There Can Be Only One
KalElFan
[I posted this last night, but since my Overnight Ratings post
has already shown up on the AOL server, and this one hasn't, I'm
assuming it's lost in limbo for a week. Apologies for the fact this
will probably show up a second time, eventually.]
A great episode, easily the best this season, and it makes my
top ten list for the entire series. Beautiful interweaving of the real
aging threat, and the psychological threat of aging as perceived
by Lois. I wasn't sure if they were going to resolve this right at
first. Very early on, I found myself thinking of Highlander and his
eternal youth. Maybe the co-villain's name here -- Connor -- was
a nod to Connor Macleod (sp?), the Highlander's name. Anyway,
with several wives over his lifetime, Highlander is not the model
you want people thinking of when they think about the Superman-
Lois relationship. The creed of the immortals destined to battle
each other to the death in the movie The Highlander was "There
Can Be Only One." To turn that around in the case of Superman,
"There Can Be Only One" wife, and she's Lois.
So I thought they might be headed for trouble. But that was a
great scene with Lois & Clark sitting on the steps talking, and it
later became clear where they were going with the use of Superman's
life energy to reverse the aging. That pretty much "solves" the
problem in the long term because you can now believe what you
want: maybe Superman will age normally, or maybe he could
someday do the same for Lois as he did for Jimmy since the
technology exists, or maybe you just believe age doesn't matter.
It's resolved no matter what your point of view is.
Other great things about the episode:
- Wonderful use of the supporting cast -- Jimmy, Perry, Dr. Klein,
and of course the special appearance by Jack Larson. The Daily
Planet and the "reporting" that many of you have been asking for
were also important elements here. Well-written and well-acted all
around. (Favorite line: Jimmy's "This can't be good" at the end of
the pizza delivery scene.)
- This was a "back to normal" episode, and boy how we've needed
that since Clois swallowed the frog. Also a relatively more "serious"
episode, which the show can use right now.
- Nice special effects, in the superspeed and superbreath jailbreak
scene, the x-ray vision later on, and the twin-capsule youth device.
- Pretty good continuity, right down to Jimmy's "soul mates" reference.
This was a very nice follow-up episode to the wedding and honeymoon.
- Relationship focus: sex on the ceiling (great camera work there <g>),
cute elevator scene, more kissing, househunting, etc, and it all gets
topped off with one of the WAFFiest endings I think the show has
ever had.
Problems with the episode:
Hmm... ... ... well, uh, ... ... ...
I suppose it would have been nice if the Braves could have blown out
the Yankees by the first inning instead of waiting until the second. I
guess Mike isn't perfect. <g> Still, by 8:30 or so Eastern time many
baseball fans may have been checking in for that excellent second
half hour of L&C. [Postscript: Too bad this wasn't the case.]
Bravo! [especially to newcomer Tim Minear]