Anyone else actually prefer this to Smallville? - Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993) Discussion

[–] miaangel345 13 years ago

I prefer this show and I enjoyed watching it as a kid!

All you need is love!

Come follow me: http://twitter.com/miaisawesome

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[–] slade4ever 12 years ago

I prefer Smallville, but then again, these are two COMPLETELY different shows.

Both are welcomed additions to the Superman mythos and both are about two different things.

Each have their pros and cons. But instead of debating which one is "better," I'll just watch both.

Well, I've got news for you pal, you ain't leadin' but two things: Jack and sh*t and Jack left town

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[–] RobH8119 11 years ago

Agreed, I prefer Smallville due to the Epic feeling it has, Lois and Clark seems too cheesy at points. I like everything Superman, but Smallville seemed to capture the seriousness of Superman, especially the Lex Luthor character. Superman is a Modern Day messiah, Smallville understood that even adding in subtle visual clues like Clark being crucified and the Angel statues...that adds so much more weight to the series.

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[–] dblackman70 12 years ago

I'm a big Smallville fan (particularly seasons 6 - 10), but, The New Adventures of Superman and Dean Cain will always have a special place in my heart. ................ Smallville has good villains and I loved Jonathan Kent and Oliver Queen and I enjoyed it much better in later seasons with the introductions of Green Arrow / Tess / Hawkman / Zod / fake Jimmy / the JLA etc, but, it took itself too seriously alot of the time and the high school / whiny teenagers stories went on for far too long and it had two of the most annoying characters on tv EVER in Lana Lang and Chloe Sullivan. Tom Welling did a great job as Clark Kent, but, I wish he hadn't spent so long as a teenager hiding who he was and being pushed into action alot of time and I wish we'd had alittle bit longer to see him actively as Superman as he deserved it ............. But TNAOS is my favorite version of Superman of all. It had romance, adventure, super powers and it was entertaining. It stuck closer to the comics and showed more growth in both Clark and Lois's characters. They was great chemistry between the cast and Dean Cain was awesome - and will always be my favorite - as a heroic both Clark himself and Superman. I wish they would have kept Ching and Zara longer and my own complaint is it suffered with the loss of Michael Landes

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[–] SilentDues 12 years ago

To be fair about Smallville, it does have some seasons where the writers manage to find occasional bits of humor. The first couple seasons, Season 4, in addition to the last three seasons manage a unique balance that while still taking itself a bit too seriously, could be pretty damn funny when it wanted to. It's Seasons 3 and 5-7, the latter era which many (including myself) describe as the show's 'Lost Years', that are depressingly serious. It's so bad that when we see Clark show a genuine smile in early Season 4 or the Season 8 premier, it feels like the first time in the show he's really smiling, that alone shows how much more levity could've been used.

On the point of classifying the series a high school/teenage story, that only really applies to roughly half of Smallville, Seasons 1-4 for the high school stuff alone. That's a fun thing about this show, it's made up of three or four different eras in Clark Kent's life that still happen to precede his final transition into the full-fledged incarnation of the iconic tights-wearing/sky-soaring alias we know to evolve. The first hundred episodes are 'Clark Kent's Teen Years', between the 100th & 150th eps are 'Kal-El's Lost Years', the last three eps of Season 7 w/t Season 8's first five eps bridge us 'The Metropolis Transition', while the rest of the story represents 'Superman's Early Years'.

"Just tell the minister, I'm gonna be a few minutes late". *Cue John Williams' Superman theme*

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[–] dblackman70 12 years ago

I know alot of people prefer the earlier seasons, but, my favorite were the later seasons. I enjoyed 6 and 7 and I loved 8, 9, 10 with the balance of humour, Clark coming into his own as a superhero, the departures of Lex and Lana, the arrival of Oliver and Tess and the relationship between Clark and Lois. Those seasons were much more enjoyable

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[–] vivalachrisonmtv3 12 years ago

I like both shows equally. Smallville was more of a serialized supernatural drama where Lois & Clark was a little lighter superhero dramedy. Smallville had some really gut-wrenching, sad moments. Lois and Clark didn't have too many of those. I liked them both. Now, most of you probably think I'm crazy, but I actually preferred the first half of Smallville to the last half. Yeah, I realize it was more like Lois and Clark toward the end, but I just thought it was more interesting in the beginning.

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[–] RobH8119 11 years ago

I also prefer the first half of Smallville, loved season 2 and 3. The heavy emphasis on the Mythology in Smallville was spectacular, Smallville added so much weight to the Superman mythology..I loved it. Superman is basically a modern day Messiah and Smallville writers and show runners understood that, hence all the visual clues like Clark bein "crucified" and standing in front of the Angel statues. I dislike Lana, but the had to add all tha in to appeal to the Dawson Creek type audience..but in my opinion the good FAR outweighs the negatives.

