Superman & Lois Season 4 Episode 6 Review: When the Lights Come On

Superman & Lois Season 4 Episode 6, “When the Lights Come On,” plays with power with seismic effects, spanning from Smallville to Metropolis.

The Greek Islands are also, and importantly, among the episode’s destinations. 

With a story by Brent Fletcher & Todd Helbing, a teleplay by Kristi Korzec, and direction by Ian Samoil, this episode rocks Smallville’s serenity with the harsh reality of Lex Luthor’s fragile ego.

In the wake of Elizabeth Luthor’s wise decision on Superman & Lois Season 4 Episode 5, “Break the Cycle,” Lex expectedly spins into more hatred and violence from the beginning to the end of “When the Light Comes On.” His havoc wreaks its own havoc, raising the bar and the stakes for the remainder of the season.

Superman & Lois punctuates the episode’s teaser — and Lex’s rage out — with him burning his coveted picture of Elizabeth. That definitive action prevents Elizabeth from holding her father down to Earth — even from afar.

This episode puts Lex in Smaville with nothing and no one holding him back.

The result is a gradual and often scary escalation of violence that jeopardizes not only the residents of Smallville but the town itself. In many ways, “When the Lights Come On” is everything that Superman & Lois does best.

With only four episodes remaining in the final season, this episode proves this show refuses to rein anything in and doubles down on going all out. With intense action sequences, incredible character work, and a beautiful backdrop, it’s challenging not to start to miss Superman & Lois already.  

“When the Lights Come On” picks up with Lana after Superman & Lois Season 4 Episode 2, “A World Without,” putting the mayor directly in the middle of Smallville’s action. Whether protecting Aidy or defending herself from Otis Grisham, Lana Lang does not go down without a fight.

Simultaneously, this episode is great because it sits with Lana after both fights. After one, she commends Smallville; she shows pride in her home. After the other, she expresses a raw reaction to how her life — and her daughter’s — nearly ended.

Superman & Lois doesn’t shy away from that duality but leans into it to emphasize Lana Lang’s totality. She contains bravery and fear, and neither of them makes her weak. They make her human, which is a great strength. 

This show always leads with that notion. It has a knack for highlighting Smallville as a place of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow, even without Superman. The hero is an undeniable beacon representing those forces for good, but Smallville’s residents reflect them to one another every day. 

The bar sequence on “When the Lights Come On” perfectly summarizes that.

Before Clark swoops (or walks) in, other familiar faces support Aidy in making the right decision and defying Lex Luthor and his $10 million offer. That inherent goodness is also in Denise keeping Clark’s secret after discovering the truth at the end of Superman & Lois Season 4 Episode 1, “The End & the Beginning.”

To no fault of Denise, it’s not surprising that Clark’s secret is becoming less one by the minute. The death of Superman coincides with the loss of Clark Kent, which is a giant context clue for most of Smallville’s residents. 

It’s more suspenseful to wonder what Lex Luthor will do with Clark’s secret.

That final fight sequence between Clark and Lex brings real weight to Lex’s next move. His red-light trick is only so effective because “When the Lights Come On” sees Clark reckon with his humanity and getting older. With that, Clark realizes the strength he holds beyond his superhuman abilities. 

Superman & Lois infuses levity into that unexpected turn for Clark by highlighting the strengths of Clark and Lois’s relationship. Lois tells him he’s handsome with gray hair and reminds him it’s a privilege to grow old gracefully with her. How do they keep getting better and cuter?

Similarly, it’s a relief that “When the Lights Comes On” ends Sarah’s story reassuringly. Considering the limited appearances of most of Superman & Lois‘s ensemble, Sarah getting some kind of conclusion during this episode is fantastic. It’s as nice to see as Jordan and John flying her to Greece.

It also works contextually that Lana and Sarah’s near-death experience pushes Lana to let Sarah find her “something bigger.” (Oddly, Kyle isn’t involved.) Emmanuelle Chriqui and Inde Navarrette are great and sincere in that scene. 

Likewise, “When the Lights Come On” cleverly uses John Henry’s security system, which John Henry from their Earth made for Lex (Did anyone else almost forget about that? What a good callback!) as a smoking gun. It’s in the background of Lana and Sarah’s first conversation, quietly foreshadowing what’s next.

Superman & Lois also sets something bigger in motion with Amanda McCoy. 

She is an underrated character on the show and in Lex Luthor’s eyes. It’s immensely fascinating that Lex doesn’t see that the people who get under his skin the most — for better or worse — aren’t Clark Kent or Superman; it’s the women in his wife — his ex-wife, his daughter, Lois, Lana, and now Amanda.

That influence comes with power, and just as Clark realizes his limitations with his new heart, Amanda realizes her power as a skillful and intelligent woman in Lex’s life. Of course, Clark and Lex’s fight sequence is impressive; it’s one of those moments that makes Superman & Lois some of the best superhero TV ever.

Seeing Tyler Hoechlin bring that intensity to Clark is rare and, therefore, captivating.

“When the Lights Come On” raises the bar in a different sense with the subtle power shift in Lex and Amanda’s final scene. It’s effective imagery for Amanda to undo Lex’s stitches to redo them better. Amanda McCoy holds that delicate needle just as she holds the intricate next steps of Lex Luthor’s grand plan.

Intriguingly, if Lex returns with a super suit, it’s because of Amanda, and if he goes to prison again, it’s because of Lois. Imagine what those two women can accomplish together — if Amanda stops seeing Lois as “fake news.” With that in mind, Superman & Lois has plenty to work with in its final four episodes. 

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Superman & Lois airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW.

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