Nightingale season 1
| Nightingale | |
|---|---|
| Season 1 | |
| File:The Nightingale Season 1 Poster.png Promotional poster | |
| Showrunner | Freddie Goodwin |
| Starring |
|
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Release | |
| Original network | The CW |
| Original release | October 8, 2025 – January 7, 2026 |
| Season chronology | |
The first season of the American television series The Nightingale premiered on October 8, 2025, on The CW, and concluded on January 7, 2026. The series is a spin-off and continuation of Superboy, taking place several months after the events of the fourth and final season. The season consisted of 13 episodes and was produced by Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
Created by Freddie Goodwin, the series follows Evelyn Ross, a young metahuman survivor who becomes involved with an underground network protecting individuals affected by post-Collector mutations throughout South City. As anti-metahuman sentiment continues growing after the fall of Victor Vale, Evelyn discovers a conspiracy tied to illegal experimentation, disappearances, and the remnants of Project Ascension.
The season stars Sadie Sink as Evelyn Ross, alongside Xolo Maridueña, Auliʻi Cravalho, Justice Smith, Victoria Pedretti, and Lance Reddick. Unlike Superboy, the series adopted a darker and more grounded tone, focusing heavily on paranoia, identity, trauma, and survival within a politically unstable South City.
The season received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed toward its performances, atmosphere, cinematography, and departure from traditional superhero television conventions. Critics particularly praised Sadie Sink's performance and the show's thriller-oriented storytelling.
Premise
Several months after the events surrounding Superboy's public identity reveal and the collapse of Human First, South City remains deeply divided regarding metahumans. Individuals affected by lingering Collector residue begin emerging throughout the city, many developing unstable and dangerous abilities while being hunted by underground organizations, government remnants, and extremist groups.
Evelyn Ross, one of the survivors rescued during the warehouse incident tied to Project Ascension, becomes involved with a hidden network sheltering young metahumans throughout South City. As disappearances increase and rumors spread regarding a new experimental program known as Nightingale, Evelyn discovers that someone is continuing Marcus Reed's research in secret.
Cast and characters
Main
- Sadie Sink as Evelyn Ross
- Xolo Maridueña as Tomas Vega
- Auliʻi Cravalho as Maya Torres
- Justice Smith as Adrian Cross
- Victoria Pedretti as Dr. Selene Vale
- Lance Reddick as Director Elias Ward
Recurring
- Dev Patel as Alex Singh / Superboy
- Inde Navarrette as Nova Smiles
- Iñaki Godoy as Kon-El
- Rudy Pankow as Wells Smith (archive footage)
- Oscar Isaac as Victor Vale (archive footage)
- Cameron Monaghan as Isaac Rowe
- Madelyn Cline as Serena Voss
- Caleb McLaughlin as Jordan Creed
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Ashes" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin | October 8, 2025 | 1.41 |
| 2 | 2 | "Hollow Streets" | Jennifer Morrison | Isla Sterling | October 15, 2025 | 1.36 |
| 3 | 3 | "Residue" | Mark Jackson | Jackson Greene | October 22, 2025 | 1.33 |
| 4 | 4 | "The Forgotten" | Rabia Nicholson | Erin Willer | October 29, 2025 | 1.28 |
| 5 | 5 | "Blood Memory" | Alice Rose | Marl Brenton | November 5, 2025 | 1.32 |
| 6 | 6 | "Ghost Frequency" | Mira Silverleaf | Cameron Vale | November 12, 2025 | 1.38 |
| 7 | 7 | "City of Teeth" | Brenton Spencer | Myla Salazar | November 19, 2025 | 1.42 |
| 8 | 8 | "No Safe Place" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin & Jackson Greene | November 26, 2025 | 1.47 |
| 9 | 9 | "Blackwater" | Jennifer Morrison | Isla Sterling & Marl Brenton | December 3, 2025 | 1.51 |
| 10 | 10 | "The Silence Below" | Mark Jackson | Erin Willer | December 10, 2025 | 1.56 |
| 11 | 11 | "Nightingale" | Rabia Nicholson | Freddie Goodwin | December 17, 2025 | 1.61 |
| 12 | 12 | "What Remains" | Alice Rose | Jackson Greene & Myla Salazar | December 31, 2025 | 1.66 |
| 13 | 13 | "The Last Song" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin | January 7, 2026 | 1.83 |
Production
Development
On February 18, 2025, The CW officially ordered The Nightingale to series following positive reception to the backdoor pilot introduced during the fourth season of Superboy. Freddie Goodwin returned as creator and showrunner.
Goodwin described the series as a "grounded psychological thriller set inside a superhero universe" and stated that the show would focus less on traditional heroism and more on trauma, survival, paranoia, and identity in a post-Superboy world. He cited crime thrillers, urban noir stories, and horror-inspired dramas as major influences on the series' tone and visual direction.
Writing
Writing for the season began in March 2025. Unlike Superboy, which centered heavily around hope and public heroism, The Nightingale focused on individuals attempting to survive within a city increasingly hostile toward metahumans.
The writers intentionally avoided making Evelyn Ross a traditional superhero protagonist. According to Goodwin, the creative team wanted Evelyn to feel "emotionally damaged, cautious, and deeply human" rather than immediately becoming a symbol of hope like Alex Singh.
Casting
Sadie Sink was cast as Evelyn Ross after appearing in the Superboy fourth-season episode "Ghost City". Goodwin stated that Sink's performance during the backdoor pilot heavily influenced the decision to move forward with the spin-off.
Xolo Maridueña, Auliʻi Cravalho, Justice Smith, Victoria Pedretti, and Lance Reddick joined the cast in May 2025.