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Superman and Lois Review Season 3 Episode 3 In Cold Blood Superman and Lois Review Season 3 Episode 3 In Cold Blood

Superman & Lois

Superman and Lois Review – In Cold Blood (303)

Superman & Lois -- “In Cold Blood” -- Image Number: SML303a_0018r2 -- Pictured (L-R): Taylor Buck as Natalie Irons and Alex Garfin as Jordan Kent -- Photo: Colin Bentley/The CW -- © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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We’re only three episodes in, but Superman & Lois Season 3 is hands down the best one yet. 

Truthfully, I was skeptical about Lois’ cancer storyline at first, but the creative forces have tackled it with such grace, and it has added life to the narrative, deepened my love for these characters, and grounded the series. The superhero aspects of the show are still fun, but there’s just something about seeing these people who have dealt with near-apocalypses and bad guys who mean them harm facing the worst villain yet—an aggressive diagnosis.

That very sentiment was portrayed so beautifully on-screen with Clark’s recurring night terrors. 

His fear and helplessness upon not being able to save Lois, no matter how hard he tried, manifested in the nightmares.

And it’s a very valid feeling considering he’s Superman after all. If anyone can save her, it should be him, and yet, stage 3 breast cancer is something that no one can do anything about except for maybe the doctors and the chemo, which Lois seemed to avoid at all costs.

That very fear and helplessness that Clark felt spread through all of Lois’ loved ones as they found out what was going on, and then eventually, Lois owned up to those feelings as well.

As she pursued every lead and angle in the Bruno Mannheim story, she was using it as an excuse and distraction so that she wouldn’t have to admit that she was sick. I love that the series emphasized a very real reaction from people who have dealt with similar situations. Even the strongest and bravest people in the world struggle to come to terms with a potentially incurable disease that will steal their time and energy. 

Much like Clark Kent, Lois has tracked down, pursued, and faced some of the world’s most dangerous criminals, but this is her greatest battle. 

Thankfully, she has a very good support system, not only in Clark, but in her children, their friends, and the extended family. 

Natalie’s decision to give Lois her mother’s watch was beautiful as it somehow brought things full circle. Nat couldn’t be there for her mother in her final moments, but she can be a beacon of strength and light for Lois. In a way, it kind of gave Nat the closure she always needed. While Henry Lyons wasn’t on board with Nat’s idea initially, when he saw how moved Lois was upon receiving the watch, he knew that his daughter made the right call and admitted that the only reason that he was so against it was because of his fear of losing Lois… again. She may not be his wife, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less—it was just an excuse to stop the hurt from settling in.

Lois gave everyone quite a scare with the cancer announcement, and she doubled down by putting herself in even more danger by following a lead to a medical facility where she and Chrissy got locked up in a freezer filled with blood. The place was lined with kryptonite so it blocked her distress signal, so it seemed like they were going to be trapped forever.

Eventually, when the foot soldiers came to clear the unit out, Lois devised a sneaky plan that allowed her to ping Superman for assistance in the knick of time.

The biggest reveal from that situation—other than the irony of Lois putting herself in a near-death situation to avoid chemo—was that the blood inside the facility belonged to Clark Kent. Is Mannheim trying to create an army of Superman-like beings? He’s definitely trying to give the terminally ill patient’s he’s spared some superpowers, but what’s his endgame?

Clark can’t really stay mad at Lois when she uncovered such a vital piece of information that allows them to build a better case against Mannheim. 

Superman and Lois Review Season 3 Episode 3 In Cold Blood

Superman & Lois — “In Cold Blood” — Image Number: SML303fg_0022r — Pictured: Tyler Hoechlin as Superman — Photo: The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

And if there’s one thing she’s going to see through, it’s bringing down Mannheim once and for all. I don’t agree with Lois’ decision to keep rescheduling chemo, but I do understand wanting to get there on your own terms, just as much as I understand the desire to still prioritize a job that’s meant everything to you for most of your life and that remains the one and only thing still keeping you sane and feeling like yourself.

