History Characters / LoisAndClark

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Lois and Clark]]
!![[Franchise/{{Superman}} Clark Kent/Superman]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dean_cain_superman.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''Superman is what I can do. Clark is who I am.'']]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dean_cain_clark_kent.jpg[[/labelnote]] to see Dean in his Clark Kent persona.]]
->'''Played by''': Creator/DeanCain
->'''Dubbed by''': Creator/EmmanuelCurtil (European French)

----
%%* TheAce
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: When the series originally aired in TheNineties, most people's perception of the Clark Kent/Superman characters were from Creator/ChristopherReeve's portrayal in the film series - Clark being incredibly dorky and irritating and Superman being almost inhumanly masterful and charismatic. Perhaps mindful of just how grating a "dork" Clark would be over an entire series and wanting to make the romance elements more believable the TV series Clark is much more assertive, confident and charismatic.[[note]]You will also see this in ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperman'', where Creator/GeorgeReeves' Clark was often confident and moderately assertive, in a way that could be passed off as him being a very experienced journalist. This made it particularly grating on Lois, Jimmy etc. when he had to pull a "timid milquetoast" routine in the face of danger, so he could change and go help.[[/note]] At the same time Superman is far more down to earth, making the two personalities much more similar than the film incarnations. Also, the makers incorporated into the show:
* [[AdaptationalSuperpowerChange Adaptational Superpower Changes]]: His powers are toned down for the series compared to his film and comic book incarnations. He's still very powerful but more vulnerable to high-tech countermeasures, Kryptonite is more effective and it takes time for him to recover from it's effects and generally it's easier for his opponents to provide a reasonable challenge without getting flattened in five seconds flat.
* TheAllAmericanBoy: Clark had this kind of childhood and is clearly grateful to Jonathan and Martha for it.
* AmbiguouslyBrown: Clark passes for this. {{Showrunner}} Deborah Joy Levine points out that Creator/DeanCain, who is 1/4 Japanese, has an unplaceable look to him that made him stick out in a crowd.
* BadassArmfold: Superman does this often, Clark Kent so rarely it might be part of his disguise (rather, Clark is likely to be seen with his hands in his pockets, very much like George Reeves). {{Flanderiz|ation}}ed in later seasons to the point of Superman strutting around with his arms folded.
* BadassBookworm: Being Superman, that's a given.
* BetaOutfit: He [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wehGfglnzyA goes through a similar set of trial costumes]] (with and without masks and hats), but the S-shield isn't added until the end. Ma Kent jokes that the underwear means that nobody will be looking at his face. At one point he even puts on what is obviously a ComicBook/CaptainAmerica costume (at least the bodysuit portion), but using a Superman color scheme.
%%* BigBrotherMentor: To Jimmy.
* BigEater: Lois notes after spying in his fridge that he eats like an eight year old and looks like Mr Hardbody. This recurs at other points with Clark constantly snitching donuts, sometimes with superpowers. It seems he does not even have to eat, he just likes to. In a S4 episode, Martha Kent is shown carrying a huge bag full of junk food and candy to stock up the larder with, because she's missing her boy and wants to welcome him home just right, with all of his favourite foods. Perhaps Kryptonians process sugar differently. Another episode opens with Clark fixing breakfast in the morning with eggs ([[MundaneUtility cooked with heat vision, of course]]), coffee, and a big jug of milk[[note]]he drinks the entire gallon, right out of the jug, then (the point of the segment) recycles the jug, of course.[[/note]], and another episode confirms that even after ''all that'' he goes into work and starts snacking on doughnuts.
%%* TheCape
* ChickMagnet: Clark attracts an ''obscene'' amount of women throughout the show's run. (Superman more so, but even when he is just plain Clark.) Even the city's crooks are avowed fans of Superman: In the episode where Superman is arrested, the police take extra mugshots to give some streetwalkers a chance to pose with him!
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Do you even need to ask? In "All Shook Up", Clark is actually diagnosed with "Superman Complex" after he tries to stop an asteroid and is thrown back to earth, losing his memory; he's hospitalized and eventually recognized as Clark, his amnesia attributed to a head injury (he'd had to fake one a couple of days earlier). When doctors question him, they conclude he has "Superman complex", reasoning he must have burned himself out doing good. Season two has Intergang try and threaten people Superman knows, so he keeps out of their affairs: he reacts by dressing as a cop and fighting them [[ExactWords so that Superman is not involved.]]
* {{Cincinnatus}}: As in all incarnations of Superman, Clark has the power to amass great power and wealth if he chooses to, and could easily be the world's most feared villain due to his sheer power, but instead chooses to fight for Truth, Justice, and the American Way.
* CorruptTheCutie: Quite a few have attempted to do this; all have failed miserably and often end up on the receiving end of a hilarious put-down by Clark.
* CoverBlowingSuperpower: All the time. It was basically a RunningGag of how he will find some way to justify mild uses of his power, from finding a weak link in his hand-cuffs to "the force of the explosion must have pushed us away."
* DeadpanSnarker: One of the most enjoyable incarnations ever.
* DisapprovingLook: Lawbreakers that didn't warrant a DeathGlare usually got this.
* DistressedDude: Mostly because he was hanging around with Lois when she got them captured. This also means that he has to figure out a way of escaping that does not involve her figuring out what his true identity is, at least until she figures out his true identity.
* DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength: He's generally very careful, but a few times you see him underestimating the durability of items. Once when antsy, he crushed a pencil to dust. In another episode exposure to a Red Kryptonite beam causes him to lose control of his powers, thus when using SuperSpeed to catch a criminal half a block away he ended up "in the next county". In that condition he accidentally injured Lois just giving her a hug. And then the first time he shook hands with Perry and accidentally crushed his interviewer's fingers. Whoops.
* DoggedNiceGuy: He can definitely take what Lois dishes out but she does boss him around and take advantage of his nice guy behavior to the point where this trope is noticeable.
* FakeDefector: Clark pretends to resign from the floundering Daily Planet and join a rival paper, The Metropolis Star, in "The Rival".
* FakingTheDead: In "That Old Gang of Mine", Clark is left with no recourse but to play dead after being shot in public.
* GoodIsNotDumb: As Superman, occasionally. Comes up with his more intelligent but vain foes who think Superman can be simply maneuvered around, such as those involved with Intergang. Occasionally, he runs into characters who think they take advantage of his honor as if it were naivete, but as Clark is quite quick witted he is easily able to TakeAThirdOption.
* HappilyMarried: [[spoiler: During the final season, to Lois.]]
%%* HiddenBadass: Well ''duh.''
* HiddenDepths: Lois is quite surprised as she gradually learns that Clark has more to him than meets the eye.
* IDoNotDrinkWine: Superman once tells Lois that he doesn't need to eat, but he likes to. Which is fairly evident since his pantry is stocked with almost nothing but junk food. He also never misses the morning donuts at the office. This ties in to the OTHER DC comics TV adaptation on the air at the time, the much overlooked and quite excellent [[Series/TheFlash1990 Flash]] which also portrayed Barry Allen this way.
* InSeriesNickname: Jimmy abbreviates Clark's name as "C.K."
* LovableJock: In keeping with the Post-Crisis interpretation Clark was a star athlete in high school and college. Lois was, by contrast, a nerd.
* MommasBoy: He's an unrepentant momma's boy and proudly proclaims to anyone who asks (and some who don't) that his mother made his costume for him.
** When an enemy blows up his secret closet where he keeps his Superman suits and they're all ruined, the first thing he says is "Mom's gonna kill me."
%%* MrFanservice
%%* NiceGuy
* OneOfTheKids: This interpretation of Clark is a tad childlike, as befits Superman, and he never talks down to them.
* OnlySaneMan: Compared to the rather extreme personalities around the Daily Planet (hyper-competitive Lois, insatiable sexpot Cat, naive, girl-crazy Jimmy, and Elvis-obsessed Perry) Clark's relative "mild-mannered" laid back personality stood out.
%%* TheParagon
* SmartPeopleWearGlasses: In addition to a disguise his glasses identify him as the "brain" in his partnership with Lois as the "mouth."
%%* TallDarkAndHandsome
* UnexpectedVirgin: Subverted, as Clark was indeed a virgin when he and Lois got married (this was less due to ManOfSteelWomanOfKleenex concerns, but because she was the first woman he'd ever trusted with all of his secrets).

