Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Lois & Clark What if...(deleting episodes)

What if you were given the power to go back and completely erase an episode? Which one would you pick?

In other words, is there any one episode that makes you cringe more than the others?

I, for instance, could totally dispense with "Stop the Presses". Not only can it be erased without getting rid of any long-term timeline/plot issues, I felt both Lois and Clark acted completely out of character throughout the episode. Clark was a spoiled brat and Lois really didn't live up to her "Mad Dog Lane" moniker.

There's my vote.

I'm only allowed one? ). Ghosts is a very close runner-up. I might also throw the two Deter episodes into the mix. Definitely Never On Sunday - I hate all that voodoo stuff.

Stop the Presses... that had the potential to be a good episode, but the writers really, really got it wrong. Very poor characterisation and stupid outcome.

/me notices that all her hated episodes are in Season 4, with one in Season 3... go figure...


Wendy

I don't think I'd delete an episode even if I could. The thing is, as silly as some of the plots were, there was always something in the episode I liked.

Case in point: The Family Hour. While I loathed the stupid villain, the episode had one of the most well-written, heartwrenching, best acted scenes in the whole series.

I hated Mike and the Wedding Destroyer (the idea is so absurd I can't even describe it) in Swear to God, but I liked the vows and was glad they finally managed to tie the knot.

Never on Sunday actually had a good premise (because it shows us that in addition to Kryptonite, Superman has another weakness, namely magic, which is keeping with comic book canon), I'm not sure about the execution. In any event, it was neat that they showed us how Clark was saved by Lois' love for him (and his love for her), and his fear being based on his experience as an infant was pretty ingenious, I thought.

I realized reading the other thread about the New Krypton arc that it's very unpopular. While I agree that parts of the execution were poor, especially the two 4th season episodes, I thought it was great that the writers showed us that being a hero is about more than letting bullets bounce of your chest. It's also about sacrificing things you love in order to help others, even people who might not deserve it.

There are other episodes that aren't popular, but I always found something I enjoyed, even if it was only one scene.

I tend to watch TV this way, too. An episode is a collection of moments for me, rather than a whole. So I can never really say that I loathed a particular episode because I'm the same way as C_A - there's always some moment that I enjoy.

So whether an episode is graded an A, B or C (no, there are no episodes lower than C. This is LNC, are you crazy?) with me depends on how many times in the hour I have to ff through it.

I'm blanking on any episodes that had absolutely no redeeming features for me.

LabRat

I don't even hesitate on this one ... Smart Kids. Without a doubt. Other than maybe 2 minutes worth of air time, I absolutely can't *stand* that episode. I could have done without it.

Certainly the wedding ARGH wasn't my favorite moment in the series either, but there were some good moments in those episodes ... and all things considered I still enjoyed Clois.

Otherwise, while there are still some episodes I don't enjoy as much as all the others ... I wouldn't give up a single minute of the 88 episodes (87 if I ignore Smart Kids LOL) we were lucky enough to have.

Wendy, I think you just read my mind. Oh except I actually liked Soulmates...kind of.

Jackie

I too find something to like even if the episode isn't one of my favorites. I will say that I could've gone without that moment where Lois thinks she's got her memory back and Clark is on Cloud 9! Then he looks like he's just been run over by a Mac truck when she says she's in love with Dr. Maxwell Deter!

Also, I LOVED the Soulmates episode! It's one of my top favs.

Oh! Ditto, Alexis! I HATE that "I'm in love with Maxwell Deter" line.

In fact, while I'm here... I don't think that Forget Me Not or Oedipus Wrecks have any redeeming qualities (with the exception of the "It's a beautiful day... Lois thinks I'm a jerk!" line ).

My question is... if Clark hated Deter so much and thought what he was doing was not kosher... why the heck didn't he pick up a few other psychology books? Amnesia books? Ask for another doctor? Bah!

I think I'll stop now, otherwise I'll just sit and nitpick all night.

Sara

I never watched any episode of Season 4 after Lois and Clarks. Those of which I did watch I would probably delete the whole wedding arc I mean geez you'd think that what Dieter did violates the Hippocractic Oath or whatever it is that applies to psychiatrists that and definitely Stop the Presses they were about the most uninspired villian I've ever seen on a TV series and while I wouldn't delete SLV I would get rid of Randy Goode it was just pathetic it was as if they were trying to revive a wealthy man with Luthor's disdain for Superman but really failed big time.

I have to agree that even though there are shows that I really hate I've always found a couple of scenes I enjoy in them. So I don't guess there are any I would delete but I would certainly do some major and I mean major rewrites of several. High on the list are:

1. Stop the Presses - Clark went back to his first season whine and didn't confront her about her treatment of him or her unwillingness to listen to him. Lois was totally overwhelmed and obviously unqualified for the job once she got into it. For me they both seemed to be written in first season character not to were they had evolved.

2. Ghosts - First of all I hated the Drew Carey show so bring him and Mimi on was pointless for me. Then the whole haunting and the way it was done was stupid. I have to say I hate when networks cross pollenate shows with their actors from other shows to try and boost ratings. Write better stories.

3. I've Got You Under My Skin - what is it with the writers and producers and body switching. They were going to have Lex and Lois do that. Get real its not possible and the guy they switched Clark into was ugh.

But my mosted hated scene is the one where Lois is trying to do charades tied up to let Superman know about the bomb. First of all it sure appeared that she could get her hands up to her mouth so just pull the damn tape off. Second there was never anything said about any kind of sensor that would detect Superman so why couldn't he pull the stupid tape off. No whe have to watch these stupid charades which Superman seems to have trouble figuring out. Then we use a mirror to stop the bomb being detonated at the second location. ARGH.

The writing troubles they had in L&C are the same ones they seem to have in Smallville. Instead of taking realistic events etc and expanding on them to make a semi-believable story, they go for these outlandish story lines that make you want to gag.