By the time this weekend has concluded, Supergirl will have filled in one of the biggest blanks when it comes to the Superman mythos once Jon Cryer debuts as Lex Luthor. When first announced, fans expressed some skepticism because of the actor’s history with the comedy genre, but it’s important to remember the guy is a professional actor capable of playing varied roles.
Seeing as how Lex is actually one of my favorite supervillains, I admit that I’m going into “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” with a positive attitude because the footage circulating ahead of said episode causes me to believe that Cryer will pull this off rather well. Though he may not ultimately eclipse Smallville‘s Michael Rosenbaum, his take on the character most definitely draws inspiration from Grant Morrison’s All-Star Superman.
Funny enough, this isn’t the first time Cryer’s played a Luthor, having previously starred as Lex’s nephew, Lenny, in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Knowing that moviegoers have done their best to forget that flick, Jon offered the following during a recent interview:
“I had a certain amount of familiarity. I was very excited about working with Katie McGrath, and I loved the whole story that they’ve set up for this season. I felt like Lenny was a branch on the family tree that fell off pretty early and was rotting on the ground for a long while. So I feel like this was my chance to sort of reclaim it and do it a little more justice — or injustice, as it were.”
Like I said, Cryer is seemingly poised to redeem himself, yet the situation doesn’t come without a bit of irony. You see, this season’s finale is actually titled “The Quest for Peace.” Having gotten that out in the open, I’m sure the producers knew full well what they were doing, and how Cryer’s story has come full circle.
For more on “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” be sure to check out the official synopsis:
Secretly furloughed from prison due to failing health, Lex Luthor (guest star Jon Cryer) visits his sister, Lena (Katie McGrath), to seek her help finding a cure. Savvy as ever, Lena is suspicious of Lex’s motives but when she’s faced with a life and death situation, she must decide how she truly feels about her brother. Meanwhile, Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and J’onn (David Harewood) face off against Manchester Black (guest star David Ajala). James’ sister Kelly (guest star Azie Tesfai) comes to town.
Supergirl airs on Sunday nights on The CW.
