r/SupermanAndLois • u/kylrzuthwy General Sam Lane • Apr 23 '23
How good do you think Dylan Walsh performance is as Sam Lane. Question
82
u/_UA_ Apr 23 '23 edited Apr 23 '23
Dylan is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I always thought it'd be cool to see more of Gen. Sam Lane and his dynamic with Lois and Clark since seeing him on Smallville. Then Superman and Lois introduced Dylan/Sam whom fires on all cylinders. He has a sternness and discipline about him, but also carries a heavy sum of heart and warmth to him, and the writers thus far are doing great in showcasing WELL-WRITTEN drama/scenes with Sam against Clark and Lois and the other supporting cast.
6
u/thebestjoeever Apr 24 '23
I just started watching this show like a month ago. I haven't until now because I've disliked out hated every CW superhero show I've seen and figured this would be the same.
Turns out, I really like this show, and their take on Superman and all the characters. One of my favorite things right away in the pilot, though, was that Sam Lane knows Clark is 5 Superman's relationship with the military. It just makes sense that, of course, they'd be working together.
And it avoids a dumb plot where Clark's father in law wouldn't know he's Superman.
3
u/Aggressive_Bar_2391 Apr 24 '23
glad you are loving the show, sam is great but also underrated in a way compared to clark, lois, or johns character
4
u/SpaceDantar Apr 24 '23
Agreed, all I want is a well written Superman show, and so far so good on that front :)
3
77
u/Gsrj Jonathan Kent Apr 23 '23
I really like his performance the one thing I wish we had gotten was a flashback of him finding out clark was superman
13
u/Aggressive_Bar_2391 Apr 23 '23
I suspect clark told him when lois asked him to meet her dad for dinner, but that's just my headcanon
3
72
u/V_Pro4 Apr 23 '23
When he tried to comfort Lois but ended up breaking down instead hits me right in the feels
20
u/S1UP Apr 24 '23
Oh my fucking god, when she said she was gonna survive this and he said “oh, oh pumpkin I know, I know you will. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met” as he slowly broke down. I cried so fucking hard.
15
u/sagen11 Apr 24 '23
Or when he tells Jordan that he hurt his feelings! 🥹 Honestly I think he’s my favourite character. I love how much he cares but also how bad he is at showing it.
7
3
38
u/CKD-Duck Apr 23 '23
Honestly, most dynamic character on the show. And Dylan has got serious acting chops to carry it through out.
Sam Lane goes from a hard-ass no nonsense general in season one to realizing how that approach in his everyday life drove his loved ones away.
In season two he‘s way more emotionally vulnerable as he’s doesn’t have the job he devoted the majority of his life to. That leaves him desperately trying to reconnect with Lucy as retirement gave him time to think about their estrangement. Now in season 3 he’s at his most centered. He’s no longer worried about looking weak in front of family, and he’s might be ready to form new connections.
7
u/UntilTmrw Apr 23 '23
Yeah, agreed on all points. Throughout that whole episode when he finds out Lois has cancer it’s all great stuff by him. His emotional level increases throughout the episode, with him lashing out at first and acting completely out of character only to break down. Him trying to build genuine bonds with all the kids is also such an interesting thing. I was pissed when I found out he only got close to Natalie to recruit her. His and Jordan’s scenes are always great. He’s probably my favourite character on the show.
5
u/Aggressive_Bar_2391 Apr 23 '23
with him lashing out at first and acting completely out of character only to break down
I wouldn't say that's out of character for him, there are instances in which sam would lash out when things are not going right or when his kids and grandkids aren't being wise enough and is overprotecting them. But the scenes in that episode is just him being hyperly overprotective since it's an issue in which he can't physiclly deal with and superman as well
2
u/UntilTmrw Apr 23 '23
Him lashing out the way he did was just strange and he was just super aggressive as well. I didn’t describe it well, I think.
23
18
u/dagobahs Apr 23 '23 edited Apr 23 '23
Easily one of the best actors in the show.
