The fun season 4 continues, as the gang hangs upside down and deals with a lookalike. Up, up, and away!
1. Reasonably convincing pseudo-science!
In “Topsy Turvy,” one of the plethora of mad scientists hanging around Metropolis has invented a machine that, briefly, convinces the people in its vicinity that they are upside down. The machine itself is a hilarious, marble-based suitcase, but when the concept behind the machine is described, it is actually fairly decent bullshit science. The alloy that the marble is made of, when magnetized, throws off the inner-ear balance of the people nearby. This is, more or less, what Count Vertigo does in DC Comics, but it’s explained relatively simply and effectively.
Look, I’m not saying that this would work in any way, shape, or form, but there have been so many terrible descriptions on this show, from thinking people are ghosts due to paint to being frozen killing Superman’s powers, that it was nice to see the show actually research why people might feel disoriented, and then work that into the script.
2. Every other working actor was busy?
I know that actors playing multiple roles across a series is not an unusual thing, but I still cannot figure out why certain actors have been on this show so many times. Ben Weldon appears on the show eight (8!) times over its sixth season, most recently as the reformed criminal who chased a pie to Alaska in “Flight to the North.” He is playing, essentially, the same character in each episode, with a few tics added to differentiate him. Here, his character who runs a carnival, cleverly named “Carni,” chomps on an unlit cigar the entire time. This show loves using cigars to signify both class (Perry) and hood (Carni) status.
Also, fun fact: Weldon played “Foo Yung” on Batman in 1966, his last on-screen role. He’s essentially the #1 goon to Egghead, played by Vincent Price. This is to my totally uninformed knowledge, the first person we’ve discussed who appeared on both series. Although they were only 10ish years apart, the series seem like they are from totally different universes.
3. Jack Larson must have pitched this
In “Jimmy the Kid,” Jack Larson gets to play both the ‘aww shucks’ Jimmy Olsen and Collins, a thug that is hired to infiltrate the Daily Planet to steal some evidence against his gangster boss. This allows Larson to chew scenery as a tough guy, call Lois ‘sweetheart’ and get in Perry’s face. Larson is no one’s idea of a fantastic actor, but he actually does reasonably well here.
I do love how on this show is so willing to put forth ideas like, “What if Jimmy had a perfect twin that isn’t related to him in any way?” It would’ve been so easy to put a beard on him, make him get a haircut, add a scar, do something to slightly differentiate him, which would make the ridiculous concept slightly more palatable. But nope! Just a perfect clone in the same city. Why not?
4. Think on your toes, Clarky
When the fake Olsen, from now on referred to as Folsen, is in Clark’s apartment, he manages to find his secret closet with his Superman costume in it. He steals this, obviously, and threatens to reveal Superman’s secret identity. This is, hands down, the closest Clark comes to having his secret identity found out, but the Planet staff believes a simple story: he has the costume for ‘research’ for a piece he’s working on for the Planet. Because, as you know, when you do a story about a chef, you collect the chef’s apron and toque so you can really understand them.
5. Perry White, you are too pure for this world
So, Perry, Lois, and Jimmy are confronted by Folsen, and he strikes a deal with them: let him get a ten minute head start before calling the cops and they can live. They obviously say yes, and Folsen runs off to rob Clark’s office. Lois tells Perry to call the police, but Perry refuses to because “I gave him my word.”
Bruh, this crook nearly just killed Jimmy, and is stealing police evidence. You owe him nothing, and yet you’re going to let him get away, just because you gave him your word? I’m sure Perry has never missed a dinner because he had ‘other plans,’ right? Is Perry going through some sort of Liar, Liar situation? Can he not tell a lie, like a certain Founding Father? Otherwise, he’s just a fool. How has he survived this long on Earth?
