Since Labrat's already vetoed frivolous polls in the name of fun, please vote for your favorite Olsen. Thank you.

When I was a kid and read the comics, Jimmy was a guy who was much shorter than Superman/Clark Kent, and Jimmy also had red hair, in stark contrast to Superman's black (or blue???? ) hair. Jimmy also looked pretty much like a kid, at least sometimes, although I could never get used to comic book Jimmy's slicked-back hair and weird way of dressing. What kid would look like that?



As for comic book Jimmy's age, he often seemed to be about the same age as Batman's Robin, and Batman's Robin seemed to be about fifteen or even younger in the Silver Age comic books that I grew up with. So if Jimmy is more or less the same age as fifteen-year-old Robin, Jimmy can't be more than eighteen himself, and he might well be younger.



But anyway, because I expect Jimmy to be rather short, red-haired and young-looking, I could never accept Michael Landes' tall frame, dark hair and comparatively mature look. No way he looked like Jimmy Olsen! So I was glad when they replaced him, although it's a pity that they didn't get Justin Whalin from the beginning. If you think that Lois Lane's haircut was startling, what about Jimmy's total metamorphosis?

Ann

TOC: in the Land of Weird and the Home of the Crazed (aka Metropolis) anything is possible? XD

I'm never really able to choose between these two. When I watch S1 I enjoy ML's performance and when I watch the others I enjoy JW.

I do have to confess to having a sneaking liking for JW generally just because of a guest performance he made in an episode of my other all time favourite show, The Young Riders. He was absolutely superb in that and I saw that before I saw LNC. So if they were going to replace ML I was kind of happy they chose JW to do it.

LabRat

I like Justin Whalin better, too. He was just right to be Jimmy. Michael Landes was cute, but he came across a bit creepy in that episode where Lois's sister Lucy was in town. lol. Justin Whalin IS Jimmy Olsen. Young, cute, eager-to-please, and wholesome-looking.

Wow!!! I'm currently the only one who likes season 1 Jimmy better.

It's funny, though. When I write a Lois and Clark story, I usually see season 2, 3 and 4 Jimmy in my mind.

Funny how the mind works (or in my case, doesn't work )

ML

The explanation for the switch is that Jimmy is a Time Lord (from Doctor Who) and he Regenerated....


But seriously, what an insult to our inteligence. As if we wouldn't notice....

Having said that, JW was better....

I'm another of the few that prefer the Michael Landes Jimmy.

It's a close thing. In S1 I think Jimmy looked more the part. However, Justin Whalin seemed a little closer to the personality that I could see for Jimmy.

I don't care for either portrayal very much. I guess in my mind Jimmy should be seen and not heard so I pick S1.

Bob

If you have ever seen anyone with true black hair (not very dark brown or a brown / black mix) their hair takes on a blue sheen in certain light.

I like Justin much better. I think he is more eager to please and a kind of goofy in a Jimmy sort of way. I didn't like the vibes I got from Michael in his role as Jimmy. But I've loved him in other stuff. I just think this was not the role for him. I thought he was kind of a snooty kind of Jimmy.

I know that Lara Joelle Kent likes Michael as Jimmy.

LoL. I can just imagine your ideal episode, Bob. Jimmy walks in, hands Lois a thick folder of research, and then scurries off.

You know, I'm embarrassed to admit it, but that's about all I ever do with Jimmy. I mean really, Jimmy is there so that 8-year-old boys that read the comic books will have someone to relate to. He serves no purpose in any adult telling of a Superman story. In a Lois and Clark relationship centric universe, what purpose does he really serve as a character? I can think of only one possible use for him (other than carrying stacks of research) and I may just have to do that sometime in the near future.

I don't hate Jimmy. Like another famous James, he's just as useful as Kirk was while M5 was running the Enterprise. (Assuming M5 wouldn't have gone insane.) We should call him Jimmy Dunsel .

Bob

Bob, you put that so perfectly! Jimmy Dunsel, indeed!

Ann

If someone would have posted this during S2, I probably would have picked Michael Landes. It took me quite a while to get used to Justin Whalin after the switch. Looking back now though, I think I preferred Justin.

I think it is interesting to consider the character of Jack when we discuss the character of Jimmy. Jack was a pure Season One LnC creation, and he has never been seen in any version of the "Supermanverse" before or since. What was Jack doing in Season One of LnC? I think he was being the kid. It's canon that there must be a kid in any superverse, and Michael Landes' Jimmy Olsen was unable to play that part. Therefore Jack was introduced. But after Justin Whalin took over as Jimmy there was no need for an extra kid, and Jack was dropped.

Ann

Yeah. And Justin's just really that endearing, right, Ann?

Michael Landes is the better Jimmy. Justin seemed more like a kid than a peer, whereas Michael was on a more equal footing with L&C.

