Over protective parenting takes center stage in The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower.
Three episodes in and there does seem to be a formula when it comes to how much Superman is used in Superman & Lois. For the 2nd consecutive episode, there are two major Superman sequences. One of which is much better than the other.
There’s plenty to enjoy about the family dynamics on display in the episode. Jordan’s disappearing social anxiety disorder is disappointing as he decides to try out for the football team. However, Jonathan’s character arc from skeptical and justifiable jealousy to supportive brother is well done. Clark uses his super-hearing to spy on his sons at school, which is met with the appropriate amount of scorn from his sons. Tyler Hoechlin is great at playing Clark as an overprotective, yet well-meaning father.
The scenes between Bitsie Tulloch as Lois and Hoechlin as Clark continues to shine week in-week out. Clark does a great job encouraging Lois to push forward in her investigation into Morgan Edge despite Lois losing her vehicle due to a Molotov Cocktail. Lois reminds Clark about how his eavesdropping almost ended their relationship.
Lana and Sarah Cushing have a long overdue mother-daughter conversation about Sara’s suicide attempt. The conversation is well written and performed by Emmanuelle Chriqui as Lana and Inde Navarrette as Sarah.
Morgan Edge and Captain Luthor are missing in action in The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower, which is a bonus for the episode.
With the non-spoiler details out of the way, lets dive into superhero theatrics, family drama and more in The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower. Superman & Lois is airing on The CW and streaming on CWTV app.
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Over Protective Father
The opening scenes of The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower are fantastic Kent family moments. Clark, Lois, Jonathan and Jordan are painting a room in the house, Jonathan makes a snide remark and Lois responds by marking Jonathan with paint, while Jordan and Clark wrestle. The scene ends in typical Superman fashion with Clark jetting off to make a save.
The next morning, the Kent family has a lovely breakfast. Clark tells the boys how his super hearing works. The boys want to know what’s the most embarrassing thing Clark has overheard. Clark tells the boys to be careful before heading off to school. This scene is just delightful and sets up the direction of the episode quite well. The boys are enamored by Clark’s super hearing, but they won’t be so happy when that hearing is used to invade their privacy.
Sarah’s boyfriend and soon-to-be ex-boyfriend, Sean, immediately confronts Jordan and thwarts Jonathan’s attempts to intervene. Clark overhears the confrontation from the Kent farm and races over to the school. The boys are angry at Clark for spying on them. While spying on your children is never good, it’s tough to blame Clark given Jordan’s powers and emotional state.
Clark and Lois have another talk this time about Clark’s eavesdropping. When Lois discovered Clark was listening to her conversations, it nearly ended their relationship. These conversation scenes between Lois and Clark continue to be weekly highlights. Clark apologizes to the boys before taking them to school.
Jordan tries out for the football team. Jonathan isn’t pleased as Jordan begins using his somewhat increased strength on the football field. The boys meet with Sarah at a diner. Jordan lies about always having an interest in football. Jonathan sarcastically supports his brother’s lie. The scene is interrupted by Lana. I really like Jordan Elsass‘s performance as Jonathan.
Clark arrives at the diner and Jordan lies about playing football. Jonathan confronts Jordan about lying to their dad and wants Jordan to quit the team. Jordan joined the team to stick it to the bullies on the football team and Jonathan tells Jordan that football is his thing.
After learning Jordan joined the football team from Lana, Clark heads to the practice field. There’s another family conversation about what a bad idea it’s for Jordan to join the football team. Jordan pushes back, but for the first time in the series, Clark stands firm and tells the boys to go to their rooms.
Later, Jonathan goes to bat for his brother after seeing a text message from the football coach to Jordan regarding the playbook. Clark reconsiders and tells Jonathan he can play football on one condition: Clark becomes an assistant coach to keep an eye on Jordan.
Lana and Sarah Show The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower
Family drama isn’t reserved just for the Kents in The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower.
Sarah quits the cheerleading team early in the episode prompting Lana to worry about her daughter’s attitude. Lana is also the cheerleading coach for Smallville High. Lana confronts Sarah at the diner. Sarah doesn’t hold back. Sarah calls Lana the most full of crap person in Smallville. Their family is in shambles. Her father sleeps on the couch, her younger sister is a bully and Lana needs pills in order to sleep.
Later, they have a much more civil conversation at home. Lana simply can’t tell whether Sarah is really ok after the suicide attempt last summer. Sarah insists that she’s fine. If something is bothering Sarah, she promises to tell Lana and that she’s been telling Lana the truth all along. Lana pushes forward firmly, but with a sweet touch.
Sarah isn’t telling the truth about why she took the pills. Sarah felt trapped by the town and her family. She never saw herself escaping and the life she saw was one she didn’t want.
This is my favorite scene in the episode. The writing and performances struck the right notes in this scene.
A Molotov is Lois’s favorite Cocktail
While the Kent boys are sorting out their issues, Lois begins the next stage in her illustrious journalism career at the Smallville Gazette. Lois is eager to dive deeper into the reverse mortgage-Morgan Edge story but is having a tough enough time getting the residents of Smallville to trust her.
Cassie tries to convince Lois to take on a puff piece, which Lois tries to brush off. Before the conversation can go much further, a woman walks in with information on Edge.
Her son was a miner at the Edge facility and disappeared after Morgan Edge offered him an opportunity of a lifetime. Before he disappeared, her son left a voicemail saying the opportunity wasn’t what he expected. Meanwhile, across the street, a mysterious man is taking photos of this conversation from his car.
Lois is convinced to continue pursuing the story. Cassie is not. She points out the woman could be offering some inane conspiracy theory and clearly, the woman was drinking, which Lois noticed as well. This is the Smallville Gazette, there simply aren’t the resources available to focus on one story for an extended period of time. Before Lois can push back with another verbal volley, an explosion draws the dynamic duos attention. Lois’s car is on fire. When the firefighters arrive, Lois tries to tell Kyle this is Morgan Edge.
In another fantastic front porch conversation with Clark, Lois says she’s angry at herself for throwing around Edge’s name in that fashion. These two know each other so well. Clark points out this is hardly the first time that Lois has been on the receiving end of a Molotov Cocktail and encourages her to keep digging.
After the conversation about Jordan playing football, Clark lets out his frustration by crushing some steel poles outside. Lois encourages Clark to find out the real reason for Jordan’s anger and to address it, while she keeps working on her story. Turns out, three other employees have turned up missing. Lois tells Clark she’s taking his truck, which leads to a perfect Lois-Clark exchange.
Clark: You gonna bring it [the truck] back
Lois: 50/50
Lois’s meeting doesn’t go as planned. She comes face-to-face with the man who was taking photos of her and blew up her car. Lois puts up a fight but is overpowered. She presses her beeper summoning Superman, which conveniently leads to the Superman scenes.
Superman in The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower
Three episodes in and it’s quite clear that the focus of the series is on human drama more than superhuman escapades. There are only 2 major Superman sequences in The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower, which is to the show’s benefit.
The first sequence is Superman saving people from a major bridge collapse. I love the idea of the scene, but for the first time in the series, the CGI was just awful.
The 2nd Superman sequence is smaller and much better. After Lois summons Superman, he squares off against the mystery man who spied on Lois throughout the episode. Initially, Superman tries to overpower the assailant, but he is an equal match in the strength department. The mystery man even briefly knocks him out, which gives Superman a moment to change up his strategy. Superman freezes the goon, then hits him with a right uppercut that sends him flying. Superman takes a page from Flash. He uses his speed to move around the room and hit the man from multiple angles. While the man is unconscious, Superman takes the woman from earlier in the episode to the hospital. I loved this sequence as it showed Superman’s ability to defeat someone using his ingenuity vs just his strength.
The episode ends with the mystery man in the car. A woman approaches the car and torches the man with her heat vision. She ends the episode by saying she’s going to call a team.
Final Thoughts on The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower
As long as Superman & Lois keeps the focus on family drama, the show will be just fine. I’m curious to see what team the woman is referring to, but at least it’s more intriguing than Captain Luthor. Clark as an assistant football coach could be a fun dynamic as well. So there’s plenty of superhero possibilities and family drama for the series to focus on.
What did you think of The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower.
The Review
The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower
PROS
- Fantastic family drama between Clark and his sons.
- The Superman fight scene was a cool display of Superman's ability to beat a fighter with a similar level of strength.
- All of the scenes between Lois and Clark continue to shine.
CONS
- The first Superman sequence in the episode was awful.
- Jordan's sudden desire to join the football team and the disappearance of his social anxiety disorder are disappointing.
