Ever wondered what Metropolis was like before Superman arrived? Yeah… me neither.

Warner Brothers Digital has given a 13-episode straight-to-Series order for Metropolis, a new series for the upcoming DC Digital Service. The series is from Gotham producers Danny Cannon and John Stephens.

While Gotham follows a proto-Batman, Clark Kent/Superman will be completely absent from Metropolis. Instead, we will see the adventures of Lois Lane and Lex Luthor while they investigate fringe science and expose the dark secrets of the city.

Wait… what?

In this series we’re going to see Metropolis before Superman arrives. Okay… fine. I’m not that horribly interested, but you’re setting up Lane and Luthor as a Mulder and Scully type team? Why? Just… why?

I hear a lot of crazy TV pitches as I follow the industry, but this has to be one of the oddest. Yes, even odder than the OTHER Superman prequel series Krypton that will deal with Superman’s grandfather.

Look, we all love Superman, but no one feels a burning desire to dive into his backstory. Batman has been covered from every angle, and at least Gotham focuses on Jim Gordon, but he’s doing what we know him to do, be a cop. In this we’re going to have to believe that Lois and Lex work together? No thank you.

The DC Digital Service will debut some time in 2019, no word yet on the premiere date of this series.