Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Fun with Polls The Best and Worst of LnC

Tell us what you think were the best and worst episodes of the series. I'll let you pick more than one for those of you who just can't stand to narrow it down.

Feel free to post and explain your choices.

~Anna (who wants everyone to know that yes, it was a pain in the rear end to type in every episode title... but it will be worth it if lots of people vote )

Wow, cool idea -- thanks for all that typing I hope a lot of people vote; I want to see the results. After only three, it looks like no one liked DJ/Seconds/FMN (although INPY and OW aren't as hated) or Toy Story -- I'll be fascinated to see if those trends keep up.

PJ

I don't particularly hate any episode per se, more like some of them frustrate me to no end, like the wedding disaster or what I like to call The Please Call Me Daniel Era. Other stuff like The Leslie Luckabee (sp?) eps didn't do much for me, but it wasn't badly written, just not to my taste. But it's all cool since there are plenty of episodes for everyone to choose from.

nice poll, anna. wow, that must have been a lot of work.

voting was interesting. i opened an ep guide to help refresh my memory, then sent the scrollbar zooming up and down as i checked off the ones i especially liked and didn't like.

which isn't to say that some of the eps i voted for didn't have their downsides/redeeming qualities (as appropriate). but some things really got to me, one way or another.

otoh, the reason it took me so long to get to this poll is that i like folcs and fic a lot more than i ever liked the show. as evidenced by the fact that i had to reference an ep guide in order to vote, i don't even remember a lot of what happened on the show. there are even a couple of eps that i've yet to see.

so, i've been wondering. am i alone in that? i don't mind being an odd duck, but does anyone sympathize with all or part of the above paragraph?

actually, that reminds me... i remember reading some of the fics that came out after the season 3 cliffhanger (i started reading fic around the middle of season 3 {thanks again, pam! }, and started writing soon after), and saying that some of the ones i was reading were quite likely going to be better than the actuall season opener. i got some agreement back then (someone said something like "yeah, that happens a lot").

so, anyone feel that way now?

sorry if i'm not being coherent. hopefully this makes enough sense.

any thoughts?

Paul

Results mostly about what I'd expect. Except for STGWNKTT. I LOVE that episode. Well, most of it, anyway. Anytime I need a boost (and have 2 hours to kill ), I watch that and Soul Mates.

What bothers people so much about it?

Soul Mates doesn't bother me at all - quite an enjoyable episode.

Anna - you need a 'none of the above' or 'other' option. <g>

I can't say that I disliked any episode. There were some I fast forward through more than others - Toy Story, Smart Kids, Lois and Clark and Bob and Alice (or whatever it's called) but even these have redeeming features for me.

Because I tend to think not in terms of whole episodes, as a package, but in terms of 'moments' it means that even a 'bad' episode has some scenes I'll adore. It doesn't even have to be a whole scene. A bad episode has been totally saved for me with just a certain look from Clark to Lois or a particular gesture. For example, in Toy Story, I just adore the way they sit on the sofas to work on their story. It's just such a cosy image.

So it's difficult to choose one and call it so awful I wouldn't watch it again. I can't honestly think of a single episode which had zero enjoyment for me.

Very interesting question though. Any way I can see the results without voting? <g>


LabRat

It's possible to do that Rat. But that would only take up some space. I'll quickly summarize it.

Best eps (over 40%): GGGoH, PML, HiM, SG, TF, ATAI, WHALTTA, OP, JSN, DToSC, UW, TA?, SM, BY and SLaV.

Worst eps (around 50% or higher): DJ, S, FMN and TS.

19 people voted so far. And we seem to have more eps we like best than that there we do not like.

And that's precisly how I feel. In every ep there's something I like, but some eps just have a very low quality story line, like Ghosts.

Saskia

Yeah, that sounds familiar <g> I mean, obviously I liked the show; I was hooked about halfway through the first run. I have a bunch of the episodes on tape, too -- but I really hardly ever watch them.