Everyone copes in different ways, and Lois’ way just happens to be throwing herself into work… it’s not exactly shocking. She’s this season’s superhero!

It’s also nice to see the Kent boys and Nat get into a little action of their own. The family is dealing with a lot now, but this is a superhero series after all, so it would be a shame not to utilize that, especially when there are super teens in the mix. So far, Nat has helped save the world on a few occasions, but Jordan has been sidelined to complete his training, never really breaking free to do his own thing without his dad’s assistance. 

But when Jonathan’s truck gets stolen and they realize that the culprit is his girlfriend Candice’s father, they decide to take matters into their own hands and get it back without involving the police. 

There was a lot to love about this storyline, including Jonathan’s desire not to get Candice’s dad arrested because he knew that would just make things worse for her. I also love that they didn’t leave Jonathan out of it despite not having any powers. Instead, Jordan and Nat both supported and protected him while he made a beeline for his truck. I hope that eventually, Nat creates a suit for Jonathan that will allow him to fight alongside his loved ones. 

As for Candice, she apologized for insinuating that Jonathan lied about her father being a thief, while Jonathan seemingly came clean about kissing his ex, Eliza, at a party. A lot is working against them, but it seems like he loves her and wants to make things work, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they figure it out. There was a time Jonathan was selfish and self-centered, but he’s come into his own this season. 

And then there’s the unfortunate fallout between Sarah and Lana. Lana has had a lot on her plate recently, and taking on the Mayor gig just added to her stress and workload. Sarah is also trying to establish her independence, and she feels stifled by her mom, who hasn’t been prioritizing her or taking into account her feelings. And it all culminated in the fight where Sarah called her mom selfish and made a snarky cheating comment that triggered Lana, who responded by slapping her daughter. They were both in the wrong, but Lana’s behavior crossed a line. We later see her apologizing for the slap, and she notes that she feels especially bad because she grew up with an abusive mom, but sadly, the damage has been done as Sarah snuck out to go meet with her dad. 

This seems like a turning point in the mother-daughter relationship, and I can see Sarah’s next step being a request to move in with Kyle instead. 

While I can see the teenager’s perspective on this, I do also feel for Lana as she’s painted as the villain by her child, who doesn’t truly understand what her mom has taken on or is going through. In addition to the divorce, Lana was the target of a freaky attack. She never really processed it or accepted it, and then Kyle lit the fuse by questioning her about a security system, which stemmed from a jealous place versus a genuine one. It made Lana feel insecure and as though her privacy was invaded because she thought her ex was snooping around and trying to dig up information. 

It’s heartbreaking to see how quickly this family fell apart, and how they are continuing to lose their way without each other. However, I am rooting for a Lana and Henry romance, and Kyle and Chrissy are also pretty cute. They both need someone to lean on and confide in now that they don’t have that relationship with each other anymore. 

What did you think about the episode?

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Lizzy Buczak is the founder of CraveYouTV. What started off as a silly blog in her sophomore year at Columbia College Chicago turned her passion for watching TV into an opportunity! She has been in charge of CraveYou since 2011, writing reviews and news content for a wide variety of shows. Lizzy is a Music Business and Journalism major who has written for RADIO.COM, TV Fanatic, Time Out Chicago, Innerview, Pop’stache and Family Time.

Superman & Lois

Superman & Lois Review – Collision Course (310)

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Superman & Lois Review Season 3 Episode 10 Collision Course

How did the DOD not see that one coming? I know audiences got the scoop that Bruno Mannheim and his son, Matteo, had a master plan to free Peia, but the DOD cannot be that naive when dealing with the world’s biggest villains, right?

Surely, they’d be on alert for even the slightest of movements. Why couldn’t they hear what Matteo was saying to their mother in there? Why was no one watching them? One of the things that bugs me most about this show is that the DOD is largely responsible for allowing villains to get away with things due to carelessness. 

Eyes should’ve been on Peia at all times, particularly when she had access to someone that they didn’t necessarily trust and who had a motive to set her free. 

