Source: HBO
Overall 8.0/10
Story 7.9/10
Clark discovers his powers at a young age. But don’t think we rush right into him being Superman. Instead, he just wants to be a normal guy realizing his dream of becoming a journalist in the big city. We next see him in Metropolis. His best buddy is Jimmy Olsen. Clark, Jimmy and Lois are all interns, cutting their teeth at the Daily Planet. But Lois leads them down a dangerous path to get a story. And it could get them fired or worse.
The writers set a light tone. These are younger characters. They're just stepping into their roles. And they don't have the weight of the world on their shoulders just yet. It makes for a brilliant and refreshing interplay between the characters, especially the interactions between our trio and Perry White.
Source: HBO
Character 8.2/10
Clark is a little different than other depictions. He’s not perfect. He's not a Kryptonian god that has come to save everyone. In fact, he’s a little clumsy because he hasn’t completely come into his powers yet. He's awkward around Lois. That's because he likes her. He doesn’t want to be a superhero either. He just wants to be a normal guy with hopes, dreams and ambitions of becoming a reporter.
Lois Lane has everything that we've always seen her possess. It's just that it hasn't completely developed yet. She’s driven, ambitious and has an insatiable nose for news. But all of those qualities are just coming together. After all, she’s just an intern. So it’s all the more believable in this depiction that she doesn’t know that Clark has powers, especially since they haven't known each other for very long.
Jimmy is a ball of energy and conspiracy theories. The funny thing is even though he has no proof, and his theories sound completely insane, he’s actually right.
Perry White is the editor. He’s Clark, Lois and Jimmy’s boss. But he behaves more like a frustrated father, tired of the fact that his kids won’t listen to him. It definitely adds to the comic beats in the show.
Source HBO
Animation 7.8/10
The art and animation look very similar to an anime style. But over the years Warner Brothers Animation and DC Studios have experimented with various anime styles. It works really well for this one. The bright colors and shades really complement the light tone that the writers are going for.
Final Thoughts
The first episode shows Superman and Lois Lane before they become major players in the DC Universe. This is the stage where they take their lumps and have growing pains. Batman has his Year One. Could this series be Superman's?