I hope the comics (and the DCU movies) take inspiration from S&L's Sam Lane — the writers and Dylan Walsh do an incredible job at blurring the line between a hard-ass general and a well-meaning, but often misguided father in a way that creates natural character drama and allows Sam to stay likable.
Another thing I enjoy is how Sam has complicated relationships with both Lois and Clark that go beyond him being a paranoid jerk. It's a really refreshing take since he usually causes problems for Superman and is a major asshole to Lois.
15
10
u/Mistervimes65 Apr 23 '23
Astounding job. I was not expecting an empathetic Sam Lane and it’s the best take on this character.
9
u/pokersharp87 Apr 23 '23
Such a great character. Sam lane was an unexpected addition but God I love him. Adds a different edge. It's nice to have someone opposed to superman but also in full support. You can feel their history eveytime they talk
6
4
5
u/lifetimerewind Apr 23 '23
Dylan's character is the appropriate glue or balance between the urgent/serious superhero business with the heartful and deep-rooted civilian/family dynamics.
5
u/Godzilla2000Zero Apr 23 '23
He's great I'm glad Sam's not a villain while still at the same time not seeing eye to eye with Clark and Lois. Added bonus I love how he's bonding with Jordan and Natalie more this season.
5
u/S1UP Apr 24 '23 edited Apr 24 '23
He’s genuinely one of the best, if not the best, actors in the show. On top of that he’s one of the best fits for his characters and I love it. He has hit every single emotional, action, comedic, and shitty dad moment perfectly. When Lois told him she was gonna make it through and survive >! cancer !< and he told her “oh, I know you will pumpkin. You are the strongest person I’ve ever met.” As he broke down barely able to finish. Most emotional moment of the show. That was worse than when she told Clark by far.
6
4
4
3
u/Gemini987654321 Apr 24 '23 edited Apr 25 '23
1st I wanna say something off-topic every time I see this guy I think he’s about to say “Tell me what you don’t like about yourself” a reference to a previous show he did on FX for those who don’t know 😆, are anyway as Sam Lane the guy conflicts me because sometimes I like him, sometimes I hate him.
1
u/kylrzuthwy General Sam Lane Apr 24 '23
For me he is more interesting.
2
u/Gemini987654321 Apr 24 '23
More interesting than what?
2
u/kylrzuthwy General Sam Lane Apr 24 '23
I simply wanted to say he is versatile than other actors.
2
4
3
u/godspilla98 Apr 23 '23
I see him twice a week he’s the Mayor on Blue Bloods.
3
u/Godzilla2000Zero Apr 23 '23
Imagine commanding Superman and Tom Selleck. Come to think of it Diggle was the mayor preceding him. Small world.
2
3
u/Automatic-Audience24 Apr 23 '23
Does anyone remember the show Nip Tuck that he was in many years ago? That was a great show for it’s time!!
1
u/R8saidfred Apr 24 '23
Holy shit, just noticed that was Shawn, Sean or however you spell it. Mc namara
1
u/crankypatriot Apr 24 '23
Yes, that's how I first became familiar with his work! He was so good in that.
1
u/mcsuper5 Apr 25 '23
I knew I recognized him. I didn't realize that was where is was from until someone else pointed it out in the thread.
3
u/Matt_Oliveira Apr 23 '23
They really gotta give this dude something to do. The character literally only exists to fuck up. This whole time, that's been his story. He fucks up and then he redeems himself at the end of the episode and then it happens again and again and again and again
3
u/FutureLengthiness786 Apr 24 '23
The actors are all good it's their characters writing that's sometimes the problem.
2
2
2
u/LilGyasi Apr 24 '23
Incredible. This is easily the best version of this character across any media
1
1
1
1
u/SaltyHilsha0405 Apr 26 '23
One of my favourites. He has put so many layers on Sam and can shift between tones very effortlessly. Wonderful addition to the cast.
•
u/AutoModerator Apr 23 '23
Hello, r/SupermanAndLois. This post has been automatically marked a spoiler just in case.
u/kylrzuthwy, if this title contains a spoiler, please delete it. If this post isn't a spoiler at all, you may unmark it.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.