**************************************************************** * LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN * * Detailed Episode Summaries * * * * Prepared by Jeffery D. Sykes * * sykes@ms.uky.edu * * * * Season 1: Episodes 18-19 * **************************************************************** These summaries should be distributed free of charge. Before including them in any other source or archive, please contact me at the above address. All of my summaries, as well as my Episode Guide, are available via ftp and e-mail. See my regular posting for more information. 18. VATMAN ------ US Airdate 3/13/94 Teleplay by H. B. Cobb & Deborah Joy LeVine Story by H. B. Cobb Directed by Randall Zisk The Daily Planet office crowds around a television to hear a special report of a plane about to attempt a landing in France with no landing gear. As Clark walks into the newsroom, the anchor announces that there are less than three minutes until the landing. Clark hurriedly makes an excuse about leaving something in his cab and begins to leave, only to be halted by the televised sight of Superman(!) flying up and rescuing the plane. The confused and panicked Clark informs his parents that the Superman in Paris was not him. He refuses Jonathan's suggestion of blowing the whistle on the impostor, at least until he knows what he's up against. Clark then flies to Paris, where he uses his international reputation as a journalist to inspect the plane "for an article." He finds that the hand prints embedded in the metal match his own. Upon his return to Metropolis, Lois informs him that aside from the plane incident, Superman has recently performed super-rescues in Rio and Surinam, each time leaving without talking with the press. Jimmy blows into Perry's office with a brochure on white-water rafting he had been instructed to obtain. He finds Perry sporting a rug! He skirts the topic and instead tells him how he thinks the rafting looks dangerous. Perry responds with a comment about how life is short and one should live on the edge. After having a heart to heart with Lois about her possessive feelings for Superman (in Metropolis' interest, of course!), Clark flies off in search of the impostor. They meet in an alley, where the impostor calls Superman his enemy and says that he has outlived his usefulness. When Clark asks him where he got such ideas, the impostor credits his father then runs away, dragging Clark into a brief chase. The impostor [apparently] loses Superman and flies back to his home. As he enters through a window, he is scolded by his father, Lex Luthor, for being late! Lex tells him that it is his bedtime, tells him an extremely warped version of "Little Red Riding-Hood," and puts him to "bed" in a large glass bubble. He reinforces his teachings of superiority through power and gloats of the impending destruction of Superman. Perry shows up at work the next day still sporting his toupee and now wearing a bold new suit. He sends Lois to cover a bank robbery in progress. After Lois leaves, Jimmy approaches Perry and asks if he is okay. Perry gets very defensive about the topic, threatening to fire the next person to ask him if he's okay! Lois arrives at the bank, only to find that Superman had arrived and apprehended the burglars. She tries to get a word with Superman about why he had been "visiting" the world lately, but his attention is drawn to one of the burglars who is attempting to escape. He collars the crook and then proceeds to THROW him over twenty feet into the police wagon, knocking him unconscious! Lois is stunned, but still approaches him. To her dismay, he doesn't seem to recognize her, gives her a good long look-over, smirks a bit, and flies off. During this incident, Clark has been in Smallville discussing the problem with his parents again. After they decide that there's really not enough information to know who the impostor is, Clark returns to the Daily Planet, where the current topic of conversation is Perry's new look. Cat tells Jimmy that she thinks the new attitude makes Perry sexy, and that he shouldn't worry. But when he mentions that Perry had been looking into a safari and a Death Valley hike, she suggests that maybe he had something happen to him the previous week. Jimmy then recalls that Perry had his annual checkup that week. Meanwhile Lois is very concerned about Superman. She tells her story to Clark, who agrees that Superman is not himself! Meanwhile, Jimmy has decided to snoop in Perry's office while the chief is off having Blowfish sushi for lunch. He discovers a calendar entry for the following night about the Metropolis