Superman & Lois
I have to say I continue to be impressed with how "Superman & Lois" has handled Lois's breast cancer storyline. I have been surprised at how nuanced it has been. Let's get to it.
"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"
Chrissy Beppo: "Was that as awkward as it felt?"
Clark Kent: "I mean, I wasn't even using the super stuff, and I could hear your heartbeat, so --"
The Mannheim's prepare to meet Matteo's girlfriend, not realizing that she is the daughter of John Henry Irons. Lois is struggling on whether or not she should move forward with the story about Peia due to their similar circumstances and burgeoning friendship. But a delivery of ARGUS files from her father uncovers new information and reinvigorates Lois's desire to bring Bruno down even if it brings Peia down too. Jordan's vigilantism causes problems with Jonathan's new role as a junior firefighter and Sam and Lana commiserate over jumping back into the dating pool.
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| Mannheim sad. |
During my last "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" recap, I sung the praises of a great montage and we get another one in the cold open of this episode. Lois is back from chemo and it looks like it is the worst it's been so far. We see the Kent's silently go into action to help their matriarch. Lois is cold and then hot. We see Clark covering her and then uncovering her. The boys are clearing out her office, so they can build her a bed in it. It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. And it's all done basically silently. Television is a visual medium and there is the old adage of show me, don't tell me and I think this is another great example of that and I think it is also another example of how strong this cast really is.
One of the interesting things about the storyline of Lois having breast cancer is how it has really shaken her to her core, which I think is what actually happens. I think when something like this happens, you do sort of question everything. It doesn't help that she has gotten personally involved with one of the main people in her story. She and Peia are going through the same things. They have families. Why wouldn't she be questioning things and pawn it off on Clark and Chrissy. Speaking of Clark and Chrissy, I was hoping that we would get more of them together because I think they have great chemistry, but aside from the flying bit (which was fun) we don't really.
Leave it to Sam Lane to jolt his daughter back to herself. I feel like we haven't seen a lot of Sam this season, but that could be because I haven't watched an episode in a couple of months or maybe it is because has been used sparingly. Sam brings the ARGUS files to Lois from Diggle and she can't resist finally having the information to take down her white whale. Back at the Gazette, Lois's work pays off. While the trio listen to the tape of Lex Luthor's confession of his murder of Boss Moxie and they realize that what they are hearing is actually a falsified confession using Peia's powers. The plot thickens.
I love tense dinners where you know things are going to go downhill and that is exactly what we get with the dinner between the Mannheim's and Natalie Irons. The episode does a great job of amping up the tension for dramatic effect and also making you feel bad for what is inevitably going to happen. Natalie is lovely and charming and clearly great with parents. She's just the type of girl that you would want your son to be dating. So when John Henry bursts into Little Ace's after speaking with his alternate Earth sister, your heart breaks for the kids because you know things are going to go really sour.
The show and Chad Coleman have done a great job of making Bruno Mannheim a well rounded character. In the past few episodes, we've seen him as a loving husband and father. A family man through and through. A lover of his community. It's easy to forget that he is also a brutal crime lord. This episode reminds us of this when the reporters are going through the bodies of the people murdered by chainsaw. But it is really rammed home when Mannheim is beating the shit out of John Henry. You feel every single blow as it connects. I was honestly concerned that they were maybe going to kill John Henry but his suit breaks through the wall in the nick of time.
But then, he's back as scared husband when he is concerned that Peia is dead. I really have to give it up for Daya Vaidya. I think when you're in a show like this and you have to act out the use of these powers it can look really cheesy. But Vaidya really commits when she's acting out the use of her sound powers. She looks unhinged and I mean that in the best way possible. She really gives it her all, the veins in her neck are popping out, I was extremely impressed. Slow clap for you, my dear.
The rest of the subplots are fine, but didn't really catch my interest. I know I'm a broken record, but the twins's stories are just boring. I don't care about Jonathan and his junior firefighting and them fighting about who has powers and who doesn't. I think there is a shred of something with Kyle being suspicious of a vigilante in Smallville after Jordan uses his powers to stop a fire, much like Clark did. So we will see how it goes. Lana's journey to see or not see the Cure was cute and I did enjoy her conversation with Sam, but this late in the season I'm not sure we have times for these whims.
If anything, this Cure subplot did give us "Lovesong" being used over the ending scenes which I'm not mad about. And, with the final scene we see Bizarro waking up.
Grade: B+
"The Dress"
Lois Lane: "For before my surgery, we're thinking of going to Bazoombas."
Clark Kent: "Oh, the chicken wing place."
Lois Lane: "No one goes there for the food."
