SUPERMAN AND LOIS Are Parents

 Article first published as SUPERMAN AND LOIS TV Review on Seat42F.

The CW has a new entry to their DC Arrowverse with SUPERMAN AND LOIS. Superman is a character who has had many, many incarnations on screens big and small, and the CW has had a lot of superhero shows over the past decade. But while key elements to Superman’s well-known legend are present, SUPERMAN AND LOIS feels different on both counts, and a worthy addition to a crowded slate.

SUPERMAN AND LOIS spends a few minutes reminding fans of the story between the titular couple, which is both a refresher on the often-told origin story and an outline of what choices have been made differently in this version of the tale. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch reprise their lead roles from earlier CW DC appearances. Then, we catch up with the couple in Metropolis, where Lois is “the most famous reporter in the world” while Clark’s Superman is successfully keeping the planet safe. And they have twin fourteen-year-olds at home, Jonathan (Jordan Elsass, Little Fires Everywhere) and Jordan (Alex Garfin, The Peanuts Movie), who sometimes feel a bit overlooked by their busy parents, especially Clark, whose secret they don’t know.

The primary plotline in the pilot of SUPERMAN AND LOIS finds Clark feelings out-of-touch as a father and struggling to right that. He still saves people, but he’s realizing that he needs to be present at home, as well, a sentiment that Lois agrees with, but her father, General Sam Lane (Dylan Walsh, Nip/Tuck), does not. So when Clark is laid off by The Daily Planet and his mother, Martha (Michele Scarabelli, Alien Nation), passes away, he takes the opportunity to move his family to Smallville and try being a stay-at-home farmer-father.

In true hero fashion, Clark has multiple motivations for doing this, besides his wife telling him to be a better dad. Lois strongly suspects something rotten is going on in the dying small town as a rich man forces residents into reverse mortgages and buys up properties. Also, moody Jordan exhibits superpowers, although his brother, star athlete Jonathan, does not. And the boys discover Clark’s secret. So he’s trying to get back in touch with them while helping them cope with tough stuff in the only way he knows how – the same way his parents did with him.

Smallville is full of memories, of course. Besides the farm, there’s Clark’s ex, Lana Lang Cushing (Emmanuelle Chriqui, Entourage), who works for the bank. Her husband, Kyle (Erik Valdez, Graceland), is kind of a jerk, though Lana makes excuses for him. Their daughter, Sarah (Inde Navarrette, 13 Reasons Why), is clearly a love interest for Jordan, despite already having a boyfriend. Plus there’s a villainous Luthor afoot because, of course.

But SUPERMAN AND LOIS won’t be a rehash of Smallville or any other Superman adventure because Clark is in a different place. He’s the dad now. And his sons are very different from him. They have their own challenges and relationships, which are pretty different from Clark’s with his parents. All of the Arrowverse shows have some kind of family element, but on this one, family is the central core, with the superhero stuff being the side story. For now, anyway. So it’s a new twist on an old tale, and one I’m very much looking forward to. Fresh Superman is not something I expected in 2021, but SUPERMAN AND LOIS delivers.

There are two things that bother me a bit about the setup. One, Jonathan and Jordan seem way closer and more understanding of one another than any two siblings I’ve ever seen in real life. Two, I get Clark being busy with his Superman stuff, but Lois is an extremely present mother while still maintaining her international reputation? That seems far-fetched. More likely, there’s a missing caregiver who was with the boys a lot before the series begins.

Still, these are small squabbles, and I’m excited to see this iteration. SUPERMAN AND LOIS airs Tuesday evenings on the CW.

SUPERGIRL Returns

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Supergirl - The Complete Second Season' on Blogcritics.

Supergirl, formerly of CBS, moved to the CW network this past year, joining fellow DC properties Arrow, The Flash, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. This did result in some changes, though most of the core cast and tone stayed the same. If you haven’t had the change to see what’s different and what’s not, you’ll now have that opportunity, as Supergirl – The Complete Second Season is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital.

The biggest change you’ll see in The Complete Second Season over the first is a more serial nature. CBS is known for doing stand-alone procedurals. Supergirl departed from that formula more than most shows on the network, but more often than not, there was a villain-of-the-week for the Girl of Steel to face. Season two was much more ongoing, with plots not resolved for many episodes, and forcing viewers not to miss a chapter or risk being lost.

Another change is that Supergirl was able to participate in crossover events with the other DC shows. This series does take place on a different Earth than the others, but the producers found a way to make it work. In season one, Barry Allen / The Flash (Grant Gustin) made a one-episode appearance in Supergirl, but that’s about as far as things got. Although Supergirl didn’t have a full “Invasion!” installment like the others this year, the hero herself did take part in the other episodes, and she wasn’t the only character that was allowed to come over. There was also a musical hour that combined the casts of Supergirl and The Flash, and Supergirl was given a device to allow her to travel back and forth again in the future, a convenient plot twist. So lots more synergy.

Those are all positives, but there was one big negative to the change in venues. Because Supergirl moved its production to Canada, where the other CW shows film to save on costs, cast member Calista Flockhart departed as a lead. She did appear in the first two episodes of the season, and then returned for the final two. For awhile, the in between was so good that I forgot to miss her. But the moment she returned, it was like a gut punch, as no one replaces her presence, and the series would be better with her more regularly in it.

Which is not to say there weren’t good parts of season; remember, I just said I forgot to miss her. I loved new character Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath, Merlin) as a friend for Kara (Melissa Benoist). Snapper Carr (Ian Gomez, Cougar Town) was a great presence. Desperate Housewives Brenda Strong and Teri Hatcher (the latter also a former Lois Lane) made absolutely wonderful villains, and no one can complain about Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) as President. And Supergirl greatly expanded its roster of aliens, introducing viewers to many different species and worlds as it presented allegory and metaphors on race relations and the failings of our current president and the hatred he spews (sometimes a tad too heavily, but mostly fine).

There was also a lot more romance in season two of Supergirl, though thankfully it never took over the course of the show and was handled well. J’onn (David Harewood) got into a very complex relationship with fellow Martian M’gann (Sharon Leal, Dreamgirls) in a Nazi-like story (her type of Martian committed genocide against his). Winn (Jeremy Jordan) was played by an alien named Lyra (Tamzin Merchant, Salem), until he wasn’t. Alex (Chyler Leigh) came out of the closet and into the arms of Maggie (Floriana Lima, The Family). In fact, just about everyone but James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks) got some love, which is fine, since he was pretty much the only one getting any in season one.

The one complaint some fans have is that they didn’t like the introduction of Mon-El (Chris Wood, The Vampire Diaries) as a partner for Kara. I actually don’t mind Mon-El himself, finding him an unobtrusive presence, sometimes bordering on sweet. I do think the show used him mainly the same way a female love interest might be used for a male superhero in the past, often staying at home and out of danger. But that’s OK, overdue in 2017.

My only real complaint is that Supergirl did go a little overboard with proving that the title character was better and stronger than Superman (Tyler Hoechlin, Teen Wolf). I think there was a way to do it without making the legendary hero look like an inept buffoon, and unfortunately, this show went too far tearing him down to make her look good. It’s Mon-El’s job to be Kara’s inferior, not Superman’s.
And I’m just going to say it, I didn’t care for James as The Guardian. I found the subplot boring.
But overall, a strong season, well worth the watch, and an improvement over the first year. Now if only they could convince Flockhart to make it up to Vancouver a little more often…

As far as extras, Supergirl – The Complete Second Season does pretty well. There are five featurettes, four of them good. (I hate the obligatory wrestling episode in this genre, and didn’t need a featurette on it.) There was audio commentary on one episode, which I would like more of. There were also some very short bits that I wish we could hit ‘Play All’ on. But again, overall, I found most of the material enjoyable and informative.

Check out Supergirl – The Complete Second Season on blu-ray, DVD, and digital now.

DVD Review: ‘Teen Wolf – Season 3, Part 1′

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Teen Wolf – Season 3, Part 1′ on Blogcritics.

MTV’s Teen Wolf is back! Before the network can even air the entire third season, the first 12 episodes have come to DVD in a three-disc set. With a handful of special features, this is a relatively sparse release for the purpose of getting the most recent installments into the hands of the fans as quickly as possible. Or maybe, cynically, it’s just to make more money.

