‘Superman and Lois’ Michael Bishop on the Realism of That Tragic Twist

It’s been a sad couple of weeks at the Kent household, ever since the third season of Superman and Lois revealed that Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. The devastating news is clearly having a powerful effect on the entire family, including the titular duo’s children. During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor behind the role of Jonathan Kent, Michael Bishop, spoke about how the twist was approached carefully, taking into account the real-life feelings surrounding people who see their lives changed by the disease:

“It’s tough for them (The Kent family). My mom in real life was diagnosed with breast cancer about five years ago, and the way that Jonathan deals with finding out his mom has breast cancer is very similar to how I dealt with the whole situation. It was bizarre living through this season because I was reflecting a lot on my own life and how much that’s impacted me. It was a bizarre parallel to see how Jon reacted to the whole situation and how I reacted and how similar those reactions actually were.”

The iteration of Superman that airs on The CW is certainly different from other Men of Steel who have flown through the screen across the years. In Superman and Lois, the main focus of the show is the relationship between the couple, shining a light on how they function as a marriage and how they balance their jobs while trying to save Metropolis at the same time. That also includes exploring how they work together to raise their two kids, Jonathan and Jordan, named after Clark’s fathers. A family dynamic is rarely looked at when it comes to Superman stories, ensuring this television series stands out.

Added to the fact that Clark has a family, these characters always have some sort of invincibility around them, given how they are all connected to a man who can fly around the world in minutes and stop bullets with his chest. A serious diagnosis as a part of Lois’ future was tragic and shocking, as her body becomes the source of the damage. What can flying to outer space or carrying buildings do to heal someone who is gravely sick? The rest of the season will deal with how the family adapts to their new life, which will hopefully result in a happy life for the Kryptonian home.

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Preparing for That Lois Lane Plot Twist

Not only is it unusual for a Superman story to deal with a cancer plot, but it is also rare for a superhero adventure to do so. In a media landscape full of capes and thighs, the topic of ongoing illness affecting a protagonist or one of the people close to them is not very common. Elizabeth Tulloch, the actress behind Lois herself, recently stated how she researched for her role in the new episodes of Superman and Lois: “(Joanna Kerns) set me up with women who were either inflammatory breast cancer survivors or similarly very aggressive late-term breast cancer survivors, and that was amazing. I think I ended up speaking to or interviewing or whatever you want to call it 10 or 11 different women.”

The third season of Superman and Lois is currently airing. You can check out the official trailer below: