REVIEW – Krypton S1-E1: Pilot

DC Comics’ latest TV show, Krypton aired last night in the US on the SYFY channel, and received a huge amount of praise from fellow Superman fans. So of course, I took a peek, and its safe to say I was not disappointed. Usually, I am skeptical about re-boots and prequels, because I know of far to many that have taken a turn for the worse. But to me Krypton, did not feel like a re-boot, and whilst it is a prequel, it is great to finally see more of Superman’s almost ‘unknown’ Kryptonian culture.

Unlike DC’s other TV shows – Arrow, Supergirl, The Flash etc – this show has a completely different feel to it and take on superheroes, which is so refreshing to see. Think Superman meets Game of Thrones and then meets Star Trek – that is Krypton. I won’t drop any spoilers or give too much away, however… In a nutshell Seg-El tries to uncover and prove the truth about his grandfather’s work, in a race against time to save the planet Krypton, his future grandson – Kal-El and other planets from destruction.

The narration at the start is a great touch, it’s as if Seg-El is talking to his Grandson directly – much like how Marlon Brando’s Jor-El spoke to Christopher Reeve’s Superman in the original movie, which feels like a great homage to its predecessors. The set detail is incredible, there are lots of Kryptonian symbols around the place and they really haven’t skimped on the set budget. Same with the costumes, they are very well thought out and designed. I can imagine I will be seeing several cos-players take them on in the near future. I especially love the scene where we first see Adam Strange and although he is dressed normally (to us) in a baseball cap and trainers, he clearly stands out on the planet Krypton.

For the Superman fans there are plenty of Superman references, and every time I saw or heard one, I smiled. The first thing you see is the  symbol of hope, which is a great introduction. In addition to this, the Fortress of Solitude plays a huge part in this storyline, which feels very familiar, but in a good way. And although the show is set before Kal-El, the story revolves around saving him and the rest of the galaxy, so for those who aren’t too familiar with Krypton‘s history, it sets a recognizable tone.

The characters are great, Seg-El played by Cameron Cuffe acts as a usual male protagonist – a little cocky, but also very charismatic and an underlying hero. I feel that his parents’ airtime was cut far too short, I would have liked to find out more about them in the first episode. There are several other characters that are introduced, including his love interest (you will not expect this!), so it will be great to see how their develop those relationships as Krypton goes on. The show really portrays the power that Kryptonian’s behold, this is especially portrayed in the attributes of the Zod family, you can certainly see the spirit of General Zod in his ancestors.

Overall the pilot episode is simple, but effective and leaves room for huge story and character development. It essentially acts as a perfect introduction to the characters, the nature of the programme, an introduction to the villain and an inkling to the overall plot – I squealed when I first saw him. I left the episode wanting more! I cannot wait to see more of the culture of Krypton, and it’s inhabitants. I am HOOKED!