I’m rarely a fan of the partial season release. Sometimes, it can seem justified, such as when Battlestar Galactica took a year-long hiatus mid-season, since there was a huge break before new episodes. But Glee, Royal Pains and Doctor Who have been known to rush partial seasons out when the hiatus is short, and that usually seems like it comes from a place of greed. Teen Wolf is in this latter category, having gone off the air in August and slated to return in January. However, MTV is bad about changing their TV listings constantly, making reruns hard to find and record, so perhaps this will help some people who missed some episodes.

The third season kicks off roughly four months after season two. Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) and his friends are now juniors. It’s not an easy start to the year, as Scott and Allison (Crystal Reed), whose family has given up werewolf-hunting, are still broken up, making for some awkward moments. Lydia (Holland Roden) and Jackson (Colton Haynes, who is now on Arrow instead) are also split, but Jackson has moved to London, which makes things for Lydia a little bit easier. With Jackson gone, Lydia has some free time on her hands, and Stiles (Dylan O’Brien) is only too happy to fill it playing detective with her.

But fans know that Teen Wolf not about tame puppy love. There’s fresh danger afoot in town, as a gang of Alphas led by Deucalion (Gideon Emery) wants Derek (Tyler Hoechlin) to join them, and just to make sure there’s no going back, they plan on slaughtering the rest of Derek’s current pack. To start, they take Boyd (Sinqua Walls) and Erica (Gage Golightly) captive, and things spiral out of control from there.

Even worse, a Darach (basically an evil Druid) is also hanging around, and they aren’t the most non-murderous people on the block. Meaning, lives are in danger when a Darach is near. If only Scott and the others could figure out who the Darach is, they might be able to put a stop to the terrible deeds being committed.

It all ties together as allegiances shift, secrets are revealed, and relationships are changed. Teen Wolf does a good job of connecting dots, even quite a bit down the road, letting an important bit come out at just the right moment. It’s a skill others of its peers have also figured out, so it’s not alone in this regard, but it provides the draw that keeps viewers coming back week after week.

Well, that, and the body count. Teen Wolf has not shied away from getting rid of characters when the story calls for it, or even sometimes just to pump up the excitement level, and Season 3, Part 1 is certainly no exception to that. With the monster population dense and human sacrifice part of rituals being performed, quite a few people die over these twelve episodes, making for higher stakes danger and plenty of scares. Good thing the show boasts a large recurring cast!

As far as extras go, there are deleted scenes, a gag reel, another shirtless montage for the female (or guys who like guys) fans, and a single featurette entitled “Back to the Pack.” The latter is a TV special that aired prior to season three in which the cast discusses the first two years and previews what’s coming up in the third. It may have been beneficial to watch back in June, but if you plan on viewing it with this DVD, I recommend watching it before the included episodes.

Teen Wolf Season 3, Part 1 is available now.

Teen Wolf Season Two Review

Article first published as DVD Review: Teen Wolf Season Two on BlogCritics.

MTV’s Teen Wolf Season Two, available now on DVD, is a three disc-set that features all twelve episodes of the series that aired last summer. This batch continues the story started in season one, and takes things to a new level, with new, more sinister dangers and fresh additions to the mythology.

Each series has its own way of approaching what werewolves are and how they work, but a generally accepted part of the conceit is that when a person is bitten by a werewolf, they turn into one. Teen Wolf challenges that notion this year as Jackson (Colton Haynes) gets bitten, but does not turn. How? Why? What does this mean?

I like that Teen Wolf makes this kind of bold move, surprising characters and viewers alike. The reasoning behind Jackson’s apparent immunity is not immediately apparent, and has everyone trying to figure out what’s going on. Jackson is affected, but not in the way we expect him to be. Among the various monster types, I’m not sure something like this has really been attempted before, so I praise such an original idea.

Jackson’s resistance presents a problem for Derek (Tyler Hoechlin), who is now an Alpha. He is supposed to be able to lead his pack and tell them what is going on, but this not something he knows anything about. Luckily, there are others that are more susceptible to what Derek offers, newcomer Isaac (Daniel Sharman, Immortals), for one, which means that Derek isn’t without followers. But Jackson does present a challenge to his position, both in theory and in what soon becomes a very real way.

Of course, Scott (Tyler Posey) can’t just fall in line behind Derek. He is the star of Teen Wolf, and isn’t one to cower in a shadow. Scott and Derek may work together sometimes, but that doesn’t mean that Scott will just accept Derek’s actions when he doesn’t agree with them, whether Scott is in his pack or not. This creates some fresh conflict between the two, which is quite interesting.

