Fans ofSuperman & Loiswere left with heavy hearts last night as the well-received DC Comics series ended its four-season run on The CW. The ending was much more than a conclusion for the series, as it was also the last remaining DC show on the network, signaling the end of an era for the once potent brand on The CW. The network went through an acquisition in recent years and its new business model has shifted it away from scripted programming. Despite this,Superman & Loisdidn’t end on a rushed and unsatisfying note, and many fans took to social media to express their gratitude for the show.
A glance atXsince the series finale aired shows thatSuperman & Loismaintained what made it great since its premiere in 2021. The show has always been praised for its grounded approach to its characters, while providing comic book fans with a fresh approach in a superhero universe that has become considerably crowded over the years. User @Truth31The said,“SUPERMAN & LOIS’ Will go down as one of the best Superman shows/media of all time. The cast & crew deserves all the praise in the world for delivering a heartfelt ending. Thanks for the memories. It went by so fast.“User @mikalbridge echoed that sentiment by saying,“The finale literally made me cry. Greatest comic book show ever, best Superman ever. Best Lois Lane ever. I’m gonna miss this show so much.”
Some users pointed toSmallville, another well-receivedSupermanseries, moving to The CW 18 years ago, which kicked off the network’s work with DC TV shows. This also led to the popularArrowverse, which dominated The CW withArrow,The Flash,Legends of TomorrowandSupergirl. User @superflashwest said,“18 years ago,Smallvillemoved to the CW. And now, tonight, the CW DCTV Universe ends withSuperman & Lois. This universe has been such a HUGE part of my life & it’s helped make me who I am. Feeling bittersweet today.“User @AustinPlanet praised the series for what it could do on a limited CW budget by saying,"#SupermanAndLois is one of the greatest comic book adaptations ever made. What the show did on a CW budget is incredible. At times it looked better than some movies. Tyler Hoechlin is a perfect Superman and I’ll missing watching him.”
You can check out more reactions from the finale below:
‘Superman & Lois’ Quickly Forged its Own Path
Superman & Loisbegan with the intention of being a part ofArrowverse’sEarth-Prime during its first season, as it was developed as a spin-off ofSupergirlafter Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch reprised their titular roles. However, circumstances forced the series to shape itself as its own entity following the cancelation of planned crossovers withBatwomanandSupergirlthat were done away with due to the pandemic. Showrunner Todd Helbing decided to set the show in its own continuity, which led to the series carving its own identity, which was well-received by critics and fans.
DC Fans Think ‘Superman & Lois’ Has the Superior Take on ‘Batman v. Superman’ Villain
‘Superman & Lois’ has revealed the final design of the classic villain Doomsday.
In January 2023, new DC Studios co-CEOs, James Gunn and Peter Safran, said they expectedSuperman & Loisto continue for"one or two more seasons,“signaling that the end was near for the fan-favorite show. This was seemingly confirmed when the President of Entertainment at The CW, Brad Schwartz, commented that the business model of the show would not work for the new direction of the network as it wastoo expensive to produceand didn’t directly generate profits for the company, as The CW didn’t own the rights to the previous seasons.
In order to secure a final season, the show had to reduce the number of its contracted regular cast members and writers, while also trimming the number of action scenes. The show was officially renewed for afinal season in November 2023, but production was delayed due to the dual WGA and SAG strikes. Despite the limitations of the fourth and final season, the series became more streamlined as a family-focused show, which played to its strengths as a character-driven drama.
Across its four seasons,Superman & Loiswas well-received by critics, registering an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, while it was also a reliable ratings performer. Although they dipped each season, the show was discovered in other ways via the Max streaming service and The CW app. As other CW shows saw sharper declines when the network began to change its focus,Superman &. Loisremained one of its most consistent shows.
Developed by Helbing and Greg Berlanti,Superman & Lois began with Clark Kent/Superman (Hoechlin) and Lois Lane (Tulloch) returning to Smallville with their sons Jonathan (Jordan Elsass in Seasons 1-2, Michael Bishop in Seasons 3-4) and Jordan (Alex Garfin). Their lives are seemingly calm after reconnecting with Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chirui) and her husband Kyle Cushing (Erik Valdez), but that is upended by various foes that force Clark to don his superhero image of hope as Superman.