Bruno Mannheim is Intergang’s crime boss—there’s nothing he won’t do to get his way, so the expectation should’ve been that he would try something to get his wife back. They know that he has been creating superhumans and that he stole Inverse Superman, so shouldn’t they have expected that he was working on some kind of cure? They surely underestimated Bruno’s capabilities. 

It seems ridiculous that Sam Lane would allow the DOD to get ambushed like that—or that Superman wouldn’t hear it until after Peia destroyed half of the agency and escaped. The math just isn’t mathing. Of course, we’re just supposed to overlook that for the sake of the storyline, so fine. Bruno was successful in “curing” his wife, for now, though I imagine that there will be side effects that will likely kill her in the long run. 

It was also unfortunate that they used Matteo and made him an accomplice as he was innocent up until this point. Parents should want to do better for their children, but in this case, Peia saw no other way out, while Bruno knew that Matteo was their only shot at getting to her. And Matteo, well, he’d do anything to save his mother, so he was an easy target who will likely have to pay the price. There’s no turning back for Matteo as he seemingly made his choice to support his parents, regardless of the consequences. Nat may not want to give up on him or hold this against him, but you can’t deny that Peia has done a lot of harm by trying to buy herself some time.

Lois Lane gave her the honorable way out–by promising to tell her story and giving her an opportunity to come clean so that she could preserve her legacy. In terms of getting the story, I would say Lois tried to coax it out of Peia. Lois wasn’t upfront with Peia about her intentions, so while I’d trust her to do right by my life story, it was an overall betrayal of trust. Lois wanted to write the story because she cared, but she also wanted to set the record straight and right the wrongs of her journalistic mishap, which landed the wrong man behind bars.

Of course, that man is Lex Luthor, so I have to side with Peia on this one. Lex may not have killed Boss Moxie, but he’s a monster who has done plenty of other terrible things and the world is better without him in it. Unleashing Lex onto the world might be the moral thing, but it’s just asking for a new powerful villain that poses a threat to humanity to regain control. Sadly, we know that Superman has always been righteous—and as a journalist, Lois is as well—so they don’t see it the way Peia does; they believe it isn’t their place to pass judgment. And thus, my guess is that by the end of the season, Lex Luthor will emerge as the next big baddy to set his sights on Smallville… if the series scores a renewal.

There were plenty of other issues bubbling to the surface, including Kyle’s persistent search into figuring out the identity of Smallville’s superhero. He believes that they all deserve to know the truth about who is walking amongst them even if this person is simply helping everyone, but the people that he confronts with his theories all know the truth, and they all know just how important it is to keep it a secret. 

First, Beppo is put on the spot, then Sarah, eventually Lana, and finally, Clark himself. 

Kyle’s timing is absolutely terrible when he confronts Clark with his theory that Jon has superpowers. Though, honestly, I’m impressed with how close he got to the truth. He may not have found the golden egg, but he was surprisingly on the money. 

Clark tried to diffuse the situation, but when Kyle wouldn’t let up and Clark need to whoosh off to go save the DOD, he figured it was time to tell Kyle the truth as well. 

It’s always such a blast to see the character’s faces when Superman takes off, and honestly, I don’t think Kyle was expecting for his night to take that kind of a turn. 

And I also don’t know if we can actually trust him with this secret. Kyle made it clear that he thinks the public deserves to know the truth about the superhumans living in their midst, so will he try to expose them? Obviously, Lana and Sarah, and even Chrissy, are devoted to the secret because they are keeping the people that it affects safe—Lana cares for Clark, Sarah cares for Jordan, and Chrissy supports Lois—but what’s keeping Kyle from blabbing? And I’m sure he’ll hold it against everyone who lied to his face the whole time and gaslit him, making it seem as though he was going crazy. 