I guess I've got the opposite of LabRat Syndrome <g> While I do think that there are some good moments in each and every L&C episode, most of the time that's outweighed by all the cringe-inducing moments -- I think it's sympathetic embarrassment for the characters; I haven't quite got the objectivity to laugh at them. And sloppy writing bugs me; I can't get into the angst if I think the situation is absurd (i.e., TPvLL :rolleyes: ).

Anyway, I think I got hooked mainly on the show's premise and potential, and was frequently disappointed in what the show did with those <g> Fanfic is *perfect* for this sort of problem FOLC authors can explore each and every mutually-contradictory possibility, and in eight years we haven't come close to running out of topics (i.e., TOGOM, the ep which launched a thousand rewrites ). And the quality is consistently high, which doesn't hurt

Anyway, cool poll, good topic.

PJ

Yes, brilliant idea for a poll!

Rat, I'm exactly the same as you. I watch for individual scenes or moments, so much so that I can't really remember plots very well at all. Crappy plots, therefore, don't bother me a great deal. I'm also useless at remembering the story titles, and what happened in which episode - so answering this poll was a bit difficult for me.

I haven't answered on the basis of 'best' and 'worst', but on the basis of 'favourite' and 'most hated'. This might sound daft, but I don't believe the episodes I enjoyed the most are necessarily the best episodes. For example, I have a very soft spot for The Green Green Glow of Home, but I'd have to say that Barbarians at the Planet is probably better crafted episode.

The other point I'd like to make is that Dean Cain's acting got better as the series progressed (IMO), so the later episodes are better in that respect. He does some wonderfully subtle stuff in The Family Hour, for example, which makes it a 'good' episode as well as a 'favourite' episode. I know many people don't like this episode because of the daft A plot, but I'm on cloud nine watching many of the scenes belonging to the B plot. In some of the early episodes, on the other hand, I find him terribly stiff and clumsy (sorry, Mr Cain! ), which detracts from the overall quality of the episode.

Yvonne

ROTFL!!

I didn't even think of that! Too bad I can't edit the poll itself.

Could you pick a fave or two and then not vote on the second question? I don't know if that would work, or even if you would want to do that, but it's a thought.

I definitely agree, Yvonne. I think that might be part of why I don't especially like S1 as much as the last three seasons. I think he did an especially superb job as Alt-Clark in MJD and LAC. I just watched those eps a couple of days ago and I found myself drawn into that character. That may be my next fanfic endever...

~Anna

That's a good idea. One I might have thought of myself if I had a brain.

Going to do that now. Thanks, Anna!

Back. <g> Voted for all episodes in question one. It wouldn't let me not vote in question two, so reluctantly I tagged Lois and Clark and Bob and...Thingy in that one.

Very interesting results!

LabRat

I also voted more based on "favorites" and "not-favotites" basis. I figure if they are my faves, the had to be good My frustration with the series came in season 4 when Clark had more of an "edge" than Lois. I really really like the stronger edgier Lois of the 1st 3 seasons (and comics). The "softer" Lois really deteriated the balance of the LnC relationship for me. I found it tough tho to even vote for "worst" episodes, since I absolutely love the series (yes, even season 4)

so, looking at the results so far, folcs favorite episode is... GGGoH? that can't be right, can it?

i almost put it down on my negatives list, but decided it wasn't fair to vote against it just because i'm always prejudiced against the first kryptonite ep (which is why i didn't watch it when it first came on the air).

so, any thoughts on this?

Paul

Doesn't seem that odd to me, Paul. Far as I know it's a popular episode among FoLCs. Many enjoy it for it's lack of Superman (near enough), being set in Smallville, Martha and Jonathan featured heavily, Clark getting to be Clark and getting cosy with Lois, and Lois beginning to appreciate that there are depths to her partner she hadn't quite appreciated before then.

And for a host of other reasons probably. I like it for all of the above and the fact that it has lots of waffs, lots of humourous moments, and Clark was kind of cute when he was sick. <g>

LabRat

Well it looks like GGGoH has taken a backseat to TF right now. And Toy Story has taken the lead amoung the least favorites, which kind of surprizes me. I don't particularly like that ep, but I thought that one of the ARGH eps would get the most votes.

