SYFY’s Krypton answers a question no one ever thought to ask: What about Superman’s grandfather?
Even if you’ve never touched a comic book, you’ve likely heard of Krypton. The distant planet is found in the early moments of every Superman adaptation. We’ve watched it explode, rooted for it’s only living descendants, and adorned everything from t-shirts to human skin with it’s language. But do we really know Krypton? Until now, we’ve had very little insight into the planet’s inhabitants, politics, or even atmosphere. SYFY’s Krypton is here to change that. Set two generations before Kal-El’s departure for Earth, Krypton follows Superman’s grandfather, Seg-El (Cameron Cuffe) as he navigates life on the doomed planet.
Related | Superhero After Dark: Annabella Sciorra Cast in Marvel’s Luke Cage, Lashana Lynch Joins Captain Marvel, and More!
Of course, stories with a set ending can get boring quickly. There are no stakes when you already know that the entire planet is doomed to explode in a disaster so large it sends chunks of radioactive rock all the way to Earth. Krypton avoids this dilemma with the introduction of time travel. Once time travel is involved, literally anything can happen. Suddenly, the stakes are very high — if Seg-El changes anything about his planet’s destiny, Earth may never meet it’s finest hero.
Joining Seg-El on this journey are Georgina Campell’s Lita Zod (yes, Zod), Kem (Rasmus Hardiker), and his grandfather, Val-el (Ian McElhinney.)
So, is it worth the watch? We think so. Here are 5 reasons to check out SYFY’s Krypton.
[wp_ad_camp_2]
Krypton inhabits the unique space between familiarity and novelty — an untold story that audiences feel immediately connected to
When Krypton was announced, it was huge news. Unknown characters, an untold story, and yet audiences were instantly attached to and excited for this new show. Why? Because even if we don’t know Seg-El, we feel like we do — we know his grandson, his legacy, very well. His family name birthed a cultural icon. So even if we don’t know him yet, we so badly want to.
The beauty of a show like this is its ability to act upon our prior knowledge. With most new shows, the pilot is consumed with exposition — where are we? Who are these people? Why does this matter? And while these questions are still present in the early minutes of Krypton, there is no need for them to be expanded on. There is no need to take up valuable minutes with basic exposition — we can jump right into the story.
This is such an iconic part of the pop culture fabric, really. The Superman mythology and that symbol, alone, means so much to so many different people. We feel the weight of that responsibility, when we’re working in that space. We pay homage to all of the creators that came before us, and that are continuing to work on it. At the same time, we have to still be true to ourselves and tell stories that we think are important now.
Prior knowledge can be a valuable tool in television. Writers can insert little moments and throw away dialogue that alludes to aspects of the story — if you get it, you feel like you’re in on an inside joke. It creates a sense of belonging and comradery with fellow fans, a little “aha!” moment that comes with the ability to humble-brag about being “in on it.” For those who don’t catch these little references, there’s no harm done. The show is able to function on its own, aided by prior knowledge but not dependent on it.
In a story as well known as Superman’s, almost everyone has some knowledge of the iconology, if nothing else. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who’s never heard of Superman, or that doesn’t recognize the iconic ‘S.’ With these elements so deeply permeated in our culture, moments that play on that knowledge are intensely powerful. Just look at the posters and promos — just showing the cape, or the ‘S,’ is enough. We know the meaning behind these symbols, and the power they hold — everyone does.
[wp_ad_camp_2]
Forget the Montagues and Capulets, we’re all about the Els and Zods
Who doesn’t love a star-crossed romance? Lyta Zod and Seg-El’s relationship is forbidden, and honestly? We’re already shipping it. Unfortunately, Seg-El is already promised to someone else. Superman’s grandmother? If so, what becomes of Seg’s relationship with Lyta? Do they break up? Does she die? Does the society they live in overcome their own desires? Is it even possible for this couple to be “endgame?” We already have so many questions, and the show hasn’t even officially aired yet!
