A Superman Spinoff For Tyler Hoechlin?

We’re less than a week away from the Season 2 premiere of Supergirl on The CW, which also means we’re only a few days away from the audience really “meeting” Tyler Hoechlin‘s version of Supergirl’s famous cousin, Superman. As mentioned in our advance review, Hoechlin fits in on the show seamlessly, and is “with it” on his first try in a very similar way to how Grant Gustin was when he appeared in two episodes of Arrow’s second season. Within seconds Hoechlin immediately seems like a worthy successor to folks named Reeves, Reeve, Newton, Christopher, Cain, Welling, Routh, and Cavill.

We can also say with absolute certainty that once you see Hoechlin’s take on both Clark Kent and Superman, you’ll want to see more. While he’s very careful not to overshadow Kara – it’s her show, after all – it is her show, and the constant presence of her cousin might get a little distracting, especially as that person in the ship from last year’s cliffhanger combined with J’Onn J’Onzz might already give the Supergirl an overabundance of aliens as it is.

But we know what happens when a breakout character is “loaned” to a DC Comics superhero series for “an appearance or two.” Justin Hartley’s Green Arrow on Smallville became a role that went from a half-season arc to five years on the show, three as a series regular. Erica Durance was originally to just appear at the start of Smallville Season 4; the “start” became four episodes, which became thirteen, and eventually, Erica had second billing on the show once Allison Mack went part-time for Season 10. There’s a good chance that people will tune in to these first two episodes of Supergirl Season 2, fall in love with the character, and demand more… which could also distract from what a great show Supergirl itself is.

So, what to do? Continue to have Superman returning every Sweeps period, which would keep Supergirl from taking off on her own, or… something else?

I’ll be the first to admit that I’d have reservations about Superman in his own TV series again at this time. On the one hand, I’d love to see it. I want to meet this version’s Lois; his Perry; his other friends. I am certain that a Superman show on The CW at this time could give the network their highest ratings — yes, even bigger than The Flash. Since 1988 TV has rarely gone more than 5 years without a Superman TV show, so now would be a good time, even with the movies doing their own thing, which is great, and hey, if TV can have a Flash and the movies can too, there’s no trouble with two Supermen. But…

….having a Superman series on the air at the same time as Supergirl might damage the value of the parent series, if not handled carefully. Supergirl as a series is a chance for a new take on the Super-saga through a female lens, and for young girls to have a hero to look up to is an awesome thing. Melissa Benoist has earned and is deserving of all of the praise she has gotten for the character. Part of Supergirl’s journey is escaping the shadow of her cousin’s cape. If a Superman series were to air at the same time, that might get in the way of that. Unless!

What if a Superman spinoff series ran through the summer?

Crazy idea, right? High-profile show to burn off at a time the audience might not be there? I’d actually think it would be brilliant though. It wouldn’t be competing with Supergirl for attention, nor would it compete with The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow and who knows what else is coming from the DC universe in the October-to-May months. It could give The CW their “summer blockbuster” and in doing so it would bolster all of their other summer programming, meaning those Reign Season 4 episodes wouldn’t just sit in a wilderness of randomly-scheduled episodes of Whose Line. It would mean we, as DC fans, would have something beyond big-screen movies; entertainment we can watch and enjoy in our own homes. Superman would return to TV again, where he belongs. And, Tyler Hoechlin would get the leading-man role he deserves, without taking any attention away from the great work Melissa Benoist is doing on Supergirl.

What does Tyler Hoechlin say about the whole idea?

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly recently, Tyler Hoechlin sounds open to it. “Those are decisions of people in a much different place than I,” he said. “It’s been a few years since Superman’s really been sticking around on TV for a long time, and who knows what they’ll end up doing and what they’ll want to do. There’s obviously so much going on with this Superman character in the world of DC and the films, and so who knows what they’ll want to do. But it’s fun to be doing it for what it is right now, and if something else comes out of it in the future, then that’s something they’ll let us know down the road. I’m just very excited for what the situation is at the moment.”

Would you watch a Superman spinoff with Tyler Hoechlin? Let your feelings be heard on the KryptonSite Forum!