This season of Adventures of Superman finally realizes that it is based on a comic book, and allows itself to have fun in very comic book-y ways. Unfortunately, these two episodes show two wildly different executions of that concept.
1. The Atom Age
“Superman in Exile” is the first episode that embraces the 1950s, in terms of introducing some elements that are intrinsic to the era. Specifically, this episode deals with radiation and nuclear power. Superman saves a couple of scientists (and, indirectly, all of Metropolis) from a meltdown, and somehow absorbs all the energy into himself.
This is where you get the title of the episode, as Superman must be quarantined, as to not infect the entire world with radiation. This is a perfectly reasonable sci-fi scenario, and yet the idea of Superman in a rustic cabin (seemingly one of three sets that aren’t the Daily Planet offices) is always funny to me. Especially the image of him talking on the phone; it just seems very quaint.
Also quaint: the visual depiction of a device that would cause radiation. It is basically a wall with nine small, metal pipes sticking out of it, shooting flames. I know that making a nuclear reactor on 50s TV budget was impossible, but this seemed like the most expensive and least accurate depiction they could muster.
2. An actual risk
For the second episode in a row, Superman’s life appears actually in danger in this episode, but this time, he puts it there to help others. This, as I’ve said a bunch of times in these reviews, shouldn’t be unusual. The Superman we all know and love would do anything to save lives. But this Superman is one of the least altruistic heroes I’ve ever seen, so it is odd to see him take on radiation poison willingly to help others.
A note on this: it’s amazing that this portrayal was the dominant one in pop culture for 30 years, as it is missing so much of what we have come to think of as classic Superman. Clark isn’t mild mannered (despite being called that in the opening credits) or bumbling, Superman isn’t exactly kind to everyone, Lois and Clark (or Lois and Superman) don’t have a ton of chemistry. In so many ways, this is a Superman show by and for people who don’t already know and love Superman.
3. Guilt trip
The professor, whose inability to properly harness energy caused this whole situation, calls Superman while he’s at his country retreat to basically tell him that crime is up in Metropolis now that he’s not there. Gee, thanks, Prof! What would he do without that very useful and not at all hurtful knowledge?
4. Sci-fi logic
The best part of this episode is the sci-fi logic presented. Of course lightning won’t actually take away radiation, but the show lays out some bullshit science that at least has some internal logic. Throughout the episode, there is solid 50s sci-fi language used, too. It’s the rare instance of this show adopting an outside genre, and it works pretty well.
5. The most boring ghost story of all time
“A Ghost for Scotland Yard” is easily the worst episode of the season thus far, if only because it is so boring. The episode’s premise is a solid one: a magician died five years earlier, but promised his ghost would return in five years for his greatest trick. But then, nothing at all happens in the episode. Sure, there’s a spooky trick or two, but Superman does very little, there are some over the top British accents (it takes place in London), and everyone generally runs around either screaming about the ghost or that they don’t believe in ghosts.
It’s an incredibly trying 25 minutes, and it ends with maybe the weirdest note of all, which is a newsstand attendant giving Clark and Jimmy a ‘souvenir’ before leaving London, which turns out to be a Superman comic. Now, this is cute and all, but 20 minutes earlier the same guy told Jimmy that Superman isn’t shit and no one in England cares. It’s weird and lazy storytelling.
Also, there are two characters with ridiculous accents and mustaches who I thought were the same character until the last scene.
