a part of the Superman fan community here at the Homepage, celebrating Superman with fellow Superman fans such as yourselves:-)

micah
micah
February 5, 2020 10:03 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Not even a little. I’ve been a part of this community for over a decade ( would have been sooner but i was never the technology type) and we all appreciate honesty over yes men….or worse….silence! We are all talking and that’s what keeps superman alive!!!

micah
micah
February 5, 2020 10:05 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Oh and “shut up” was more in response to the general masses of “this is gonna suck!”
Not directed at you at all

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 5, 2020 10:33 pm
Reply to  micah

Thanks for clearing that up micah. 🙂

micah
micah
February 5, 2020 10:41 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Yeah i was replying to Steve’s post but it put me under you making it look like my shut up was against you. It was in agreement with Steve.

Steve Eden
Steve Eden
February 7, 2020 12:23 am
Reply to  micah

Hey, Thanks!

micah
micah
February 7, 2020 8:47 pm
Reply to  Steve Eden

Lol no problem!

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 6, 2020 4:24 pm

I can’t say this enough WB but please give us a Brandon Routh Superman HBO series,HBO max series, or a streaming series of some kind.
We want one. 🙂

micah
micah
February 7, 2020 8:48 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I second! That makes it official right? When someone seconds a motion it passes?

Superman2878
Superman2878
February 7, 2020 10:09 pm
Reply to  micah

I hope so micah. I really really hope so. 🙂 I do believe that if enough fans keep asking, WB will listen and eventually give us a series staring Brandon as Superman. So I encourage my fellow Superman fans to voice their support on social media for Brandon’s Superman to get his own series. I know that my voice alone won’t be enough, but with other fans support, I believe that we can and will see him as Superman again. We just need to keep telling them that we want a series. And hopefully they will listen. Brandon Routh for… Read more »