Lois And Clark / Tropes Season Three

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• Abhorrent Admirer / Simpleton Voice: The museum attendant, Veronica, in "When Irish Eyes Are Killing.. She's actually kind of dishy, but her single-digit IQ and glass-shattering voice rule out any thoughts of romance. Clark found Cat to be insufferable, how is he supposed to react to this?
• Affably Evil: Larry Smiley. I mean, really, it's impossible to dislike him, even with the whole nuttier-than-squirrel-shit build-an-Ark-and-flood-the-Earth thing.
• Ain't Too Proud to Beg: In "Seconds", Lex weakens Clark with a "matter disintegrator", then orders him to beg for mercy while holding his parents at gunpoint.
  Lex: That's good. You grovel with style, and that's important. Because I'm going to tell every criminal in the world who you are, and I'm going to give them the design of this weapon, your parents' address, and you're going to spend the rest of your life running...or hiding! And believe me, they're both equally humiliating.
• Alien Abduction: Subverted. Lois thinks she's been abducted by aliens, but those memories are implanted by an evil Bill Gates proxy.
• Aliens Steal Cable: Zara's puzzlement at Clark's unwillingness to consummate their union.
  Zara: And are the intimate habits of men and women on Earth so difference from ours? This fact never appeared in my briefing manual.
  Clark: That's not what I meant.
  Zara: There are techniques to help couples. Your "cable television shows" are most informative.
• Alternate Universe: In "Tempus, Anyone?", Tempus kidnapped Lois and H. G. Wells and transported them to a parallel universe. In this universe, Lois disappeared while covering a gunrunning story in the Congo in 1993 and is presumed dead, Jimmy is "a whiz kid of the computer world" who has just bought the Daily Planet and Perry is running for Mayor against Tempus. The most significant difference, however, is that there is no Superman. In the parallel universe, Jonathan and Martha were killed in a car accident when Clark was ten (which he witnessed but was not fast enough to prevent) and he was bounced around foster homes for the remainder of his childhood. He eventually started a relationship with Lana Lang - this being Lana's only Lois & Clark appearance - who convinced him to keep his powers a secret and scolds him whenever he clandestinely uses them to help anyone in a minor way. At the time of Lois' arrival, he and Lana are engaged. This version of Clark never met the Lois of his universe as she disappeared before his arrival in Metropolis. Speaking of Metropolis, it is a dirtier, more violent city due to Superman's absence and almost everyone carries guns, typically semi-automatics.
• And I Must Scream: Jaxon Xavier's VR helmet short circuits at the end of "Virtually Destroyed", leaving him trapped in Cyberspace.
• The Ark: Larry Smiley's couples counseling & wilderness retreat!
• Arranged Marriage: Clark was lawfully engaged to Zara before he was even born.
• Artifact of Doom: The Mask of the Ancients in "Irish Eyes Are Killing."
• Assassin Outclassin': Tez, the alien assassin sent to kill Kal-El. Upon failing, he has an immediate Eye Lights Out death - failure is unacceptable in his culture.
• Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Lois' parents finally bury the hatchet at the end of Season 3's Christmas Episode.
• The Baby Trap: A woman from the Deep South announces to the world that Superman fathered her son — which is hard to refute, since the kid is bench-pressing sofas. It turns out he was a passenger on a plane which was rescued by Superman. Lightning struck the wing, temporarily infusing the boy with Superman's powers.
• Back Handed Apology: Perry in "Super Mann":
  Perry: Oh, look, I know I've been uptight and irritable lately, quick to judge, quick to condemn, sometimes I've been downright mean. What I'm trying to say is that you...you...well— you can expect more of the same.
• Be Careful What You Wish For: In Season 3's Beach Episode "Ordinary People", Lois convinces Clark to behave like a normal human on their vacation. Once they're marooned on an island, she begs Clark to use his powers to make their stay more comfortable, but he insists on roughing it.
  • This has little to do with irony though, It has more to do with the fact that Clark is a country boy and enjoys things like camping.
• Black Shirt: Sen. Xander Truman Black is one of several high-profile figures who try to reboot the Nazi party.
• Body Surf: Lex's plan to transfer his and Lois' minds into clone bodies.
• Brainless Beauty: While on the rebound from Lois, Clark gets roped into dating Veronica, a dim museum attendant.
• Brainless Beauty: Mindy, Bill Church Sr.'s wife. She is beautiful, but definitely not brainless.
• Celebrity Paradox: Subverted in "Super Mann". A Nazi is shown watching an episode of Perfect Strangers and mimicking Balki. This despite Bronson Pinchot previously guest-starring as The Prankster twice.
• Chekhov's Exhibit: A collection of armor belonging to the Roman Emperor Claudius. The emeralds are spolia taken from one of Claudius' campaigns; the villain needs them to reassemble an evil Irish artifact.
• Complaining About Rescues They Don't Like: In "Twas the Night Before Mxymas", Superman repeatedly saves an elderly man from plummeting to his death. At first the man is grateful, but as the time loop wears on, he verbally castigates Superman for saving him. Justified in the second case as the entire world is becoming more depressed and negative with each cycle.
