CW's 'Superman & Lois' has quietly evolved into an essential superhero series

While superhero fans have been consumed this year by “Zack Snyder's Justice League,” Marvel's Disney+ shows and the hype for this weekend's “The Suicide Squad,” The CW has quietly aired an essential chapter in the Superman mythos — and its best, classiest, DC-inspired TV series yet.

“Superman & Lois” premiered in February on the network known for colorful, over-the-top comic adaptations such as “Supergirl” and “Legends of Tomorrow.” The title suggests a relationship drama, a la ABC's “Lois & Clark” from the '90s, but these incarnations of “Superman & Lois” played by Tyler Hoechlin (“Teen Wolf”) and Bitsie Tulloch (“Grimm”) are parents of teenagers.

And they're not especially good parents. That provides the show's main source of conflict when Superman isn't fighting armored killers from another dimension and heartless corporate sharks.

All this is happening in the idyllic setting of Smallville, the rural Kansas town where Superman was raised as Clark Kent. The family leaves Metropolis behind after Clark gets laid off by the Daily Planet and Lois quits to spite greedy new owner Morgan Edge (Adam Rayner). Clark's teenage crush Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui) still lives there with her husband, the fire chief (Erik Valdez), and talented daughter Sarah (Inde Navarrette), who introduces the Kents' twin boys to small-town life.

One of those boys, Jonathan (Jordan Elsass), was a football star in Metropolis. Brother Jordan (Alex Garfin) is more withdrawn and anxious. Guess which one ends up inheriting Dad's superpowers?

Episode 10, titled “O Mother, Where Art Thou?”, stands out as a perfect melding of the show's domestic and intergalactic dramas. Chriqui, who has been on the edge of stardom for over a decade since her funny appearance in Adam Sandler's “You Don't Mess With the Zohan,” gives the show's finest performance when Lana volunteers to serve as a vessel for Clark's Kryptonian mother's soul. (Hey, this is a superhero show, there's gonna be weird stuff happening.)

There are two episodes left this season, with the penultimate hour airing 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, on The CW (Channel 26). Catch up for free on The CW app or at cwtv.com.

• Sean Stangland is an assistant news editor.