Forget James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ — Watch This TV Show That Gets the Man of Steel Right

Are we the only ones who can’t stop thinking about Superman?

With James Gunn‘s big-screen take on the Man of Steel getting solid reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s hard to think of anything else.

Maybe you’re a Christopher Reeve purist, or perhaps you enjoyed Tom Welling’s younger version of the hero in Smallville.

But Watch With Us’ favorite version of the character is from an underrated HBO Max animated series you might not even know about.

Here’s why you should watch My Adventures with Superman to see the best take on the iconic DC Comics character.

It’s a Superman Origin Story, But Not How You’d Expect

In this animated series from Adult Swim, Clark Kent (voiced winningly by Jack Quaid of The Boys) is getting started as an intern at the Daily Planet, and he’s been repressing his superpowers for years. In fact, he’s been deliberately trying not to learn his origin story, as an encounter with his childhood spaceship scared the Kryptonite out of him when he was a young boy. But as Clark notices Metropolis facing more and more threats, and as more of those threats seem to involve intrepid reporter Lois Lane (Alice Lee) and Clark’s best bud Jimmy Olsen (Ishmel Sahid), he keeps discovering new powers as he steps in to save them.

Rather than revealing Clark’s (or Kal-El’s) origin in one overwrought flashback sequence, My Adventures with Superman slow rolls his discoveries over time, spreading different revelations throughout its two seasons. The show isn’t self-conscious about this — even though we all know who Superman is and where he comes from, the series takes pleasure in watching Clark figure it out. And there are some twists on the classic tale that don’t mess too much with the original.

Clark Kent, Ace Reporter, Finally Gets to Shine

My Adventures with Superman often feels like a workplace comedy — one where the characters are genuinely passionate about what they do. Jimmy, Lois and Clark are interns together at the Daily Planet, and half the fun of this show is the three of them working and collaborating to sniff out stories.

If Superman stands for truth, justice and the American way, My Adventures with Superman places a lot of emphasis on the “truth” part — the importance of good journalism is contanrly emphasized, not just with the Planet staff but also with side characters like the Newskid Legion, a comic book deep cut group of neighborhood kids who keep their ears to the ground to keep up with what’s really going on in Metropolis.

Lois Lane, as in every iteration, is an ambitious and hard-headed reporter, but this version of the character is a refreshing combination of flawed and noble. She’s sometimes willing to go to shady lengths in pursuit of her stories, but it’s all motivated by her genuine desire to help the world.