Bridge and jumping! The impostor Superman asks Lex about Lois, the "babe" he had seen at the bank. Lex becomes very protective of Lois and tells faux-Superman to stay away from her. Later, however, Lois receives a couriered message from him which apologizes for his manner at the bank, and asking him to meet her that night. Clark reads the message from across the room and, of course, worries. After a frantic struggle to make herself ready, faux-Superman shows up at her apartment, tells her that she looks "hot," and gets her to sit with him on the couch. He gives the old yawn move to put his arm around her then forces a kiss from her. At this moment, Clark bursts in and Lois emphatically asks him to stay! Faux-Superman walks across the room after Clark refuses to leave and starts to hit him, but Clark stops his arm in mid-swing. Faux-Superman give him a little smile then leaves. Lois is astonished by the fact that Clark challenged him, and then informs Clark that she can tell by his kiss that it was not Superman! Jimmy finally confronts Perry, letting him know that he has "found out." Perry swears him to silence, but is quite confused by Jimmy's gushing admiration of his courage. Lois tells Clark that the impostor must be a clone - it is the only explanation that she believes to make any sense. She then takes Clark to see a Dr. Leak, who authored a paper in which he claimed he could clone a human. However, Dr. Leak is very evasive, denying all of his previous results. He DOES however spend much of their time hitting on Lois! Clark makes an excuse about searching for clues on his own, and ditches Lois to look for the clone. Clark finds the clone playing around at a satellite in orbit and asks him several hard questions about his age and his memories. When the clone gets upset at his lack of memories, he gets defensive and tells Clark that he knows his identity. He admits that he hasn't told anyone the information, and Clark urges him not to. He then asks that he speak with his father about everything else they've discussed. When Clark returns to the Planet, Lois "reminds" him that Superman donated a lock of hair to a charity auction. She informs him that the lock was stolen the following day. The clone asks Lex about his lack of memories after an examination by Dr. Leak. Lex is upset that Superman has put these ideas into the clone's mind. After putting him to bed, Lex speaks with Leak, who announces that the clone is dying. Lex responds not with fatherly tears, but with anger over the failure. He then confirms that the clone's powers are not weakening and decides that the clone will simply have to kill Superman tomorrow. With his lack of morals and ethics, it should be no problem. The clone, who had been feigning sleep, hears the entire thing and is not pleased. The day of the jump, Jimmy is weakening and gives Perry a hotline number so that he might get some help with his rough time. Perry accepts the number, still confused by Jimmy's behavior. Out in the office, Superman arrives and asks Lois for help in finding the impostor. She agrees and they fly off together, much to Cat's chagrin! Moments later, Clark walks in, and when Cat tells him of Lois, he rapidly departs! Superman finds the clone holding Lois on a movie lot. He assures Lois that he would not have hurt her and flies off, leaving Superman to free her. Superman tells Lois to stay there, which of course she doesn't, then goes in search of the clone. He finds him in a western saloon stage, and a minor tussle ensues until Lois interrupts them by walking onto the set. Superman again tells her to stay, and the two move outside. The confrontation escalates into a battle of heat vision, until suddenly the clone collapses. Clark convinces him that he doesn't want to hurt him or to rule the world, and the clone finally begins to understand exactly what Superman is all about. The clone tells them to wait for him - that he is dying - and that he will return after he takes care of a little business. He proceeds back to Lex's lab, where he confronts Lex and Dr. Leak. Dr. Leak foolishly tries to kill the clone with bullets and pays the price for his mistake. The clone then threatens to kill Lex if he doesn't give him the lock of hair, much to the nervous chagrin of Mr. Luthor! As the clone leaves, Lex vents his frustration and rage, lamenting the thoughtlessness of children! The clone decides that Superman must destroy both him and the lock of hair to prevent them from ever trying to clone him again. Superman reluctantly agrees, depositing them in the Sun. Jimmy finally breaks down and informs Lois and Clark that he