Superman & Lois Finally Confirms What’s in the Mines, Tyler Hoechlin Reacts to the ‘Really Cool’ Reveal
We finally know what’s been making that ruckus in the Shuster Mines — and it’s not what, or rather who, most fans expected.
Appropriately titled “The Thing in the Mines,” Tuesday’s episode of Superman & Lois finally revealed the identity of… the thing in the mines. Following its escape from the underground, the mystery creature got into a scuffle with the Man of Steel, during which we discovered that it’s actually — wait for it — Bizarro Superman!
Though Bizarro has taken many forms over the years, he’s generally depicted as an inverted version of Superman, hence the reversed symbol on his chest. Bizarro traditionally takes on a villainous role in his various incarnations, but he also has a certain antihero quality about him. Just for fun, here’s how the character was famously introduced in Superman: The Animated Series:
But before we discuss that pivotal moment with Tyler Hoechlin, let’s quickly recap what else went down in Smallville this week: Following a slight stumble in her campaign, Lana regained her confidence as a political animal. And Jordan forgave Sarah for kissing that girl at camp, then practically proposed using the necklace his grandfather gave his grandmother in high school.
Meanwhile, Jonathan learned that Candice has been selling Timmy those homegrown ‘roids; Natalie came to terms with John Henry joining the fight, but she insisted on upgrading his suit; and Lois set up a meeting with Lucy, only to be blindsided by cult leader Ally Allston in her place.
OK, now for Hoechlin’s thoughts on Bizarro:
TVLINE | As soon as I realized that I was looking at Bizarro, I released an audible gasp. What was your reaction?
I remember the conversation I had with Todd Helbing, our amazing showrunner. I was insanely excited about it when he told me. With TV, there’s always the fear that sometimes you’ll get locked into doing the same thing over and over to the point where you feel like it’s Groundhog’s Day. This was a really cool chance to do something different — an opportunity to play on set and really let go.
TVLINE | And now you’ll be pulling double duty.
Well, we call it triple duty around here, but yes. [Laughs] I’ll be doing a little mano a mano with myself for sure.
TVLINE | Actually, if you count Clark, Superman, Bizarro and Superman from John’s earth, you’ve actually played four roles.
The list is growing!
TVLINE | Did you get a chance to see a cut of this episode? I imagine it must be weird watching yourself fighting… yourself.
I actually decided last year when we were shooting the pilot that I wasn’t going to watch any of the episodes. It was just a decision I made with the character, to make it easier to go into work and continue to commit to what I’m doing. I’ve told [directors and producers] that they can let me know if there’s anything I’m doing that’s not working, or if I need to go in a different direction. But I’m not going to be watching any of the cuts, so I won’t be able to spot anything. For me, it’s just a way of not judging it and being so critical with what it is. There may be something that I don’t like seeing myself doing, but if it works for the character on the show, that’s the important thing. It really doesn’t matter what I think. Maybe when the series is wrapping up at some point in the future, I’ll consider going back and watching them. For now, I’m going to let Clark and Superman live unimpeded by my opinion of them.
TVLINE | You really need to do a watch podcast when this is all over.
Oh, I know. That’s actually a good idea, that would be kind of fun.
TVLINE | OK, back to Bizarro. How much of his look is done with makeup vs. added later in post?
There’s a bit of a mix going on of practical and what they can do with VFX these days, which is amazing. The moment you don’t see yourself in the mirror is a really freeing experience. You realize that one else is seeing you, either. They’re seeing this character. So it gives you the freedom to be a little more cavalier and just let go. That was really cool. Our makeup, hair and wardrobe teams collectively did a great job with this.
TVLINE | Now that we know it was Bizarro in there, should we be putting all this talk of Doomsday to bed? Was that an official misdirect?
When it’s a movie, it’s a lot easier to say yes it was this or no it was that as the actor. On these shows, I never want to say anything definitive because I don’t know. There are certain things they keep from us too. I think it is what it is at the moment, but who knows what it leads to. Only Todd and the writers have that answer.
TVLINE | We rarely see Clark at any sort of extreme, so watching him explode at the boys this week was a lot. How intense was that to film?
There are certain constants with Superman that also bleed into Clark. We really are playing with things that haven’t been dealt with by this character. Moments like that always stand out to me. Like, Clark would never do that. It’s not who he is, and it’s not who Superman is. He has the patience we all wish we had. So to see him lash out in those moments, when you first read it on the page, you think: How far does this go? Why is this happening? A lot of questions go into that because it’s so out of character for him.
TVLINE | It’s been fun watching you and [Teen Wolf co-star] Ian Bohen together again. How has that experience been?