Posey, while not the strongest performer on television, is growing into the role. Others do a little better than the show’s lead, but his acting is improving as his goes, and he does present a character viewers will root for. Given more time, he will likely continue to get better as the show progresses.

This being an MTV show, most of which are geared towards a certain age bracket, there is also a focus on the romance. Scott continues to see Allison (Crystal Reed), in secret, of course, since she is part of a family of wolf hunters. This does feel very much like the classic Romeo and Juliet tale of the warring families, despite the fact that not all of Allison’s relations are evil, which makes their relationship exciting to the young folks, but also prevents stability. While not completely original, the actors fill the roles well, making for good television.

The other love at the center of this year’s story line is the one between Stiles (Dylan O’Brien) and Lydia (Holland Roden). Sadly, unlike with Scott and Allison, this attraction seems to be one-sided, with Lydia not interested in Stiles’ advances. But the mental breakdowns Lydia suffers and the secrets surrounding her provide plenty of fodder to keep viewers, and Stiles, engaged, even if they aren’t really a couple.

It would actually be quite difficult to give a full summary of this second season in a few hundred words. Teen Wolf packs an incredibly amount of story into each of these episodes, and boasts an ever-expanding cast. In season two, things really ramp up, with the pacing taking off, and the plot flowing along. I liked season one, but I think the second year is when the show really begins to demonstrate what it is about and what it can do. It’s definitely one of the best things to come out of MTV, a sort of cable version of The Vampire Diaries.

And, as one might expect, there is plenty of cliffhanger at the end of Teen Wolf Season Two. However, fear not. The popular series will return this summer with all new installments to continue the saga.

Teen Wolf Season Two has an adequate amount of special features, though skews anything technical or deep in favor of those targeted at their main viewership. There’s a “Shirtless Montage,” alternate Stiles takes, a gag reel, a reel featuring fight scenes, and an introduction to Derek’s pack. There are also audio commentaries on three episodes, a look at season three, and highlights from the series panel at Paleyfest. Nothing groundbreaking here, but enough.

Teen Wolf Season Two is available now.

Teen Wolf The Complete Season One on DVD

If one drew up a list of films that should get a remake for the television screen, the campy Teen Wolf would likely not be near the top. Yet, last year MTV aired a series loosely based on the movie of the same name, and received pretty positive reviews. With season two airing this summer, those who missed it the first go-round may want to catch up with The Complete Season One DVD, on sale now.

MTV's Teen Wolf differs from the movie in many ways. For one, the television series is much darker, building suspense, mystery, and mythology into the story. Goofy humor will only take you so far, and Teen Wolf is mainly a drama, not a sitcom. As such, many of the film's conventions had to go.

But that doesn't mean that the message has changed. Teen Wolf still features a teenage werewolf, struggling not only with normal adolescence and hormones, but supercharged by the strange change that has come over him. One might draw parallels between the curse and puberty. After all, both find young men not sure how to deal with new emotions, aggression, and body hair. But Teen Wolf takes itself completely seriously, and viewers who tune in will likely do the same.

Season one sets a lot of things up. In the first episode, Scott McCall (Tyler Posey, Lincoln Heights, Doc) is bitten. The only person he can trust with his secret is best friend, Stiles (Dylan O'Brien, The First Time), who is quite impressed with the changes in Scott, once he gets over the initial shock. However, neither of these boys know what is going on, exactly, or what to do about it.

Enter Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin, 7th Heaven), a local man, who also happens to be a werewolf. Derek's entire family dealt with this issue, and the end result was most of them being burnt alive. Derek skulks the woods, and while his motivations remain unclear initially, he becomes a sort of mentor to Scott. Too bad Derek's not the only wolf around.

Scott has other worries besides wolves. Not everyone is in the dark about the werewolf race. There are a group of hunters who have long sought to rid the world of the beasts. Very unlucky for Scott, the girl he likes, Allison (Crystal Reed, Crazy, Stupid, Love), just happens to be the daughter of one such enemy (JR Bourne, The Secret Circle, The Exorcism of Emily Rose). Talk about a scary dad!