As Lois faces the next steps in her cancer journey including surgery and radiation, she wonders what this will mean for her body. And she ends up reminiscing about a dress that Clark bought her for a journalism awards ceremony in Metropolis before they got married. Natalie works with her friends to try and see if she can see Matteo. Bruno Mannheim is determined to do whatever he needs to do see his wife. While John Henry will do anything to protect his family.
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| This woman... |
I mentioned it in the little intro to this post that I thought "Superman & Lois" has done a really great job with Lois's cancer storyline this season and this episode is another great example of that. I have watched a lot of shows where cancer plays a part, particularly breast cancer, and I don't recall there being a storyline where they had a talk like the one that Lois and Lana have in this episode. If there has been one and you remember it, I would love to be reminded. Definitely let me know in the comments.
I loved using this dress that Clark bought Lois as kind of the entryway into this conversation that Lana ends up having. If I'm being completely honest, it didn't even click with me at first that the surgery that they were talking about was a double mastectomy and it is because I am a guy. And it made what Clark said to Lana really resonate. He is hesitant to bring it up to her because he has no idea what that feels like and I can totally understand why he would want to wait for Lois to bring it up.
I love the friendship between Lana and Lois. I think Elizabeth Tulloch and Emmanuelle Chriqui have such amazing chemistry. The whole scene between them is so nuanced and thoughtful and lovely. This is yet another installment of my "Give Elizabeth Tulloch an Emmy" corner. I love seeing this vulnerable side of Lois. I think it makes total sense that Lois would be almost resentful of her boobs, this outward sign of her femininity. She has thrived in a male dominated profession where having boobs automatically makes her less then. She was raised by a general. This all clicks. And I think that interspersing scenes from Lois wearing the dress and Clark's reaction to it just makes this all work even more.
This conversation with Lois leads to a conversation with Lois and Clark where she kind of lays it all out for him. She's not sure what her body is going to look like after all this. She's not sure if she'll be able to do any kind of reconstruction. She may not want to have sex for a while. It's extremely real and vulnerable. And not something you expect to see on a CW superhero show. Clark is perfect and handles this in the most wonderful way because he's Superman. And it makes you wish that you were married to someone like Clark Kent. The episode ends with Lois wearing the dress while she and Clark float up in the sky holding each other. It's extraordinarily sweet. Also, how great that the Hooters equivalent here is Bazoombas. Of course that's where Lois would want to go pre-surgery. And of course Clark would genuinely think of the chicken first.
Then there is the John Henry of it all. I think it makes total sense that John would be on edge and not willing to bend when it comes to Bruno. I think when he's accusing Superman of being too emotional that is definitely the pot calling the kettle black. Like Lois points out, that is one of Superman's strengths: seeing the good in everyone. It just kind of feels like John Henry goes fully off the rails so quickly. Like maybe this could have happened over the course of a couple of episodes. Also, I feel like Sam should have known it was a conflict of interest having John Henry lead the charge on this. It's not something he should have figured out once John Henry ruins any chance Superman has of reasoning with Mannheim.
That brings us to John Henry killing Henry Miller. It doesn't hit for me as hard as I think the show wants it too. First off, is Miller even technically alive? I thought he was kind of like just a reanimated corpse? But maybe he's not? I have a feeling that the question that the show is trying to posit is would John Henry kill someone if he felt it was the only option even if it wasn't a questionably reanimated maybe corpse? I don't necessarily think that is a bad question to ask and not a good way to introduce conflict since Superman is very much anti killing no matter what (despite what Zack Snyder believes). But does it kind of lose something since the person that John Henry merc'ed was Henry Miller? Since the entirety of the town saw it, I'm sure this is going to be a continuing plot thread. Not to mention the aforementioned Superman hating killing thing.
Then we get the kids and helping Nat see Matteo. There is some minor drama between Natalie and Jonathan that is resolved as quickly as it happens. And Jonathan and Jordan make up from their fight last episode and Jonathan agrees to not tell their parents about Kyle investigating Jordan's superheroing around Smallville. I'm sure that won't last since these boys are awful liars. The result of being the sons of Superman and the snoopiest snoop in the DCU. Nat's meeting with Matteo is interesting. Like, Matteo is saying some things about his folks that would give me pause especially after Bruno sidestepped his earlier "have you killed anyone" question and initially it seems like Nat is going to push him. But then, he says he loves her and she loves him too and they are kissing and any suspicions are quickly forgotten. It made my head spin.
The episode ends with Bruno showing Matteo Bizarro and telling him that Bizzaro is going to save his mom. It feels like Matteo is heading into the family business which is a development that will make me audibly groan but I'm trying to have faith.
Grade: B
Next up, Lois tries to interview Peia and undergoes her surgery.
What did you all think? Are you impressed with the way they are handling the Lois cancer storyline? Is the kid stuff meh for you or am I being too hard on it? Elizabeth Tulloch deserves an Emmy, right? At least a nomination. Let me know in the comments.
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