Superman & Lois S02E05-07

Something feels off about this season. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. I’m not as passionate about this show as I am about other Superman media, which probably helps. I’m enjoying it enough to keep watching though—so naturally, I have opinions.

Jonathan

Jon's character and the way they're treating him, his storyline, and relationship with the other characters bothers me to no end. I feel like having one powered brother, and one who's not, sort of makes sense for the balance of the family. There's Lois and Jon, Clark and Jordan. But if they're sticking to that angle, then they need to develop Jon as a human being, and give him his own proper storyline and growth. Jon seems to be more of a supporting character than a main. And if this show is supposed to be about family, they need to focus on that more. And on the Kent family, not the Cushings! 

I feel like there's no proper moral of the story, no lessons learnt about how it's ok to just be human. It's just a constant long line of life shitting on Jon. Nobody's talking with him about how it's understandable to go from having the dream life in Metropolis, to not accomplishing a thing in Smallville. Just constantly being overshadowed by his brother. Constantly being asked to behave, and so on.

The drugs storyline also feels so odd and not very well written. And it doesn't help that the girlfriend Candice is such a cardboard character. And now he's suffering because he's protecting her, a character that we care nothing about.

Just... if he's gonna get powers, they need to show that he could overcome and manage as a human first. Otherwise I feel like getting powers is just going to be a cheap fix-it for his problems. 

And, nothing in the plot happens like I expect it to, from a "conventional TV-show style writing" point of view. Like, even in Smallville (the TV show, which I also have some logic issues with) it felt like stuff was going somewhere. 

And where are the nice Clark and Jon interactions? That's sorely needed, and I don't understand that the writers don't see that.

Pointless side storylines

They're also sort of dropping storylines, or characters. I know sometimes actors can't come back, but the addition of Candice instead of Teagan as Jon's girlfriend feels so jarring. I know it's not so common to recast actors these days, but I think I would have preferred it if they did. They could have at least shown them getting together, and explained what happened to Teagan a bit better. 

And then there's Sophie, Kyle and Lana's youngest daughter. It seems like the showrunners are regretting adding her? She has nothing to do in the story either.

I'm also not interested in the Cushing family in the slightest, and they're taking up way too much screen time, that could have been used on developing the Kent family more. 

Stiff acting and character stupidity

The acting from some of the side characters feels really stiff, and dialogue is delivered in a sort of unnatural way. 

And so much of the plot hinges on characters "holding the idiot ball". Like Anderson. Can you just... arrest Superman? Isn't he needed all over the world? And he went from dislike of Superman, to distrust, and then the final straw for him was "you didn't tell me you were going to Russia"? WTF.

Also, Sarah, and the cheating plotlines in this season. Sarah cheated on Jordan. And they're still obviously pushing the attraction angle with camp girl at the cafe. Do the writers not think that what Sarah did was cheating? Are they writing Sarah to not think it? I don't get it. 

Other random thoughts

Superman should definitely have more suits. Something more appropriate for a funeral.