Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Lois & Clark Season 1 Rewatch - Episode 4: I'm Looking Through You

Clark is faced with the increasing popularity of Superman while an invisible man is on the lose in Metropolis.

-First appearance of Leslie Jordan in the series.


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

*Banner by CarrieRene

Some thoughts on this episode:

I can't imagine how awkward and irritating it would have been for Superman to stand next to Lex Luthor, be handed the key to the city, and then have to be nice to him.

One thing that always irritates me in shows/movies is when the lightning happens the same time as the thunder. Have you ever heard thunder at the same time as the lightning? It's loud, its heart-stopping, it shakes the windows. Having a thunderstorm overhead would be much louder. (As an aside... there's a lot of thunderstorms in this episode... I'm used to thinking of storm season in May-August. Would this many storms be something to be expected further south, around the Great Lakes area?)

At the fundraiser, it's interesting to look at Cat's expressions. She's clearly awed by Superman and as much as she jokes about taking him for a 'test drive' I think there's some genuine attraction and desire there. Lois on the other hand comes off as desperate and it's a bit grinding on the nerves. That's how she's portrayed for quite a few episodes, and while I try to remember she's 27 (26?) at this point and obviously crushing hard on Superman (weren't we all stupid, embarrassing and obsessive over our first big crushes?), it's still annoying.

When Clark comes back as Clark to the fundraiser, he's got gelled back hair still, just the front bit is flopping over, the back is still in 'Superman style.'

I love it when Clark mentions that he saw Lois in her pajamas and Martha's eyes widened. It's great moment.

The shoulder pads on Lois' black coat when they're out on the balcony is giving me flashbacks! My first suit I had to buy for work had shoulder pads and I hated them.

The scene on the balcony is sweet, and Lois is leaning on Clark. Is that the first time we've seen some intimacy between them outside of a ruse?

Lois falls asleep on the strangest chair and lies on the coffee table? I can't believe Clark let her fall asleep there! The floor would have been far more comfortable. A few blankets and a pillow. I can't believe she stands up in one go. I'd be trying to work the kinks out of my hips and neck for 5 minutes before attempting to stand.

Superman answers Clark's phone and Lois doesn't question it. It would seem strange to me that someone else was answering the homeowners phone. Has Clark already said that he and Superman are 'friends' or does that come later in the series?

If you lock someone into an airtight vault, ultimately they will suffocate from lack of breathable air, but it takes longer than two minutes to breathe all of the air that's in the vault, even if you're having a panic attack. A little inaccurate, but that's ok because of I'm delighted with the rescue scene.

Superman rescuing Lois from the bank vault is one of my favourite scenes in season 1. I love that he hears her and goes charging through the vault wall to get to her. The way he holds her, and the way she leans into him is just a wonderful moment. If anyone has any fic recommendations from that moment, please send them my way. I tried to write one but it didn't go anywhere.

Superman states that all proceeds of the sales of merchandise go to charity, but he doesn't specify. Is it Fanon or canon that the Superman Foundation exists?

Favourite quote:

Lois: "Couldn't you afford a whole dress?"

Cat: "Less is more, darling... Sometimes."

Plot bunny: What if Cat noticed Clark's hairstyle having a striking resemblance to Superman's?

Hi Toomi8,

I read ahead a bit (rewatch is on the way):
She's born in October 1967, the Episode is ca June 1993, so Lois isn't even 26 yet. It's soooo weird, they do mention age, and Teri Hatcher *is* a few years older than Dean Cain, so it's okay to think they're closer to 30 y/o professionals rather than pretty junior, back than I had a real hard time thinking of them as "young" instead of experienced grown-ups. And today, there's memory bias and it's always a conscious effort to think of them as "young". Plus, today you have TV-shows with mid-twenty people who appear/act much younger than Lois and Clark did on the show. A lot of it comes from professional attire, but aside from Lois's Superman crush and romantic flirtiness, her entire demeanor feels more at home with a thirty-something than a twenty-something these days. I guess, if you changed a couple of stats on the show, aging Lois and Clark up by five years wouldn't change anything in their expected behavior/looks/etc. Did I already say that this is weird?

Michael

I enjoyed rewatching this episode. It has a little humor, some touching and poignant moments.

The looks Superman was giving Lex when he was being presented with the key to the city says it all. It’s too bad Lois didn’t notice and ask Superman about it. Maybe it would have set her down another path. It has always bothered me that she never looked deeper into Lex and agreed to marry him.