thinks Perry is going to kill himself. They rush to Metropolis Bridge, only to find that Perry's calendar entry was a reference to BUNGEE jumping! He later explains to them that he had his fiftieth birthday and that this had been his version of the mid-life crisis. After Jimmy and Perry walk off, Lois and Clark remain for a moment and reflect upon the clone's impact. Clark comments how it would have been nice to have two of them around, if not for the heroics, then for the companionship for Superman. Lois chuckles and informs Clark that companionship for Superman is no problem - SHE's available! ***************************************************************************** 19. FLY HARD -------- US Airdate 3/27/94 Written by Thania St. John Directed by Philip J. Sgriccia It's Saturday night in the Daily Planet newsroom, and Perry and Jimmy are doing a little spring cleaning of Perry's office, throwing out old momentos from his past. Clark and Jack [from "Foundling"] are also there, as Clark is finishing his taxes and Jack is waiting for him to finish and take him to a movie. Lois and Lex show up in formal wear, on their way to the opera, but Lois has to rewrite the lead-in to her story because her source was arrested. At Jimmy's suggestion, Jack calls to order them a pizza. Jimmy turns around to find Perry with a stand-up of Elvira, which he refuses to discard. They are interrupted by Cat bursting in, her male friend for the evening all over her. Embarrassed, they leave quickly. Willie, the night watchman, comes in next concerned about the activity, but is reassured by Perry. Right after he leaves, the phone goes dead on Jack, and Lois loses her article as the computer system goes down. Lex and Lois are on their way out when 3 men and a woman exit the elevator with guns. Clark starts to use his heat vision on the guns, but Perry gets in his way. They all quiet down as the woman shoots at the ceiling. Then, Fuentes [his name is never mentioned except in the credits] enters and claims the Daily Planet building theirs. Jimmy had gone to the supply room, and he remains there as Fuentes warns them not to try anything, or he'll set off the nuclear device he has brought with him! The five are closed into the conference room, frantic to figure out what to do. Clark, meanwhile, is trying to use his powers to cut the wires in the nuclear device, but it is lined with lead. He tells them they should sit tight, because they don't want anyone to get killed. Jimmy is still in the supply room, the situation running through his mind. He finally finds a way out via the building's air ducts. Luthor, meanwhile, has decided that they need to take some kind of action. When Clark disagrees, Lex all but calls him a coward. They bicker until Perry interrupts to claim he is in charge. But Lois ignores them all and decides to act. She commands Perry to fake a heart attack, then she screams for help, hoping Lex can hit one of the terrorists with a chair. However, Fuentes barges in, pulls his gun, and fires several shots toward the floor at Perry's feet. He warns them not to test him again. Fuentes' men come out of the elevator with some heavy equipment, and he sends them down one floor with it. After Fuentes leaves the conference room, Perry lashes out at Lois for her stupid attempt! Clark uses his powers to eavesdrop on Fuentes and the girl, Remi. He discovers that they are waiting on the boss to show up, and that Remi thinks that they should all be killed! Lex begins talking about the mindset of terrorists, and Clark responds negatively to Lex's "worst case scenario." Lex challenges Clark as to taking some kind of action. Clark slips up and begins spouting the ideas he'd had about taking action as Superman, and that he can't take the risk of anyone getting hurt. Lois tells Clark to ease off - that he's not Superman! - and that Superman will find a way to save them. Jack makes a comment about the bathroom, and suddenly Lois has to go. Clark notices that Fuentes is busy looking at blueprints, and begins to use his heat vision to activate the sprinklers in the office. However, Lois begins to bang on the door, urgently wanting to go to the bathroom. While she is gone, Lex notices an unguarded exit. Clark finally activates the sprinklers, and in the commotion, Lex heads for the exit. But Fuentes sees his attempt to escape, turns, and shoots Lex in the chest. Meanwhile, Willie has received a call from the fire department about the sprinklers, but he pleasantly assures them that there is no fire in the building, and that he'll check it out. Back upstairs, Clark and Jack, Lois and Lex, and Perry and