Superman & Lois Review: The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower (Season 1 Episode 3)

Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 3, “The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower,” takes a step back from the action to create space to get to know Jonathan, Jordan, and Sarah more. In doing so, this episode spotlights Jordan and Jonathan’s brotherhood and Sarah’s relationship with her mother. 

There are still some really great action sequences, this episode shines the brightest in its character-driven moments. It’s those moments that give the action sequences their weight. The stakes aren’t high in a fight, whether it be in the sky or on a football field, if the show never gives us a reason to care about the characters involved.

It’s entirely understandable that the series would want to pull us in with Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane with the first two episodes. Though, for us to truly be invested in this series and feel inclined to watch every week, our appreciation for the show should extend beyond those two powerhouse characters.

There is one specific scene with Jordan and Jonathan that stands out. It’s not because of what the brothers said to each other in the scene, rather what they didn’t say. It’s when Jonathan goes to Jordan’s room after the latter yells at Clark. Jordan doesn’t really budge in that scene. The magic is that Jonathan doesn’t need him to say anything. 

The text Jordan gets in that moment is an obvious sign that Jordan is making friends through football, but it’s Jonathan’s connection to his brother that makes his argument to Clark all the more moving. Jonathan can see the good football is doing in Jordan’s life, and who would he be to deny his brother that?

Football is one of the main constants in Jonathan’s life. The team may change, but the game always stays the same. There’s a stability to the sport for Jonathan that will surely be rocked with Jordan on the team. Instead of looking at that, Jonathan thinks of what can be gained from Jordan playing football — how it can help Jordan be happier. 

Superman & Lois uses Jordan and Jonathan’s brotherhood as an asset because it is one. It’s a pretty universal concept to do good by the ones you love. That is consistently seen in Clark and Lois’s respective fights for justice. It shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to two brothers and a football team. 

Simultaneously, this episode provides some much-needed context about the Kushing family dynamic that lets us be more empathetic towards their situation. This allows us to see specifically Lana and Sarah as potentially key players moving forward on Superman & Lois, which can’t be said for Kyle yet. 

It’s rather excruciating to imagine Lana and Sarah walking on eggshells around each other for at least a year. That couldn’t have been easy for either of them or the rest of the family. That time and distance is palpable in their breakthrough moment on this episode.

Despite having not seen the entirety of that year on screen (yet), Emmanuelle Chriqui and Inde Navarrette bring all of it to this scene. Their incredible performances bridge the gap and pull of Lana and Sarah’s pain, frustration, and most of all, love to the surface. 

It’s such an honest and raw scene that gives both of these women the chance to brush the eggshells aside and be open with one another. Lana’s upbringing clearly didn’t allow her much of that in the past. It must be freeing for her to be able to do so now. The same can be said of Sarah who will hopefully regain the trust of her mother as she can finally be honest with her. 

It’s important that Superman & Lois didn’t resolve the tension between the two characters during that one conversation. That would have felt unrealistic for a relationship that’s been strained for so long. It is going to be much more interesting to see how Lana and Sarah repair their relationship moving forward. 

Funnily enough, the same can be said of the Kent family. Clark, Lois, Jonathan, and Jordan still have a lot of work to do in healing their various relationships.

Superman & Lois has our attention to see where all of these characters are headed next.

Stray Observations

• Where’s Captain Luthor?
• Is this Morgan Edge investigation going to be a slow burn?
• The Kent family paint fight was too adorable. Clark still had some paint on his hand as Superman! 
• Larr has heat vision. That can’t be a good thing for Superman, but it is a good thing for Morgan Edge. 

What did you think of this episode of Superman & Lois? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.

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