!![[Characters/SupermanLoisLane Lois Lane]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lois_teri_hatcher.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''Threatening gifts... weird frogs... my fiance's typhoon fighting in India... It's not even 8 o'clock, what's next?'']]
->'''Played by''': Creator/TeriHatcher
* ActionGirl: Not consistently, but Lois shows she can take care of herself from time to time without Superman coming in to save her.
* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: She's frequently jealous of Clark's journalistic accomplishments and tried to hide her jealousy by dismissing his stories as trite.
* BoundAndGagged: Lois certainly spends a good deal of time trussed up and gagged throughout the series by being her usual nosy self and running afoul of many villains, but either through Superman coming in at the right moment to rescue her or her own resourcefulness, manages to get out of her bonds in the right time
%%* BrainyBrunette
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Clark allows that his partner is brilliant, but adds that "there is a ''fine line'' between genius and lunacy." She is easily the most tactless, suicidal character on the show, but Perry gives her free reign to do as she pleases -- as long as she meets her deadlines. He comes down like a ton of bricks if she fails to deliver.
* ButtMonkey: Gets on the receiving end surprisingly often.
* ClingyJealousGirl: Regarding Superman, ''especially'' in the first season.
* DaChief: Lois briefly gets promoted to Editor-In-Chief after Perry gets KickedUpstairs. They both end up wanting their old jobs back by the end of the episode.
* DamselInDistress: OncePerEpisode (at least). She does put up some good fights, and at times breaks out of bonds without the help of Clark.
* FeminineWomenCanCook: Type 2.
-->'''Lois:''' I only know three recipes, and this is the only one that [[OneNoteCook doesn't involve chocolate]].
** There are multiple remarks about how bad her cooking is.
** In season 3 while Clark is cooking and Lois is fawning over him, he suggests that her not cooking is due to lack of time. She tells him flat out it is due to lack of talent. Subverted at the end of "Ghosts", in which she inherits cookery talent from the spirit of a housewife who possessed her.
* GreenEyedMonster: She hits the ceiling after Clark beats her out for a journalism award... despite already winning the same award three times consecutively. Clark is gracious enough to escort her to the party, though not above rubbing it in.
-->'''Lois''': So how did I rate as a date?\\
'''Clark''': Oh, A+.\\
'''Lois''': I hung on your arm decoratively...\\
'''Clark''': You ''did.''\\
'''Lois''': Fawned appropriately...\\
'''Clark''': ''Absolutely''.\\
'''Lois''': ...And just faded into the background during your big moment.\\
'''Clark''' You were beautiful yet invisible.\\
'''Lois''': ''(cooing)'' Mmm, make me go through another night like that, and [[CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon I'll rip out your spleen.]]
** Anytime a woman shows interest in Clark\Superman, really.
* TheGrinch: She hates hates, hates, hates, hates Christmas. With her family, you can't blame her.
* HappilyMarried: [[spoiler: During the final season, to Clark.]]
* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: For the first season and part of the second she is very deeply in denial about her attraction to Clark.
* HiddenDepths: Clark soon discovers that Lois's hard shell is there to protect her hidden emotional side.
* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: PlayedForLaughs in the scene following Lex's public disgrace and [[spoiler:suicide]], when Lois opines that she's "always been such a ''good'' judge of character!" As we'll see in later seasons, this is [[HypocriticalHumor not]] [[IdiotBall even]] [[DerailingLoveInterests close]] to being true.
** At one point Clark breaks up with Lois on the grounds that if they move forward this will just put her in more danger. She promptly gets drawn into a relationship with a man plotting to sacrifice her, causing Clark to realize that she attracts homicidal maniacs, and the only way to protect her is to have her close.
* {{Hypocrite}}: "The Rival" establishes that Lois once had a high school friend who stole a story she was working on and used it to get with the school newspaper editor who was also Lois's boyfriend at the time. Despite having held a grudge against this former friend well into adulthood, this didn't stop Lois from stealing story ideas from Clark in "Neverending Battle".
* ImportantHaircut: She changes her hair after discovering Clark's secret identity.
** And again after being struck by a car, hitting her head on a fire hydrant. She loses her memory of who she really is, and believes she is "[[SplitPersonalityTakeover Wanda Detroit]]," the lounge singer character from the crappy novel she began pounding out a few years ago.
** This is followed by yet another hairstyle change in Season 4, after Lois clears her name. The Wanted Posters of her face spread all over town convinced her that it was time for a change.
* IntrepidReporter: She seems to have taken this to a new level. At one point Clark pulls out a multi-sheet, multi-column single-spaced printout of the people who she has been responsible for putting into jail through her reporting, and from what he says this is limited to only the scientists whose nefarious actions she has exposed. There is mention that 200 people have threatened to kill her because she has exposed their actions leading them to jail.
* KnightInSourArmor: This is half of her personality. Most of the jokes in the first two seasons surrounding her involve her being cynical or critical about something while partaking in it or something similar to it herself.
%%* MsFanservice: Arguably the hottest incarnation ever.
%%* SecretKeeper



