Superman & Lois thinning out its main cast for Season 4 can have a positive effect but it could also damage the creative heart of the series.
The following contains spoilers for Superman & Lois Season 3, Episode 12, "Injustice," which debuted Tuesday, June 20 on The CW.
When fans heard Superman & Lois was getting a Season 4, it's safe to say they were relieved. However, it's bittersweet because it's a shorter season with massive budget cuts. As a result, the show's main cast has been trimmed, reducing the roles of the main supporting characters and leaving fans online speculating who'll be recurring or involved in guest appearances.
Superman & Lois does have enough quality with the Kents, so it's easy to be optimistic about the upcoming story. However, given the direction of Season 3 and what's been teased for Season 4, there's a chance it can detract from the quality a bit. Even more so given the consistent theme of family that's been the series' strength. Thus, there are pros and cons to these new changes.
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Superman & Lois' Reduced Cast Can Lead to a More Focused Story
Given Michael Cudlitz's Lex Luthor has only entered the fray in the final two episodes, it's a good bet he'll be the main antagonist in Season 4. Accordingly, a reduced cast can keep the Kents and Lex in a streamlined rivalry. This more focused approach helps craft a bigger character study with one of DC's most iconic villains.
Whether it's comics, video games, live-action, or animation, getting more Lex Luthor stories is something avid fans enjoy. In fact, a prominent presence is what helped make Michael Rosenbaum's Lex on Smallville stand out. Thus, Superman & Lois can harness this same energy smartly by having only one central conflict for the protagonists to deal with. More than anything, a plot-driven story works better for a character like Lex Luthor, who can be a handful on his own.
A more focused story would easily present Lex as an intimidating, viable threat. This includes diving into his empire in terms of science and business. His kingpin attitude also needs to be better explored as it presents Lex in a more terrifying light. Not to mention, Lex's wife and daughter abandoning him can help depict him as a nuanced, layered individual. A more focused Season 4 could help explain the loss and why Lex wants the Kents to end their journalism. In the process, Season 4 could end up feeling like a more traditional Superman story, enriching Lex's personal life and vendetta.
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Superman & Lois' Reduced Cast Guts the Kents' Support System
Conversely, while previous seasons of Superman & Lois had many different storylines, it also benefited the show in a tremendous way. Jordan's training informs why he's a flawed Superboy, and Lana's family examines the pressures of keeping the Kents' secrets. Similarly, John Henry Irons' Steel and his daughter Natalie address the idea of heroes being willing to kill. This offsets any monotony of a Man of Steel operating with a self-righteous moral compass and saving lives in Smallville.
In addition, the supporting cast creates a better sense of community in the farm town of Smallville, with even the non-powered Jon being so relatable after getting over his addiction to X-Kryptonite. It's all part of highlighting the humanity in and around Clark, reaffirming he needs his people as an important support system. As such, everyone is connected, adding a sense of growth to so many characters. Unfortunately, with the supporting cast diminished, Superman & Lois risks feeling smaller than Smallville itself. The main characters themselves can even stagnate without their supporting cast to challenge and elevate them.
Keeping these emotional connections maintains the Kents' momentum. If this goes missing, it'll take away their steam. What makes matters worse is General Sam Lane won't be present in Season 4 despite being the glue that holds these different groups of people together. This makes it more challenging for newer characters to fit organically into Superman's orbit, and for more established characters like Steel and Lana Lang to feel like soulless cameos. Ultimately, the Kents losing their support system may outweigh the positives of Lex being the anchor. While having a solid villain is good, strong execution will be needed to ensure the series can still thrive in the absence of the Kents' allies.