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Rating:  -
When I was a child The Adventures of Superman starring George Reeves was on TV for the first time. I remember begging my parents to watch superman instead of the game shows they usually watched. Since superman was on only one night a week, I was allowed to watch superman. Now those episodes seem silly(with the new technology of today) but I still enjoy them and watch them often-I guess because they remind me of my childhood.
Rating: -
If there is one show that all young boys should be brought up watching, this is it. A real superhero with real bad guys. Remember when the good guys were good and the bad guys were bad? These stories all contain good lessons in morality and right and wrong. The next generation of Americans would be much better off growing up watching this than the garbage that is on TV Today. Great Acting, writing and adventure. Don't miss this show. I will never believe George Reeves committed suicide. That was a murder no matter what anybody says. A real loss. Truth, Justice and the American Way! The way it should be.
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I find season two to be the best. It perfectly balances the more adult and sober approach of the wonderful film noir season one with the light hearted more juvenile approach of the later seasons. You can't overlook the fact that everyone is having a ball. Genuine humor, playing to the adults, abounds with many of the lines, especially those of John Hamilton's Perry White toward Jimmy Olsen. I had a group of friends over and everyone was roaring over the ending fight scene during the episode "The Golden Vulture." Mack Sennett couldn't have done better. And you just know they meant to shoot it that way; ie., at two levels. One was for the adults and the other for the kids. So much of that approach goes on in this series. There is something that still remains sunny and fresh regarding "The Adventures of Superman." I'm one of the kids from the late '50s and early '60s who remember this show on New York City's WPIX. I'm not a Trekkie but I can appreciate their sincere love for the Shatner/Star Treks and the chemistry of its cast. It's no doubt akin to the deep affection so many of us hold for
"The Adventures of Superman."
Rating: -
WHO WOULDN'T LOVE TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF MIGHTY RIVERS?
OVERVIEW --- DIFFERENT THEMES & A DIFFERENT LOIS MAKES FOR A NEW SHOW!
We are treated to more of the same GREAT STUFF as was presented in the first season; however, Noel Neill replaced Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane and we see a true diversity of themes. Whereas the first season had focused on mobsters and crime, the second toned down the violence and added a wide range of themes to the growing Superman universe. In the process, the second season was more kid-friendly at the expense of some of the film-noir ambience.
All and all, this is a great addition and companion to the first season.
SEASON TWO has just been released. I pre-ordered it from Amazon prior to its release and and I have just completed viewing the 5 disks of the second season. The quality is the same as the first season -- almost unbelievably good. Episode 12, "Panic In The Sky" on the second disk, is a standout that also has an interesting and informative commentary track narrated by Noel Neill and Jack Larson.
If there is a difference between the first and second season, it is probably caused by several obvious differences;
---1] LOIS LANE:
Noel Neill is much lighter and more of a kid-viewer-friendly sidekick for Clark Kent, whereas Pyllis Coates was much more Kent's equal and rival. My daughter, watching parts of many of these shows -- but whole shows of none -- as she sort of flits in and out seeing parts of many and whole shows of none, stated that in "The Defeat Of Superman" if Phyllis Coates were still Lois then she would have been the one who got hit with the Kryptonite bullet instead of Superman. That's it exactly. Many of the crooks in the first season were literally mauled by Lois Lane, wildcat, as they tried with great difficulty to subdue her. Often, Phyllis Coates as Lois was physically assaulted as one would expect a man to be and the bad guys often came out of it bleeding and hurting. When that failed, there was the famous Lois Lane scream that is still reverberating all over the galaxy.
Obviously, I think a lot of Phyllis Coates as Lois but, in fairness, Noel Neill does a great job of showing a compassionate and vulnerable Lois who would surely perish if Superman were not there to save her, OFTEN.
* ---2] THE SCRIPTS: LIGHTENED UP A BIT FOR SEASON 2
The dark, "film-noir" style of the first season was definitely geared more for adults than for kids, though as a kid at the time I didn't know -- until now. Mobsters and corrupt politicians dominated that first season, with only traces of the humor that was to come in future seasons from Jimmy Olsen, and most of all from the new Lois [Noel Neill]. The new Lois did present the opportunity to change the tone of the show to the lighter side without ruining the Superman Universe in the process. Noel Neill, although five years older than Phyllis Coates, acted younger and more like she needed Superman's help while basically tagging along with Kent instead of blazing her own trail as Lois had in the first season. I have read that she was more palatable to young viewers, especially boys who found her likably obnoxious and bratty mannerisms to be cute and compelling. I guess they wanted to be Superman and save Noel. I was not one of them, and I always hoped that Phyllis Coates would return as Lois, but I had to wait until reruns for that.
