Superboy is Coming (1 Viewer)

[Dave Scarpa]

According to TV on DVD. Now I vaguely remember seeing the 1st season of this before the cast changed I can't remember if it was a Decent show or not before or after they recast.

 

[JonZ]

All I remember is drooling over Stacy Haiduk every week.

 

[todd s]

Wow...I was shocked when I read this at http://www.tvshowsondvd.com

 

[Angela_K]

Can't wait for this I liked Gerard Christopher's Clark/Superboy better of the two.
I agree I think Stacey is much prettier than Kristin Kreuk

 

[AndyMcKinney]

I thought the show basically sucked, but yeah, Stacy was cute (if you like her, then the movie Luke the Geek is required viewing!).

Of the the Superboys, though, I thought Haymes-Newton looked the part much better (especially as Clark). Christopher just sort of screamed "surfer dude" to me.

 

[Bill Williams]

Now this is one series I'm excited about! And if you look at how John Haymes Newton had his hair parted in the opposite direction, that lends further credence to Brandon Routh having his hair parted differently in "Superman Returns".

I think Gerard Christopher made for a much better Superboy, but his Season 2 portrayal of Clark Kent came off too much like Urkel from "Family Matters". If the Salkinds had gone ahead with another Superman film, I think he would have made for a logical choice to succeed Christopher Reeve in the part.

I hope they do this series justice when it finally comes to DVD!

 

[Greg_S_H]

I also think Stacy is way cuter than the other Lana Kristen Kruek

Well, I don't see that at all, but I may give the show a shot. Never saw it.

 

[MattSav]

This announcement is my "holy grail" on DVD. While I agree this show doesn't hold up that well today, being born in 1980, this was *the* definitive Superman series for me growing up. I remember watching the first run syndication in 1987 (or thereabouts) and being enthralled by the stories.

I've since gotten the entire series through *ahem* other means and am slowly working my way through all the episodes. I will definitely be purchasing the official releases.

The first season is much more mundane than seasons 2-4 (actually in a weird parallel to the first season of George Reeves' Superman series). Season 1 has John H. Newton (who is best known to modern audiences as the gay cable guy who was beaten up by Carlos on Desperate Housewives) battling mostly non-super powered villains including evil beachfront developers and cops gone bad.

I remember being disappointed when Gerard Christopher took over but soon accepted the change as an eight-year-old mind would. I did like Newton's portrayal of Clark better. He played Clark as an average college guy - was a skateboarder and lifted weights in the gym with his dorm-mate. Christopher's portrayal was more stylized after Reeve's portrayal in the movies - more of a bumbling nerd. I thought Newton looked more the part of Superman too.

David Nutter directed a number of episodes (he would go on to direct a ton of genre shows including Smallville, X-Files, Roswell, etc) as did Jackie Cooper (who played Perry White in the movies.) Jack Larson and Noel Neill guest starred in a third or fourth season episode. The premise for seasons 3 and 4 had Clark and Lana interning at a paranormal investigation firm (very pre X-Files, complete with "Scully Lana" with shorter red hair.)

The Superboy series also did its own version of the "asteroid in space/amnesia" episode that was first done in the 1950's and also during the first season of Lois and Clark. A fifth and sixth season of Superboy were planned but cancelled when Warner Bros. decided to make Lois and Clark for ABC (as they didn't want two versions of the same product competing at the same time - a similar situation now with the Batman characters embargo with DC Comics and the Justice League animated show.) Interestingly, Gerard Christopher went on to audition for Lois and Clark and was supposedly offered the role before Dean Cain but producers balked when they later learned he had played the character before.

Many of the later seasons were scripted by actual comic book writers, which was very cool. I was particularly impressed by the "reimagined" Lex Luthor, played by Sherman Howard, in seasons 2-4. He was very maniacal (and was runner up to play Luthor in the Timm/Dini Superman Animated series.)

