Superman & Lois premiered in 2021 and continued to be an exciting ride for fans of the Arrowverse on The CW. Season 4, episode 10, “It Went By So Fast” just aired on Monday Dec. 2, 2024, but was that the final episode?
Brave and kind-hearted Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin) and smart journalist Lois Lane’s (Bitsie Tulloch) infamous romance came to life in four seasons of Superman & Lois. With strong ratings and positive fan reactions, it seemed like the show could continue forever. But is there going to be a fifth season?
Will there be a Superman & Lois season 5?
It’s time to take a deep breath and process the news: there will be no Superman & Lois season 5. Why was it canceled? There are two important parts of the story. First of all, Brad Schwartz, the president of entertainment at The CW, said that DC decided to end the show. He said: “They don’t want a competing Superman product in the marketplace” because James Gunn is directing Superman: Legacy, which will be released in 2005.
So, what’s the other reason? According to Radio Times, NextStar took over The CW in 2023, the company decided to stop making most scripted shows and move to unscripted instead. According to Bam! Smack Pow!, the network also wanted their shows to be less pricey, which was why Superman & Lois season 4 got only 10 episodes. In November 2023, Variety reported that although the show was coming back for season 4, that was going to be the last one. Although seasons 1 through 3 of the series aired on Thursday evenings, season 4 aired on Monday nights.
Also, according to Radio Times, co-showrunner Brent Fletcher shared what fans could expect from the last episode: “It’s a great send-off for our hero and our family and these iconic characters that you care about.” He added: “There are a lot of big surprises in it that are thrilling, but there’s also big emotion.”
Although The CW could have canceled Superman & Lois after season 3, they decided to let the showrunners conclude the story properly. The showrunners of Nancy Drew, Walker, and Riverdale were also granted the chance to have one final season. Although Superman & Lois had a few more seasons than Gotham Knights, which only got one, it’s still tough when writers aren’t able to decide when to finish the tale they were telling.
Everyone’s Monday evenings will be less bright, fun, and thrilling now, but at least the last episode delivered. As co-showrunner Todd Helbing told TV Insider: “this was one of the rare opportunities to tell a whole Superman story” and he and Fletcher wanted to ensure the conclusion had “meaning.” The series finale was definitely a powerful one that tugged at everyone’s heartstrings, especially the last few moments. The show wrapped up Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s epic love story in a truly unexpected, beautiful, and moving way. Thankfully, Helbing told TV Line that The CW had “just a small note” but otherwise, the showrunners had creative freedom for the series finale.
Nothing can truly soften the blow of a well-crafted show being canceled, especially with a fandom that is always ready for more Superman stories. But, if beggers can’t be choosers and bad news happens all the time, at least the showrunners knew they could feel good about figuring out one more epic season.