Krypton Returns: Lobo Enters

SYFY's "Krytpon" (see March '18 post) has sprung a second season, paving the way for further, precursory rivalries.

One might argue that "Krypton" isn't as much a Man of Steel derivative as it's a science-fiction, royal-family soap opera, with the besieged House of El fighting for footing during the zealous Zod rise: the latter shepherded by the distinguished Colin Salmon. There's also an intercutting, time-travel motif, for which I'm most grateful.   

On the top-star side, Cameron Cuffe reprises the ancestral Se(y)g-El, behaving (and looking) every ounce the prestigious part: an ideal performer for the ideal protagonist within this regal concept. However, my personal favorite among his haughty ensemble is Wallis Day's Nyssa-Vex: man, oh man, as icy and enticing as any Hitchcock vixen. (What can I say? I have a thing for tall, striking blondes--married one, in fact.)

Last season, Shaun Sipos' determined Adam Strange and Blake Ritson's Borg-ish Brainiac were marketing ploys. This time, we're handed Emmett J. Scanlon's Lobo. From the publicity samples, Scanlon conveys the perfect, KISS-like eclat to draw viewers.

Lobo should have blessed a big-budget, theatrical flick by now, but I'm cool with a downsized edition. No shame in that. The small screen has proven beneficial to Superman's legacy, having pushed the popularity of George Reeves, John Haymes Newton, Gerard Christopher, Dean Cain, Tom Welling, Tyler Hoechlin and now of course, Cuffe--and that's just the male, lineage leads. There's a whole queue of adored, elbow-rubbing players for each icon, who only seem to grow in popularity.  

The big, reverberating question: Will "Krypton" instill the lasting influence of other Superman/DC series: i.e., will it be more than a footnote after its icicles drip? 

I, for one, desire less squabbling and more action for this ambitious serial. I'm not talking incessant action, either, or even more time-travel oomph, but just a layer more of either to pull the saga from the semi snoot-fest it's become. On the other hand, the Brainiac segments have been absorbing, and snootiness does define that particular mega mind. Anyway, I wonder whether Season 2 will lighten the highbrow load, now that big brawler Lobo is to enter, or will he also fade into the garrulous garnish?  

Guess we'll have to see how far the Kryptonian calamity crashes. Still, there's no arguing that "Krypton'"s sequelization shows that the Superman decades-spanning craze is alive and well.

"Krypton: Season 2" starts March 21.