Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Lois & Clark Season 1 Rewatch - Episode 2: Strange Visitor

Episode 2: Strange Visitor

Thank you to all who participated over the last week. It was great to read your comments!

- Favourite moment/quote of the episode?
- Fanfic, media or artwork recommendations based on this episode?
- Any plot bunnies you'd like to set free?

We have had a request: If you hear a Perry-ism, could you note it? One example from the last episode was "happy as a preacher in a month of Sunday's."

*Banner by CarrieRene

In the aired version of the pilot, but not in the transcript, Perry says "helluva way to run a railroad." In the transcript (in addition to the lines that Michael pointed out) is "Never underestimate the need for a good obituary."

Just watched SV. Tonight's comments will be *much* briefer than what I had for the pilot.

A couple of Perry-isms:
- "Phony as a lock of Elvis's hair from a Memphis souvenir shop."
- "[W]hen it comes to women, if you want to be the King, you gotta listen to the Colonel."

This week's episode was a strong first non-pilot episode. While there are certainly nits that I could pick, I nevertheless enjoyed it greatly overall. But I do want to mention one thing that has bugged me every time I watch it. When Superman is rescuing Lois, Dean Cain breaks one of the cardinal rules of acting: He stared into the camera lens. I actually found his seeming to look right at the audience to be rather disconcerting. Out of curiosity, did anyone else find it to be so?


Joy,
Lynn

I enjoyed seeing this episode again a lot.

When Clark is having dinner with Martha and Jonathan, right after Jonathan says “He's confused. He probably doesn't know whether to plant it or eat it!” I heard a cow mooing! I’ve never heard that before. Also, when Martha & Jonathan are telling Clark how they found him, Schuster’s field isn’t mentioned. Jonathan mentions driving past Simpson Quarry. In the first Temous episode, I believe it’s Schuster’s Field.

I don’t have any additional Perry-isms to add. Lynn already mentioned that two I heard.

I never noticed before what Lynn pointed out about Dean Cain’s acting. When I get a chance, I’ll have to go back and check it out.

Best,
Songbird

No matter how many times I watch this episode, the moments between Cat and Clark will never be easy to watch. He's clearly uncomfortable and she continues to throw herself at him.

I laugh every time when Lois wants to kiss Clark. He's stunned, then gets right into the kiss, only to be still befuddled when Lois starts attacking Trask's men. Takes Clark a hot second or two to catch up with his surroundings. When they reunite in the newsroom, he's quite touchy-feely with Lois, as though he's still hopeful the kiss was a kiss and not just a subterfuge. Is there any fanfic based on that kiss? Lois realizes Clark's good at kissing, Clark can't shake the memory of his lips on hers.... This might be my favourite moment too...

As for the look directly into the camera... That one hasn't bothered me before. I've always interpreted it as him looking where he was going. I've seen some before in other fandoms that really stuck out like a sore thumb. It's odd, it technically breaks the fourth wall, and probably would have worked much better if he'd been looking just off the camera.

I've never been a huge fan of this episode. But watching it now, I enjoyed it very much. I don't think I remembered how much Clark was struggling with that lie detector. It was the second time he lost control over his flying ability. I only remembered the ball room scene from the pilot.

And I think Trask was a good villain. I believe that if the show would have been written now, the authors would have kept him till the end of season one. Particularly with Superman and Lois in mind, I think a modern LnC would put more emphasis on people's acceptance of Superman.

Perhaps, Trask and Luthor would conspire to kill off Superman. And later on, Trask might even be in need of Superman's help when Luthor tries to buy himself into a powerful position? That would certainly make an interesting arc.

A bit late And another bunch of notes.

Homework:

- Favourite moment/quote of the episode?

Quotes… I’ve got a bunch of quotes further down. Does that work?