[[/folder]]

[[folder: Supporting Cast]]
!! Perry White
[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lane_smith_perry_white.jpg]]
->''Remember there's no perfect sunsets. There's a little crack in every cloud, but that's what gives you your silver lining.''
->'''Played by''': Creator/LaneSmith
* AFatherToHisMen
* {{Catchphrase}}: "Great shades of Elvis!" This was even transferred to the comics for a while.
* CoolOldGuy: "Jimmy, I did not become Editor of a major newspaper because I can yodel."
* DaEditor
* DisappearedDad: In Season 4, we learn that he was an absentee father to his sons, which likely led one of them (Jerry) to a life of crime.
%%* GrumpyOldMan
%%* LargeHam
%%* ParentalSubstitute: For Jimmy.
%%* ReasonableAuthorityFigure
* ReluctantRetiree: Invoked twice. First, when faced with the closure of the paper, and later when promoted to an executive. Both times, Perry is despondent at having nothing to do.
%%* TeamDad

!![[Characters/SupermanJimmyOlsen Jimmy Olsen]]
->'''Played by''': Creator/MichaelLandes (Season 1); Creator/JustinWhalin (Seasons 2-4)
* GeekyTurnOn: Jimmy often has this reaction when anything technology-related is involved.
* PluckyComicRelief

