Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related Rewriting LnC: Back Story AND Pilot

In a feeble attempt at keeping things relatively tidy, I figure we can discuss the official back-story (Edit: And The Pilot episode) of the "show" here. (Or, also at the poll .)

So, FoLCs! Do you have suggestions? questions? input of any sort, regardless of whether you intend to do any actual writing? Let your voice be heard!

The *basic* premise is: At the start of the pilot, Lois and Clark have a 10 year marriage and a 10 year old kid. What order those two came in is to be left a mystery to us.

Some details are open for vote at the poll, but it can't possibly cover everything. So, let's hash. What went on before the pilot? What will go into the...what was it who-person called it? Show's bible?

(Incidentally, anybody who's interested in an official-sounding position such as Show-Bible-Keeper can report to the Main Thread/ Office .

ETA

Current Data From the Back-Story Poll:

As of this writing, most FoLCs who voted feel that the couple either lived in Kansas or moved around a lot. Discuss.

It seems nearly unanimous so far that of their parents, one couple fully supports Lois and Clark and the other fully does not. I feel dumb for even asking. (Or at least, I could have handled the question better).

Most FoLCs seem to feel that Lois should know about Clark from the beginning (or near-beginning) of their relationship. 8 say he tells her, 4 say she finds out on her own. Discuss. (Also, how it comes up. *g*)

As to how long they've been working at the DP, early results favor that either both are new, or Clark is new and Lois isn't. Either way, it looks like Clark is a greenhorn.

Most FoLCs seem to prefer that Clark becomes Superman during the pilot, as on the original show. I'm inclined to agree, but feel free to discuss.



The question over whether the kid knows about Clark's 'differences' or not is officially locked 9-9. That's...kind of an important detail to straighten out before we launch. Care to discuss?

One more thing: Does Claude still work there?

You asked, you shall be answered.

They went to college, journalism major. Big surprise there. They had to pay for it on their own, having had a nice student loan to pay off. Only Clark took longer, let's say a year, since he worked more to support them.

- Show starts in 1993
- Married therefor in 1983.
- Graduated from Highschool in 1984/1985 respectively
- How long is college? 3 years? With Clark taking an extra year they graduate in 1988
- So where to now?
They could work at a smaller newspaper in Kansas. After two or three years of getting experience Lois wants to go to Metropolis. Gets a job as a Junior reporter at the Planet. One step above Jimmy, if she is lucky, one step above the obits. Somewhere along dog-shows.
Clark is more difficult to place. Not so cute a puppy There is always the question of them working at competing newspapers. I doubt any editor would like that kind of thing. He could work overseas. Coming how two, three times a year. (Yes, I still stand by the fact, that Lois doesn't know). And the Little One would be seven by now. It would be difficult to hide the fact that Daddy is home every night.
Or to make it easier for him to get home on weekends: Clark works at his hometown newspaper, becomes editor during those three years. Then catches up with Lois at the Planet in 1993. She has just made her first Kerth.

Well, it's a first idea.

Would we need a back story as to how Lois met Clark or is this part of the muddied waters?
Something I just thought of: Nan's Second Choice would be an almost perfect setup. Almost because of the issue of the slightly diverging facts (something I could easily live with, given the setup). And of course the question of her planning a sequel.

Michael

So you basically mean a long distance relationship = sort of after marriage where Lois' ambitious nature makes her pave her own way in Metropolis?

So does that mean that she's had these Claude problems after her marriage? How has she proven herself?

This is just another interesting idea, Michael and it offers us almost the same premise as the show.

Clark and the kid catch on... Lois' already there... but just don't make the story go in this way, i.e. Lois and Clark have split up some three years before due to a domestic problem. I'd hate that!

Long distance, yeah.
*panics* Definitely not split up. I think Clark would give up journalism or work as the office gopher before that would happen.

Michael

I vote for living in Kansas until the kid's seven or something and then Lois moving to Daily Planet or somewhere else for some experience...

Somehow I can't think of Lois as a newbie... I sort of like the idea that Clark learns the reporting tricks from an experienced (in journalism) Lois and Lois learn to soften her writing style from Clark.

My opinion is that the kid should not know... that way we could fit the kid knowing about himself in the Foundling episode or something where Clark and kiddo finds about their Kryptonian origin. And the next few episodes can deal with the subtle B-Plot of the kid learning to get used/use the powers.

Yes, otherwise we won't be able to concentrate on the public's opinion on Superman, that is the public will already be used to Superman's existence, which is sort of dampening on their initial enthusiasm IMO. Now, a first Superman appearance that would be useful in projecting the show in the right limelight.

I also vote that Lois sort of says "Bring a change of clothes to work" as she says in the show. Only she knows that she's meant for her hubby to change his dirty clothes.

But Clark thinks over and Martha makes the suit, as usual... (within a day) and Superman makes an appearance and Lois is still awestruck, because she hasn't ever seen her husband like this!

Then we could take it this way... Clark sort of becoming uncertain whether Lois loves his Superman part more than his Clark part... ie the superpowers and she could reassure him...

P.S. Is it to be an NFic Series?

I'm wondering if we could (might consider lol) after moving them to Metropolis and settling there, Planet, Superman etc, having L and C consider returning to Smallville as their son's powers really start to develop. I think one of them, even M and J might bring this up. On the other hand all of them would have to think about if making such a move would look too suspicious and as if as a family they were truly trying to hide something. Could make for an interesting added twist.

Has anything like the above ever been written btw? I almost think it has but right now cannot remember.

Mona

Just FYI, a bachelor's of journalism takes four years to complete assuming you graduate on time. And they would have done summer internships, too. I think Lois did hers at the Planet in the real canon.

Not that it matters, but this is what we know from the show. In TPvLL the hologram of Perry states* (and nobody objects) that she started at the Planet as a research assistant between '86 and '88 (she would have been 19-21 years old at the time, so this would have been during college or right after if she graduated a bit early). I'm assuming she worked and went to college at the same time. Maybe she started out as an intern and got hired as a research assistant.

Another interesting bit of canon that may come in handy for everyone involved in this project (assuming you care ), is that Lois got her first Kerth in 1991.

*At least he does so according to the script. I don't have the episode handy right now, so I can't check to make sure.

Good point. Since she went to the University of Metropolis, she probably did an all-year internship kind of thing and they rehired her. We have them at my paper and they last the duration of the school year. Lois, like most interns, probably was assigned to do research for the real reporters' stories, and once she proved herself (and we all know that would be first on Mad Dog's agenda), was assigned some smaller pieces, maybe puff pieces or obituaries, and took advantage of being able to get experience at a REAL newspaper during college, and worked her way up to where Perry hired her right out of school.

I have remarked more than once that it is not common for a reporter who is in her mid- to late-twenties to be THAT successful at such a large paper. It's just ... not. So I am sure her internship there helped her hit the ground running.

Clark, on the other hand, would probably have struggled to get a good internship being in the middle of nowhere at Midwestern University. I bet he did his internship at the Smallville Gazette, which would contribute to Perry not thinking he had enough experience when he applied at The Planet the first time.

I'd love to help. I'm still a little stuck in "Creation" but maybe collaborating on a story would get my muse working again.