| Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | |
| Season 2, Episode 21 | |
 | |
| Air date | May 14, 1995 |
| Written by | Kathy McCormick John McNamara |
| Directed by | Michael W. Watkins |
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Superman finds himself in court when a musician he saved sues him for breaking his hand. Meanwhile, Lois runs out of patience with Clark's running out on her in the middle of important conversations, and her boyfriend Dan Scardino runs afoul of an Intergang operation to distribute mind-altering drugs to the general public.
Plot[]
Lois and Clark are on a date at a charity carnival. On the bandstand, a man loses his grip on a large speaker and guitarist Calvin Dregg, standing below, cannot hear his warning cries because he is tuning his guitar. Clark changes to Superman and flies him to safety at super speed. However, Calvin claims the save broke his hand, and demands Superman take him to the hospital, forcing him to again leave Lois wondering where he is. Daniel Scardino cuts in on the date and makes sniping remarks about Clark's disappearance, which succeeds only in angering Lois at Dan as well, particularly as he won't talk about his work. Lois rejects Dan's objections that telling her about his work would present a conflict of interest (since Lois is a reporter) and potentially put him in danger. She vents her frustrations with the three men in her life (Clark, Dan, and Superman) to her psychotherapist, Dr. Friskin.
Calvin gets on Superman's bad side by whining that the hand injury has ruined his life since he can no longer play guitar and by bullying his wife Elise. Superman ultimately lets it go, but Calvin retains hammy attorney Barry Barker to sue Superman.
Superman consults Lois about getting an attorney, insisting that he wants someone honest. Lois doesn't know any honest lawyers, but Dan recommends Constance Hunter. Constance turns him down, claiming she has never won a case because of her honesty. Lois investigates Calvin, and overhears him and Elise mention that they have not told anyone they are married, at Calvin's insistence. She also learns that Calvin is a serial plaintiff, but Superman informs her that this info is not admissible in court.
Lois confronts Clark about his running out on their date, but he has to run off again to answer a cry for help. Realizing how much he has hurt Lois at this point, Clark decides he can no longer keep up his double life.
Investigating Project Nirvana (mentioned in the previous episode), Lois finds out that Dan is posing as a corrupt FDA agent taking a bribe for FDA clearance of Nirvana, a supposed pain reliever designed by Intergang to make people susceptible to product advertising. Lois delivers an angry tirade against Dan for not telling her about his work and storms off, unaware that Intergang agent Charles Knox planted a bug on the bribe. Knox contacts Bill Church, Jr. (fresh out of jail, with all charges against him dropped), and Church says that since Lois and Dan will be at Superman's trial, a bomb in the courtroom can get rid of them both and at the same time put a permanent stain on Superman's reputation.
Lois and Dan reconcile after their fight. After shopping through a number of lawyers, all of whom seem both amoral and inept, Superman turns to Constance again. She relents and takes the case. At the trial, Elise testifies that Calvin's hand is permanently broken and that he is unusually moody as a result. During a recess, Lois rebukes Elise for lying, and points out that Calvin clearly does not love her. As they argue the point, Lois tells Elise (and unintentionally, herself) that in spite of everything she knows that Clark cares about her more than he does himself.
While Superman is on the stand, he smells C-12 burning - a smell that he has come to recognize over his career. He locates the activating bomb by the smell and flies it outside through the courtroom roof. As Calvin whines that the dust from the explosion has blinded him, Elise finally snaps. She tears off Calvin's cast (demonstrating his hand has healed), confesses to lying on the stand, and says she wants a divorce. In light of this, the judge dismisses the case. Lois tells Superman that after seeing him on trial she has realized it was selfish of her to want to be his lover, because he belongs to everyone, and that there is another man who she has decided to be with. Thinking she means Dan, but unwilling to continue using his Superman identity to court Lois, he sadly accepts Lois's decision and thanks her for being a great friend.
Knox is arrested, and Dan visits Lois to celebrate. However, she tells Dan she has decided to stop dating him. She goes over to Clark's to tell him he is the only man in her life, only to find him packing to move away. He explains that he was leaving because of their not getting along, but Lois says they both need to stop running away from each other. Clark agrees not to hide from their relationship any longer, and they kiss.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Dean Cain as Clark Kent/Superman
- Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane
- Lane Smith as Perry White
- Justin Whalin as Jimmy Olsen
- K Callan as Martha Kent
- Eddie Jones as Jonathan Kent
Recurring roles[]
- Jim Pirri as Daniel Scardino
- Sal Viscuso as Bobby Bigmouth
- Bruce Campbell as Bill Church, Jr.
Guest starring[]
- Barbara Bosson as Dr. Friskin
- Jason Carter as Calvin Dregg
- Michele Abrams as Elise
- Cliff Bemis as Smiling lawyer
- With Kay Lenz as Constance Hunter
Special appearances by[]
- Martin Mull as Marlin Finch-Lupus
- Ben Stein as James Frontero (Lawyer #3)
- Frank Gorshin as "Kill Kill Kill" lawyer
- Adam West as Jerry
Special guest star[]
- Richard Portnow as Barry Barker
Co-starring[]
- Steven M. Gagnon as Charles Knox
- Jim Davidson as Assassin
- Joyce Meadows as Judge
- Anne Bellamy as Ma Barker
- Kelsey Mulrooney as Little Girl
Production details[]
- Adam West and Frank Gorshin previously starred in the 1960s Batman TV show as Batman and The Riddler, respectively.
Trivia[]
James Frontero offers to manage Superman's merchandising rights, apparently unaware that Superman already entrusted them to Murray Brown way back in "I'm Looking Through You".
Quotes[]
Calvin: "You don't understand anything! You're a waitress, for God's sake! You serve slabs of dead cow to fat businessmen. You wouldn't know art if it jumped up and bit your kneecap!"
Lawyer: "You go for the throat, you choke them with paperwork, cut off their air, and then, you go after their friends, their families, their lovers, and when their balls are just about ready to break..."
Superman: "I don't think -"
Lawyer: "...you squeeze HARDER!"
Young girl: "Don't be a Mister Gloomy-pants."
Elise: "Look, Ms. Lane, if you've found the perfect man, then I'm happy for you."
Lois: "No, he's about as far from perfect as you get. But I'll tell you the difference between him and Calvin: I know that he wants my happiness more than his own."