!!Cat Grant
->'''Played by''': Creator/TracyScoggins
Cat Grant is the Society columnist of the Daily Planet and is well-connected to the world of high society and celebrity. She acts somewhat flaky and is always on the lookout for her next sexual conquest, trying (and failing) throughout the first season to entangle both Clark and Superman. She and Lois don't particularly care for each other.
----
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: She was dropped after Season 1.
* HiddenDepths: In "All Shook Up", Cat goes to confession and expresses guilt for trying to take advantage of an amnesiac Clark. She also admits that she wants someone to love her for who she is and the reason she takes so much joy in meaningless hook ups is because she just doesn't want to be alone.
* MsFanservice: She often wears outfits that show off her body.
* PutOnABus: Justified in that The Daily Planet was closed towards the end of the first season and then reopened under new ownership and a promised overhaul of content. This would explain the absence of Jack, the orphan whom Clark recruited as a copy boy.
* ReallyGetsAround: And how! One of the most blatant examples and surprisingly overt for such an otherwise family-friendly show. She dressed like she was headed for the club at all hours of the day, hurled herself at Clark, Superman...and nearly every other male who crossed paths with her for more than a second.
** In "Pheromone, My Lovely" where everyone was sprayed with pheromones that caused them to act like horny teenagers, Cat ends up alone in the copy room with a nerdy repairman...whom she then has sex with (complete with sounds). She then breaks the copier after he's finished fixing it solely in order to give him an excuse to stick around for round two. We figure even Cat would need to get sprayed with the pheromones in order to seduce the dumpy little guy...until later, when everyone is confessing what they did while under the influence, someone asks Cat what she did after she was "sprayed." Her answer? "What spray? I didn't get sprayed."
%%* SitcomArchNemesis: With Lois

!! Jonathan Kent
->'''Played by''': Creator/EddieJones
Jonathan Kent is Clark's adoptive father and husband of Martha Kent. His portrayal in the series is similar to that of his comic counterpart: a hard-working farmer of strong character and traditional values, who instilled in Clark the moral code he lives by. He is a good-humored straight man to his quick-witted wife, and is invariably the voice of reason and caution during their phone calls with Clark.
----
* CoolOldGuy: Not quite to the extent of his wife, but Jonathan can be counted on to be a bit funnier than his straight-laced comic counterpart.
* DeadpanSnarker: Tends to this, particularly when sparring verbally with Martha.

!! Martha Kent
->'''Played by''': Creator/KCallan
Martha Kent is Clark's adoptive mother and wife of Jonathan Kent. Lois & Clark's depiction differs somewhat from the traditional 'farm wife' Martha in that she is an aspiring avant-garde artist and sometimes takes adult education classes at the Smallville Community College. She and Jonathan have been married since at least the early 1960's, although Martha was unable to bear children. When the infant Clark's rocket crashed, Martha and Jonathan took him as their own son and raised him as a human.
----
* CoolOldLady: Martha has more of a bite to her in this show than in previous incarnations. While still loving and nurturing, she's witty, more tech savvy, and is open to trying new things. She even once posed nude for a painting, [[BrainBleach much to Clark's horror.]]
* ParentalSubstitute: She's kinder and more loving to Lois than Lois's own mother Ellen.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Villains]]
!![[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor Lex Luthor]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lex_luthor_2.jpg]]
->'''Played by''': Creator/JohnShea
->'''Dubbed by:''' Creator/MichelPapineschi (European French)

