Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Lois & Clark The Phoenix Episode Discussion Thread

For obvious reasons, this is one of the more popular episodes of the season. We finally get to see a huge milestone in Lois and Clark’s relationship that moves us into new territory for the series. Clark actually asking Lois on a date and the “almost” first date that follows in this episode was huge. Before this, all we’d seen was great chemistry with no promise of an actual relationship developing. This episode changed all of that.

Everything that happened during the almost first date was really enjoyable to watch. There was definitely a lot of sexual tension.

We also got to see Lex return, and he was actually bald this time around. That was a nice nod to the traditional appearance of Lex Luthor. I know some Superman fans complained about the fact that Lex had hair in this show, but it never really bothered me. Besides, Gene Hackman didn’t appear bald until the last couple of minutes of the first Superman movie. I never understood why John Shea’s Lex having hair was criticized so much.

Hoo boy! Some of my favorite fanfics are based on "The Phoenix".

One of my favorite authors, Sue S., has practically made a career of writing awesome "Phoenix"-based fanfics. I particularly like her Ricochet , where Lois (about to go on that almost first date) switches places with her future self. Sue wrote an awesome nfic chapter to this that I can't find to link to, but be assured it's definitely awesome.

Sue also wrote Risorgimento , which asks the intriguing question, what if they had ordered a pizza instead of takeout from Ralph's Pagoda? I particularly like the lawyer jokes ("What's the difference between a catfish and a lawyer? One's a scum-sucking bottom feeder and the other's a fish.")

Yet a third Sue S. fic based on the episode is Brake Light Confessional . Let's just say that things happened a little differently here.

I also love Sue's Evasive Action , which is nfic and hot hot hot. It's not really "Phoenix"-related except that Lois thinks about the date... and then a lot of other stuff happens.

And Lois wonders how hot a light bulb has to get for it to burn out, in Sue's One Defective Bulb . Romantic tension galore.

Matrix has a winner in Almost First Date , which takes the image of that overflowing champagne bottle and just... goes further. Don't miss this one.

Shayne Terry wrote an introspective and moving vignette, Beauty . And the IRC Round Robin did I Only Have Oz For You .

As Lois_Lane_Fan says:
There aren't a lot of other fics in the database that have the keyword "Episode-Related: The Phoenix", but tons of fics use the background sitation. Yep, the romance is moving ahead.

I have to say I liked this episode. i was never entirely sure why their date to the Kerth Awards had not counted as a date.

I also wondered why Lois was so shocked when Clark asked her out. I mean he had come to her place on Christmas, among other things.

Those are fair points, John. I think the answer is that they had always framed those interactions as just friends or coworkers. The Kerth awards was a "date" in the sense that they got dressed up and went out, but Lois never gave it any romantic meaning and looked at it more as a work-related function. Ditto for the White Orchid Ball and the shindig that Bill Church threw. In that one, Lois was even a good sport about Mayson cutting in on her and Clark because "we'll always be friends."

What changes (and what makes The Phoenix stand out for me) is that it's the first time they're not zigging and zagging. Usually, when one of them is ready to acknowledge their feelings run deeper than friendship, the other is in avoidance mode (House of Luthor and TOGOM are prime examples). In Phoenix, Clark flat-out states that he wants to date her. And Lois, after a little freaking out, says yes.

I love this episode, even though most of the scenes with Lex are so over-the-top that I have to roll my eyes. I love it because, like LLF mentioned, the chemistry finally pays off. I love it because the sexual tension is palpable when they end up on that couch together. It's why I return to it again and again when I'm writing. There are so many possibilities.

I originally intended to catalog everything I loved about this episode, but we'd end up with a thesis. Suffice it to say that every little second we spend with Lois and Clark in this one is imprinted on my brain. I even use it in the fics that aren't directly based off the Phoenix because it's the version of the characters that I love best. We get Clark daydreaming about Lois while at work. We have Lois babbling and panicking and flattered all at the same time. We get to see Clark frustrated and upset that Lex is stalking Lois. We get that fun scene with Bobby Bigmouth and Clark "mooning" over Lois. It's a fun nod to the fans, too. "A lot of people are really pulling for this to work out." We get to see both of them ogle each other.

Actually, we see Lois ogle him twice. Once at his shadow on the door and a second time when he gets up off the couch -- she definitely takes a survey of his posterior. Heck, she freely gropes him on the couch. She pats his chest long past the point of establishing that his shirt is wet (and a darn good thing he wasn't wearing the Suit underneath it -- someday I'm going to write one where he is wearing it). And then, when she's sitting up, she puts her hand on his thigh and leaves it there a lot longer than is necessary.

Clark gets his own unnecessary touching in by patting her stomach when she's sick and carrying her to the door. Neither one of them is ready to let go when he sets her down. She keeps touching his chest and he keeps one hand on her hip. Scenes like that are the reason the word "squee" was invented.

Thank you for the list, Iolan! There's one that you missed from last year, which hasn't made it to the archive yet. Worth the Risk It picks up the day after the episode ends, with Lois and Clark taking time off from work (like Perry orders them to) and rescheduling the date.

The Phoenix isn't a perfect episode. But whenever L/C are on-screen together, it's darn close to perfection.

And now I want to re-read all of them. Every time I watch the scene with Clark caressing Lois's abdomen I remember the scene from Faustian Bargain.

Andreia

I have to agree that this was a good episode.

The scenes in the cabin seem to be the most favorite, although people seem to really like the babble gives about what a real date is.

It is also the source of the ever popular "I didn't become editor of a major newspaper because I can yodel."

It is also the start of Jimmy the interruptor. Although the classic scene of that is probably from "Super Mann."

One odd thing is that somehow Clark is able to stay there during the almost first date but not on later dates.

I also have to admit I never really understood why Lex had Bender killed off.

I've never been able to find a logical reason for that either. The best I can come up with is that he thought Bender was a loose end and he (Lex) was already annoyed with him. It seems like it's implied that Bender helped himself to Lex's bank accounts. Bender's first reaction is fear when he finds out that Lex is alive and Lex tells him "I'm your worst nightmare." Or something like that. So it seems that there was never much respect/friendship between them to start with. Strangely enough, I don't watch the Bender/Lex scenes much and I'm not feeling motivated enough now to go downstairs and get the S2 discs. I'd only end up watching the couch scene again anyway (and then I'll never get anything done today).

Yahoo! Didn't see that one - so I have a new Sue fic to enjoy. Thanks for the tip,

Clark's idea for taking Lois to the Pearl Jam concert was a poorly planned, especially since a concert would not have any of Lois's criteria, which she listed, for a first date. Lois's list: getting dressed up enough to put perfume behind her knee, and him in a charcoal suit. Not exactly dress code for a Pearl Jam concert.