Kyle and Lana also dealt with Sarah, who got a DUI and would have been involved in a deadly accident if it wasn’t for Jordan. He risked everything to save her and Junior, and sometimes, I wish she was a little more appreciative. They are platonic friends who are denying their true feelings for each other. They always say you can’t be friends with someone you love, so I don’t see how they can continue with this friendship without consistently hurting each other. It’s also keeping them both from moving on as, particularly in Jordan’s case, he’s holding out for hope that they will get back together. 

Jordan also got grounded for drinking half a beer—don’t drink and save people is the rule!—however, Jon was responsible and knew better than to put all that he’s worked for at risk. He may be sidelined at the firehouse but he isn’t going to give Kyle more reasons to let him go. It was such a mature approach for a character who has been largely immature for most of the seasons. And while it sucked to see the boys choose against hanging with their dad, it wasn’t because they thought they were too cool for him. Jon put it in perspective that their dad has been too busy for them so they didn’t sit around waiting—life was happening, and they were living it, so he couldn’t get mad at them for it. They weren’t going to drop everything the moment he finally found some time. I think it was important for Clark to reframe his assessment of the situation so he wasn’t sulking and throwing himself a pity party; his kids will hang out with him any day, but they cannot be an afterthought for so long. That’s some good parenting advice to adopt in general!

Lastly, there was a happy moment at the kickstart of the episode as Lois finally completed chemotherapy treatments and even got to ring the bell, a huge milestone in a chemo journey. 

What do you think Peia and Bruno’s plan is now? Will they try to destroy Clark and John Henry Irons? And how will Nat’s relationship with Matteo—and Lois’ friendship with Peia—fit into all of this? What will Kyle do with his newfound information? 

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Superman & Lois

Superman & Lois Review – The Dress (309)

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Superman & Lois Review Season 3 Episode 9 The Dress

John Henry Irons may just be this season’s villain after all. 

No, I’m just kidding. I wouldn’t take it that far, but his character has entered a dark phase and he has made things super personal. It’s hard not to when the man you are coming face-to-face with killed you on this Earth and tore apart this Earth’s version of your family, and now, he’s setting his sights on you and your daughter. It absolutely is personal—so I’m not surprised it clouded his judgment when it came to handling Mannheim and his goons. 

And while Superman may be of the mindset that we “don’t fight violence with violence,” and leads with a “do not kill,” John Henry’s defenses kicked in when Mannheim sent Henry Mills, a resurrected man with indestructible powers (likely courtesy of the superman of the Inverse World, Bizarro), to kill him. He believed he had no choice, so he did what he had to do to save himself in that vulnerable moment. We have to remember that John Henry, a different version, has died before at the hands of Mannheim, and this isn’t the first time they’ve planned an attack on him. He very much believes there’s no other choice, even if he knows that Superman would approach it differently.

And thus, John Henry killed a man in the heart of Smallville—this poor town has seen so much in such a short time—and he’s going to have to come to terms with that. Of course, right now, he’s too amped up on getting revenge, but when the dust settles, I think it will definitely impact him a bit.

Mannheim and John Henry’s children were seemingly the voice of reason for their parents, who couldn’t see past their hatred for each other. Matteo introduced a new point of view by suggesting that John Henry wasn’t the all-out good guy Nat believed him to be as he was preventing him and his father from seeing their dying mother. Nat reminded her father that of all people, he should know what that feels like. I see where she’s coming from, however, there’s obviously a reason for John Henry’s decision, and it was the force Mannheim into giving the DOD back all the things they stole—namely Bizarro. It’s a negotiation tactic, and though not many agree, John Henry felt that it would be the most effective. And honestly, I think as someone who has lost his wife, he knows the exact pain point to get someone to do something. 

Of course, Mannheim didn’t respond well to being told that he cannot see Peia, and it turns out that Superman’s approach likely would’ve yielded better results because while John Henry has suffered a loss, Clark can identify with what Mannheim is going through having a wife that’s battling the same kind of cancer. This may be a show about superheroes and villains, but at the core of it, there are very real and very human issues, feelings, and emotions guiding them all. 