a chair have all been cuffed together in pairs. Fuentes warns that if anyone tries anything, their buddy dies! Clark eavesdrops some more, discovering that the blueprints were smeared by the water and that Remi is going to look in the computer for more information. Meanwhile, Jack has managed to pick the cuffs lock with a paper clip, only to find Clark very displeased. Clark makes him put the cuffs back on, saying he's thought all about the timing of how the rescue would have to go. He catches himself this time, and says that even Superman wouldn't take that kind of risk. Jack coldly informs him that Luthor was right about him. Jimmy is still crawling around the ducts, all the while complaining (in a great Perry impression) about the fact that he was there cleaning on a Saturday night, instead of being out with a hand model! Lois and Lex are back to back, and Lois is telling how the whole experience is going to make a great story for her. But then she realizes that Lex is in serious trouble from his wound. Clark comes around and sees that Lex is bleeding profusely and that they need to close the wound. Clark relates a "solution" he learned from a doctor in Borneo which involves tea bags, gum, and an orange. While the others are busy mixing his "remedy," Clark uses his heat vision to close the wound [note that we SEE the beams!] He then applies the mixture - kind of enjoying the pain it causes Lex - and then shows everyone the closed wound. Lois thanks Clark for his actions. They all hear a rumbling, and when Clark uses his vision to see through the floor, he finds Fuentes' men using a jack-hammer on the floor below. He then suggests to everyone that the terrorists are actually looking for something. When he eavesdrops again, he finds that the computer is not working, then hears something about Dragon Eddie's money. When he says the name aloud, Perry admits to knowing of Dragon Eddie, a gangster who was responsible for building the Daily Planet Building. We change to a flashback scene, in which Eddie meets with his partner Bill and his girl Lily. Bill tells Eddie that Murphy is trying to move in on their action. The story is interrupted by Fuentes' request that someone help him into the office's computer system. Because of the system he needs into, he takes Lois instead of the volunteering Clark. Of course, Lex is none to pleased with Clark for "allowing" her to go with them. When Fuentes' begins to choke Lois to get her access code, she says "Superman!" Clark reacts with "I'm coming," and promptly begins to walk into the door's glass! Then Lois clarifies that that is her access code. Fuentes has her bring up a blueprint of the Daily Planet. When he realizes they've been looking in the wrong place he tells his men to bring up the equipment. Lois asks what he is looking for, and he confirms that it is money he seeks. When he goes over to the printer, Lois quietly types an SOS message and begins to send it through e-mail. Lex continues to complain until Jack mentions that Clark saved his life. Then his attitude seems to change (very) slightly. Meanwhile, Jimmy is still crawling around the ducts, fantasizing the story of his role in the incident! Back in the newsroom, the computer's beeping brings Fuentes back over, and he cancels the message. He then instructs the man guarding them to shoot to kill if they try anything. Luckily, Lois was able to grab part of the blueprints and they find information about Dragon Eddie's vault! Bill charges in and accuses Eddie of dealing with Murphy. Even though Eddie seems to cancel his suspicion, Bill decides it is time to take his money and run. Eddie won't let him. Lois wonders out loud if the vault is in the building somewhere. Clark's hearing picks up a jingling upstairs, he looks up through the ceiling, and he sees Willie. When he mentions his name, Lois suggests that they get a hold of Willie and have him get help. Taking the suggestion, Jack picks his cuffs lock again and bolts off to find Willie. Clark then follows him, taking the stairs at super speed, which prompts Jack to ask if Clark flew up the stairs! They get Willie's attention and ask for his help. Back in the newsroom, the equipment has been brought up from the floor below, and Fuentes orders one of his men to check the prisoners. Lois and Lex have thrown something over the Elvira standup so that it looks like Jack and Clark are sleeping. The guy is convinced! Willie agrees to get the cops, then tells them to get back down to the newsroom before they are missed. Meanwhile, Lex has decided that he wants to try and make a deal with them - after all, he says, it's just