And moments? Not in particular, but given the recent Cat-hype, the unexpected “I do read” by Cat reminds us of depth that was there right from the start. It gets lost in many fanfic. Also, Lois’s kiss was way more intense than I remember. I think actors kiss with less mouth during romance scenes than Lois did here with her colleague / part-time partner of one week.

- Fanfic, media or artwork recommendations based on this episode?
I’m pretty sure I’ve read some. Wendy, Carol M et al did alternative beginning adaptions, but picking one in particular? Umm…sorry! Oh, wait, MLT’s No Place Like Home went back all the way to the Pilot and did 2-3 seasons so there’s got to be something in there.

- Any plot bunnies you'd like to set free?

Lois is looking out the window in the door of Perry's office while Clark floats a ball of paper. What if she sees its reflection in the window and together with Clark's faux-innocent whistling afterwards, puts things together?

And one’s that’s ******. It’s not blue or anything, but it got Men in Black crawling over it and you don’t want that.


Quotes:

LOIS: It seems to me if your real parents don’t care enough to raise you, why give it a second thought.

LOIS: You stick to the touchy feely stuff, I’ll take Superman

LOIS: Look what the Cat dragged in (about Clark’s visit with Cat).

LOIS: Cat Grant’s bedroom has more comings and goings than Metro Station. You’re just another commuter.

LOIS (to Clark): You’re so weird, works for you though.

LOIS: The thing about luck is, don’t question it.

LOIS (to Superman): You seem to have all the parts of a man.

SUPERMAN (to Lois): I am a man, just like you are a woman

PERRY: I told them to stuff it.

PERRY: So he can start suing their butts off into the next century.

PERRY: Turn on your beeper or you’re fired.

PERRY: Phony like a lock of Elvis’s hair from a Memphis souvenir shop.

PERRY: Which makes it your job, boys and girls, to hunt them down first

PERRY: When it comes to women, if you want to be the king, you better listen to the colonel (i.e. Perry).

PERRY: This is where I have to get off this bus you’re driving.

CAT: He frisked me, twice!


Details:

Lois did an adoption story three years ago (i.e. in her second year at the Planet)

Jimmy calls Lois “Lois”, Lois calls him “Olsen” or “Jimmy”, first name if she needs help or socializes. Last name if he needs her help, she’s dismissing him, etc.

Lois has picture of Lois and Lucy on her desk.

Lois does not backup her computer.

The Computers at the Daily Planet use black/green monitors, but not a terminal system.

Lois is writing a novel. It’s a romance novel. About a woman who dies without ever finding true love.

Lois and Clark call each other by their first names

Perry addresses Lois & Clark as “kids” when he’s paternal. He also calls them Lane and Kent and Lois “Lois” based on the setting. If he’s giving directions, it’s “Lane”, if he’s a mentor/father, it’s “Lois”.

Jimmy calls Clark CK

Jimmy calls Cat “the Catwoman”

Reporters: Peterman (probable man). Valdez (woman)

The reporters have pagers. Perry calls them “beepers”.

Clark remarks that Cat has quite the library. Cat responds “I do read”.

Cat went to Metropolis University, was on the Women Track and Field team, No 13.

“Bessolo” is both the name of the used furniture warehouse, and the street it’s located on (Bessolo Blvd).

Perry tells an Elvis story at 27:00 about (not) rushing into a relationship.

There is a bullet train (built as a monorail) between Washington DC and Metropolis.

Another mention of “The National Whisper”

Lois did a bungee jump the year before.

Interesting:

Lucy is new in town and Jimmy asks if she needs someone to show her around. -> Wait, how does that work if they grew up here?

The opening sequence is mostly pastel brown & green. Walls, clothes, all has the same tone. Just Cat stands out.

The lie detector calibration is kind of ridiculous. I never did one but asking Lois if she’s the President probably wouldn’t trigger nervousness responses. And asking Clark if he’s Superman should make the detector go nuts in this situation.

If Clark had listened in on Lois, he could see firsthand how she has the hots for Superman during the lie detector test.


Michael