“It reminds me of ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ — one person chasing someone chasing someone else.” – Aaron Pierre (Dev-Em)
A little backstory: The House of El and The House of Zod are historic enemies. You’ll likely recognize the name “Zod” from most Superman adaptations — General Zod has appeared in Smallville, the original Superman films, Man of Steel, and even gets mentioned in Supergirl and Batman vs. Superman. Zod is one of Superman’s most prevalent and formidable enemies, and their house rivalry traces all the way back to… you guessed it, Krypton. With Lyta being from The House of Zod and Seg from The House of El, their relationship is certainly taboo (even if Seg wasn’t promised to another.)
This is Romeo and Juliet in space, folks. With aliens. And superhero mythology. It’s is a science fiction-romance daydream, and we can’t wait.
[wp_ad_camp_2]
Krypton isn’t as isolated from Superman’s story as you might think
Viewers may be thinking something along the lines of, “So, who cares about what happened 200 years ago? We don’t know those characters.” It’s a fair question, to be sure. But Krypton is ready for you. Not everyone in Krypton is unknown. In fact, you may be very familiar with a few of the characters appearing in (and on) Krypton.
First, Braniac. Like Zod, Braniac is a well known (and downright iconic) Superman villain. The Krypton writers aren’t scraping the bottom of the barrel here — they are utilizing key figures from the mythology in new and interesting ways. Braniac is part human, part technology, and all evil. His claim to fame is shrinking the Kryptonian city of Kandor so small that they are able to fit into a bottle. But Kandor isn’t his only shrunken city — Braniac collects these bottle cities.
“It moves from planet-to-planet. It’s known as the Collector of Worlds, but it’s true name…is Brainiac.” – Krypton trailer
Aside from the iconic villain, what other characters can we expect appearances from? Adam Strange, having never appeared in live-action, is admittedly less well known. But not for long — Strange makes an appearance right from the start of Krypton, and he brings Superman with him.
The Man of Steel doesn’t appear in the flesh, sure, but his presence is all over Krypton. Seg-El’s knowledge of his legacy shapes his entire story, and Superman’s presence is almost as concrete as anyone else’s. Fans of Superman won’t be disappointed by his absence — he’s around, even if not physically present.
Although the show takes place in a distant time and on a distant planet, it’s far from unattached to the Superman mythology. It is still, through and through, a Superman show.
[wp_ad_camp_2]
The set design is gorgeous, intricate, and just alien enough
Kryptonians are technically aliens, but they are aliens that easily pass for human. With similar skin tones (no little green guys here!), similar physiology, and an identical outwardly appearance, Kryptonians are almost-human. And SYFY’s Krypton is almost Earthly. But not quite. The world that the set designers have built feels familiar enough not to distract us, but there’s no mistaking where we are at any given moment.
The set is built on winding structures, circular shapes, and lots of gray. The texture is especially noticeable. Much of Krypton’s scenery seems to be inspired by the natural flow of water — swirling blues and grays set the scene while light filters in a way that is reminiscent of the sun peeking through the ocean. Much of the background follows a pattern remarkably similar to the structure water takes when mixed with oil.
It still needs to feel like a real place. One of the hardest things about doing the show is to have interesting sets, interesting designs, that feel alien, but still feel real. The further you go from what we know, the less real it can feel. So that’s what we tried to do.
Like Earth’s oceans, Krypton is familiar — it’s something we know a lot about, but have never fully explored. So what better inspiration for the set than water? The vibe created evokes a feeling of near uncanniness — it’s not wrong, exactly, but it’s not entirely natural, either.
But, then, our definition of “natural” is defined by Earth’s parameters, and obviously, “natural” means something entirely different on another planet. Like Kryptonians themselves, the world of Krypton just feels different, and alien, but in a way you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s unmistakably other-worldly, while simultaneously entirely plausible as the origin of these almost (and often super) humans.
