Lois & Clark: As Novas Aventuras do Superman

Yesterday I watched a VHS released by "Warner do Brasil" with the pilot episode of this TV series. The story begins with Clark Kent (Dean Cain) arriving in Metropolis and being hired by Perry White (Lane Smith) to work in the Daily Planet with Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher) and Jimmy Olsen (Michael Landes). Meanwhile, Clark misses his parent Jonathan Kent (Eddie Jones) and Martha Kent (K Callan) and is harassed by his colleague Catherine "Cat" Grant (Tracy Scoggins). However, he has a crush on Lois Lane. Meanwhile, a spacecraft explodes and a scientist, considered mad by his community, advises that there was a sabotage on the launching. Along the story, it is disclosed but never proved that Lex Luthor (John Shea) was the responsible for the explosion. Clark becomes the Superman, and Lex Luthor his greatest enemy. I was not a regular viewer of this series on TV, but I liked most of the episodes that I have seen. This VHS is excellent, introducing the characters of "Superman" in a delightful story. The beauty of Teri Hatcher would be enough to support this movie, but the chemistry between the handsome Dean Cain and the gorgeous Teri Hatcher is also a wonderful attraction. "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" is a great and charming entertainment for children and adults. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Lois & Clark: As Novas Aventuras do Super-Homem" ("Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of 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 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.

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)