Lois & Clark - Le nuove avventure di Superman

An adaptation of a feature character like SUPERMAN will have a great deal of variance, not only in the era that it is in, but also the audience (demographics) that is desired to r-r-r-r-reach. This was a point always taken into consideration by National Comics Publications( AKA DC Comics), the Copywright owner of Superman and his friends. Therefore in the 1950's, National/DC published comic magazines such as SUPERBOY and JIMMY OLSEN to appeal to the younger kids,especially boys.And alas, they did the girl's Superman magazine, LOIS LANE.All featured Superman, but with a little different spin or, point of view, if you will.

With the appearance of LOIS & CLARK, they were sort of giving us a girl's version of the Super saga,much like the comic book LOIS LANE.But this telling was a program designed to get the female audience, without alienating the guys.

Much like the BATMAN TV of 1966-68, there was a large cross section of the viewing public who grew up with and were quite familiar with the storyline. The answer to the problem was to add plenty of humor, not of the "Camp" type of the Batman show, but some sort of resembling what has come to be known as "Screwball" comedy. The adventure story line is still there, but the humor allows a wider group of people to view the episodes.

The result was a Superman series with wide appeal that fit very well in with its time slot in history as well as ABC's programing schedule.

As a loyal fan of L&C, I have to say that I loved most things about the show. Teri Hatcher turned in my favorite portrayal of Lois Lane to date. Lane Smith's attitude as Perry White was usually enjoyable. Most importantly, Eddie Jones and K Callan set a new standard as Jonathan and Martha Kent. Originally billed as recurring characters, their efforts on screen were just too wonderful to be denied and became a staple of the show through its many ups and downs.

Dean Cain was solid as Clark--and the idea that Clark was a person with problems and goals and insecurities of his own and that Superman was the convenient guise he used to help people always appealed to me. I know that most of the die-hard fans are of the opposite opinion, but humanizing Kal-el and focusing on his relationships with his family, his friends, and the love of his life was one of Deb Joy Levine's truly masterful ideas. The ensemble cast of the first season with Michael Landes as Jimmy Olsen and Tracy Scoggins as Cat Grant worked superbly together onscreen. John Shea turned in a respectable performance with a good mix of glitz and sinister ambition for a '90s Lex Luthor. I loved almost all the episodes that first season and one of my abiding regrets is that the show's writing staff and cast changed for the second season. Nonetheless, the first two seasons were both solid (even if the alternating introduction of competing love interests became grating after awhile).

Much as I hate to admit it, the show didn't end too early. The wheels came off in the third season with the much-despised clone-amnesia arc and the disturbing introduction of the concept of New Krypton. By the close of the fourth season, a consistent villain was nowhere to be found and the idea of Lois's possible pregnancy, of a Superfamily, wasn't strong enough to help the show recover from a disastrous newlywed phase.

This TV Series was simply THE BEST TV Show EVER made, next to Star Trek, Of course, It had romance, action, drama and even emotional moments that make you shed a tear, ABC made a huge mistake by canceling this show, and I shall forever hate them for it (unless they make a movie where it left off)

This version of Superman has always excited me because Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain have such awesome chemistry with each other. Dean Cain makes expert display of Clark Kent's restraints and clumsiness and Superman's authority as a Metropolis savior and his playfulness as the keeper of Lois's affections. We can see his turmoil between being who he has to be and being who he wants to be...with lots of comedy in between. Hatcher, in my opinion, is by far the best Lois to date. She has strength and class and isn't afraid to take chances with her character. She'll sing, she'll dance, she'll turn on the baby-voice...and she gives Lois a persona so stubborn, only Superman can get her to see the truths about herself and the people around her. Add in Lane Smith, who's so ridiculously funny in his Elvis-ized Santa suit and you have pure comedy. Lane Smith is the wise man of the group, fostering Justin Whalen through his mishaps and growth as a photographer and a young man. Justin Whalen's Jimmy Olsen has a certain naiveté' necessary to balance the complex personalities and tensions of Lois and Clark. Michael Landes, who played Season One's Jimmy Olsen, is equally as entertaining...making it difficult to choose who is more deserving of that role. If one invests in such a purchase, it would be hard to be disappointed.

First of all, I 'm Greek, so excuse me if my English are not perfect. I read all of the comments here. The day I 'm sending this L&C's third re-run here in Greece is still continuing, but as I could see it's close to its end. Well, I have to say I 'm a BIG FAN, and I 'm glad to know there are also many fans of one of my favorite - ever TV series. I have to admit, though, L&C was not perfect. My opinion is that it was REALLY GOOD. It had a really good casting - Dean Cain (who is very handsome) is not that short, for God's sake! - and all of the actors fitted great into their roles. The script was also good, and I don't agree with the ones who said that after Lois and Clark's wedding it went bad. And of course I enjoyed the large amount of humor in it. About these flying - scenes... Well, the truth is they could be more and better. I have to say, I never was a Superman's fan, and I 've watched only one of Christopher Reeves movies. (And I liked it.) What is completely wrong for you to say (I don't mean to be rude), is that Dean Cain didn't try to make Clark Kent and Superman look different. OF COURSE HE DIDN'T!! Clark and Superman ARE the same person!! They can't be THAT different!! They have the same character, the same feelings, the same looks... because they ARE the same. They ARE one and only person. So, this is the right way for this role to be played. I agree also with this focusing in Clark's life. After all, HE is the main character. And the problems he has is what we want to see (and his struggles with the bad guys, of course), because, even if we know he doesn't really exist, we like to feel him close to our lives and feelings. If a Superman is what we need, and we can't have him in our true lives, let's just watch him! Last thing I have to say is that I would really like the idea to see Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher back as Clark Kent and Lois Lane again, to a new series or a movie. I hope I will. If I won't, though... I hope I see another Superman, because he's a really interesting idea. Congratulations to his "inventors".