Ah, TV. How I love you sometimes. How I hate you at others. Krypton was, a few days ago, renewed for the Season 2 that I was always convinced it would get, considering the ratings and the fact that it airs on SyFy, a channel that right now seems to have one big thing going for it: Wynonna Earp.
(Wynonna, please return. Help cleanse my soul from this travesty that I’ve had to endure. I missed you before, but I never really appreciated how much, not till now. Please, come back soon.)
But that aside, Krypton is – even if you love it, first and foremost a serviceable show, one that appeals to a certain demographic and one that certainly has a rich history to draw from and grow upon. It also has, on paper, compelling characters, at least female ones, and the chances to explore the political side of what happened in Krypton still remains an interesting possibility.
It’s, however, not nearly as a good a show as Timeless (still in limbo), Brooklyn 99 (briefly cancelled), or Lucifer (cancelled). It just isn’t.
You don’t have to tell me TV isn’t fair. Life isn’t fair either. I’ve known this for a long time. It just seems like the point is being reinforced these days, and it’s something we should all reflect upon as we discuss this final episode of Krypton’s first season, which is also, hopefully, the last time I have to watch this show.
I don’t even care about the cliffhanger. No one come tell me how it all turned out next season. I don’t care about the House of Zod or the House of El, and I very much don’t care about Seg ever coming back, about Lyta’s doubts, about Nyssa’s realization, or about anything else, really. Just let me try to erase this whole thing from my memory. It’s what’s best for me, I assure you.
Because, even though the end of the season indeed sets up what appears to be a more interesting Season 2, I’ve been fooled before. I thought this was going to be a show I could invest in, and it wasn’t. And, right now, the best thing about this finale is not that more is coming, no. It’s that, for me, the obligation is over. I’m done.
But since this is my last review, I feel like I have to take a moment to say: this show could have been great. A part of me wants to believe it still can be. I won’t be turning in either way, but the show has, at times, displayed hints of possibilities. The problem has always been that it hasn’t capitalized on them, or made us relate to any of the characters in a lasting way.
They’ve come close to achieving this with the women, and that’s why I say that, perhaps, the show can still be saved. With better writing, probably better directing and most of all, a clear path ahead.
Aka, the show needs to find out what it wants to be, and once it does, it needs to stick to it.
Is it a space opera? Is it a family drama? Is it the tale of two star-crossed lovers? Is it political? Who knows. I never could, and the show never seemed to decide. When a show is good, you’ll say, it can do all of those things. My answer is no …it still can’t. Designated Survivor lost its way for this same reason, because they had no idea what show they wanted to be, so they tried to do everything, and that show had bigger stars and a much stronger start than this one.
So, for Season 2, I wish you figure out who you are, Krypton. I also wish for more focus on your female characters. I won’t be here to watch it, but, for those who are, this will be a good thing.
I promise you.
And, that’s it. I bid you adieu. May we never meet again.
P.S – Shakespeare, I’m gonna miss you. Thanks to this show I have, at least, decided that you and I need to get back together, as in I need a re-read. So hey, something good came from Krypton! HALLELUJAH.
Krypton aired Wednesdays at 10/9c on SyFy. It has been renewed for Season 2.