• Constructive Body Disposal: "Don't Tug On Superman's Cape" features an eccentric wealthy couple, the Newtriches, who have a vast collection of unique treasures, including Jimmy Hoffa's body, still stuck in a cement block with just one arm reaching out.
• Cool, Clear Water: Averted in "Ordinary People", when Clark and Lois end up stranded on a deserted island, and Lois is about to drink from a spring that has been poisoned by the villain. Clark uses his telescopic vision on the water and sees that it's swimming with bacteria. He suggests that Lois drink from somewhere else.
• Create Your Own Villain: In "Never on Sunday", it is revealed that Clark Kent, overzealous in his duties as a cub reporter, accidentally created Baron Sunday.
• Cyanide Pill: Sandra Rockford (one of one of Those Wacky Nazis) gulps one after her bazooka attack on Clark's apartment fails.

• Date My Avatar: Xavier imprisons Lois Lane in a VR Metropolis, just so he can approach her in a pro wrestler's body.
• Day of the Jackboot: "Super Mann". The Nazis seemed surprisingly ready, with all the swastika banners and uniforms in place. Lois is stunned to learn that the geek who writes the Daily Planet's classifieds suddenly has an S.S. rank.
• Dead Person Impersonation: In "Don't Tug On Superman's Cape", Bad Brain Johnson is broken out of prison by Tim and Amber Lake, only to be killed off. The couple then uses his gadgets along with Latex Perfection to convince Superman that the slain villain is responsible for their own robberies.
• Deep Cover Agent: In "Super Mann", the Germans put three soldiers in suspended animation for decades and successfully reanimated them. Upon awakening, the Nazis pose as celebrities (a star quarterback, supermodel, and country music singer) to integrate themselves into American society.
• Deliberate Monochrome: In "Don't Tug on Superman's Cape", Clark's I Love Lucy and Dragnet inspired dreams are shown in black and white.

• The Ditz: Ralph. The smarmy drudge reporter who pesters Clark throughout Season 4.
• Do I Really Sound Like That?: In "Virtually Destroyed", Clark is bemused by the VR Superman's style of speech, which uses cheesy terms like "Good Day Citizens!", and asks Lois if he really talks like that.
• Dumb Blonde: Mindy, but she wasn't as dumb as she seemed.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: Season 3 in a nutshell.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: One episode features a ruthless assassin who, in a twist, has a wife and child he loves very much... unfortunately, he's hired by Mindy Church, who comes onto him and doesn't take it very well when he matter of factly informs her he believes in the sanctity of the home, no matter how loyal he is.
• Evil Cripple: Spencer Spencer, a pornography tycoon who intends to transplant his head onto Superman's body.
• Family-Values Villain: Joey "The Handyman" Bermuda turns down Mindy's sexual advances, citing his marriage, hers and belief in "the sanctity of the home." Now if you'll excuse him, he has a school play to attend.
  • She doesn't take it well.
• Finishing Each Other's Sentences: Lois and Clark to Jimmy in "Contact":
  Lois: Call the cops and see...
  Clark: ...if there was another robbery yesterday...
  Lois: ...at exactly 3:00, particularly at a...
  Clark: ...a high tech firm. Ask for everything...
  Lois: ...they've got!
  Jimmy: (beat) Did you guys practice that?
  Lois and Clark: GO!
• Florence Nightingale Effect: During her amnesia stint, Lois develops this toward her psychiatrist, Dr. Deter. In a rather extreme version of this trope, rather than help her recover her memories, he actively sabatoges her attempts to regain her memory (and her relationship with fiance-Clark) and instead hypnotizes her to fall in love with him.
• For the Evulz: Lex comes to believe that his public disgrace was a blessing, since he is no longer a Slave to PR.
• Fourth Reich: The Nazis in "Super Mann" try to create one in contemporary America.
• Geek Physique: Jaxon Xavier aka Jason X. Luthor.
• A Glitch in the Matrix: Jaxon Xavier's virtual world in "Virtually Destroyed". The pedestrians are seen walking alongside copies of themselves, holes in the walls get fixed instantly, etc.
• Good Feels Good: Clois undergoes a Heel–Face Turn and sacrifices herself to save both Superman and Lois, out of a desire to do good.
• Heel–Face Door-Slam: Bill Church really did seem reformed following his Literal Change of Heart, even if his "new" methods were a bit strange. Nonetheless, he ends up back in prison thanks to his wife's manipulation. It almost seems a little tragic, considering that his reformation was triggered by his feelings for his gold-digger wife.
  • Actually, Bill Church Sr.'s dramatic turnaround had two catalysts. It wasn't stated exactly what happened to him, but the implication was he suffered a massive heart attack and nearly died. That kind of traumatic experience can lead to re-examining one's life and realizing the changes that need to be made. His relationship with Mindy was a secondary catalyst; the truly tragic thing is, she knew exactly who and what he was, and latched onto him and encouraged his rehabilitation just so she could take over Intergang.