Lex Luthor is a genius businessman who is intent on controlling Metropolis, and eventually, the world. His rise to fame and fortune has been cultivated over his entire adult life, and Lex has never let anyone or anything stand in his way. When necessary, he does not hesitate to buy people off, intimidate them into submission, or have them killed. By the time of the series premiere, Luthor is the 3rd richest man in the world, with a net worth in the tens of billions of dollars. His company, Lexcorp, owns telephone service, television channels, nuclear power stations and various others: essentially, all of the things needed for a society's infrastructure. In addition, Lexcorp includes many sub-companies that make home electronic equipment, appliances and the like.
----
%%* AffablyEvil: He's definitely a monster, but that doesn't mean he's opposed to being friendly with Lois and Clark. He treats his workers with civility, and when he is proven wrong about something, he doesn't hold it against anyone if he came out better for it.
%%** FauxAffablyEvil On the other hand, he has no problem killing anyone who gets in his way (although he does at one point mention feeling bad about not being able to come up with a more creative solution) in particularly Cruel and Unusual ways.
%%* BackFromTheDead
* BaldOfEvil: He starts out with a full mop of curly hair, then is bald in Season 2. Explained by the reanimation process necessitated by [[spoiler:his demise]], so he can still blame Superman, albeit indirectly, for his hair loss. Actor John Shea (Lex) wryly justified it by saying that somebody as rich and brilliant as Lex would be able find a solution for hair loss. He regains his shock of hair in Season 3, either because it grows back, or because Lex is wearing a wig in these sequences.
%%* BigBad: In season 1.
* TheCasanova: Has tons of women lusting after them--and he happily beds them--but he considers all of them trophies. The only one he actually wants for something more than a mere one night stand is a certain crusading reporter...
* TheChessmaster: And he's ''frighteningly'' good at manipulating the entire population of Metropolis like pieces on a chessboard.
* CigarChomper: He's rich and badass, and therefore smokes cigars.
%%* CorruptCorporateExecutive
* DecompositeCharacter: In the comics, Lex Luthor the First and his Australian "son" Lex Luthor the Second are the same person with the second Lex being an artificially created body that Luthor took over to cheat death. In this series, Lex Junior is real.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: He ends up a CrazyJealousGuy when it comes to Lois Lane, whom he genuinely cares about (whether that's genuine love or something much more creepy is another matter). This is either an extension of his [[DrivenByEnvy envy]] of Superman or an exacerbating factor, as he is fully aware that the two of them are in a LoveTriangle for who gets her hand; he doesn't hide the fact that he especially hates Superman for trying to keep him and Lois apart. [[spoiler: Gets to the point that in his final appearance, he ends up dying after a failed plot to fake his and Lois's deaths so they can disappear together.]]
%%* EvilRedhead: In Season 1 [[spoiler:and 3]].
* GracefulLoser: Of a sort. He has an uncanny ability to see the silver lining in defeat, and even when he can't he barely ever shows rage or pettiness or acts with anything but grace - perhaps because he believes that ultimately he will be victorious. For example, his reaction upon learning that an unstoppable virus is rampaging through is systems and may ruin him (and the world) is to have a cheerful discussion about philosophy and getting back to nature with his butler, and stays chipper even after he concludes that he would absolutely hate it. Whenever Superman beats him, he essentially shrugs, tips his hat and goes on to other schemes. But on the other hand, when all of his plans go horribly, ''horribly'' wrong, he [[DrivenToSuicide has a quite more pronounced reaction.]]
* GreenEyedMonster: He admits to Superman that one of the reasons he hates him is simple envy [[spoiler: after finally learning that he is Clark Kent]].
* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: Once back from the dead, he's stuck wearing army fatigues and pottering around in the sewers and subways for a while, afraid of getting caught by Superman. Later, he dons a comical hat and sunglasses while trying (and failing) to recapture a loose clone of Lois Lane in broad daylight. Clois has the mentality of a [[TheDitz pre-teen girl]], exploits Superman to get rich, and eventually tries to bump off the real Lois so she can't interfere. Oh yeah, [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters she shoots Lex]], too. You really start to feel for Lex after a while.
* HumanPopsicle: A postmortem example; his remains are frozen throughout Season 2 as his physician works on a "cure" for death.
%%* KilledOffForReal
* ObviouslyEvil: Which works against the character somewhat as he shows that he can be genuinely decent, [[FauxAffablyEvil or pretend to be]], but the show went all out to paint him as a crook, gangster, psychopath, murderer and all of the above.
* OlderThanTheyLook: Since he [[spoiler:somehow has adult children]] despite looking as old as Superman. HandWaved by Clark, who insists that Luthor is "a master of deception."
* %% PutOnABus
%%** CommutingOnABus
* StalkerWithACrush: Especially in his later appearances, where he's lost almost everything and Lois is much less interested in his advances.
* VagueAge: He seems to be in his late 20s or early 30s, yet he somehow has children who are apparently middle-aged. It's possible he's OlderThanHeLooks.
** Actually brought up by Clark in a Season 4 episode dealing with the aforementioned children. Lois questions how Lex could have kids so old, and Clark replies that Lex was such a clever planner that his official age could very well be faked; thus the show seems to be implying that Lex is indeed OlderThanHeLooks.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Up until he is exposed as a crook in the first season finale, Luthor enjoys a reputation as a wealthy yet humble philanthropist who only wants what is best for mankind.
* VillainousBreakdown: He has a pretty epic one in the last ten minutes of the first season finale.
* VillainousCrush: Lex is particularly obsessed with Lois.
%%* WickedCultured

