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Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
(1993-1997 TV Series)
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Lois
& Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997):
The first season was the very best of the series. Season two was
okay, but seriously missing John Shea as Lex Luthor, Tracy Scoggins as
Cat Grant, and Michael Landes as Jimmy Olsen. By season three the
show was junk. It's a shame what they did to this once great show.
Dean Cain is good as Superman, but his character is occasionally too whiny; not fitting for a "real" Superman. He is a lot funnier than his predecessors, however, which I like. I like Dean Cain in his action films that he has made since the Superman series. Teri Hatcher was wonderful as Lois Lane in the first two seasons. She was a lot prettier then and funnier, too. By season three she just got too darn skinny and became nothing but a whiner (she lost her funnyness). Michael Landes was terrific as Jimmy Olsen. He looked and acted just like his comic book counterpart which we all know and love. I'd say he and Jack Larson from the earlier "Adventures of Superman" series were the best ever Jimmy Olsens. Justin Whalen, who played Jimmy Olsen for the rest of the series, just didn't cut the mustard. He looked a little too "street" to be Jimmy Olsen, plus he just wasn't as likeable. Tracy Scoggins as Cat Grant was absolutely fantastic! She gave the show a lot more adult appeal. Cat was definitely a minx and sometimes rival to Lois for Clark's affections. In fact, she kind of took a lot away from Lois' appeal in the show. Cat had a sexier personality, and the show was trying to push Lois as being sexy. I can kind of see why they decided to nix that character, but it was such a shame. What really gets me upset is that they didn't even write the Cat Grant character out of Superman respectably. By the time season two came around, she was gone without any explanation. Cat was also an important character in the comics at the time, so it's curious that they did what they did.
John Shea as Lex Luthor is the all-time best Lex Luthor that ever appeared in a Superman production! This character was incredibly appealing as the ultimate antagonist to Superman. The first season was filled with Superman vs. Lex Luthor plots. By the end of the first season, Lex Luthor committed suicide by jumping off his skyscraper to avoid being imprisoned. Although I like that he got killed, they waited far too long to resurrect him in the second season. When he was brought back to life he was made bald to look like his comic book counterpart. This also gives an interesting reason why Luthor was always bald in the comics. Every once in a long, long while they'd bring Luthor back in the show, but usually with different actors playing him (who just weren't as clever as John Shea). Lex Luthor would've been a great reoccurring character for the rest of the series, but they just didn't use him as much as they should have. Luthor was such an important part of the Superman saga in the first season, that the rest of the series severely faltered.
Lane Smith played Daily Planet editor Perry White better than anyone who ever had in a Superman series or film. He looked like Perry White was supposed to, and he had that same gruff-but-likeable demeanor. Of course, I liked Lane Smith in a lot of his film projects. Last, but not least, are Clark's parents in the series Jonathan and Martha Kent (Eddie Jones and K Callan, respectively). They're parents we all wish we had. For the most part this was a fun superhero series with a great cast...especially in the first season.
Left to right: Dean Cain as Superman, Tracy Scoggins as Cat Grant, Michael Landes as Jimmy Olsen.
Dean Cain is good as Superman, but his character is occasionally too whiny; not fitting for a "real" Superman. He is a lot funnier than his predecessors, however, which I like. I like Dean Cain in his action films that he has made since the Superman series. Teri Hatcher was wonderful as Lois Lane in the first two seasons. She was a lot prettier then and funnier, too. By season three she just got too darn skinny and became nothing but a whiner (she lost her funnyness). Michael Landes was terrific as Jimmy Olsen. He looked and acted just like his comic book counterpart which we all know and love. I'd say he and Jack Larson from the earlier "Adventures of Superman" series were the best ever Jimmy Olsens. Justin Whalen, who played Jimmy Olsen for the rest of the series, just didn't cut the mustard. He looked a little too "street" to be Jimmy Olsen, plus he just wasn't as likeable. Tracy Scoggins as Cat Grant was absolutely fantastic! She gave the show a lot more adult appeal. Cat was definitely a minx and sometimes rival to Lois for Clark's affections. In fact, she kind of took a lot away from Lois' appeal in the show. Cat had a sexier personality, and the show was trying to push Lois as being sexy. I can kind of see why they decided to nix that character, but it was such a shame. What really gets me upset is that they didn't even write the Cat Grant character out of Superman respectably. By the time season two came around, she was gone without any explanation. Cat was also an important character in the comics at the time, so it's curious that they did what they did.
John Shea as Lex Luthor is the all-time best Lex Luthor that ever appeared in a Superman production! This character was incredibly appealing as the ultimate antagonist to Superman. The first season was filled with Superman vs. Lex Luthor plots. By the end of the first season, Lex Luthor committed suicide by jumping off his skyscraper to avoid being imprisoned. Although I like that he got killed, they waited far too long to resurrect him in the second season. When he was brought back to life he was made bald to look like his comic book counterpart. This also gives an interesting reason why Luthor was always bald in the comics. Every once in a long, long while they'd bring Luthor back in the show, but usually with different actors playing him (who just weren't as clever as John Shea). Lex Luthor would've been a great reoccurring character for the rest of the series, but they just didn't use him as much as they should have. Luthor was such an important part of the Superman saga in the first season, that the rest of the series severely faltered.
Lane Smith played Daily Planet editor Perry White better than anyone who ever had in a Superman series or film. He looked like Perry White was supposed to, and he had that same gruff-but-likeable demeanor. Of course, I liked Lane Smith in a lot of his film projects. Last, but not least, are Clark's parents in the series Jonathan and Martha Kent (Eddie Jones and K Callan, respectively). They're parents we all wish we had. For the most part this was a fun superhero series with a great cast...especially in the first season.
Left to right: Dean Cain as Superman, Tracy Scoggins as Cat Grant, Michael Landes as Jimmy Olsen.