~Anna

For GGGOH being one of the best, what LabRat said. <g>

I always thought it was the strongest ep in the entire series, featuring action, suspense, drama, and humor. It also epitomizes what hooked me on LnC in S1: a child's myth turned into an adult drama.

A super-strong, flying man from outer space is at home in a child's story - part of the magic of fantasy in that time of life. The producers took that myth, that impossibility from a child's fantasy world, and inserted him into the grownups' world and made him "real."

In GGGOH, the blending of the fantasy with a contemporary realism was unmatched anywhere else in the series, IMO. The enemy that Superman faced is an example of the kind of "realism" I'm talking about. Trask isn't a comic-book villain; he is exactly the kind of threat that an alien from outer space would probably have to face here on Earth: a xenophobe whose paranoid fear and mistrust prompt him to seek out and try to destroy what he perceives as a threat.

Does that make sense? I'm having a hard time explaining what I mean.

Anyway, those are my reasons for choosing GGGOH as one of the top eps. YMMV. <g> Outside of LnC my tastes run to contemporary action/adventure/comedy/romance so this ep fit perfectly.

Paul, what exactly didn't you like about this ep, and what were your favorite eps and why?

Shadowfax

hey shadowfax. welcome. good to see you posting here.

what didn't i like about the ep? you know, i'm not sure. there have been some good points made in its favor. like i said, i have a thing about the first kryptonite episode. can't quite explain it. i've never thought of it as a particularly bad ep, but it's never one i thought of as especially strong, either. i guess i can see where you're coming from, tho.

my favorite ep? i don't know. i'm very bad at picking favorites. i take things as they come and enjoy them for what they are. it's a survival trait (long story). so, i like and dislike, but don't pick favorites. i voted for about 1/3 of the eps, iirc, in the positive collumn. of course, it doesn't help that my long-term memory tends to blur some things together...

so, sorry, but i don't know if i can give you a good answer for that.

Paul

Maybe you're a latent psychic and it was a reaction to a premonition about how many times it would bug you watching Smallville.

Plus, of course, I don't really expect the 'sick Clark = very cute' angle appealed to you much at all, either.

LabRat

LOL, LabRat!

Well, Paul, I'd be interested in knowing more about why you don't like GGGOH as well as some of the other eps. However, not liking kryptonite sounds like as good a reason as any.

Considering the length of my lists of "favorites" I'd have to say that I have trouble picking favorites, too.

I adore the show, so I can't say I like fic better, but I like it for different reasons. I love the show for the way it humanized Superman, but I read fic mainly for the romance between Lois and Clark. Yes, I love the romance in the show, too, but fanfic romance often works better for me.

Shadowfax

WOW Shadowfax! What a great analogy of the attraction to GGGOH!!
It made perfect sense, and I think you explained it amazingly!!

I can't believe 20 people don't like "Ghosts". I mean, the characters from the "Drew Carrey Show" totally make the episode. Okay, I'm kidding. Actually, I hated "Ghosts." But like I said yesterday, I have to stand up for Drew Carrey because he is from my hometown and his show is set there, too. And the original theme song for the show "Moon over Parma" is probably the only time that my little suburb Parma, Ohio was ever mentioned on TV . But i guess even that doesn't help my opionion that "Ghosts" was a bad episode

- Alicia

Wow, I knew I liked Tempus Fugitive a lot, but I hadn't realized it was quite this popular <g> At the time I checked, it had 26 votes; the next most popular had 20 votes.

Overall, pretty much what I'd expect. Although I was surprised to see "Ghosts" as more hated than the non-wedding ARRGH -- and those five seem to have a nice bell curve going <g>

This was a great idea for a poll!

PJ

It looks like most of the ones I like, other people like too - big surprise. <G> Oh, and I voted based on 'favourites' and 'non-favourites' too.

