Episodes 3 Review
In third episode of "My Adventures with Superman," "My Interview with Superman" the ramifications of Livewire distributing the stolen military technology are already in effect. Out to publish a story that will make Perry White take them seriously, Clark, Lois, and Jimmy attempt to locate Intergang's target in time.
The episode starts off with Superman saving a pilot from an AmazoTech blimp that crashed into a building and the people below who are in danger's path. Lois arrives to interview him but he's a bit skiddish to her chagrin. Next up, the villains of the week do a jail break and sets their comrade free from her cell at Stryker's Penitentiary. The episode is off to quick start and establishes the two main sub-plots. Lois being frustrated about not getting to Superman to agree to an interview is fairly part and parcel for a Superman series but in contrast, this series's take on Intergang is brand new. Far from the traditional hi-tech mob supplied by the most evil of evil alien despots, this Intergang is just a two-bit street gang of three friends who equip themselves with some of the stolen alien tech and a freeze ray device to knock off a bank and get respect. Instead of Bruno Mannheim and his ilk, we have 20-something takes on Silver Banshee, Mist, and Rough House. Instead of having meta-human powers, their powers are science-based courtesy of the tech. Mist's allows him to camouflage, Rough House's gives him super strength, and Silver Banshee's allows her emit sonic blasts.
Superman's conflict this episode is both an emerging new super power and getting Lois off his trail by convincing her to go after Intergang for a story. The dynamic between Clark and Lois continues to be entertaining especially when she vents her frustration over Superman to him. The episode also introduces the Daily Planet's star team of reporters: Cat Grant, Steve Lombard, and Ronnie Troupe whom Superman fans will recognize. Troupe has been re-envisioned as a woman this time around but is still the most level headed of the bunch. Grant and Lombard over-the-top in the news persona department. While their appearance is brief in this episode, would stand to reason they will be recurring this season and act as frenenemies and mirrors to our main trio of Clark, Lois, and Jimmy.
Aside from two new teams of characters introduced in this episode, there are also two stealth intros. The easier to catch of the two is the Channel 52 News reporter on TV at the Daily Planet who reports on the Stryker break out. She signs off as "Bethany Snow," a character associated with the 80s Teen Titans comics and was notably an acolyte of Brother Blood. The blink-and-miss intro is the warden of Stryker's Penitentiary. She's credited simply as "Warden" but if you watch and pause when her stolen key card is used, it reveals the warden is Agatha Zorbatos, who was the warden of Blackgate Penitentiary in the more recent Batman comics. Jimmy's intriguing conspiracy theory of the week mentions a secret government super soldier program. The poster child for that in the DC universe is Slade Wilson who is a recurring baddie already on this show so perhaps some things are being set up for the future? We'll see what goes down. So far, the show seems to be sticking to tech enhancement and aliens as those with powers. Perhaps a meta-human break out could be the subject of next season.
The real fun of the episode is Clark, Lois, and Jimmy... well, being journalists - trying to infiltrate Stryker's and imitating Cat, Steve, and Ronnie with their own twist was such a hoot. Kudos to Alice Lee doing a spot-on take on Melanie Minichino's Cat Grant dialed up a few notches. Or Jimmy's assessment of Ronnie. Or Clark's "enthusiasm" with taking part in the farce and overall being "corrupted" by Lois. The definition of "steal" was perfect. Then they snoop and quickly break down the clues and figure out Intergang's plan together but Clark's reaction to Lois's real plan is worth the price of admission.
As the episode sets up, Intergang's freeze ray malfunctions during the big bank robbery at the most crucial point then Rough House's usual save only makes things worse. Despite the danger, Lois and Jimmy evacuates the surrounding area while Superman manifests heat vision for the first time to destroy the freeze ray's alien component while also seeing another weird out-of-context flashback, this time seeing those same robots he fought in the premiere marching and blasting at something or someone. And during the mop up, no one notices Slade Wilson in the bank. Touched by Lois and Jimmy's heroic act, Superman finally agrees to Lois's request but since he doesn't have much answers about himself, he can't answer her questions very well. On the bright side, Lois apologizes to Clark about keeping her real plan a secret again and promises not to do it anymore. However, she thinks Superman is a big liar! Clark can't catch a break can he?
"My Interview with Superman" immediately addresses the dangers of low-level criminals getting their hands on the military tech dispersed by Livewire, the city encountering their new protector, Superman learning a little more about his powers and the Daily Planet interns growing a little stronger as a team. However, Clark learns Lois won't be so easily dissuaded from learning the truth about Superman. While the episode had a weird take on Intergang that strayed a bit too far, the dynamics of the main cast remain just as strong and entertaining as the series premiere.
DCAU Resource's rating: 9/10