REVIEW: ‘My Adventures With Superman’ Season 3 Episode 3 — “All’s Fair In Love And W.O.R.M.S”

Balancing a storyline about mutations via speed-dating, Kara’s (Kiana Madeira) evolving understanding of Earth, the ongoing danger of Hank Henshaw, a musical interlude, and a major cliffhanger with an even bigger appearance, My Adventures with Superman Season 3 Episode 3 has a lot going on. And that’s before we even touch on the important conversation between Clark (Jack Quaid) and Lois (Alice Lee) about their future. 

That pacing is one of the best things about the series, created by Jack Wyatt. Despite being only about 22 minutes, My Adventures with Superman packs a lot into each episode, making the installments feel like full stories that touch on key threads of the overarching plot while remaining refreshingly episodic. And, not to oversell things, but a lot is going on. “All’s Fair in Love and W. O.R.M.S.” Reveling in some unbridled goofiness, it’s easy to miss some of the funnier gags and Easter Eggs dropped by the time Kara and Lois break into song. 

While My Adventures with Superman Season 3 Episode 3 ends on a note that promises increased stakes, it begins lightheartedly, splitting the main group up once again for their own solo adventures before coming back together. Jimmy’s (Ishmel Sahid) is, admittedly, the silliest, but it lets Sahid shine once again with some of the funniest line deliveries of the series. 

Jimmy remembers why dating is awful. 

Jimmy has convinced himself he also needs to get out there and date to avoid feeling left behind by Kara. Lois fairly points out that this is all his fault, and he wouldn’t have to do this if he had just told Kara how he felt. But he won’t be deterred: he’ll go to the launch event for the new app, “The World Organization for Romantic Matchmaking Science.” So, “W.O.R.M.S.”  is run by two women who found love through the process themselves, and Jimmy attends and soon finds things going out of control. 

And by out of control, he’s turned into a wolf by his first suitor, Gigi (Vella Lovell). Gigi, who turns out to be the villain Giganta, has been mutating people all over Metropolis. It’s not just her pursuit of Jimmy that lends itself to humor, but the escalation of events. From Jimmy’s slow, oblivious transformation and eventual defeated acceptance before being changed back, to his incessant calls to Clark, who ignores him until the last moment, the execution of the slow-mounting comedy is well thought out. Again, it all comes down to pacing. 

The storyline also offers one of the funnier exchanges between Clark and Jimmy. Clark, finally arriving to save him after Giganta has transformed into her giant-sized self, tries to save Jimmy as Giganta waves him around in her fist. He stops, telling Jimmy that he can’t get to him, and Sahid’s blistering “you better try” packs a hilarious wallop. 

Alice Lee and Kiana Madeira push themselves even further as performers when they break into song. 

My Adventures with Superman Season 3 Episode 3 further proves the dynamic nature of the voice actors, as Madeira and Lee must break into song in a mid-episode interlude. Lois, both to shake off the stress of Clark’s desire for domesticity and to help Kara, takes the latter out to seek more earthly experiences. While Lois tries at first to interest Kara in museums and libraries, Kara is instead captivated by the local mall, much to Lois’s disinterest. 

In just one funny, world-expanding callout, Lois talks about her favorite band, the Black Canaries, and lets Kara listen to one of their songs at the record store. Kara tries to show Lois a song, too, saying it might become her new favorite. When Lois says no, Kara delivers a devastating (honest) line, asking if it “Is Earth culture to only like music you found as a child.” Ouch. Between that and Lois later telling Kara that every man’s dating profile will have a photo of him holding a fish, and “All’s Fair in Love and W.O.R.M.S” is packed with some real bruisers. 

But again, the song. The song is fun enough and fits well with many animated series that have a prominent tradition of musical sensibilities. Bob’s Burgers alone is enough proof. But you can also look back to Justice League Unlimited and watch Batman sing the blues in an effort to transform Wonder Woman (or so he believes) back into herself after being turned into a pig in “This Little Piggy.” Music and animation have gone hand in hand for ages now. 

My Adventures with Superman Season 3 Episode 3 stumbles a little in bringing the music to life. 

That said, it’s a little jarring. It makes thematic sense, given that Kara is so euphoric about Earth’s wonders that she must sing to capture her emotions. And it makes sense then, too, that Lois would be so overwhelmed by her trepidation over the future that she’d also succumb to a tune. But it didn’t gel as well with the episode’s overall rhythm.  

Despite the humor and lightheartedness of My Adventures with Superman Season 3 Episode 3, there are hints of greater threats throughout that signal impending doom. For one, there’s Hank Henshaw (Max Mittelman) as Cyborg Superman. Henshaw believes Superman is too easy on criminals and is quick to resort to casual violence when putting a stop to crime. The direction by Grace Liu emphasizes the disregard Henshaw has for anyone who stands in his way, the camera, framing, and animation really highlighting how destructive he is. 

Superman, obviously, is against this, trying to stop it while also protecting civilians and criminals alike. Superman spends the episode trying to have a relaxing Saturday, only to be pulled away by dogs on sinking ships and fires in the middle of Metropolis.

Hank Henshaw poses a pressing threat to Superman and Metropolis as a whole. 

Henshaw is the worst of the bunch, though, because he undercuts all the work that Superman and, now, Supergirl have done in assuring people they’re trustworthy despite their immense power. Henshaw, meanwhile, is sowing distrust, wearing Superman’s colors to assert power through violence. 

It makes sense that Lex (Mittleman) and Slade Wilson (Chris Parnell) would want to rein them in. And it makes sense that Henshaw would chafe against it, trying to force the two under his thumb before Lex gains the upper hand. It’s a reminder that power, infrequently, inspires people to be better. And it’s what makes figures like Superman such enduring figures in pop culture, the belief that you can be powerful and good. 

Ending on a brief moment of calm, Lois confesses her fears to Clark, who promises they can work out their future together, one step at a time. It doesn’t feel like a complete resolution, but it does suggest a step in the right direction, rather than dragging out the simmering tension that has largely been one-sided throughout the season.

A vital character arrives at the end of My Adventures with Superman Season 3 Episode 3.

However, their future is jeopardized, albeit not to their knowledge, as we’re thrust into said future where the world is on fire, overrun by warfare. And it’s there where we meet Superboy (Darren Criss), who is guided by Lex Luthor of all people and told to go back and stop “any of this” from happening. The sequence is a rush, pulsating with genuine tension even though we’ve only just met this character. The animation as a whole has become increasingly polished in Season 3, and the explosions of red as people are turned to dust by the robotic invaders are effective in the smooth, bloodless violence. 

It’s quite the cliffhanger to leave us on. Balancing some superb comedy with hints of danger resting just under the surface, My Adventures with Superman Season 3 Episode 3 feels like the end of the setup as major players are moved into place. Fun while still taking itself seriously (but not too seriously), the humor and performances keep the characters lively and tangible, reinforcing our connection to them as the balance of their world is about to be shaken up. 

My Adventures with Superman Season 3 Episode 3 is available now on HBO Max. 

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