Superman & Lois: A Regular Guy

In small towns like Smallville, everybody knows everyone else’s business. Maybe they are not the best places for someone with a secret identity to live. Yet, Clark Kent (a.k.a. Superman) has always felt safe there. However, he has had a lot of trouble keeping the cat at least halfway still in the bag at the start of “A Regular Guy,” the latest episode of Superman & Lois, which premieres tonight on CW.

Pretty much everyone in Smallville saw Doomsday dump Superman’s temporarily dead body on the town’s Main Street. Quite a few people also saw Lois and his sons react with the pain and grief of family members. Nevertheless, those glasses sure keep people off the scent.

For a good part of the episode, Kent goes on a geeky wimp tour, trying to make himself look anything but super in front of the most suspicious neighbors. Of course, past super sightings of his sons further complicate his efforts. Things reach a turning point, when the Kents realize Lex Luthor is trying to stir the pot.

This season of Superman & Lois takes the iconic DC character and gives him the vintage Marvel treatment. It is all about Superman’s family relationships and his efforts to find the right superhero life-work balance—after coming back to life. Ultimately, the Kents decide what to do as a family, hashing it out over the kitchen table. Honestly, these kind of scenes are why it is the best family drama currently running on TV or streaming.

“A Regular Guy” is also a great showcase for Tyler Hoechlin, who was largely sidelined during the earlier “death of Superman” episodes (because he was dead). Without question, he is the best Superman since Christopher Reeve as well as those who came before 1978.

This episode also shows his strong report with Erik Valdez, as Kyle Cushing (Kent’s former high school bully turned friend in adulthood) and guest star Douglas Smith as Jimmy Olsen, who finally makes his series premiere in flashbacks (that’s kind of a big deal, really).

Life is messy in “A Regular Guy,” but director Gregory Smith still manages to maintain a “feel-good” vibe. Younger fans might be frustrated there is not a lot of superheroing going on, but older fans will probably agree all Clark’s work as a husband and father should count. That is why this show is so much more refreshing than Disney+’s recent Marvel monstrosities. Highly recommended for fans of Superman and old-fashioned family shows, “A Regular Guy” airs tonight (11/11) on CW.