Superman & Lois Review: 30 Days and 30 Nights (Season 2 Episode 9)
Superman & Lois Season 2 Episode 9, “30 Days and 30 Nights,” proves the series can temporarily exist without the Man of Steel because of its strong ensemble.
Once again, this show brings blockbuster effects to the small screen in how Superman leaves Earth-Prime to go to the Inverse World — Bizarro World, if you will.
“30 Days and 30 Nights” doesn’t let up there. The montage to show the passage of time feels reminiscent of superhero movies on the big screen.
How Superman & Lois showcases the development and execution of Jordan’s powers is jaw-dropping. The use of slow-motion is effective and never exhaustive.
Plus, on a character level, it’s exciting and sometimes emotional to watch Jordan walk in his father’s footsteps.
Superman’s absence means that Superman & Lois can lean on its other characters even more. According to the show’s canon, it also means that someone has to step in for the caped hero.
So, Steel’s suit improvements are utterly cool in action, and it’s exhilarating to watch him briefly team up with Jordan.
Luckily, that scene also creates more drama within the family dynamic, circling back to Superman & Lois‘ central themes.
Jordan’s confidence in his abilities tetters towards arrogance in an entirely believable way for a teenager with superpowers whose dad also happens to be Superman.
That personal change elevates the fraught dynamic between Jordan and Lois, as Lois grapples with a gut feeling that this Superman mission is unlike any others.
Though Superman & Lois doesn’t dwell on Clark and Lois’ past often, it’s almost undeniable that Lois would have covered for a covert Superman mission at some point or another.
Elizabeth Tulloch remains excellent and one of the series’ strongest performers as she exquisitely showcases Lois’ struggle to shoulder that burden this time around.
Lois Lane is intrepid, fierce, and intelligent, but it’s not every day that the love of her life willingly goes into an alternate reality’s portal to save the day.
So, Lois is allowed to let this get to her. She’s allowed to be human. It’s heartbreaking to watch her get into their bed alone and stare at Clark’s coat and glasses and all the places he should be.
It speaks to the strengthening of her relationship with Sam that her guard slips the most around him. It’s quite fun to see them team up rather than argue, but there is some of that in “30 Days and 30 Nights.”
Much of this episode tackles children’s dynamics with their fathers in touching ways. An obvious standout is between Natalie and John Henry as they grapple with the anniversary of their Lois’ death.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Natalie and John Henry are from another Earth, and then Superman & Lois packs a ton of feelings into a waffles recipe to deliver a gut-punch reminder.
Wolé Parks and Tayler Buck’s work together in this episode is so grounded and rewarding.
The show needs to unpack their history and grief and dedicate time to their stories to ensure they have a future.
Alternatively, Superman & Lois doesn’t instill much confidence for a future where Lana and Kyle rekindle their marriage, and maybe that’s for the best.
Their relationship, much like Jordan and Sarah’s, doesn’t seem to be serving either one of them beneficially. For one, Kyle could use some independence, as Lana states.
Superman & Lois is well into its second season, and it still feels as though we don’t know Kyle as best as we could.
Maybe this separation could be beneficial in that regard. After all, it isn’t until “30 Days and 30 Nights” that we see Kyle fighting fires again.
On the other hand, this series knows exactly who Lana Lang is, and she’s making big moves for her and her family. Namely, she’s the new Mayor of Smallville!
Superman & Lois perfectly aligns this celebratory win with Jordan rescuing Lois and Sam from the X-K warehouse.
That kind of narrative framing conveys that heroes can be big and bold like Jordan and his superpowers, but that bigness and boldness don’t have to come from only traditional superheroes.
Like Lois reiterates in Superman & Lois Season 1 Episode 8, “Holding the Wrench,” anyone can be a hero.
Both Lana and Jordan are heroes in those respective moments, and the series refreshingly doesn’t pretend one win is greater than the other.
On that note, it’s a bit odd that Superman & Lois continues to ignore the heroes it has in its shared universe — the Arrowverse.
Of course, it’s entirely rational for the series to utilize the tools in its toolbox when it’s relevant to a character or a narrative.
For example, adding another established hero to the mix could undermind the strengths of the ensemble in this episode.
Nevertheless, the show’s relationship with Earth-Prime is confusing, so it’s challenging to keep up with the rules — if there are any.
It quickly dashes away any confirmation that Lucy Lane is the same version as Supergirl, which (like most things) can be explained away by Crisis.
What can’t be explained by Crisis is Superman & Lois‘ refusal to embrace Kara Danvers’ Supergirl as an off-screen counterpart to Superman and a member of Clark’s family.
Tyler Hoechlin sported his cape for the first time on that series, yet this one cannot fathom the idea that while Superman is away, another capable Kryptonian can step in — or at least help out.
If Superman & Lois wants to posit a world where Supergirl is off doing something else and can’t help with external conflict, it could easily have her call or text Lois to check in once she notices Clark’s strange absence.
That would beautifully call back to the early days of Supergirl when Clark would message Kara to give her pep talks. It would also be an organic extension of this family showing up for each other.
Essentially, Superman & Lois has plenty going for it, and it could have even more if it realizes the Arrowverse’s shared Earth-Prime could aid the show, not hinder it.
Stray Thoughts
- Can Lois and Sam question a minor without the additional consent of a legal guardian?
- Is Bizarro!Jonathan wearing a classic 90s Superboy suit?
- Did Sam ever tell Lois that Lana drugged him?
- Sarah and Natalie need to be best friends. It needs to happen.
- Jordan and Jonathan geeking out about Jordan flying is the sweetest.
- I gasped when Sam said he should “activate” Jordan. Is that really the language you want to use about your grandson?
- Lana holding her girls’ hands while the results came in warmed my heart.
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 8/9c on The CW.
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Shelby Elpers
Shelby is a TV enthusiast and pop culture writer. She's an avid podcast listener, green tea drinker, and soccer fan. Her brand can be summarized in rom-coms, superheroes, teen dramas, and workplace comedies.