Krypton isn’t Smallville, and it isn’t Gotham
Admittedly, the words “prequel” can often generate an eye-roll. Do we really need another superhero prequel? But the term “prequel” undermines and devalues Krypton. It’s technically a prequel, yes, but it’s so much more. Krypton’s premise isn’t built on a promise — we aren’t waiting for Superman to take flight, or a childhood batman to don a mask. No, Krypton is something all its own, and the fact that it’s technically set 200 years before Kal-El’s journey is almost irrelevant.
By deciding to set Krypton 200 years B.K. (before Kal-el) the writers are avoiding what could’ve been a major issue — we are nowhere near the destruction of Krypton, and it’s impossible for the show to “time out.”
When you’re dealing with a prequel, there’s a concern that the audience might feel like they know how this is going to end, so why engage? “When there’s so much out there to watch, why do I watch this show when I know how this story ends?” That was one thing we discussed early on, and we addressed that by adding a time-travel element to the show. I think the world itself is fascinating, and I think there’s enough there for people to be interested in. But adding that time-travel element makes the stakes affect the here and now, so it’s not just a look back at an ancient civilization somewhere else.
With Krypton’s fate being the only major event we know about, we aren’t sitting around waiting for any particular thing to happen. The writers, although technically building towards the destruction of the planet, aren’t leading up to ever actually showing it. Because of this, they can take their story anywhere they please — they aren’t bound by any expectation or endgame. All they have to do is end the story with Seg-El alive to carry on his bloodline, and they’re good to go.
This freedom is sure to free Krypton from the bounds of most prequels, due to the temporal distance they’ve placed between the show and the set canon.
[wp_ad_camp_2]
This is not Superman’s story — this is a brand new tale full of action, danger, love, with just a little touch of Superman mythology
From Cameron Welsh and David S. Goyer (known for Man of Steel and Batman vs. Superman, among other things) comes a science fiction adventure, full of just enough Superman to keep his fans on board. But don’t be mistaken — the show stands entirely on its own. With brand new characters to root for and against, and a newly deepened mythology, Krypton (and Seg-El) are sure to be remembered not just as Superman’s predecessor, but for its own triumphs outside of the well-known tale.
Krypton is a great jumping-in point for anyone who’s unfamiliar with the Superman mythos. It’s also a great fix for fans of the Man of Steel. Krypton fills multiple roles; prequel, sci-fi fantasy, love story, heroic adventure. There truly is something for everyone on Krypton.
Check out the trailer below!
KRYPTON airs Wednesday, March 21st at 10/9c on SYFY.
Got a thing for kryptonians?
Us too. Take a look around for reviews, roundtables, and news about Krypton, Supergirl, and more!
Younger Roundtable: Big Little Liza is full of lies and a big (not-so-little) commitment
Cloak & Dagger Roundtable: You Hadn’t Met Me Yet
Stunning Website, I hadn’t noticed tvafterdark.com in advance of my searches!
Keep up the marked work!
Spot on with this write-up, I actually suppose this web site wants much more consideration. I’ll in all probability be again to learn way more, thanks for that info.
Hello. splendid job. I did not anticipate this. This is a remarkable story. Thanks!
Great – I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs as well as related information ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task.
I have not checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was looking for!
Greetings! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading your articles. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics? Thanks!
Definitely imagine that that you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the web the easiest thing to understand of. I say to you, I certainly get irked while folks consider concerns that they just don’t recognize about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and defined out the whole thing with no need side-effects , other folks could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thank you
Hello there! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with SEO? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains. If you know of any please share. Appreciate it!
Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish only about gossips and net and this is actually frustrating. A good site with exciting content, that is what I need. Thanks for keeping this site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.
whoah this blog is great i love reading your posts. Keep up the good work! You know, a lot of people are hunting around for this information, you can help them greatly.
you are actually a excellent webmaster. The website loading velocity is incredible. It kind of feels that you’re doing any unique trick. In addition, The contents are masterpiece. you’ve performed a wonderful process on this topic!
Greetings from Carolina! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to check out your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the info you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, excellent site!
I view something truly special in this website .
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
Hi there this is kinda of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding skills so I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!
Hi, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!
Good website! I truly love how it is easy on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I might be notified when a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your feed which must do the trick! Have a great day!
