Performer of the Week: Bitsie Tulloch
THE PERFORMER | Bitsie Tulloch
THE SHOW | Superman & Lois
More from TVLine
THE EPISODE | “The End & The Beginning” (Oct. 7, 2024)
THE PERFORMANCE | The Man of Steel wasn’t the only one who had his heart ripped out during Superman & Lois’ final season premiere. But while his mortal wound came courtesy of Bizarro-Doomsday, the viewers’ emotional gutting was done at the hands of an even more powerful force: Bitsie Tulloch.
We all knew that Superman’s death was inevitable, but nothing could have prepared us for the actual moment that Lois’ entire world fell to pieces. The haunted look on Tulloch’s face as she approached her husband’s body, silently holding onto her last remaining shred of hope, set the stage for a viscerally painful discovery. And the sound Tulloch released upon confirming her character’s worst fear is still echoing in our heads. We didn’t even need that montage of Lois and Clark’s intimate moments; the pain of this loss, bolstered by the extremely valid emotions Tulloch brought to the experience, was already fully earned.
Lois attempting to shield her sons from that same pain, while still barely holding herself together, was like a brutal twist of the knife. Tulloch’s portrayal of this iconic character has always been rooted in strength, leaning heavily into Lois’ inherent resilience, giving even more power to these selective moments of unbridled vulnerability.
But it wasn’t all gloom and doom(sday). Like little breaths of fresh air, the premiere also flashed back to key milestones in Lois and Clark’s relationship, showcasing Tulloch’s undeniable chemistry with her on-screen hubby. Look no further than the moment Lois discovered that she was about to take Clark’s virginity. What could have simply remained an awkward moment, one merely played up for laughs, became sweet and disarming in Tulloch’s hands. Her delivery of “get ready to have a new best day of your life” was impeccable.
Scroll down to see who scored Honorable Mention shout-outs this week…
HONORABLE MENTION: Tae Ju Kang and Lee Minho
Bringing to life a pivotal moment from the novel — Noa learning that Hansu is his father, and how both men react in the aftermath — Tae Ju Kang and Lee Minho rose to the occasion in Pachinko‘s Season 2 finale. In a mid-hour dinner scene, as Noa and Hansu each shared visions for the former’s future, Kang and Minho maintained a requisite emotional detachment; after all, Noa only knows Hansu to be a family friend. But when Anniko blurted out her theory about her beau’s true lineage, Noa and Kang erupted like never before. What followed was Kang and Minho’s most intimate scene to date, when Noa’s worst fear was confirmed and son confronted father with a slew of accusations. Kang’s finest work of the episode then came when Noa surprised his mom to deliver a stealth “Goodbye, forever,” while Minho showed us Hansu violently imploding at a night club, ruing his “foul” nature. — Matt Webb Mitovich
HONORABLE MENTION: Rhenzy Feliz
Though the combustible dynamic between Oz Cobb and Sofia Falcone provides an exciting throughline to The Penguin, it’s Rhenzy Feliz as Vic Aguilar who has proven to be the emotional heart of the series. Vic took center stage in the third episode, “Bliss,” as flashbacks showed the night the Riddler set off those explosions in The Batman, flooding Gotham City. Feliz’s empathetic performance let us see the innocent kid Vic was and how he was forever traumatized by the events that took his family from him. In the show’s present day, Feliz showed just how torn Vic was between leaving town with his girlfriend and staying in Gotham — first, because he was fearful of Oz’s retribution and then thanks to Oz displaying warmth, yet also angrily telling him he could have a bigger and better life. Feliz invested us in Vic’s decision and why he’d latch onto a parental figure (albeit a decidedly criminal one) that he desperately misses. — Eric Goldman
HONORABLE MENTION: Kathryn Hahn
We’ve known for years that Kathryn Hahn has one of the most formidable acting ranges in the business — but we’re not mad that Wednesday’s Agatha All Along gave her another chance to show it. As Agatha faced her trial on the Witches’ Road, Hahn seized every opportunity to remind us of her comedy chops (in a hilarious scene where Agatha pretended to be possessed by the late Mrs. Hart) and her subtle dramatic skill (as Agatha asked her mother’s vengeful ghost, with almost an embarrassed sadness in her eyes, why the woman hated her so much). But our favorite Agatha moments are the ones when Hahn leans way in to her character’s delightfully diabolical flair; it’s why, days later, we’re still thinking about the way Hahn savored every ominous syllable when Agatha told Teen, “You’re so much like your mother.” Bewitching indeed! — Rebecca Iannucci
Which performance(s) knocked your socks off this week? Tell us in the comments!
Best of TVLine
Sign up for TVLine's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.