Again, I think it’s a little far-fetched to call John Henry a villain because, at the end of the day, it was clear that Mannheim was provoking him by trying to get him and his family killed. He’s just being a protective dad, and I do wish Nat would be grateful for that at least a little bit. I know she’s a teen, but she can very clearly see the dangers surrounding her. 

And hopefully, after seeing his father’s underground lair with the Inverse World’s Superman, Matteo will realize that what his father is doing is wrong. Trying to save your wife is understandable, but there are limits. Mannheim thinks that he’s trying to cure cancer with his experiments, but he’s not seeing the larger picture or the potential harm and damage it’s doing. 

It’s heartbreaking to see Matteo and Nat in the middle of this family feud. While I believe there are times when love trumps all, I don’t see how they can make this work while staying faithful to their families. It was doomed from the beginning. And if Mannheim doesn’t stop, Superman and the DOD—along with John Henry—will be forced to put him behind bars, I can see Matteo being resentful at potentially losing two of his parents, which, well, won’t bode well for his romance with Nat. 

The teens of Smallville are taking on larger responsibilities with each passing episode but on Superman & Lois Season 3 Episode 9, they were tasked with protecting Nat. While letting her go see Matteo when it was forbidden may have been a naive move on their part—young love—it was sweet to see the Kent brothers make up after saying some pretty nasty things to each other. And Sarah is almost like the sister they never had. 

Lois’ storyline continues to be heartbreaking, but I’m genuinely grateful for how real and raw it is. I can’t say for certain, but the straightforward conversation about losing her breasts—and the hardships of being a woman with PMS, cramps, cellulite, and stretch marks—definitely seems like a scene written by a female writer(s). And it makes a difference! Representation of all kinds is so important on television, and it’s nice to see strong female leads simply acknowledge the things that make us all superheroes, and yet, somehow, insecure, all in the same breath. Amid a writer’s strike, I just want to say thank you to the writers of this particular scene. 

Seeing the flashbacks to the dress when Lois was at a high, and then watching her navigate those feelings about herself during one of her lows, was visually stunning. Losing your breasts is a big deal, but as Clark pointed out, it doesn’t take away from her beauty and it won’t make him love her any less. 

The flying scene was just the cherry on top, providing a piece of calm and reprieve amid a chaotic day. It’s moments like these that make everything worth it in life. 

And also, Clark is a superhero not just because of his super strength but mostly because of the way he loves his wife and takes care of his family. Being a good man is the real superpower. 

There wasn’t much time for Henry and Lana’s relationship to flourish this week, but she did make the first step—and I am shipping it wholeheartedly. 

What did you think of the episode?

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Superman & Lois

Superman & Lois Review – Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (308)

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Superman & Lois Recap Season 3 Episode 8 Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

As far as first impressions go, that wasn’t the ideal first dinner date with your significant other’s parents. 

Superman & Lois Season 3 Episode 8 kept unraveling the mystery of Bruno Mannheim and Peia, his wife and the warbled assassin known as Onomatopoeia. 

Fans had an advantage as they about Peia’s darker side for a bit longer before Superman and Lois were clued in, but once they finally had the missing piece of the puzzle, it all began to make a lot more sense. And it’s a very distressing situation for everyone involved because personal feelings are also in the mix. 

This isn’t just a villains versus heroes ordeal—it’s much more complex and impacts every single person. 

Nat and Matteo are genuinely in love, and now they’ve got a Romeo and Juliet situation on their hands as they’re the victims of two feuding families. 

Once Henry Irons realized who Matteo’s parents were, he immediately went to fetch his daughter, and an altercation with Bruno and Peia almost cost him his life. Understandably, he’s adamant about Nat never seeing or speaking to Matteo again, even if he was just as much in the dark about his family’s criminal involvement. Henry Irons is protecting his daughter at all costs as he knows exactly what Mannheim is capable of. And it’s hard to side with Nat here considering she’s thinking primarily with her heart when it comes to Matteo. She may trust him but getting involved with his family is simply too dangerous, particularly considering the previous history between Henry and Mannheim. 

It’s also hard not to feel for Matteo who just learned the truth about his parents all while watching them nearly kill his girlfriend’s father and seeing his mother collapse to the ground, weakened by her powers and the cancer. His life will never be the same, and he may lose the people closest to him.

Lois Lane has been invested in bringing down Manhheim for years, and with the reveal that Peia is his wife, she seemingly finally got the ammunition she needed. However, her friendship with Peia clouded her judgment, and she forbade Chrissy from running the story and revealing Mannheim’s private relationship. While that seemed like a bad idea initially, it’s probably for the best as the story basically wrote itself once Henry Irons confronted Mannheim and Peia was forced to use her powers. No one ever thought that sweet Peia could be the person causing all this mayhem.

Mannheim is a murderer, no doubt, but he’s been assisted by his wife, who has her fair share of blood on her hands. And they both let Lex Luthor take the fall, which weighs heavily on Lois as she’s the one who reported on the murder of Boss Moxie and put Lex behind bars. 

This is a lot to process for Lois—on top of the cancer—especially as she formed a bond with Peia and trusted her. 

Superman wanted to give Peia the benefit of the doubt considering her cancer spread and weakened her immensely, but Henry was right—her behavior and criminal actions cannot be excused simply because she’s sick. She can’t hide behind the cancer because she didn’t hesitate to attack Henry to defend her husband. She’s dangerous. 

Mannheim, however, let his personal feud with both Henry and Superman take hold, allowing his wife to risk her life and nearly kill herself for vengeance. When push came to shove, he needed to trust his foe to save his wife. 

Again, it’s a messy and complicated situation with a lot of personal feelings involved. 

Peia is now being held captive at the DOA with her powers, Mannheim has a lot of explaining to do to his son, and Lois has a new story to dig into that includes possibly clearing Lex’s name. 

Superman & Lois Recap Season 3 Episode 8 Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

Superman & Lois — “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” — Image Number: SML308fg_0017r — Pictured (L – R): Daya Vaida as Peia and Chad Coleman as Bruno Mannheim — Photo: The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

It’s something to keep her mind off of the cancer treatment that has intensified and gotten quite unbearable. The series has been giving an accurate portrayal of what a cancer patient goes through, specifically depicting Lois’ battle and how it’s impacted her relationship with her family, herself, and even her career. 

Though Lois may not be entirely motivated to take this on right now, she’s also not one to pass up on this kind of an opportunity, so with Clarke and Chrissy’s help, we know she’ll do it justice. 

Chrissy also has a lot on her plate right now as well as she’s navigating her new romance with Kyle and her fragile relationship with Lana. A journalist needs the town’s mayor on her side, but it’s obviously a new situation for everyone involved and Chrissy doesn’t always know exactly how to handle it. 

It’s not any easier for Lana, who is realizing that seeing Kyle move on so quickly has impacted her in a way she didn’t imagine, especially when she doesn’t have anyone to go see The Cure with. 

We’ve never really had much interaction between Lana and Sam Lane, but it was nice to see them cross paths. Sam is the best person for a heart-to-heart about moving on because he’s been single for decades and is finally opening up to the idea of dating again. It’s advice Lana needed to hear, even if she isn’t exactly ready to embark on something new in her love life. And yes, I’m still confident that she will eventually realize there’s plenty of chemistry between her and Henry!

The Kent boys are also navigating a new world as Jordan figures out his powers while Jon is a firefighter-in-training. They got into a bit of an altercation during which Jordan made himself seem more important than Jon, but Sarah made sure to bring him down to Earth and remind him that it wasn’t fair to diminish Jon’s role after he finally found something that made him feel special and worthy. Hopefully, Mr. Cushing won’t fire Jon, but Jordan’s identity may be at risk as he’s been leaving behind traces of ice at every single fire scene piquing the interest and curiosity of Sarah’s father. 

Has Jordan been made?

What did you think of the episode? Do you like how things are unfolding this season and bringing Lex Luthor to the surface?

Is Mannheim the foe that you always imagined he would be? And will we ever find out how Peia got her powers? I sure hope so. 

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