And I'm not surprised that Tempus Fugitive is still leading the pack (with 27 as of right now). It's the episode that got me hooked on the show, so YAY!!! Although when I go through and rewatch the whole series...I usually run out of time and energy by the time I get halfway through the 4th season anyway, so I don't make it to Ghosts or Toy Story anyway. <G>

I guess that's something that's different for me...While I absolutely adore fic and hanging out here on the boards and on IRC - I still absolutely adore the show too, and watch it whenever I get a chance. Sure there's things that make me cringe in some episodes, but there's so much more that I like, I just have to watch it.

Pam said:
I think the thing with the wedding ARRGH...it has some really good writing in it, and while it sure as heck didn't lead to the happy wedding/marriage that we all wanted, and sometimes it felt like we were beating our heads against the wall, and most of the time we were wishing we were beating the ABC execs heads against the wall...where was I going with this? Oh, yeah, there were some very good moments in it (especially if you like Angst - then you've hit the jackpot!) and it did keep us on the edge of our seats waiting to see where it would finally go.

I really don't like it very much, just because it was so much of a painful, futile circle, (and the whole Dieter thing made me want to poke my eyes out), but I can understand that there are some strong points within the ARRGH that appeal on some level. And if I'm in the right mood (you know, the depressed, masochistic mood), I do actually like to go back and watch some of it.

And I'm really just posting here to bump up my post numbers. <eg>

Jill

I think it is interesting that the following episodes are nearly 50 50 in respect to like or not.

All the following are within 1 or 2 of each other.

I didn't count those that only three votes between them.

A Bolt From the Blue
Bob and Carol and Lois and Clark
It's a Small World After All
Metallo
Stop the Presses
Target: Jimmy Olsen
The People vs. Lois Lane
Vatman

James, who is totally baffled that so many individuals think Toy Story was so bad!

me too, james, especially given that seasons greetings, the one with the absolutely horrible (imho) version of the toyman is coming up as one of the best... i still can't believe they dared put the name "winslow schott" on that character.

Paul

LOL, Paul. I somewhat suspect that the liking has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the aplot of SG and everything to do with the bplot.

LabRat (there was a toy maker in that one? Who knew? <g>)

Well, I'd argue with you on the "good writing" part <g> but then, I'm looking at the big picture and how the plots worked (or not! ) -- I'll agree there were some cute scenes in each of those.

And I have to confess that I kinda enjoy Oedipus Wrecks, though I fast-forward through the teaser But the bit at the end always has me jumping up and yelling "YES!" <g>

My kids are getting used to bizarre behavior from me

On the whole though, I have to agree with the writer of OW: "Well, that was pointless. Long, but pointless."

PJ

Me too, Pam! Only it's my roommate that is starting to get used to my strange antics in front of the TV.

And that line from OW is probably my favorite line from the entire ARRGH. So perfectly fitting - you can tell even the writers were frustrated by that point.

Jill

okay, this poll has been cool, and very interesting.

i think we should do one like this for fics.

so, who wants to type in the 2086 titles from the archives?

Paul, running like heck

/me nominates Paul. Go for it!

~Anna (who is also running like heck now )

Hey, great idea, Paul! We'd have to subdivide things a little bit, though, maybe break them up by the year they were posted, or even break it down further into categories... and hey! We could call it the Kerths!

Although actually a poll here would likely produce many many many ties, which would be cool, too. Hmm, have to think about that for next year....

PJ

Lol, Paul; I second Anna's nomination.

It would be fun to see which story would turn out to be the favorite of all the fics that have been written to date. How about a new category for the Kerths, Pam: Best Story of All Time? But what would we do if the same story kept winning year after year?

Thanks, RetroRose; I wasn't sure if I was babbling or not.

Shadowfax

Well, no, Jill, because it was such totally and completely artificially-generated angst. Good angst, if there is such a thing <g>, grows organically from a developing situation. Replacing Lois with a clone was a very clumsy plot-device, IMHO - like taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Yvonne
(Wondering if that phrase about people in glass houses might apply to her at this point <g>)