!!Kyle Griffin / The Prankster
->'''Played by''': Creator/BronsonPinchot
* AdaptationNameChange: In the comics, the Prankster's real name is Oswald Loomis.
* ArchEnemy: Considers himself one to Lois, and his plans always involve her in some way. Is also one of the few recurring villains not in some way connected to Intergang or Luthor.
* AdaptationalBadass: His comics counterpart is generally more of a nuisance, and certainly isn't anywhere near as dangerous as the career criminal mastermind he appears as here.
* BadBoss: Is incredibly abusive, both physically and verbally, towards his sidekick Victor.
* BestServedCold: He used to run a electronics company before Lois wrote an expose on his dirty dealing that put him in prison. Though he always has other, more important goals, humiliating and/or killing Lois always factor into his plans - sometimes to RevengeBeforeReason levels.
* CanonForeigner: Sort of. The character of The Prankster is adapted from the comics, but his identity of Kyle Griffin is new.
%%* DeadpanSnarker
* DecompositeCharacter: In his debut episode, Lois investigated a character named Loomis (the Prankster's surname in the comics) but Loomis turned out to be a RedHerring.
* EvilDuo: With his sidekick Victor. He codified the "Genius/Mastermind and MinionWithAnFInEvil Duo" that quickly became this series' standard.
* EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor: Despite his name, he's actually very humorless (though quite sardonic). Any actual jokes he makes tend to be either more of an act or incredibly mean spirited. He does, however, get a lot of genuine entertainment out of [[JerkAss sadistically humiliating others]] - especially in his second appearance.
* {{Expy}}: His relationship with Victor is somewhat similar to that of Lex Luthor and Otis from the Christopher Reeve movies.
* GadgeteerGenius: Building weird but dangerous gadgets is his area of expertise.
* ''JerkAss:'' In his own words, he never got time off in prison for good behavior because he's just not a very nice person. He's ''extremely'' nasty just for the sake of being nasty: this is a guy who tests out his freezing weapon on a woman with a baby standing under a falling piano, then decides to leave them there just for kicks.
* MadScientist: In particular, he designs amazing weapons (to sell to various unsavory parties) and his assistant Victor builds them.
* ManipulativeBastard: He takes the "distraction" theme of his comics counterpart turns it into his theme as a criminal mastermind. His entire schtick is using "pranks" to misdirect his enemies' attention, while he actually uses the confusion to accomplish hidden goals.
* StalkerWithACrush: Pretends to be one to further torment Lois, then drops it in favor of taunting her about his plan to kill her. [[BreakTheCutie This is extremely effective.]]
* SurroundedByIdiots: His assistant is a mechanical genius, and a total fool. Griffin keeps him around for his expertise, but is constantly infuriated by his idiocy.

!! Jason Mayzik
->'''Played by''': Maurice Godin
* {{Blackmail}}: Jason finds Tempus's journal which contains information on Superman's secret identity. He uses this information to blackmail the Man of Steel into stealing diamonds for him.
* IHaveYourWife: When Superman threatens to reveal his secret identity to get out of being blackmailed by Mayzik, Mayzik reveals he has kidnapped Superman's parents as insurance in case the hero tried to back out.
* {{Patricide}}: He murdered his father by poisoning him.
* SelfMadeMan: Jason's father is remembered as a former junkman who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the richest men in Metropolis. [[SubvertedTrope In truth, the elder Mayzik made his fortune by reading Tempus's journal and making investments based on the information on Earth history contained within it]].
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Jason only appears in the season two finale but his plot to blackmail Superman is also what leads to [[spoiler:Lois learning of the hero's secret identity and leads to a huge change in the series' status quo.]]



!!Tempus
->'''Played by''': Creator/LaneDavies
* ArchEnemy: Tempus' is this to Lois and Clark, their souls reincarnating and fighting him for centuries. Lois points out her surprise at this.
-->'''Lois''': Now if it was Lex Luthor ''that'' I could understand.
%%* Ax-Crazy: There’s nothing Tempus loves more than murder and violence.
* BeardOfEvil: Tempus has a beard in his debut episode. However, by his second appearance, he’s shaved it off. His evil ancestors had beards as well.
* CanonForeigner: He didn't originate in the comics.
* CardCarryingVillain: Tempus nonchalantly admits that he is “evil” and “a bad guy”.
* ConquerorFromTheFuture: He wants to ruin the past because he thinks the utopian future Superman created is ''boring''.
* DeadpanSnarker: Tempus makes several sarcastic remarks.
* LargeHam: Lane Davies is obviously having a blast playing such a deliciously evil villain and hams it up at every opportunity.
* MetaGuy: Since he's from the future, Tempus wastes no time poking fun at various Superman tropes, including show-specific ones.
* {{Sadist}}: Tempus wants to commit crimes and murder people just for laughs.
* StrongFamilyResemblance: In Soul Mates, we meet two past ancestors of Tempus who look completely identical to him. Justified as they ''are'' Tempus, due to his soul being reincarnated many times over the centuries.
* TheSociopath: Calling him this would be an understatement.
* VillainousLineage: In Soul Mates, we learn that Tempus comes from a long line of sadistic criminals.

