Season 2, Episode 2: "The Ties That Bind" (SPOILERS)

[flickchick85]

Official Description:

DAVID RAMSEY “ARROW” DIRECTS THE EPISODE – Clark (Tyler Hoechlin) opens up to Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) about his ongoing struggle with visions and admits that there is only one person who might be able to help. Meanwhile, Lana (Emmanuelle Chriqui) receives some unexpected news and tensions begin to rise between Lois and Chrissy (Sofia Hasmik). Lastly, Sarah (Inde Navarrette) breaks plans with Jordan (Alex Garfin) to spend time with Natalie (Tayler Buck). Jordan Elsass, Erik Valdez and Wole Parks star. The episode was directed by David Ramsey and written by Kristi Korzec & Michael Narducci (#202). Original airdate 1/18/2022.

 

[Web-Head]

Promo:

 

[Lily Adler]

Official Description:

Officially lost me at Arrow.

 

[Web-Head]

"Sarah breaks plans with Jordan to spend time with Natalie" Hmm...

 

[vantheman77]

They already spoiled that character's return from the 1st season.

 

[Sithborg]

Hmmm....

 

[herolee10]

Unless I'm mistaken, I think Natalie's comic counterpart prefers women. While I normally don't care about these romantic pairings, I feel like the producers could have done a better job if their plan was to have Sarah and Natalie become a couple later this season.

 

[vantheman77]

Yep he's back since the 1st season finale.

 

[Web-Head]

 

[Perfect Cell]

I will say, they are doing a good job at building up Doomsday. The visions and the quakes add an overall sense of dread that should make his first true reveal pretty impactful. Also, did I hear the technobabble right? This version of Doomsday is from a different dimension or universe? That's a neat hook, even if it does feel like they're going to the "alternate earth/dimension" well a bit too often.

Also, I'm gonna add Edge/Tal to the ever-growing list of people destined to get slapped around by Doomsday.

 

[vantheman77]

Great episode followup to the premiere. I like seeing Clark, Lois, and Irons discussing things at the end.

 

[Web-Head]

Wasn't crazy about this episode but clearly doing a lot of set up for the rest of the season and I'm glad they didn't drag out the whole Sarah and her secret thing for too long.

• Doomsday and the visions
• Lana running for Mayor
• Tal still playing a part in this season
• Setting up for Lucy's return sooner than later (I wonder if what happened to her was post Supergirl season 1?)

I'm sure I'm missing something but yeah, lots of setting up here but they did a good job of it.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

I thought the episode was alright myself, but something about it felt very fillerish to me and it really was mostly alot of build-up for future episodes which wasn't a bad thing, but I wasn't expecting that kind of pacing coming off of the first episode so maybe I need to watch it again at some point.

I do like how they are building up Doomsday though and seeing Tal-Roh again was cool and how he was utilized in this episode was actually pretty interesting to say the least.

 

[herolee10]

I'm surprised that more people aren't talking about Lara's debut in tonight's episode.

 

[vantheman77]

It’s great to see Lara appearing since the first season had Jor-El. I think Lara will recur after this.

 

[Slick]

This episode was cool I agree though set up mostly. Seeing Lara was dope and oh Tal-Roh you smooth criminal you. Yeah very glad bout the Sarah reveal that they didn’t drag this story out. My heart breaks for Jordan. Overall tho good episode not much with Jonathan storyline but I see where their going with it.

 

[herolee10]

Overall, I thought that tonight's episode was good.

• I don't know if it's because they had used a good portion of their VFX budget for last week's submarine rescue, but tonight's episode felt a little lacking in term of the weekly cinematic pieces that we've grown accustomed to seeing.

• I'm hoping that Clark took his mother's crystal and will start using it at his own fortress.

• I loved seeing how confident Jordan has grown through his interaction with Tal-Rho.

• I'm glad that we finally got to see a scene between Clark, Lara, and Tal-Rho. I remember a few people complaining last year that Lara (via Lana's body) should have confronted Tal-Rho about his plans.

• I can't say that I'm a fan of how Jordan and Sarah's relationship has been written for the past two episodes. Why invest so much time in their relationship last season if the plan was to have them break up so quickly?

• Doomsday's shadow came off looking pretty cheap.

• I wouldn't be surprised if Jonathan ends up acquiring some of that X-Kryptonite gas to boost his own physical stats later this season.

• You know something's wrong when the show doesn't forget about Tag's powers but fails to make any mentions of Lana and Kyle's youngest daughter.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Sithborg nailed that it was a girl.

- Episode was very setup-y but I rather enjoyed it. I just finished watching the first season of Star Trek Discovery and it made me realize how much I prefer it when the world isn't ending every week.

