Up and Away: Superman and Lois Episode 101, "Pilot"

Superman and Lois finally gives Tyler Hoechlin a chance to fully flex his inner Superman. Sure, he's been okay in Supergirl and the other Arrowverse crossovers, but now he's got the whole show to himself -- shared, of course, with his family: wife Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) and twin 13-year-old sons Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alex Garfin).

Yes, since last we saw Superman in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover event, his life has fast-forwarded by over a decade. Which means we'll likely not see him popping up in Supergirl or The Flash. And while the first few moments of the pilot are a total love letter to Superman fans all over, showing Superman in the basic Max Fleischer suit and lifting a lime-green sedan a la Action Comics #1, things soon take a turn for the serious. Not a bad kind of serious, but serious nonetheless. Being a father has given Clark a whole new set of priorities -- priorities he's been failing at, given his other job. And having to keep his true identity a secret from the boys hasn't been helpful.

The twins could be any less identical. Jonathan is outgoing and has been picked as starting quarterback, even though he's only a freshman -- which hints that he may have a bit of his old man in him starting to develop. Jordan, on the other hand, is frequently sullen, reclusive, and medicated for Social Anxiety Disorder.

When a family tragedy sends Clark rushing back to Smallville (hello Gates McFadden, uncredited as Martha Kent's doctor), the whole family returns to the Kent farm, to learn it's about to be taken by the bank -- owned by Morgan Edge, who also owns the Daily Planet, from which Clark has just been recently fired). While exploring the barn, Jordan and Jonathan get into an accident of their own, resulting in a situation where Clark can no longer keep his boys in the dark about his -- and their -- heritage.

Happening alongside this, someone's been sabotaging nuclear power plants, and leaving microscopic messages in Kryptonian. It would seem Superman is about to meet a lifelong foe (for the first time, it would appear) played by Wolé Parks. His character's name will be given in the closing lines of this pilot episode, so I won't reveal it here. Suffice it to say, it will spark some conversation among fans of the Superman mythos as they have played out at The CW thus far.

This one's worth a watch, as it takes Superman into uncharted territories. It's the hit The CW needs if they're going to continue with new superhero content, because Batwoman sure isn't going to make that happen.