User Reviews

What a thankless job Superman has. He must be the savior of the world but there is only one of him. At an experimental nuclear power plant it appears there will be a meltdown (or whatever it was called in 1953). One of the scientist who tried to switch control rods lies in front of the machine (it's interesting that they brought protective suits but left their backs and legs pretty much exposed). There is a civil defense alert and Metropolis is going to have to be evacuated (although it is obvious that it is too late). Superman come to the rescue, switches the rods, but becomes contaminated himself. Everything he touches is contaminated. When he passes his hand over some flowers, they wither and die. To make it worse, Superman glows in the dark. He is suddenly in exile because if he helps someone he will likely kill them. Of course, Clark Kent disappears at the same time, supposedly following Superman. Of course, every crime boss on the planet begins to commit all variety of atrocity. Superman begins to read every book there is on nuclear energy as the scientists try to find a cure. the realities of physics were really never an issue in this series. Still, it's quite an interesting tale.

HOW great and wonderful it would be to be SUPERMAN, or some other Superhero like that. You'd have all those great super-powers, a dual identity ("Secret Identity" in Comic Book parlance.) and the adulation of a great. admiring Public Knocking Gangsters and Street Thugs around and helping the Police with the local Crime Problem, saving folks from Fires and Natural Disasters; while having interplanetary adventures and trips through the Time Barrier are all the sort of regular activities you would come to expect. Just think; all of this and it'd be your job!

BUT wait a minute now! You don't suppose that there'd be a special set of problems that could come with all this great, super job description, do you Schultz? Is it possible that there is more than just the Fun 'n' Games of Superheroing? Well yes, of course; just like us, the Super Heroic Costumed Crime Fighters have their problems, too!

LIVING with such super-ups and downs in one's life is one thing; but it does not match up to the difficulty encountered by the writers behind the scenes of the Comic Book or Movie/TV Adventures. After all, the very nature of the character eliminates so many of the situations and problems that are a problem to "mortal men!" So, the problem for the writer is; what to do, what to do?

MAKING good use of their wits, the writers soon found that by emphasizing good old, basic human emotions and instincts; that even a Super-Being could be put in peril and at the same time, be made more "down to Earth" and "human", even.

IN the second season episode, "Superman In Exile", the problem is neatly neutralized and turned into a really great entry into the Man of Steel's celluloid, small screen series. Taking a look at the situation as it is in our fictional Metropolis, the writing-production team reasoned that they could make a sort of "End Run" around some of this "Superness" Read on, please.

OUR STORY………………..Summoned to a potentially catastrophic event at a Nuclear Plant, Superman manages to diffuse the situation and save the City of Metropolis and her Citizenry from its tragic consequences. Only one problem remained; for although Kent/Superman's body is impervious to most any harm (except for Kryptonite), that doesn't mean that his physique itself could not be exposed to radiation without its having some effect. It did and in this case Superman found himself otherwise unharmed; but a danger to others, being that he was now radio-active!

UNDERWORLD types soon picked up on the dilemma and were off in the pursuit of creating an unprecedented city-wide Crime Wave. With only Inspector Henderson and the rest of the Metropolis Police Department to respond, the city was at the none too generous mercy of Gangland.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE LONELY and isolated mountain cabin to which he has been quarantined, Superman can only stare sadly at his beloved adopted community of Metropolis and hope and pray that he can return, some day. At this point, the narrative of the story's serious nature is amplified with a well done scene wherein Superman causes a houseplant to wither; merely by placing his hand close to it. When we first saw this effect, it was indeed most effective; as we were readily able imagine what we would our fate in meeting Superman in such condition.

PROBLEMS were spread out over two fronts as the Man Of Steel had a double identity, remember? If Superman was to be isolated from the general population, his alter-ego, Clark Kent would also have to remain away. But the problem was only rendered more complex by the very fact of the "Secret Identity." Emboldened to the Nth Degree, the Gangsters kidnap Miss Lois Lane and it looks about as bad as it could get.

BUT, the local radio prediction of a severe electrical storm is picked up by our hero and a plan is formulated. Superman manages to throw off all bad side effects of the nuclear near-tragedy and rescue the Girl Reporter; thus saving the day and serving notice on the Underworld that he's back in town. Clark Kent abruptly returns, with all of the low-down in his report, we mean SCOOP!

OUR story turns out well for all and Superman manages to get a cure with the aid of his own "Home Remedy". One could well sum it all up with a sort of Biblical Paraphrase: "Science Fiction giveth and Science Fiction taketh away!" "Superman In Exile" hits all the target spots that we have come to expect from a Superman tale and is the type of episode which we like to remember when thinking of our favourite TV Series.

POODLE SCHNITZ!! . .

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Superman traveling faster than light I can accept-as Dr A observed, Professor Einstein's theory is merely a theory, whereas Superman's speed is an obversation. Even accepting the nuclear hysteria and ignorance shown here ("full of gamma rays"), the story still fails on its own terms-Superman's contamination turns out to be easily solvable by an amateur (him, after reading a few thick old books) rather than actual hardworking scientists. (Who, by the way, are complete idiots about safety.) And pity the poor plants and housefly Superman uses to test himself, instead of a Geiger counter he could easily have asked to be airdropped along with his morning newspaper. I blame this episode for part of the antinuclear hysteria among nominal grownups nowadays, increasing global warming and leading to brownouts.