Cat sure sexually harassed Clark throughout the first season. I always wished he had put a stop to it.

Murray Brown was very persistent but it paid off with Superman finally agreeing to his representation. I don’t remember if the Superman Foundation is canon or if it’s just a fandom thing, but this would bring a lot of funding for charity.

There were some wonderful scenes between Clark and Lois and the scene with Clark and his parents is very touching. Some of my favorite lines are from that scene:

Clark - Lois has a pair of Superman pajamas.
Martha - You saw Lois in her pajamas?
Clark - No, yes, but it was an accident when her robe came open.
The look on Martha’s face is priceless.

Clark - I don’t know if he can keep it up.
Martha - What do you mean he? You speak as though Superman was someone else. You are Superman, Clark.
Clark - I feel like I’m losing myself to the man in the red, yellow and blue suit.
Jonathan - Son, it’s the man beneath the suit we care about.

The ending makes me feel a little sad for Clark.
Lois - You know Clark, not that I’m one of those people who revel in saying I told you so.
Clark - Uh huh.
Lois - But, I hope you learned your lesson. There’s no such thing as an invisible man.
Clark - softly to himself after Lois walks away - Yes there is, Lois. Yes there is.

I think this episode is a good foundation episode and just a lot of fun.

- Favourite moment/quote of the episode?
Oh my, so many good ones but I think the final one when Clark says he’s feeling invisible with Lois giving all her attention to Superman.

LOIS (after Cat kisses Clark on the lips): What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?
LOIS (about a bordello): Aren’t those also known as Cat houses?
LOIS (because of the attention Superman gets): I’m worried he’ll forget about me.
LOIS: He’s a taco short of a combo
LOIS (to Cat): Couldn’t you afford a whole dress?
LOIS (to Clark at the high society event): What are you doing here? Barn dance let out early?
LOIS: Danger is my business.
CLARK: It must be tough being right all the time. LOIS: Yes, it is.
LOIS (to Clark): We have Superman in common, you want to fly like him, I want to fly with him.
CLARK (about himself, in response to Lois ignoring him): Yes, there is an invisible man.
SUPERMAN (to Lois): You don’t need to bid for my attention. You will always be special to me. You’re the first person who interviewed me.
CAT: Lois made a joke.

Details:
There are all sorts of Superman-representations from the comics.
Superman complete freezes in front of the crowd.
Superman is hounded by a mob of women, like a rockstar.
Given this follows Strange Visitor, Cat kissing Clark works well with her fake night of passion with him.
Lois is frustrated / dejected that Superman ignored her during the Key to the City ceremony.
The invisibility tech is just horrible science.
The gold repository has a large vault, and yet, just two minutes of air left.
Why did Superman bust through the vault wall. Don’t they have keys? And shouldn’t the wall be reinforced steel?
The Bachelor auction
Lois and Lex had a lunch date planned.
Clark plays wingman for Superman with Lois: “Superman’s afraid to reveal himself, his true feelings”
Lois finds a way to interpret the truth/words so she can be “right”.
Alan ends up VP R&D at Luthor Technologies

Mayor Efros
Asabi (possibly different actor) is dressed in classic Asian/Western business wear when out and about.
Minute 6: National Whisper frontpage
Eduardo Friez gets a scene. Late forties, a bit overweight, mustache. Looks like a Columbian drug lord from a 90’s movie.
Murray Brown agent makes his first appearance
Linda Montoya is back
Lois spoke at women’s group in October 1992: “The weaker sex, fact or fiction”
Missing Persons is on the Daily Planet first floor
“Lex Comm” TV station
The first time Lois mentions her parents are divorced and that her mother got half
Clark a new cape
Lois is saving for Tahiti
STAR Labs is mentioned
Lois has a Superman pajama
Lois is still in apartment 105
Lois’s white love seats make an appearance
Daily Planet was 10 cents when Barnes was caught the last time. Now it’s 35 cents.
Clark has two Bali statues
Lois wants to be invisible
Clark wants to fly
Metropolis Police Cars are black and Yellow. Police emblem is triangle with buildings.
“News-Room City Staff” is written on a plague above Lois’s desk

Plot Bunny:
Around 2012, Michio Kaku demonstrated meta materials that bend light around an object. This would actually work for the invisibility suits. Well, work better than the reverse-fluorescent light.