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What Are
"Lois & Clark" Fans Watching Now?
From Planet Krypton #233 (October 29, 2000)
A recent issue of
Planet Krypton asked readers what they're watching now, over
three years after "Lois & Clark" left the airwaves.
Out of all of the responses, here were the most popular:
#1 Friends
Even though it's a comedy series and not even in the same genre
as "L&C," 31% of those who responded listed
"Friends" as one of their current favorites. The show's
been on for several years and still shows no signs of becoming
lame. Plus, like Lois and Clark, it's got couples... now when
will Joey and Phoebe finally hook up?
#2 Buffy the
Vampire Slayer
Buffy's probably one of the closest shows in spirit to "Lois
& Clark," and playing in the same superheroic ballfield
means creator Joss Whedon gets to have a lot of fun with it. From
vampire Harmony and her <snicker> "minions" all
the way to Buffy's new-coming-from-nowhere sister Dawn, there's
just a lot of fun going on in the show. (By the way, Buffy
viewers will know, and hurt me, if I didn't say that I was just
kidding on the "out of nowhere" part, as Dawn's origin
was revealed in last week's episode).
#3 Angel, Roswell,
Dark Angel, West Wing (tie)
As you can see, *four* shows tied for third place for what
L&C fans are watching today. "Angel" of course is a
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" spinoff, and many episodes
are written by former "L&C" writer Tim Minear, who
is also a producer. Like Buffy, "Angel" also has a
stable of fun characters like Cordelia, Wesley, and if that's not
enough for you, there's even the Phantom Dennis.
"Roswell," like "Lois & Clark," deals
with strange visitors from another planet... sounds familiar
doesn't it? "Dark Angel" (no relation to
"Angel" or "Touched By An Angel") is a sci-fi
"thriller" by James Cameron, and since I haven't seen
it, there's not too much to say about it besides that it stars
Jessica Alba. Finally, "The West Wing," now in its
second season on NBC, has gotten a lot of notice since its many
Emmy wins in September, and people are realizing how well-written
the show is.
Several other shows made the list but didn't make the top three.
Those shows included "Charmed," "That 70's
Show," "Will & Grace," and two voters even
picked "repeats of Scarecrow & Mrs. King on PAX"...
which was interesting, since "L&C" executive
producers Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner were the creators
of "Scarecrow."
Here are a few printed responses from some of the readers...
please note that it's not all of them, but a selected few....
Nancy in Chicago "The West Wing -- I just love all the
characters and how involved it is & how it can make you
think. L&C -- especially some of the early eps made me
think."
GLong: "I am watching Charmed. It is a lot like Lois and
Clark. Brad Kern from Lois and Clark works on that show. It is
really good (but not as good as Lois and Clark)."
Abi Short: "Lately I've been checking out "Dark
Angel," which has some definite promise. The
post-"electromagnetic pulse" (you watched "The
Matrix," right?) 2019 America may be a little unbelievable
for some, but so far the plotting has been good and the premise
is acceptable. This show reminds me more than a little of
"The Pretender," which was cancelled after four good
seasons. (But I'm not bitter... no... And anyway, TNT is airing
re-runs. Wait, does that sound like any other show...?) I won't
know if I'll be devoted to "Dark Angel" until the end
of the season, when I will either get angry or not care that they
cancelled it. (Like with "Now and Again" last year.
Grr! Fox is the only network left that hasn't angered me by
cancelling a show, and I can see it coming from here....)"
Jennifer/Batgirl72: "My all time favorite show Buffy the
Vampire Slayer is back and better than ever, and who could resist
Angel. I wanted to know all summer what they were going to do
with Darla. I have also started watching Roswell. I caught up on
the first season in reruns this summer. I guess you could say I'm
a WB girl, but most of the great shows are on that network. I'm
not saying I only watch the WB but this Season has been rough
because of the release of the bottom of the barrel TV shows
deemed worthy of "hot, new show" status. The WB seems
to be the only network buying good shows to air. I still watch
Friends, Will and Grace, The West Wing, and ER but 8 times out of
10 my set is tuned to WB."
Elmindreda: "My favorite show now is "Roswell,"
airing Monday nights on the WB. I feel just as intensely for the
characters on Roswell as I did for those on L&C, and this is
the only show I've been addicted to since L&C went off the
air. The love story between Max and Liz is just as special as
that of Lois and Clark, and contains many of the same elements.
At the core of the show is the fact that Max is an alien/human
hybrid in love with a human girl, Liz. Although in season 2 TPTB
are exploring more of the sci-fi aspects of the show, and less of
the romance (sound familiar, anyone?), Max and Liz's relationship
is still the heart of the show. If you haven't watched it yet,
try it! Of course, things will make a lot more sense if you can
find someone to lend or dupe copies of the first season for you!
(I'd offer, but I don't have a second VCR to dupe tapes on,
sorry.)"
ClarkXX: "I'm watching Buffy and Angel now. And while I am
not pathetic like I was with L&C (having to buy every
magazine with them, taping every talk show), I actually do think
that Buffy is a much better written and acted show. I'd have to
confess and say that in case of a fire, I'd grab my Buffy tapes
before my L&C ones. I think it would apeal to L&C fans
except that it's already in it's 5th season. Seasons 2 and 3 were
fantastic, so it would be hard to start watching now when the
best is already behind us. While I like Buffy more than Angel,
you should definitely check that show out as well. Plus, Tim
Minear is a writer for it so it does have an L&C
connection."
Kim: "I am currently watching the Invisible Man on Friday
nights on the SciFi channel. I think that it is a good new show
with lots of great potential. Vince Vintresca (spelling?) --
formerly of Prey, Boston Common, and "fun Bobby" from
friends -- stars as the kind-of reluctant invisible man. His
brother got him out of jail if he volunteered for the government
and now he is an agent for the "Department of Fish and
Game" due to budgeting constraints. The show is funny and
the science is fairly acceptable. I am a science teacher and
groaned way too many times during Lois & Clark episodes...
The I-man has a great partner and the writing for the two of them
is a lot of fun. I highly recommend this show."