I think that Jimmy is not suppose to be on an equal footing with Lois and Clark. He is suppose to be this young, eager beaver, annoying little brother. Justin played that much better.

To me Michael Landis looked too old for how I pictured Jimmy. In season 1 where Michael played Jimmy he looked ridiculous running around being afraid of Perry. He looked old enough to be a college graduate and in the work force for a couple of years in other words he looked almost as old as Lois and Clark. From day 1 I found Michael Landis annoying as heck as Jimmy and terribly cast.

Justin seemed a much better fit for Jimmy but I did have a major problem with the wardrobe they picked for Justin's Jimmy it just didn't look like him even if you were going for him not dressing with his career in mind.

Justin. Definitely Justin. I see Michael Landis as a cocky know-it-all character that I like in other things, just not as Jimmy.

I liked both but JW wins for me. ML was just a little too creepy/perverted for me. Like wasn't there an ep where he and Cat were talking about getting it on, or he was wanting a date w/ her or something like that. And in PML when all those models are at the DP and he's drueling everywhere... granted JW Jimmy would be doing that too but ML Jimmy was just more... creepy about it or something.

I agree with whomever said that Michael Landes was too old looking to play Jimmy. Lois was 26 in the pilot, and theoretically turned 27 not long after (remember, she's a Libra) and Jimmy was supposed to be a news aide/intern type who would be in their early 20s.

Michael Landes would have only been 21 during the first season, but he looked older, and his wardrobe didn't help. I liked that Justin Whalin looked younger and a bit more casual, like a kid just starting out in newspapers wearing what he thought was appropriate office attire -- flannel shirts and jeans.

I, too, prefer JW's Jimmy; but when it comes to creepy, I think JW had the creepiest episode - Bob & Carol & Lois & Clark. What he saw in Aurora, I'll never know. And anyone whose idea of a fun date is "doing a sewer" is someone who would give me the creeps. <shudder>

Joy,
Lynn

I never could get used to JW as Jimmy after the switch, so I'm one of the few who preferred ML. I thought ML had better chemistry with the rest of the cast than JW did. And I missed Jack after he was dropped.

I have to agree. Can we pick Jack as the best Jimmy?

Bob

Hyperventilating here

Jack was a sanctimonious, self-important smart-ass twerp!

Not that I have strong opinions on this.

c.

Bob, as much as I usually agree with you, here I have to ask, respectfully, if you have not perhaps , well, how to put it delicately, been smoking too much bad stuff???

If we expand the scope, does anyone have an all-time best Jimmy? I think I'd have to vote for Jack Larson from the George Reeves TV show. (And of course his appearance in LnC as the aged Jimmy.) He set the standard for Jimmy Olsen and, in my opinion, is still #1.

Bob

Well, that sort of explains it, Bob.

I agree that the comics shaped what I think Jimmy should be like. If he doesn't have red hair, then I have a hard time buying him as 'jimmy'. As to which was the best Jimmy - not sure, but am thinking the first Christopher Reeves Superman movie, maybe.

c.

How about an all-time worst Jimmy? IMHO, that would have to be Tommy Bond in the old Kirk Alyn serials. He was 22 when the serials were first shot, but he looked a lot older to me. He appeared way too old to fit my image of Jimmy. His Jimmy didn't seem to have much of a personality, either.

(I decided recently to expand my experience of the Superman lore from L&C. I have been listening to the old radio show and watching the old serials. It is fascinating to see how the characters of CK/Superman and Lois Lane have changed over the years. L&C's take on them is far and away my favourite.)

Anyone else have a vote for a worst Jimmy?

Haha! I'd have to vote for Jimmy being played by Superman (Dean's Superman) in one of my stories... 'Cause he just turned out to be such a good actor. I mean it's not like CK/Supes acts every day or anything like that, you know.

If I really had to say, I'd vote for Justin Whalen!

Justin Whalin for sure!

I liked the writing for Jimmy in Season 1 - there's a wonderful character evolution that goes on. But I just couldn't get past the stiff acting. Justin Whalin seemed so natural and upbeat in the role. And heck - Justin is a whole heck of a lot cuter too!

All right, I'm new to this site, so bear with me, but this polll was perfect way to get me into this all... I enjoyed ML's performance and I liked him (was incredibly frustrated by S2 switch-up), but JW turned out to be a better Jimmy for me. Looked the part more, and what can I say: he just seemed more like Jimmy. Even when I'm not writing for LnC but rather just the general Superman universe, I always picture JW's Jimmy Olsen in my mind.

As the new post brought this one back up, I sort of blinked when I spotted this:

Huh? What? Who?....I did? I know it's a fair time back, but can't recall that at all!

LabRat (who likes fun...honest )