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[–] republican-superhero 12 years ago

i like smallville but in compairing like the question of which do i like better smallville or lois & clark the new adventures of superman my answer to that question is lois & clark the new adventures of superman

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[–] clacton0 12 years ago

I have never seen Smallville I might have to check it out.
I here the first few seasons are the best?

www.youtube.com/eastangliauk

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[–] AH_Fan 12 years ago

I prefer Lois & Clark over Smallville.

Smallville was good the the first 3 seasons, but went downhill after Erica Durance joined the show in season 4. After Erica Durance joined the show, instead of being about young Clark Kent learning to become Superman (which was a good concept), Smallville turned into a copycat of Lois & Clark, except with an ugly Lois Lane (Erica Durance). Smallville even copied plot elements from Lois & Clark, such as:

1. Lois realizes that Clark is Superman in Lois & Clark when Superman puts his hand on her cheek and Lois realizes that Clark is the Blur when the Blur kisses her.
2. Lois had superpowers as Ultra Woman in Lois & Clark and Lois had superpowers as Stilleto in Smallville.
3. Lex Luthor dies in Lois & Clark. Lex Luthor dies in Smallville
4. Tempus travels back in time to try to kill the baby Kal-El in Lois & Clark and Brainiac travels back in time to try to kill the baby Kal-El in Smallville.
5. Dr. Klein is a scientist who routintely helps Clark/Superman in Lois & Clark and Emil Hamilton is a scientist who routinely helps Clark in Smallville.
6. A group of Kryptonians kneel before Kal-El in Lois & Clark and a group of Kryptonians kneel before Kal-El in Smallville.
7. Clark switches bodies with a crooked older guy (Woody Samms) in Lois & Clark and Clark switches bodies with a crooked older guy (Lionel Luthor) in Smallville.
8. Lois & Clark had clones. Smallville had clones.
9. Lois & Clark had an alternate universe Clark. Smallville had an alternate universe Clark.

Lois & Clark had a much better Lois Lane than Smallville. Teri Hatcher is hot, but Erica Durance is really ugly. Smallville's Lois was also a selfish and ruthless character. In Lois & Clark, Lois understood sometimes she had to make sacrifices for the greater good. For example, she was willing to let Clark go with Zara and Ching to help save New Krypton from Lord Nor's tyranny.

But Smallville's Lois put her own selfish wishes above that of the greater good. She threatened to kill Tess Mercer if Tess had blown up the Phantom Zone portal and trapped Zod and Clark in the Phantom Zone. Lois was willing to risk letting Zod escape from the Phantom Zone and possibly kill millions of humans on Earth just so she could be with Clark. Lois also held a knife to Emil Hamilton's throat and threatend to slice his throat open.

Also, when Lex died in Lois & Clark, he was really dead. There was no revival or reincarnation of the character. But in Smallville, characters died and came back from the dead, such as Jonathon Kent, Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor. And "Jimmy" Olsen's death turned out to be a BS ploy.

And Doomsday had a job as a parademic. That's how bad Smallville had gotten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOwfRyd9avY

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[–] princess_critic 11 years ago

Smallville didn't "steal" or "copy" anything - those things are all part of the Superman story. Smallville did it better by taking a more deeper and serious approach. I love The New Adventures, I really do, but it's not well made at all - there're a plotholes and continuity errors all over the place. There was a lot of BS in Smallville, you're right, but you just seem to have a personal hate for Erica Durance.

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[–] AH_Fan 11 years ago

I love The New Adventures, I really do, but it's not well made at all - there're a plotholes and continuity errors all over the place.

If you want to talk about plotholes, just look at Smallville. In the early seasons, we find out that Lionel Luthor arranged the adoption papers for Jonathon and Martha to adopt Clark. Then in the later seasons we find out that Lionel Luthor had been part of the Veritas group and had a journal detailing how he went to Smallville because the "Traveler" was supposed to arrive there.

Since Lionel arranged the adoption papers for Clark, then Lionel would've known that Martha didn't give birth to Clark and that Jonathon and Martha had obtained Clark through methods that prevented them from applying for a legal adoption. So Lionel should've known all along that Clark was the "Traveler" and would've taken Clark away from Jonathon and Martha then.

There was a lot of BS in Smallville

Yes, the whole plotline with the caves was lame. "Jimmy" Olsen dying and then the writers making it Jimmy's brother who actually died was lame. Doomsday having a day job as a paramedic was lame. Lionel Luthor becoming a surrogate father to Clark after Jonathon died was lame. And everybody knowing Clark was "The Blur" (including Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, Toyman, Metallo, Emil Hamilton, Amanda Waller, Rick Flagg, Pete Ross) was lame. There are plenty more.

you just seem to have a personal hate for Erica Durance.

And for good reason. Erica Durance is really ugly and completely ruined Smallville.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOwfRyd9avY

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[–] princess_critic 11 years ago

Darkseid wasn't a paramedic. Doomsday was. And so what? His human side is caring and compassionate, in a job where he wants to save lives. His Kryptonian side is murderous. It was a very good comparison.

