Season four is when "Lois & Clark" started to fall apart. While this series basically was just Luke & Laura a la Krypton, by season four, we saw Lois and Clark finally wed, and that's when the series began to topple, because that's when the romantic chemistry died, and the "Moonlighting" dichotomy faded; thus season four was the final season of this series, now on DVD from Warner Brothers Home Video.

Those who know me, know I'm a hardcore passionate Superman fan, have been since I was four. But those at the superman site I discuss the character with also know very well that "Lois & Clark" was probably the worst Superman adaptation I've ever seen. I hated this show, not because of the angle it took, but because it was cheesy, boring, and Superman didn't look like Superman.

Shit, Ultra-Girl? HG Wells? The Wedding Destroyer? A Lex Luthor with hair? Come on. Alas, I kept an open mind nonetheless, and approached "Lois & Clark: Season Four" with the utmost optimism. Not because I received this for free, but because my boy in blue always deserves the benefit of the doubt whether it's soap opera swill like this, or teen marketed crap like "Smallville."
 

Continuing from where the finale ended, Clark is now becoming more aware of his kryptonian heritage, and has put his engagement with Lois on hold to find his past. There he meets two fellow Kryptonians (Justine Bateman, Dan Hildebrand) insisting that he has to marry Zara, a female kryptonian to help fight a war. "Lois and Clark" itself doesn't always seem to take itself seriously, especially on its fourth season.

We have a Zod wannabe named Lord Nor who wears sunglasses (if Kryptonians get their energy from the yellow sun, why the shades?), in the midst of the war and planning, the Krypton council offers Clark concubines to "ease his tensions," and the theme song of the Kryptonian villains is blatantly derivative of the Empirical theme song in "Star Wars." It's goofy little plot devices such as this that keep "Lois & Clark" from ever becoming dramatic, and tense, especially in its two part season premiere involving rebel Kryptonians attempting to destroy the world.

With special effects on par with 1953's "War of the Worlds," there are some genuine moments of interest nonetheless. Including Teri Hatcher's entertaining portrayal of Lois Lane, this sexy and utterly spunky woman who doesn't even cower to kryptonians who can fry her to a crisp like a bodily function. Meanwhile, the late great character actor Lane Smith who I think is one of the best Perry White's, is memorable as the Southern fried easily irritable editor for "The Daily Planet," while the recurring appearances by Eddie Jones and K. Cullin as the somewhat eccentric Kent parents, and Ray Buktenica as the tabloid report Leo Nunk are worth the watch and time invested. Within the standard fold out DVD casing, "Season Four" has a Krypton Khronology with Dean Cain, a surefire entertaining extra.

As a primetime soap-opera/action show, "Lois & Clark" is campy, cheesy, and entertaining enough for the female crowds who will enjoy the feminine twist presented; I've found a majority of its fan base are women. But as a show about Superman, "Lois & Clark" just could never cut it. Give me "Superman: The Animated Series" any day of the week.

 - Felix Vasquez Jr.