Superman & Lois Season 3 Episode 7 Review: Forever and Always
Superman & Lois Season 3 Episode 7, “Forever and Always,” strikes a balance with the ensemble that strengthens the streamlined story at its core.
Because the show sparingly utilizes Clark as a reporter before joining the Smallville Gazette this season, this episode subverts expectations when Clark meets with Bruno instead of Superman.
The duality of their conversation and the personal nature of its content makes the scenes play out as dynamically as any action sequence.
It also works from a structural standpoint that as Clark and Lois follow their investigative guts, Superman & Lois unfolds the truth of Bruno and Peia’s relationship in flashbacks.
“Forever and Always” cleverly avoids delving into too much of their history, so the remainder of Season 3 has plenty to uncover.
Nevertheless, the scenes the episode features almost invert Clark and Lois’ perceptions of Bruno and Peia, suggesting Peia has a darker past than Bruno.
Chad L. Coleman and Daya Vaidya have great chemistry that informs the years their characters have known each other. It’s exciting to imagine how else Superman & Lois Season 3 will fill in their past.
For instance, the casual mention of Lex Luthor in those flashbacks is an excellent way to set the stage for Michael Cudlitz’s take on that iconic character and repeatedly embed Lex in Superman & Lois‘ canon.
Whether in the past or present, “Forever and Always” creates an emotional investment in every plot that it’s narratively fulfilling when they tightly come together in the reveal that Matteo is Peia and Bruno’s son.
It’s a great and believable twist that further links Smallville and Metropolis and the characters in each. In addition, it elevates the stakes of the interpersonal relationships that Superman & Lois builds this season.
Superman & Lois Season 3 Episode 4, “Too Close to Home,” reveals the complex, multi-world tension between John Henry and Bruno, only for “Forever and Always” to amplify that tenfold by involving their children.
Consequently, the show continues to play with perceptions, and this episode does it groundedly with John Henry, Nat, and Matteo.
“Forever and Always” approaches the story from an angle that values Nat and Matteo’s genuine feelings for one another.
That care is present in the story even before Lana brings that idea to John Henry. For instance, it shows when Nat wonders what to wear and reaches out to Sarah, which Superman & Lois follows up on in the diner scene.
It also shows in the endearing scene outside the movie theater when Nat and Matteo share their first kiss. The camera lingering on Nat when Matteo gets the tickets captures how swept up in these feelings the characters are, making that reveal in the final minutes all the more enjoyable.
Beyond all of those larger connections, Matteo visiting Smallville brings Lana and John Henry together again, which is fantastic to see because Wolé Parks and Emmanuelle Chriqui have a natural chemistry that is a delight to watch.
Superman & Lois Season 3 keeps pairing Lana and John Henry up in varying contexts — some more life-threatening than others. That consistency supports a strong foundation for their dynamic, and Chrissy and Kyle keep missing the mark there.
“Forever and Always” expands Chrissy’s character more in her scenes with Sarah than in any of the ones with Kyle — so far.
It’s refreshing that Superman & Lois trades a stereotypical feud between Lana and Chrissy for a meatier story with Sarah and Chrissy. Their scenes also lead to the special scene between Lana and Sarah that breaks the pattern of Lana bottling up her emotions. It’s constructive development for Sarah and Lana’s relationship.
That release translating into Lana setting fireworks with Sarah, like when Lana was younger, is quite moving. It gets even better when Clark knows it’s Lana before he listens closely to know Sarah is with her, tugging those strings of their history, too. That shot of the fireworks over Tyler Hoechlin and Michael Bishop’s heads is perfect.
Bishop gives his best performance as Jonathan Kent yet during “Forever and Always.” Superman & Lois honestly taps into his fear of losing his mom while knowing his family has Kryptonian resources at the tip of their fingers.
Jonathan and Jordan’s reactions to Lois’ paperwork are a logical turn in this story because Lois and Clark withhold some information so as not to scare their sons. After diving more into Clark’s perspective on Superman & Lois Season 3 Episode 6, “Of Sound Mind,” it’s only reasonable for the story to shift to the boys’ points of view.
In doing so, “Forever and Always” harnesses another heartbreaking reminder of how invasive and impactful this disease is on the person fighting it and their family — and the Kents aren’t alone in that. So, as patients and loved ones at Hob’s Bay Medical Center shout, “Screw cancer!”
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Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 8/7c 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.