!!Mr. Mxyzptlk
->'''Played by''': Creator/HowieMandel
* AdaptationalVillainy: While comics Mxy just wants to mess with Superman and may or may not be well meaning, this Mxy is out to TakeOverTheWorld and is accordingly much more cruel.
* BeardOfEvil: Usually a bald character, this version has a full head of brown hair, complete with a beard.
%%* DarkIsEvil: Dressed all in black.
* EvilGloating: Most of his lines are him lording over Superman about how unable he is to stop him and how easily he can make his loved ones suffer - more excusable in his case, because the point of his whole plan is to make Superman cross the DespairEventHorizon.
* EvilPlan: Cause a GroundhogDayLoop, excluding Superman -> let Superman watch as people fall more and more into despair, as they are unconsciously aware of what's happening to them -> blackmail Superman into leaving with the lives of all humanity -> free humanity once Superman leaves and let them worship him as their god and ruler. Unfortunately for him, he significantly underestimated Superman's HeroicResolve.
* TheFairFolk: Played a lot in his portrayal and general demeanor, though he [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien isn't technically magical]]. The show has [[BeenThereShapedHistory him be the one who inspired those legends in the first place]].
* GenkiGuy: Very energetic and outright chipper most of the time. Even in defeat, he's more exuberantly childish than angry.
* GodhoodSeeker: His reasoning is two fold: not only can he get rid of Superman, but when he fixes the loop humanity will worship him for saving them.
* RealityWarper: Par for the course with Mxy.
* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien: His fifth dimensional abilities practically make him a god - he even lampshades this trope while explaining it. He does, however, note that he would have problems taking out Superman (hence making others suffer to convince him to leave).
--> "I'm not 3D like these mortals, I'm 5D baby! And to you, that might as well be magic."

!!Jason Trask
->'''Played by''': Creator/TerenceKnox
%%* CanonForeigner
* FantasticRacism: He has a deep hatred for aliens, for believing all AliensAreBastards.
%%* KilledOffForReal
* RightForTheWrongReasons: Trask believed that Superman was the scout for a Kryptonian invasion of Earth. While wrong about Superman being a scout, he ''was'' right about Earth needing to be prepared for a Kryptonian invasion as seen in season four.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Debatable, but he believes what he's doing is for the good of Earth.

!!Bill Church Sr.
->'''Played by''': Creator/PeterBoyle
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: His store chain Costmart is a front for the criminal organization Intergang.
* EvilFormerFriend: He's a villain who used to be friends with Perry White.
* {{Expy}}: Of Moxie Mannheim, the founder of Intergang. He also takes cues from Post-Crisis Lex Luthor in his status as a former friend of Perry White.
* HeelRealization: Decided to turn over a new leaf after his heart transplant.
* ReformedButRejected: [[spoiler:Deciding he wouldn't have much of an inheritance to leave to his wife and son after reforming, they decide to frame him.]]

!!Bill Church Jr.
->'''Played by''': Creator/BruceCampbell
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Follows in his old man's footsteps as the head of Intergang while running the legal business as well.
* {{Expy}}: Of Bruno Mannheim, the second head of Intergang.
%%* UnwittingPawn: To Mindy.
* UsedToBeASweetKid: Back when his father used to be friends with Perry White, he used to carry their golf clubs. Perry holds this as a reason to believe "Billy" didn't follow into Bill Sr.'s footsteps.

!!Mindy Church
->'''Played by''': Creator/JessicaCollins
%%* DumbBlonde: [[spoiler:It's an act.]]
* KarmaHoudini: She's never punished onscreen, though a first draft of "Secrets" would've had her getting caught.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Purposefully puts on act of being a ditzy BrainlessBeauty with a Marylin Monroe like accent to get people to let their guard down, once she inherits Intergang from her husband and stepson she drops both the accent and the act and reveals she masterminded the fall of both Bill Sr and Jr to take over the gang.
* TheQueenpin: Becomes the leader of Intergan after getting her husband and stepson out the way, and plans to restart the gangs operations to take over all the organised crime in Metropolis.
* WickedStepmother: Double-crosses her stepson after they team up to get rid of his father and get his fortune.

!!Winslow Schott
->'''Played by''': Creator/ShermanHemsley
* AdaptationalHeroism: As opposed to the comics, here Schott is more of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold than outright evil, and far more sane. He eventually [[HeelRealization realizes what he's doing is wrong]] and makes a HeelFaceTurn.
* ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames: He's only referred to by his real name and never as the Toyman. In fact...
* DecompositeCharacter: ...his Toyman alias is used by a completely different character in the show.
* {{Expy}}: Of [[Series/AllInTheFamily George]] [[Series/TheJeffersons Jefferson]], as he's played by the same actor and his assistant is played by Isabel Sanford.
* RaceLift: This version of Schott is African American while in the comics he's Caucasian, as well as British due to the the show being based on the Post-Crisis comics.

!!Dr. Gretchen Kelly
->'''Played by''': Creator/DeniseCrosby
* AdaptationalVillainy: In the comics she was a TokenGoodTeammate to Lex's organization and after discovering just how ruthless he was ended up betraying him. In the show she's in MadLove with him and willing to help him carry out any despicable thing she can to help him.
* DeathByAdaptation: She's electrocuted in the show, while she was last seen turning herself into the authorities in the comic.