 

[todd s]

Greg, That is not a great picture of her.
Here is the story about Lois & Clark Matt was talking about:

Were you involved with the production of Lois and Clark?
I actually read for the show. It was interesting. At first the casting director didn't like my interpretation. Then she asked me to change it. I did and she liked it. Then she brought me in to meet the producers. When I walked into the room, they had no advance knowledge that I had done Superboy.
Now, there are two ways to look at that: They're either going to love it because I had done the part before, or the opposite would be true - they'd hate it. I read for the producer and his reaction was, "Wow! You're great, it's wonderful, you're the perfect guy for this!" There was a room of six or eight people, it was kind of exciting. Then he grabbed my resume, looked at the work I'd done, flipped it over and said, "You've done this already!" He threw my resume down on the table and basically threw me out of the room. It was pretty funny.
You have to keep in mind the situation that the Lois and Clark people were in. It's similar to when a restaurant goes out of business and is taken over by new owners: The new management wants to change the decor, the menu, the colors, the fabrics on the chairs - everything. He could have looked at the new show as an easy transition for me - from Superboy to Superman. I'm older, I'm experienced, and I have a following. But he was making a big move, a big transition in how the character would be interpreted. He wanted to go a different way. People like to do things their own way and often times they cut ties with anything that came before for their own personal reasons. I'm not making any judgements; if that's what he wants to do it's his business

This was from www.gerardchristopher.com website.
It would be funny if they did a Smallville episode with Dean Cain, Gerard Christopher and John Haynes Newton.

 

[MattSav]

Incidentally, I emailed Gerard Christopher recently to make sure he knew about the "definitive" documentary that Bryan Singer had commissioned Kevin Burns to do in conjunction with Superman Returns. Burns had done the great "Empire of Dreams" Star Wars documentary (among others). I was worried that the Superboy series (and Newton and Christopher) would be overlooked in the documentary (as the series itself is so often in Superman Fandom), so I wanted to make sure Gerard knew about it. Thankfully he replied and let me know that Burns had indeed scheduled an interview with him for the upcoming documentary.

Hopefully both versions of the pilot episode "Countdown to Nowhere" are included - the original version as well as the re-edited version with the "flashback" bookends in place.

 

[Eve Brown]

never seen the series but am will be picking this up

enjoy lc and smallville

 

[todd s]

Eve, Just remember season 1 wasn't the best. The stories improved after the first season.

Matt, I emailed Gerard with the Superman homepage link about the release. Something must be up. Since he used to sell dvd's of some of the better episodes. And now he has taken them off the site.

 

[ZackR]

I loved this as a kid. This is one of my most anticpated "childhood" DVDs. I still have several episodes on ancient VHS tapes from when the show originally aired. Cannot wait to pick this up!!
Oh, and count me in as wanting both versions of the pilot. Warner, if you are reading, please give us both of them.
It is a minor request. Regardless though, as long as the episodes are uncut, I will buy every season on release day!

 

[John*D]

Sweetness!

 

[Patrick Sun]

Good grief, I had no idea this show ran for over 100 episodes. I think I watched some of season 1, and some of season 2, but either it probably bounced around the dial, and my TV was limited to a few channels via rabbit ears while in a college dorm, so I had no idea it got to season 4.

 

[johnnyPower]

seriously, thats one guy i wouldnt want to be save by

 

[Gord Lacey]

Matt, I emailed Gerard with the Superman homepage link about the release. Something must be up. Since he used to sell dvd's of some of the better episodes. And now he has taken them off the site.

Gerard was essentially selling pirated material, material he appeared in. It's no surprise he stopped selling it.

Gord

 

[Pete Battista]

I maybe saw 1 or 2 episodes of this when it aired.. not sure from what season or anything... but I will be picking up the set when released. After all I am collecting... and enjoying...
- Adventures of Superman
- Lois and Clark
- Smallville
- Superman: The Animated Series
So I have to keep completing my Superman Collection... right?

 

[Bill Williams]

Good grief, I had no idea this show ran for over 100 episodes. I think I watched some of season 1, and some of season 2, but either it probably bounced around the dial, and my TV was limited to a few channels via rabbit ears while in a college dorm, so I had no idea it got to season 4.

Actually, Patrick, it ran for exactly 100 episodes, with 26 episodes each for Seasons 1-3 and 22 episodes for Season 4, for potential syndication. Of course, it never happened. I also clearly remember reading in a USA Today news article that they had planned a "Superboy" reunion movie after the conclusion of the series, but nothing ever came of it.
And Pete, with today's huge announcement of the "Superman" 14-disc movie set for later this year, I'd have to say yes...

 

[Rolando]

And Pete, with today's huge announcement of the "Superman" 14-disc movie set for later this year [...]

what?

where can I read about this?