DC’s television arm is vast. While it seems to struggle with its fans in recent years at the movies DC certainly knows how to put on a show in the comfort of your own home with its CW successes. The “Arrowverse,” as fans lovingly call it, created Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, as well as its upcoming show Batwoman. Vertigo titles such as iZombie, Lucifer, and Preacher on AMC had found their pockets of fans too and compared to their movie universe it seems that DC’s television attempts could do no wrong. Naturally, it was time that SYFY took hold of an iconic show and and thus Krypton was made.
While many will know Krypton as Superman’s home planet that was destroyed shortly after his birth (no, he didn’t cause it), this interpretation will take a look into its history and follow a dashing fellow named Seg-El, AKA Superman’s grand-pappy. His exploits are joined with Adam Strange, from present day Earth, and Lyta-Zod among others. Taking inspiration from 2013s Man of Steel aesthetic this Krypton is spacious, dark, a teensy bit gritty, and politically driven than the elegant, arrogant, utopia it is displayed as in the comics and animated realms.
Seg-El, played by Cameron Cuffe, was young when he lost his grandfather who was executed for treason. Along with his grandfather his status and honor as heir to the house of El was taken away, and so Krypton starts off with Seg in the slums trying to rise again until a proposition from the house of Vex will allow him to come back into social status via marriage. Once Adam Strange arrives to give the future deets on Seg’s grandson then all Rao breaks loose.
The show has a solid foundation. Seg has many conflicts in his life between Kryptonian law that affects his love, politics, and character in general. He’s caught in difficult situations where his marriage proposal is to the woman who’s father killed his grandfather. Lyta, Seg’s one true love, has an interesting character conflict as she’s not only thwarted in a devious love triangle, but has to come to terms with her strict mother and the house of Zod’s ancient traditions. Then, Adam comes along to pit a curve ball on the plot by introducing Superman’s changing history, the attack from Braniac, and a certain villain that’s a descendant from Lyta.
To say a lot happens in season 1 of Krypton is an understatement. The show sets up a solid foundation, albeit at a slow pace, in the first few episodes that shows promise. All the characters are dealing with fascinating and important choices. The world building around Kandor and the voice of Rao is incredible and the slow burn pacing is nailbitingly worth it. Unfortunately, all the set up in the first half doesn’t have the payoffs one would expect as the second half resembles more of a talking heads documentary with characters constantly catching each other up on everyone’s plot threads. Not only that, but the character arcs that were set up in the beginning were unceremoniously dangled and forgotten once Braniac’s attack was known by everyone.
The voice of Rao was one of the more fascinating characters, and had so much influence on the world that when he was infected by Braniac his story ended. Braniac did not want to parade as the voice of Rao, though he did in one epic scene, and because of his transformation all the set up about Krypton’s citizens and Rao instantly dissipated. Same thing happened with Adam and Seg’s budding friendship. It started off great and promising, but once a certain character popped up Adam is abandoned and rarely seen in the second half just as his character was getting deeper and more interesting when dealing with his insecurities and inexperience. Then there’s Seg’s marriage. There was conflict between him and Nyssa, his bride to be, and while the show did great in establishing his fading dislike/trust it once again abandons it as the big green monster’s attack looms over his life. The two become partners in arms while everyone else half haphazardly disagrees with this decision.
Where the season disappoints its actors generally save it. Cameron Cuffe is a fantastic lead and his chemistry with everybody is, pardon the pun, super. Blake Ritson does a fantastic job as both the voice of Rao and Braniac, and Braniac looks so freaking cool and comic accurate that fans will be jumping up in down in their seats while they watch him chew scenery in the best possible way. Colin Salmon is a great addition to the season as his character is probably the most recognizable and hardest to play. The cast of Krypton is well rounded and makes even the dull recaps interesting.
Ultimately, Krypton is a big bonanza of a show that loses itself halfway through the season. What they started to do and craft as the foundation of the show was great and interesting, but once Braniac’s attack became eminent all the set up was forgotten and left by the way side leaving characters to wait episode on episode until he finally came. Had the season been about Rao and Seg’s predicament on class it would have been stronger, but alas that is not the case. Though it may not have held interest it certainly ended in an interesting and unexpected way as it sets up season 2 to be something even crazier and bombastic than Braniac’s attack on Kandor.
6/10
Favorite Episode: The Word of Rao
Film Assist 
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