It’s so much fun. I call him Bo. Bo and I have been really good buddies for a long time now, so to have him up here and to be across from each other on the screen has been fun. Squaring off against him is always great. We hold it together during the takes, but it’s usually a laugh fest afterwards. He has a great character to play this season. I’m excited for everyone to see where Anderson goes. We’re really lucky to be able do this.
TVLINE | And will we be lucky enough to see you two again in the Teen Wolf reunion movie?
[Laughs] That I can neither confirm nor deny. We’ll see. There are a lot of things going on, but I don’t have any confirmation at this point. In this world, anything’s possible.
Your thoughts on Bizarro’s surprise entrance into the world of Superman & Lois? Drop ’em in a comment below.
It’s interesting that they introduced Bizarro so soon into the series. I can’t wait to see where they’ll go with this story arc and the Lois/Lucy situation.
Frankly, I just don’t see a long term future for this show. Sure, 5-6 seasons, and at least 100 eps, sure. I think the initial plan was to slowly but surely transition to the kids being the star of the show, but the kids seems to have been the far and away least popular part of the show.
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And if they can’t eventually make the kids the heart of the show (or spin them off into their own new show)? Well, the show’s universe seems to have already dealt with Lex Luthor and his sister, and Mercy Graves……..So what is left, villain wise.
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Much like with The Flash, Supes has the over powered problem. He is so strong that his opponent must have incredible power in order for said opponent to present a legitimate threat to Supes. And the problem with that is the more superpowers that are needed, the more special effects are needed which raises the cost of the show. The main 4-5 adults on the show aren’t cheap in their own right. Then there are some kids and supporting actors, and the cast cost goes way up. That is before the SFX costs.
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Ergo, after year 5, this show will get ruinously expensive. Before that happens, they’ll shed Lois’s dad, so they’ll save some money.
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This whole premise, especially given how the first eps of S1 were handled, make me believe that the plan was always to heavily feature the kids, and possibly transition to them as the stars down the road. But the kids were lucky to come back. If they’d all gotten scholarships to some out of town boarding school, they’d have never been missed.
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If the show wants to continue they will have to feature more and more of the adults.
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That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the show doesn’t retcon somehow and totally ignore Supergirl. Mellissa seems unlikely to do any guest appearances, so this show might just pretend that show never happened, and open up the backlog of characters.
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But I was surprised they went this big in S2.
Why are you even watching? Sounds like you hate it. You really can’t stand the kids can you. I’m pretty sure it’s just you who dislikes them. I haven’t seen anyone else complain. And what makes you think a show called “Superman and Lois” would phase out the two lead characters and have two children take the lead? In your mind do they just live on the farm like the Odd Couple? One of them likes it clean. One of them is messy. One of them likes sport. The other has heat vision and the power of flight. Yep, I can totally see it.
I can’t stop thinking about this comment. It’s so weird. It’ll have to feature more of the adults? What are you talking about? As for longevity, Superman has been around for around 85 years and the show is using characters in ways other iterations of the character haven’t. Not to mention both Superman and Supergirl exist in comics at the same time and she has been around for over 60 years. I think they’ll be good for awhile should they decide to keep going.
So so good and excited to see where this goes.
I didn’t catch on right away when I saw the small part of his face, at first I was just thinking that doesn’t look like doomsday it looks more like lobo
I think Lobo might be next after Bizarro and maybe Bruce Wayne.
Lobo is where I got my dogs name from so that would be cool.
You named your dog the Khundish word for ‘He who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys it?’
Lobo’s name translated :)
Has anyone noticed that during this episode there was a very antiquated display of gender roles. Jon is surprised that Natalie plays Madden? Too much emphasis on Lana being a lady mayor? These scenarios seem outmoded.
Jon’s Comments were perfectly right for a 15 year old Boy… and note, Natalie Won saif game, proving his stereotype wrong
and I think with the way they pivoted from ‘needing a woman to do a Mayor’s Job” to Campaigning via Podcast? this too was setting it up specifically to knock it down
I think you’re reading too much into it. A 15 year old boy would probably say something like that. Natalie won the game, she fixed the car in the last episode and instead of telling her dad to stop helping she said she’d fix the suit. The emphasis was on people being excited to have a woman as mayor. Not confusion. As for the video. It’s politics. Anything you can do to separate you and your opponent is used.
Loved the episode! Can’t wait to see what come next.
am I the only one seeing “subtext” to the Female Cult Leader (who preys on Females) being named “Ally Allston”…
(either/Both names look a lot like “Allison”)
and of course Smallville’s Allison Mack was convicted for participating at a high level in a cult that abused women
It could be but I have a feeling its more of a coincidence. I do however have a weird feeling that she may be granny goodness in disguise
I guess she could be either Granny Goodness, the immortal witch Circe, or Archangel Gabriel(imagine Superman or Lois having to fight a Constantine villain) in disguise with their own bad guy plans!
Having Bizarro dressed in basically the same outfit Doomsday was when he was introduced in the comics was a great bit of misdirection. Really digging this season. Also, really enjoying Lana’s story. Her running for mayor has been interesting. And it’s giving Emmanuelle Chriqui a chance to really shine.
It really was a great trick to put him in the Doomsday threads. The show zigs when we expect it to zag, once again, like it did with John Henry. More importantly, it’s a GREAT idea for a zag–zagging just for zagging’s sake rarely works.
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I do hope the show does Doomsday someday–the whole Death and Return arc, on this show where he has a family, would be just absolutely incredible. The drama would be amazing. However, it’s way too early to do it now. Plus, ideally it would have crossover from the other CW shows, and maybe in a year or three COVID will let that happen again the way it should.
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Bizarro’s going to be really fun!
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Nat needs more attention. I get that there are all these other (good) plots the show wants to get to, but she’s kind of getting lost by the wayside. Lois didn’t even spend any time with her this episode. If I had a kid show up that was biologically mine from an alternate universe counterpart, it would be the only thing on my radar and on my mind for a good long time.
I liked the head fake earlier in the episode when Lois mentioned “doomsday” during her conversation with Clark
they even namechecked
“End of the World” and “Doomsday” during Lois & Clark’s conversation after he had one of his episodes
I am digging the concept of Clark needing help to beat the big bad. Smallville hinted at the JSA but never really went there. John Henry, plus Jordan, plus maybe Jon once he gets powers, plus maybe one of the army kids could be interesting. I knew Tyler would be playing the villain because the two of the same person story was done in Batwoman, but I thought it would be dark Clark rather than Bizarro. Good twist. I love that they had Lois say Doomsday just before the big reveal as a red herring.
That doesn’t mean that Doomsday couldn’t still show up. His arrival has been hinted at a lot these past few episodes.
The show may play Doomsday the way the MCU played Thanos. A real slow build into S4 or later.
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And that is IF the show is allowed to do him depending on what the movies ultimately do.
Anyone else tired of all these doppelgängers storylines? Brainiac or some other villian would have been better
Hard to Brainiac with the Supergirl version being a hero.
Different Brainiacs. The “Supergirl” Brainiac was Brainiac 5. “Krypton” did a live-action version of the original Brainiac (although that wasn’t an Arrowverse show).
There was an female villain Brainiac in Supergirl first season but i get what you’re saying
im glad we finally met bizzaro superman but why the doomsday teases unless those red lights both see in the caves are him? but I got more darkseid vibes from the red lights than doomsday.
well actually athough i’ll likely watch it tommorow on the app maybe that’s why the general formed the sons of krypton as he knew about bizzarro and was hoping superman would be on his side
perhaps yeah
Me so happy. Me want to cry.
I’m 73 years old. I haven’t enjoyed many of the recreations of Superman since Christopher Reeve. They all seem so much the same. That’s why I really enjoy Superman and Lois. It’s fresh and new and well written. I was 10 years old in 1958 when I was introduced to the comic with Bizzaro Superman. I knew who that was immediately on your show. Good job!
I’m 67 myself and remember those books too. This is the best Superman show ever!
This show was very good last year because they kept the teen melodrama down to a minimum. They really took some big steps backwards on that this year. The Jordan thing is completely bonkers and is a bad step. I am not watching this show for some 15 year old girl kissed someone thing, and the reactions to it are bizarre. Everyone is acting like it is HIS problem she cheated and his “secret” is worse. His secret is something to him, cheating is a betrayal of your BF. Her family is acting like he is jerk for not forgiving her for kissing someone else? If my kid cheated on the BF/GF I would not say “they don’t deserve you”, I would say he has reason now not to trust you and you need to win that back. Then to top it all off, his acting like a loon and saying he wants to marry her and tell his secret (he is 15!) is just dumbteen melodrama at its worst.
He’s acting like a 15 year old in love for the first time would. The acting is great and everyone on the show are top notch actors. Love this show!
I don’t know the comics that well. I know of Bizzaro Superman, but I don’t recall how they have a psychic link. So Bizzaro can project his emotions into Clark? Was that in the comics?
Also curious how the lady in the mine is connected and who she is working with to bring about Bizzaro.
this article came up on my google news feed with the image of animated Bizarro before I saw the episode. thanks for the spoiler.
Love this show. Hoping the teen melodrama calms down. Similar to S1, I struggled with the teens in early eps but grew to like them in later eps. Struggled with Jordan & Sarah this ep. Found them both one note characters.
The Clark/Superman/Bizzarro was all brilliant. Can’t wait to see Tyler having some fun switching things up as Bizzarro. Really enjoyed all things Lois, General Lane, John Henry & Natalie Irons. Liked the interaction with Natalie & the twins. Jon’s X-K storyline has me intrigued.
Looking forward to next ep.