---3] RUNNING TIME ON SEASON TWO IS LONGER: 1 MINUTE PER SHOW
Another difference from the first season is the length which ran about 25 minutes for the 1st season and has averaged over 26 minutes for the second.
COMMENTARY FOR SECOND SEASON BY NOEL NEILL {LOIS} & JACK LARSON [Jimmy}
THE EPISODES ON SEASON TWO ARE AS FOLLOWS; [Picture & Short description inside boxed set for each episode are included];
*----- DISK ONE:
"Five Minutes to Doom"
"The Big Squeeze"
"The Man Who Could Read Minds"
"Jet Ace"
"Shot in the Dark"
"The Defeat of Superman"
*----- DISK TWO:
"Superman in Exile"
"Ghost for Scotland Yard"
"The Dog Who Knew Superman"
"The Face and the Voice"
"The Man in the Lead Mask"
"Panic in the Sky" [PLUS OPTION TO CHOOSE COMMENTARY TRACK WITH LOIS & JIMMY]
*----- DISK THREE:
"The Machine That Could Plot Crimes"
"Jungle Devil"
"My Friend Superman"
"The Clown Who Cried"
"The Boy Who Hated Superman"
"Semi-Private Eye" [PLUS OPTION TO CHOOSE COMMENTARY TRACK WITH LOIS & JIMMY]
*----- DISK FOUR:
"Perry White's Scoop"
"Beware the Wrecker"
"The Golden Vulture"
"Jimmy Olsen, Boy Editor"
"Lady in Black"
"Star of Fate"
*----- DISK FIVE:
"The Whistling Bird"
"Around the World with Superman"
"Documentary - "The First Lady of Metropolis" examines Noel Neill as Lois Lane - recently filmed and just 7 minutes, but quite interesting and features Jack Larson, Noel Neill and others.
>"Stamp Day For Superman": Special 18 minute episode promoting savings stamps for school kids backed by Superman. That's right -SAVINGS STAMPS - NOT BONDS!
BOTTOM LINE: [I have never been happier with a DVD boxed-set purchase]
*--------------- SO WHAT MAKES THIS AN EXCELLENT BOXED SET?
* ONE-SIDED DVDs [each with cool art-work]
* INCREDIBLE DVD TRANSFER - RESTORED TO ORIGINAL LENGTH
* SPECIAL FEATURES [2 EPISODES INCLUDE OPTIONAL COMMENTARY TRACKS + "STAMP DAY WITH SUPERMAN" + "THE FIRST LADY OF METROPOLIS" - documentary]
* DVD INSIDE COVER INCLUDES NEAT PHOTOS & BRIEF NOTES ON EACH EPISODE
* STURDY ATTRACTIVE BOXED SET [same size as 1 VHS + includes outer sleeve]
* "REEL" CLASS ACT + AFFORDABLE PRICE [can't wait till the 3rd season comes out!]
* SUBTITLES AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH - FRENCH & SPANISH
LAST NOTES: Lets hope that the third season is released ASAP and the fourth by next year. Well, I can hope.
Rating:  -
I can't believe it's been 50 years since I first saw these episodes. I still remembered some of the scenes when I saw them again on these DVDs. I don't have any problem with the episodes or the corny acting (especiall the villians) but am downgrading my rating for two basic reasons. First, I don't understand why the opening segment "KELLOGS, THE GREATEST NAME IN CEREALS PRESENTS ..." That opening is what I remember most about the original series on TV. Secondly, the ending "Don't Miss the next THRILL-PACKED EPISODE of ... " is present in only two of the episodes. I wish it was in all of them. The primary reason for my low score was the fact that a couple of the DVD's skipped badly and I had to return it. In the replacement DVD's there was some minor skipping but I ignored it as I didn't want to go through the hassle of a return again. The main reason I'm bringing this up is that the FIRST SEASON DVD's also had the same problem. There is an obvious problem with quality control so I would suggest that buyer beware.
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