!!John Hendrix[=/=]Baron Sunday
->'''Played by''': Creator/CressWilliams
%%* AnimalMotif: Of a snake.
* ArchEnemy: Considers himself one to Clark (that is the 'Clark' half of Superman, whose arch-enemy is, as always, Lex Luthor).
* DrivenToVillainy: Baron Sunday was once John Hendrix, an honest commercial pilot who was duped into transporting guns without his knowledge. After nearly being killed in a raid to shut down the operation, Hendrix was saved by voodoo practitioners who trained him in their art. Sunday decided to use his new powers to get revenge on the men who ruined his life. Unfortunately, this also included Clark Kent who had been deceived into believing Hendrix was the ringleader of the gunrunning operation.
* FallGuy: Hendrix was a commercial pilot who unknowingly transported guns for corrupt NIA agents Matt Young and Rod Clemons. When the operation was in danger of being exposed, Young and Clemons fed false information to a then greenhorn reporter Clark Kent to implicate Hendrix.
* MisplacedRetribution: While his hatred of Young and Clemons is absolutely justified, Hendrix also blames Clark for writing the story that implicated him as the ringleader of the gunrunning operation, even though Clark was also deceived by them.
* ScaryBlackMan: Baron Sunday is played by the tall, imposing Cress Williams and possesses terrifying voodoo powers that make him a threat to even Superman.
* UnwittingPawn: Hendrix unknowingly transported guns for NIA agents Rod Clemons and Matt Young. When the operation fell apart, they set Hendrix up as their FallGuy.

!!Lord Nor
->'''Played by''': Simon Templeman
* AGodAmI: He tells the citizens of Smallville to think of him as a merciless god, not merely a conqueror.
* UnknownRival: Nor has long had his sights set on taking over New Krypton, a goal that required him to marry Zara as her family was the planetoid's ruling house. Unfortunately for Nor, Zara had already been betrothed to Clark as children. Nor grew to hate Clark for standing in the way of his goal, even though Clark didn't even know he was betrothed to Zara until adulthood. Clark even points out that the traditions of Nor's own society is what is keeping him from ruling New Krypton.
[[/folder]]

%%[[folder:Others]]
%%!!Mayson Drake
%%->'''Played by''': Creator/FarrahForke
%%The Metropolis District Attorney, she likes Clark but dislikes Superman, seeing him as a vigilante. [[spoiler: When she is killed by Intergang, she realizes that Clark is Superman and says "I should have known."]]

%%!!ComicBook/LanaLang
%%->'''Played by''': Creator/EmilyProcter
%%Clark's fiancee in an alternate timeline, she bullies him into not using his powers in public. She also exists (off-screen) in the main timeline.

%%!!Alternate Clark
%%A Clark from an alternate timeline where Lois went missing and Lana cows him into not using his powers.

%%!!Zara and Ching
%%New Kryptonians sent to test Superman to see if he was worthy of being married to Zara. Zara is in an arranged marriage with Kal-El since birth, and according to Kryptonian law, is married to him. Ching is her bodyguard, and they are secretly in love. They have a tendency to avoid Superman's super-senses.
%%[[/folder]]

%%* ObfuscatingStupidity
%%* TheQueenpin

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Up until he is exposed as a crook in the first season finale, Luthor enjoys a reputation as a wealthy yet humble philanthropist who only wants what is best for mankind.

* NeverASelfMadeMan: Jason's father is remembered as a former junkman who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the richest men in Metropolis. In truth, the elder Mayzik made his fortune by reading Tempus's journal and making investments based on the information on Earth history contained within it.

* RightForTheWrongReasons: He believed that Superman was the scout for an invasion of Kryptonians. While wrong about Superman being a scout, he ''is'' right about the invasion as Lord Nor, the dictator of New Krypton, learns of Superman's presence on Earth and decides to invade.

!!John Hendrix / Baron Sunday
* ArchEnemy: Considers himself one to Clark (that is the 'Clark' half of Superman, whose arch-enemy is, as always, Lex Luthor).

%%* ActionGirl

* KnightInSourArmor: This is literally half of her personality. Most of the jokes in the first two seasons surrounding her involve her being cynical or critical about something while partaking in it or something similar to it herself.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Somewhat. Both Mxyzptlk's are villains, but while comics Mxy just wants to mess with Superman and may or may not be well meaning, this Mxy is out to TakeOverTheWorld and is accordingly crueler.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Up until he is exposed as a crook in the first season finale, Luthor enjoys a reputation as a wealthy yet humble philanthropist who only wants what is best for mankind. Even after his true colors are revealed, the second season premiere shows that a number of Metropolis citizens love Luthor because of what he did for the city and hate Superman for not saving him.

* VillainousBreakdown: He has a pretty epic one in the last ten minutes of the first season.

%%* MsFanservice

** This is followed by yet another 'do in Season 4, after Lois clears her name. The Wanted Posters of her face spread all over town convinced her that it was time for a change.

** [[EvilIsCool But damn if he isn't having fun doing it.]]

** Actually brought up by Clark in a Season 4 episode dealing with the aforementioned children. Lois questions how Lex could have kids so old, and Clark replies that Lex was such a MagnificentBastard that his official age could very well be faked; thus the show seems to be implying that Lex is indeed OlderThanHeLooks.

* Sadist: Tempus wants to commit crimes and murder people just for laughs.