Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman

***Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman*** (commonly known simply as "*Lois and Clark*") is a live-action American television series. Based on the characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in *Superman* and *Action Comics*. *Lois & Clark*, stars Dean Cain as Clark Kent/Superman and Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane. The series aired on ABC from September 12, 1993 to June 14, 1997.[1]

Developed for television by Deborah Joy LeVine.[2] The series loosely followed the modern origin of Superman, established by writer John Byrne—where Clark Kent is the true personality and Superman a disguise. As the show's title suggests, the series focused on the relationship and romance between Clark and Lois as much as the adventures of Clark's alter-ego, Superman.[3]

The series spawned several tie-in young adults novel and a full-length adults novel, *Lois & Clark: A Superman Novel* (1996), written by C. J. Cherryh. The show was shot entirely in California.

## Overview

On May 17, 1966, Jonathan and Martha Kent (Eddie Jones and K Callan) witness the crash-landing of a small spaceship in Shuster's Field outside of Smallville, Kansas. When they investigate, they discover the baby Kal-El, decide to raise him as their own, and name him "Clark Jerome Kent". Throughout the series, Clark proudly states his mother made his Superman costume for him. Clark often consults Jonathan and Martha, either by telephone or in person after impromptu Superman flights to Smallville, about personal and moral concerns and dilemmas.

The series opens twenty-seven years later, on the day Clark moves to Metropolis and interviews for a job at the *Daily Planet* under editor Perry White (Lane Smith). Clark becomes acquainted with photographer Jimmy Olsen (Michael Landes in Season One, Justin Whalin thereafter) and gossip columnist Cat Grant (Tracy Scoggins). Soon after being hired, Clark is partnered with star reporter Lois Lane. Within minutes of Clark getting a job, he and Lois are given an assignment together. Clark falls in love with Lois at first sight, but she considers him to be little more than a rookie slowing her down. When Superman saves her from a space shuttle disaster, Lois instantly becomes infatuated with Clark's alter-ego.

Superman's first mission interferes with the illegal dealings of Lex Luthor (John Shea), a secretly evil Metropolis business giant and benefactor. After Luthor's plot has been stopped, Clark (as Superman) lets him know he is watching him and will be there to foil his criminal plots, and the two become archenemies. Clark respects Luthor's life, even surreptitiously using his superpowers to save Lex from bleeding to death. Lex himself, sees Superman as a worthy opponent, ultimately discover his weakness to kryptonite, along that he has a secret identity and vows to learn it in hopes of making the hero's life difficult. Luthor develops an interest in Lois Lane and through most of the first season tries to woo her; although Lois is receptive to his romantic advances, she remains infatuated with Superman. Lois also has developing feelings for Clark, although most of the time she inhibits or denies them. Luthor eventually proposes marriage to Lois. Clark sees he may lose Lois and knows Luthor is evil but cannot convince Lois. Clark tells Lois that he is in love with her; she replies that she is not in love with him but cares for him deeply as a friend. Lois asks Superman if there is any chance of a romance between the two of them. Superman turns her down and Lois accepts Luthor's proposal. Luthor decides to coincide his nuptials with the death of Superman, who he traps in a kryptonite cage in the wine cellar of Luthor Tower, which also contains the chapel where the wedding will occur. As the wedding approaches, Lois realizes she loves Clark, and she says no to Lex at the altar.

Clark had been working with Perry and Jimmy to expose Lex and they have enough evidence to get the police to interrupt the wedding to arrest Lex. He eludes the police and jumps from his penthouse office to his apparent death. Superman has escaped the cage and, as Clark, rejoins Lois. However, his powers have been diminished by kryptonite and he cannot stop the villain from falling to the pavement. Newspapers report that Lex's body has been stolen from the morgue and hint he may not be dead. Clark, fearing his unrequited love for Lois may damage their relationship, tells her he is not really in love with her and told her so because he would have done anything to protect her from Lex. Lois was about to tell Clark that she loves him too, but she keeps it to herself and their relationship remains a friendship.

In Season Two, Clark and Lois begin to date but are interrupted by Mayson Drake (Farrah Forke), a district attorney who takes a romantic interest in Clark but has a total lack of regard for Superman. Mayson dies as Lois and Clark have their first date. In the next episode, a federal agent named Dan Scardino (Jim Pirri) becomes a rival to Clark for Lois' affections. Lois decides she likes Clark more than she likes Dan, and they begin dating more seriously. In the season finale, Clark comes close to telling Lois his secret, but does not because of his uncertainty about her reaction and interruptions by people plotting to expose his identity to the world. At the end of the episode, Clark proposes to Lois.

In the third season premiere, Lois has discovered Superman's secret identity. Initially she resents Clark not telling her. During their courtship, Lois dates a man who is plotting to kill her in a sacrificial ritual, and she and Clark carry out assignments where they either pose as a married couple or are alone together for an entire weekend. Lois finally accepts Clark's engagement ring after acquiring his powers and temporarily becoming a superhero named Ultra Woman. Lois suffers a bout of amnesia and hallucinates their wedding. Once she recovers, Lois and Clark are back still engaged when two other Kryptonians come to Earth, one of whom is Clark's wife. They insist Clark go with them to save their world, New Krypton, from domination by an evil tyrant; Clark leaves Lois, taking her wedding ring to remember her and as a promise to return as quickly as possible. While committed to each other, they both doubt he will ever return.

The fourth season starts with Clark heading toward New Krypton, while the evil tyrant has instead invaded Earth, so Clark returns. A villainous conqueror from New Krypton, Lord Nor, takes over Smallville. He and Lois neutralize the tyrant and persuade the New Kryptonians to allow Clark stay on Earth. After another failed wedding ceremony, Lois and Clark get married. Evil forces continues to assault them, delaying their honeymoon, but eventually the couple move into a new home. Throughout the season they strengthen their bond, despite some disagreements and villains trying to destroy them. The newlywed reporters discover that Clark cannot father a child with Lois, but at the end of the last episode a child mysteriously appears. In an interview, series writer and executive producer Brad Buckner said the planned story was that the child "was Kryptonian royalty, stashed by his mother to keep him safe from assassins."[4]