NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
As a ‘Smallville’ fan, I did not think I could enjoy another show based on Superman. However, ‘Superman and Lois’ changed that for me. What stood out in this version was how they showcased the human side of Superman, which was rarely highlighted in other versions.
‘Smallville’ was the story of young Clark Kent and his time there, including his adolescent years, leading up to his meeting Lois Lane and coming to terms with his powers. As great as ‘Smallville’ was, it was still missing something. It wasn’t until ‘Superman and Lois’ that we figured out what was lacking. It was humanity.
Another version, ‘Lois & Clark‘, aired earlier. While slightly different from ‘Smallville’, this version centered around Clark Kent’s young adult life with Lois Lane. It was the beginning stages of his time at the Daily Planet. But much like ‘Smallville’, we were left looking for more.
‘Superman and Lois’ skipped their adolescent years and the Daily Planet storyline and went right into family life. Yes, Superman and Lois were in bliss before; however, this time was different. As with most Superman versions, his father was gone, but the twist came when there was no Martha. Throughout all the Superman shows and movies, Martha was a driving force. Now she wasn’t.
The absence of Martha Kent left space for other characters to be the light for Superman. The biggest adjustment for fans was accepting that Superman and Lois had kids, 2 boys, and twins at that.
It felt weird at first, but then the storyline grew on you. Viewers were forced to see a different side of Superman. He was more than Earth’s protector; he was now a father. He was dealing with normal fatherly duties until his kids gained their powers. Imagine saving the world one minute, then flying home to discipline your teenage sons the next.
During the 3rd season, the show took a drastic and sentimental turn that changed everything. Lois got sick with Cancer, and as a fan, I just knew that Superman would find a way to cure her with Kryptonian resources. But I was wrong. Lois took Cancer head-on and beat it. Nothing Superman could do. He had to watch like anyone human. Had to watch his wife suffer. Had to watch his kids and their friends suffer. But he also had to feel the pain of what losing his wife would mean. Superman was not as invincible as he was in the other shows. He was indeed embracing the human side.
Then the realness of the show hit home. Superman was killed. Lois’ dad sacrificed himself, and his heart gave Superman a second chance; he would never be the same as he was prior. With a human heart, Superman became Clark Kent in more ways than one. While still able to do what he was doing before his death, Superman was also becoming more mortal.
But still, not sure that anyone watching could see what was coming next. The cancer returned for Lois, and there was nothing anyone could do. Lois watched her kids get older, get married, and have families of their own, but she couldn’t escape the hold Cancer had on her. Superman had to watch the love of his life lose the battle. But the pain wasn’t over.
With Lois gone, Superman lived out the rest of his life on the Kent Farm with Krypto until he succumbed to his own death. Damn, Superman was dead. That was a hard pill to swallow. Never thought we would see the day when he was gone. For decades, he’s been that one hero where time just sort of stood still for him. While he has aged over the years, we just figured he would live forever.
Superman was the one who was supposed to live forever. There have been no shows where fans watched as Batman faded into the earth. Marvel fans lost Iron Man, who made a sacrifice for the sake of others, but losing Superman to old age and natural causes wasn’t in the cards for fans.
We can look at other couples from comics, and not one of them can hold a candle to Clark and Lois. You want to talk about couple goals, they were that. They were the first couple that many of us as kids got close to. Clark/Superman and Lois set the bar.
‘Superman and Lois’ gave us a version of our favorite couple and threw in a twist no one expected. We always knew they wanted to be normal, but how was that even going to be possible? There were times when he gave up his powers, but he always found his way back to the cape. They were never like us. ‘Superman and Lois’ changed that. He lived like a hero and died like a human. It was the perfect blend. While it still hurts, it was the best version of Superman and Lois ever displayed.