Your examples of lame stories are mere opinions. There are just as many people out there who loved them, or at least enjoyed the added history they gave the character. Yes, the Jimmy thing sucked majorly, and the caves were boring. But as for Lionel being his surrogate father...he was the vessel of Jor-El. And of course people are going to know who The Blur is - Clark doesn't have a secret identity at that point.

But thank you for that one and only example of a plothole.If you hate shows if plotholes so much then what the hell are you going watching Lois & Clark? Pointing out the plotholes of that show will take a lot longer than the 20 minutes I have free right now.

But I don't know why I'm arguing with you. If you're the type of person who can hate people because you think they are ugly then you clearly have some maturing to do.

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[–] helderuto 11 years ago

AH_Fag

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[–] Smallville_forever 12 years ago

Smallville is great but Lois and Clark is much better acting,villians and superman great show period Lois and Clark.

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[–] princess_critic 11 years ago

I would have given the better acting to Smallville, hands down. Though I love Dean Cain as Superman he really isn't all that great as an actor. Even when he had a cameo appearance in Smallville he was still the same.

But I don't think we're supposed to compare them. One is his early life leading up to the point when he decided to become Superman, the other is his life as a reporter hiding his secret identity.

That being said...Smallville wins for me. It explored so much more in terms of origins and relationships, not to mention other people with powers - the meteor-infected, the experimented, and the superhumans.

New Adventures will always be in my heart - it's what introduced me to Superman all those years ago. New Adventures has Superman interacting with the public, giving interviews and making appearances, it has (like the films) the world knowing he's from another planet - they know it's called Krypton, they know he was sent to Earth as a child. I love that side of the story. But Smallville be always be better because of where it went with the last few seasons.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] SilentDues 11 years ago

But I don't think we're supposed to compare them. One is his early life leading up to the point when he decided to become Superman, the other is his life as a reporter hiding his secret identity.

It's true, it's very unfair to compare at least the bulk of Smallville to Lois & Clark, they're two very different periods in the lives of their own Clark Kents. Lois & Clark's picking up on Clark after high school, college, his world travels, when he's as far into his late-20s as 27! Smallville's first seven seasons explore a very comphrehensive and thurough approach to Clark Kent's teen years and confusing early 20s, though he only had one semester in college and the world travels got reduced to occasional forced trips around the world, we still got the basics of what led this Kal-El to the point of becoming a reporter at the Daily Planet and eventually assuming a dual-identity.

I think the best and most fair way to compare the two shows would be roughly three years in each case, while the first five eps of Smallville Season 8 are comparable to L&C Supes' early days at the Planet in the pilot, the two start sorta mirroring each other as of the unofficial two-parter "Prey" & "Identity". From there, Smallville's Clark has by now gotten into the start of his journalism career (albeit as a copy-boy/cub-reporter), assumed the heroic alias that (despite the couple Blur-related terms) we know to be the same Man of Steel one day named 'Superman', all on top of the Clark/Lois/Kal-El triangle getting in full gear. While Clark isn't wearing his specs for keepsfor quite the long while, hasn't yet fully mastered flight, let alone donning the iconic suit made by his mother, I'll always argue this final era in the later series does a solid representation of what Lois & Clark Seasons 1-3 did... Superman's Early Years.

Both versions of Superman's Early Years, spanning "Pilot"-"Battleground Earth" of Lois & Clark and "Prey"/"Identity"-"Finale" of Smallville, give us the following:

The entire Clark/Lois/Kal-El triangle ("Pilot"-"And the Answer Is..."/"We Have a Lot to Talk About"-tease for Lois & Clark, "Prey"/"Identity"-"Salvation"/"Lazarus"-tease for Smallville)

A death to Lex Luthor during 'Year One' ("The House of Luthor" for Lois & Clark, "Requiem" for Smallville) and eventual resurrection ("The Phoenix" for Lois & Clark, "Finale" for Smallville)

A surviving colony of Krypton Kal-El nearly takes on the mantle of leading ("Through a Glass, Darkly"-"Battleground Earth" for Lois & Clark, Season 9 for Smallville)

A failed wedding between Clark and Lois ("I Now Pronounce You..."/"Double Jeopardy" for Lois & Clark, "Finale" for Smallville)

Lois knowing Clark's secret (From "We Have a Lot to Talk About"-tease on into the future for Lois & Clark, from "Lazarus"-tease" on into Superman's iconic years for Smallville)

Superman & The [Red-Blue] Blur = The Man of Steel

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[–] eastangliauk (376) 6 years ago

Yes defo the first Lois & Clark then I guess Supergirl is next best then smallvile.

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[–] Snoopy828 (517) 4 years ago

Love both shows. However I do prefer Smallville if I'm being honest. I think the cast was better on Smallville, and I just think Smallville has more re-watchability to it. I will forever have a soft spot for Dean and Teri. I liked John Shea just fine, but we didn't get enough of him. I think Whalin/Ashmore are on par with each other as both actors made me a bigger fan of the Jimmy Olsen character then I already was. Kallan/Jones were good but Schneider/O'Toole were vastly superior.

Lane Smith will always be my favorite version of Perry White.

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