- Doomsday is interesting to me, because the way Superman is handled on this show, it doesn't feel like killing him would be that difficult? Which is why I think it's important that they are setting him up beyond he's going to punch Superman real good.

- The family reunion was appropriately awkward.

- I can't find sympathy for Jordan. I don't know if it's the hair or perma crying face, but I just don't care. I'm team Sarah.

- Edge in the jump suit killed me. He just doesn't fit "Kryptonian" at all to me. But I did love that he was kept in a Blofeld base!

- Not to dwell on the eye candy, but I am definitely up for John reminiscing about Lois if those are the scenes we are going to get.

- Lucy setup kind of has me uncomfortable. Feels weirdly close to a certain actual actor from Smallville.

 

[Perfect Cell]

- Lucy setup kind of has me uncomfortable. Feels weirdly close to a certain actual actor from Smallville.

Oof, I never thought of that. That is an awkward choice, in retrospect. Especially since it seems like that storyline is going to come up a lot in the next few episodes.

 

[flickchick85]

-Laraaaaa! I love everything about the Tal-Rho/Lara/Clark/Jordan scenes. Definitely the highlight of the episode for me. It was great to get Lara's side of the story and clarification that she did not even know of Tal-Rho's existence 'til pretty late in the game. And of course I expect Clark to take her Sunstone to his fortress eventually.

-Also loved that I got my wish/prediction from last season that Lana would be the one running for mayor. This is a good storyline for her, imo.

-Yep, Sarah/Natalie is totally happening.

-Small thing, but I love how the show makes an effort to highlight the heroism of regular people - in this instance, the guy in the mine who blew the charges and sacrificed himself to stop (presumably) Doomsday. I always say the key to a good Superman story is that the "Inspiration" aspect is a two-way street: Yes, Superman inspires us, but we also inspire him. That's a big part of the Superman mythos. In order to convey that, you can't portray the whole world of humans as a miserable rabble of hateful, jaded misanthropes who just need saving. You've gotta show the good. This show gets that and makes a point to do so on a regular basis, and I love it.

- Lucy setup kind of has me uncomfortable. Feels weirdly close to a certain actual actor from Smallville.

Saaaaame. They even named the cult chick Ally?? This could get very awkward very fast.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

-Laraaaaa! I love everything about the Tal-Rho/Lara/Clark/Jordan scenes. Definitely the highlight of the episode for me. It was great to get Lara's side of the story and clarification that she did not even know of Tal-Rho's existence 'til pretty late in the game. And of course I expect Clark to take her Sunstone to his fortress eventually.

-Also loved that I got my wish/prediction from last season that Lana would be the one running for mayor. This is a good storyline for her, imo.

-Yep, Sarah/Natalie is totally happening.

-Small thing, but I love how the show makes an effort to highlight the heroism of regular people - in this instance, the guy in the mine who blew the charges and sacrificed himself to stop (presumably) Doomsday. I always say the key to a good Superman story is that the "Inspiration" aspect is a two-way street: Yes, Superman inspires us, but we also inspire him. That's a big part of the Superman mythos. In order to convey that, you can't portray the whole world of humans as a miserable rabble of hateful, jaded misanthropes who just need saving. You've gotta show the good. This show gets that and makes a point to do so on a regular basis, and I love it.


Saaaaame. They even named the cult chick Ally?? This could get very awkward very fast.

I didn't even notice the name.

Superman doing what I am still waiting for Batman do to in live action. Make his mother more then some sentient pearls.

Really good point on the heroism of regular folk and I definitely agree on the potential with Lana's run.

 

[herolee10]

It's too bad that we won't see Ella Lane make an appearance later this season. It would have really gone well with this season's theme of lost mothers.

If the plan is to have Natalie and Sarah become a couple later on, I hope that they wait until next season. Maybe it's just me, but it would come off awkward and poor taste to have Natalie hook up with her Kind-of-Half Brother's ex within the same season of their breakup.

 

[Dr.]

I appreciate establishing backstory and intrigue for Lucy’s (eventual) appearance. But I thought the conflict between Chrissy and Lois was somewhat contrived. Small-town editor seemed quick to impugn the ethics of world-famous reporter; and world-famous reporter seemed uncharacteristically defensive.

Also — is Chrissy Lois’s boss? I thought they were partners (co-owners?) at the Gazette.

 

[chamber-music]

It looks like Amertek Industries from the Steel nineties solo comic run are amongst the villains this season.

Amertek Industries | DC Database | Fandom

Nice to see a evil corporation that isn't Lex Corp in a Superman show.

 

[flickchick85]

It looks like Amertek Industries from the Steel nineties solo comic run are amongst the villains this season.

Amertek Industries | DC Database | Fandom

Nice to see a evil corporation that isn't Lex Corp in a Superman show.

Another one that was previously used on Supergirl.