The cast is mostly young and good looking, as one would expect from a series such as this. Thankfully, most of them are also decent performers. Posey struggles a little, but has enough charm that many fans, especially the female ones, will forgive him, much like Tom Welling in early episodes of Smallville. It's likely he will grow better as the series progresses, especially when he is surrounded by even better talent.

There are a number of special features on The Complete Season One DVD, for fans who would like to go a little deeper into the show. "Meet the Cast of Teen Wolf" is probably the most interesting and informative of the extras. There is also some commentary on select episodes.

For the teen girls who love the show, there's "Teen Wolf: Working the Red Carpet," "Love Bites!" and "Shirtless Montage." A gag reel is included, too.

There are also bonuses for those who favor substance over presentation. An extended version of the season finale, "Code Breaker," is included. There are deleted, alternate, and extended scenes, which give even more glimpses into what has been filmed, and how it all comes together, and is edited down for broadcast.

Teen Wolf The Complete Season One is a worthwhile release, with enough to keep viewers engaged for many an hour. It is a pretty enjoyable series, that only gets a little too hokey and melodramatic occasionally. One could categorize this show as being part of the better programming MTV is putting out this past year or so, and worth setting a DVR for. Pick up your copy today.

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Teen Wolf two night premiere

     MTV's new Teen Wolf opened with a two-night premiere this week on Sunday and Monday. Very loosely based on the 1985 movie of the same name, Teen Wolf finds Scott McCall (Tyler Posey, Lincoln Heights, Doc) experiencing heightened senses after being bitten by a wolf in the forest, even though wolves have not been seen in the area in over half a century. His best friend, Stiles (Dylan O'Brien), realizes that signs point to Scott being a werewolf, but Scott is skeptical. Then he begins to change when angry or excited. It isn't a full change, but he gets some fur, claws, and his eyes glow yellow. Mysterious local Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin, 7th Heaven), whose family was burned in a fire years ago, may have answers, but before he can give them, the duo are attacked by hunters.

     MTV's Teen Wolf, despite looking a lot like Michael J. Fox's, as the change is only partial, and Scott can still walk upright, is a heck of a lot darker. There is no fun basketball game, but instead, Scott's skills cause serious damage and injuries on the lacrosse field, while his gear keeps the spectators unaware of the beast. Opposing team members see the glowing yellow eyes, and are rightfully freaked out, passing Scott the ball and getting out of his way.

     Honestly, the lacrosse stuff is a bit tired. Do most students really care that much about a sport? Any sport? Sure, Scott is invested because he has always sucked until now, and is enjoying being good for once. Popular jock and team captain Jackson (Colton Haynes, The Gates) also takes it seriously, because it affects his social status. But it's just a game. And dreams of becoming a "professional lacrosse player" ring a little hollow in a football-obsessed nation. When was the last time a lacrosse game aired on network television?

     The divide between the popular kids and the geeks is stereotypical and thin, at best. Jackson should welcome Scott among the winners as Scott helps the team do well, not be determined to knock Scott back down to loser status. The need to keep students segregated and not allow anyone to move up the ladder is worse than trite. It feels like Glee or High School Musical, both of which tell the tale in a much better developed way.

     But the plot isn't entirely uninteresting. Derek provides some back story and mystique, giving Scott more to deal with than just controlling his powers on the field and around the pretty girl he has a crush on, Allison (Crystal Reed). Speaking of Allison, she, too, is tied into deeper motives, as her father (JR Bourne, The Exorcism of Emily Rose) is the lead hunter who has come to town to kill the wolves. Not to mention, Derek's sister is found ripped in half. So there's a lot going on besides the teenage angst, thankfully.

     The cast is capable enough, but no one really stands out, so time will tell if any of them can handle anything special, or if this will be another show that only teens watch.

     Which makes Teen Wolf hard to judge. Elements of it are stupid and inane, but others are neat and could be deep. The series feels more like it should be on SyFy or the CW than MTV, which might be a point in its favor. At this time, the only thing to do is keep watching and see if it gets better or worse. If it stays the same, it will continue to be hard to know whether it's a good series or not, as it straddles the line.

     Teen Wolf airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET on MTV.

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     To buy Teen Wolf streaming episodes, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: Teen Wolf - "Wolf Moon; Second Chance at First Line" on Blogcritics.