money, and money can't buy you the best things, such as blue sky or brown eyes [as he stares into Lois' eyes!] Suddenly, Cat returns and proceeds unnoticed to walk over to her desk. Lois and Perry try desperately to get her to help them, but she simply chooses some lingerie from her drawer and leaves! Clark and Jack are coming down the stairs when one of Fuentes' men cuts them off and fires his gun at Jack. Clark rapidly throws his arm out and deflects the bullet, then he jumps down and knocks out the shooter. He explains to Jack that the gunman simply missed! Jack responds as they proceed back to the conference room that Luthor was wrong about Clark. When they sneak back in, they discover that the thieves have moved into Perry's office with the equipment, and that Dragon Eddie's vault is located beneath Perry's desk! Meanwhile, Jimmy still can't find his way out of the air ducts, continually meeting with dead ends, until finally he finds his way into the stairwell. He begins to head down the stairs to get help, but he's cut off and captured by someone working with Fuentes. As Fuentes' men begin to cut through to the vault, Lex offers to double whatever's in the vault, if it will ensure their safety. Fuentes declines the offer, stating that from what he's heard, he'd be better off having the cops after him than Luthor. He then radios the boss that he should come on in. The elevator opens, and the five are surprised to see Jimmy! But as he continues on into the newsroom, they recognize that he is also held captive - by Willie! Willie explains to them that he is Bill Roberson, and Lily and Dragon Eddie set him up, framing him for Eddie's murder of Murphy. He simply wanted, after 60 years in prison, to get his share of the money. However, Fuentes has other ideas, taking over the operation and shutting Willie out of the deal. He then tells Remi that she can kill them all except for Lois, who they may need as a hostage. As he leaves with Lois, Lex makes a move and is cold-cocked for his efforts. Remi heads them all down the stairwell, but Clark finally makes his move by distracting everyone, burning out the stairwell light, and knocking out Remi. He then dashes upstairs to help Lois. The rest of them continue downstairs after the commotion, all except for Jack, who realizes that Clark has freed himself from the handcuffs. He follows Clark up the stairs. The bad guys have reached the roof, but there is no sign of their helicopter. As they head back downstairs, Clark manages to cut off the power and swiftly proceeds to take out all of Fuentes' henchmen. Fuentes begins to panic and returns with Lois to the roof. Clark starts to follow him up, but Jack catches up with him. Clark tells him to go back and then proceeds to the roof. As he reaches the roof, he witnesses Lois struggling with Fuentes, and they fall over the side of the building, landing on a window washer's platform. Jack shows up again, and Clark sends him to get the police. Just after Jack leaves, the platform slips, and Lois falls. Clark dives over the side of the building, changes into his costume in mid-flight, and catches Lois, carrying her safely to the ground. As he sets her down, the platform slips again, and this time Fuentes falls. The device slips from his hand as he falls, Superman catches him, and Lois manages to catch the bomb. Superman then instructs the newly arrived police about the remaining thieves and leaves the scene. As Jack and Clark leave the building, Jack comments on the events of the night, saying nobody would believe him if he told them! Clark promises Jack a rain check on their movie then catches up to Lois. She comments that times like this make her think about settling down and having a family, rather than having the dangerous life of a reporter. They look at each other for a split second and exclaim simultaneously, "NAAAH!" When Lois begins to leave and return to Lex, Clark warns her to be careful with Lex. She silently thinks about it, giving no response except for a pensive but non-revealing expression on her face. The next day, she receives flowers at work from Lex. Clark sees this, but he makes sure that he looks busy when Lois looks toward him. Cat stumbles in, spouting a wild story of how her date had her in handcuffs over the weekend. And when she asks how everyone else's weekend went, she receives nothing but icy glares. ***************************************************************************** Jeffery D. Sykes University of Kentucky sykes@ms.uky.edu Department of Mathematics (606) 257-6806 *****************************************************************************