I was examining some of your articles on this internet site and I conceive this web site is really instructive! Continue posting.
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself? Plz reply back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks
You are my intake, I possess few blogs and sometimes run out from post :). “He who controls the past commands the future. He who commands the future conquers the past.” by George Orwell.
I’m not that much of a online reader to be honest but your sites really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back in the future. Many thanks
Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and net and this is actually irritating. A good blog with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this web site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can’t find it.
Good post however I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Appreciate it!
You could definitely see your enthusiasm within the work you write. The sector hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to mention how they believe. All the time go after your heart.
It is really a great and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
I like this blog very much so much wonderful information.
Hi, just required you to know I he added your site to my Google bookmarks due to your layout. But seriously, I believe your internet site has 1 in the freshest theme I??ve came across. It extremely helps make reading your blog significantly easier.
Hello would you mind letting me know which webhost you’re utilizing? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different web browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most. Can you suggest a good internet hosting provider at a fair price? Thank you, I appreciate it!
Real clear website , thanks for this post.
I?¦ve learn a few excellent stuff here. Definitely price bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how much attempt you place to make one of these wonderful informative web site.
I appreciate, cause I found exactly what I was looking for. You have ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
Great line up. We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
Please let me know if you’re looking for a author for your blog. You have some really great articles and I think I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d love to write some material for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please send me an e-mail if interested. Regards!
Having read this I thought it was very informative. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this article together. I once again find myself spending way to much time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worth it!
I have recently started a web site, the info you provide on this site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
What¦s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve discovered It absolutely useful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to contribute & aid other users like its helped me. Good job.
Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossips and net and this is really frustrating. A good website with interesting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for keeping this site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
Частный дом престарелых в Тульской области. Также мы принимаем пожилых людей с Брянской, Орловской, Липецкой, Рязанской, Калужской и Московской областей. Наш пансионат для пожилых людей является…
Some truly nice and useful info on this web site, too I believe the style holds great features.
Really nice design and fantastic subject material, practically nothing else we want : D.
Perfectly composed subject matter, thanks for information. “He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.” by Michel de Montaigne.
I got what you mean ,saved to fav, very nice internet site.
Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after checking through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back frequently!
Great remarkable things here. I am very glad to peer your post. Thanks so much and i am looking forward to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
There is evidently a lot to realize about this. I believe you made some good points in features also.
I haven’t checked in here for some time as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
Hello my loved one! I wish to say that this article is awesome, nice written and come with almost all significant infos. I would like to see more posts like this.
Whats Going down i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It absolutely helpful and it has aided me out loads. I am hoping to contribute & help other customers like its helped me. Good job.
We’re a gaggle of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve performed a formidable task and our entire group will probably be grateful to you.
I enjoy your writing style really loving this site.
Very efficiently written information. It will be helpful to anyone who employess it, as well as me. Keep doing what you are doing – looking forward to more posts.
Great – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your website. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs and related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Nice task..
I’ll right away grab your rss as I can not find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly permit me recognise in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.
You could certainly see your expertise in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. At all times follow your heart. “Man is the measure of all things.” by Protagoras.
Admiring the commitment you put into your blog and detailed information you present. It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed information. Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
I like this website its a master peace ! Glad I discovered this on google .
Today, while I was at work, my cousin stole my iPad and tested to see if it can survive a twenty five foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now destroyed and she has 83 views. I know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
I love it when people come together and share opinions, great blog, keep it up.
Some genuinely nice and utilitarian info on this internet site, besides I think the pattern contains great features.
hello there and thank you for your information – I have definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise several technical points using this website, as I experienced to reload the site many times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will sometimes affect your placement in google and can damage your high quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this again very soon..
I’ve been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thanks, I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your website?
Your style is so unique compared to many other people. Thank you for publishing when you have the opportunity,Guess I will just make this bookmarked.2
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
But a smiling visitant here to share the love (:, btw outstanding design and style. “He profits most who serves best.” by Arthur F. Sheldon.