• Her Code Name Was "Mary Sue": Lois is perpetually writing a romance novel. In the third season, Jimmy cracks her password ("Superman", naturally) and discovers that the main character, Linda Detroit, has two love interests: "Clark" and "Kent". One is reliable and strong (her relationship with Superman), while the other is kind but flaky (her relationship with Clark).
• Heroic Fatigue: Lois experiences this as Ultrawoman. Her super-hearing picks up cries for help from all over the world, with no way to respond to them all.
• Hidden Purpose Test: The aim of Ching's Riddle Me This bombing attacks is to see whether Kal-El is worthy to rule New Krypton.
• Hollywood Hacking: "Virtually Destroyed" is particularly full of this.
• Human Sacrifice: Lois' ex-boyfriend from Ireland has this in mind for her.
• I Lied: Lex, after agreeing to extend Clois' lifespan.
• If I Wanted You Dead...:
  Tempus: Herb, if I wanted to kill (Lois), I'd beat her to death with a frozen lamb chop and then eat it with a nice merlot.
• Incredible Shrinking Man: Superman in "It's a Small World After All".
• Island Base: Spencer Spencer's island hideaway.
• It's Not You, It's My Enemies: Clark gets particularly wagsty at the start of Season 3, proposing to/breaking up with Lois in the same episode. This despite Lois constantly being in peril, regardless of whether they're dating or not.
• Kiss Me, I'm Virtual: Lois' dad brings his android girlfriend to their Christmas dinner, much to his ex-wife's chagrin.
• Klingon Promotion: Trevanian's plot to kill the heads of all 3 federal agencies, leaving himself as numero uno.
• Large and in Charge: NIA Director Trevanian.
• Leotard of Power: Ultrawoman, meow.
• Let Me at Him!: When faced with Lois' (brainwashed) announcement that she's quitting the Daily Planet and moving to France with her psychiatrist, Maxwell Deter, Perry lunges straight for the Doc.
  Perry: Just take your cue from the master of cool here, huh? Slow and easy.
  (a minute later)
  Perry: WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU LITTLE BRAINSUCKER?!
• Literally Shattered Lives: Superman uses his super-breath to blow liquid nitrogen onto Spencer Spencer, temporarily freezing him. It turns out to be less-than-temporary when the guards spray Superman with gunfire, deflecting their bullets and shattering the ice.
  Clark: ...He's a broken man.
• Love Makes You Evil: Maxwell Deter.
• Magical Defibrillator: In "Never On Sunday", Clark rips an electric cable out from a nearby streetlamp, then plunges it into a dying man's chest.
• Minor Crime Reveals Major Plot: Frogs being stolen from a pet shop → A conspiracy to replace the President of the United States with a clone who'd then sign a pardon for Lex Luthor.
• My God, What Have I Done?: Ching experiences it after Superman leaps through a Kryptonite force-field to save him.
• Neologism: Larry Smiley is a believer in "harmonicity."
• No Doubt the Years Have Changed Me: Baron Sunday is a patsy who was (unwittingly) ruined by Clark Kent's expose on weapon smugglers. He was brought Back from the Dead by Witch Doctors and returned to get revenge on Clark and the others who framed him.
• News Monopoly: In "Sex, Lies, and Videotape", Clark futility flips through his TV channels but finds nothing except pundits blasting Superman for his illicit "affair" with Lois.
• Nonverbal Miscommunication / Once for Yes, Twice for No: In "Sex, Lies, and Videotape", a bound-and-gagged Lois is wired to a bomb set to kill foreign diplomats. She can only alert Superman by blinking her eyelids.
• Not-So-Small Role: "Through A Glass, Darkly" introduces Sarah, a lowly researcher at the Daily Planet who is played by Mallory from Family Ties. ..Yeah, pretty sure she's not all she seems.
• Nothing Is the Same Anymore: Lois learning Clark's secret. Instead of Clark having to constantly dodge her and hide the fact he's Superman, Lois starts to assist in his heroics, even helping Clark out with his alibis.
• Offered the Crown: The survivors of New Krypton offer their throne to Superman, on the condition that he marry Zara.
• Parody Episode: "Don't Tug On Superman's Cape", in which Lois/Clark have alternating nightmares set in the worlds of I Love Lucy (with Clark as Desi Arnaz), James Bond (Lois as the faux Bond Girl Miss Goodbottom), and Dragnet (Perry as Joe Friday).
  • "Ms. Goodbottom" counts as Hilarious in Hindsight, since it predates Teri Hatcher's role in Tomorrow Never Dies by about two years.
• Parody Names: When Ching first approaches Lois and Clark, he's disguised as a "Century 22" real estate agent. This is a parody of the actual Century 21 Real Estate.
  "And remember, at Century 22 we bring the future to you!"
• Phlebotinum Battery: A villain has a disintegration weapon that's capable of hurting Superman but they aren't positive they can kill him while using it. To ensure Superman is weakened, they make a catastrophe in an underground missile silo so that while using his powers he doesn't have a backup charge. Superman wins when Lois shorts out the silo door controls, opening them so he could recharge.
  • Later, Lex uses the same weapon, but simply attacks at night, using Supes' parents as hostages so he won't escape to a part of the word where it's day.
• Playing with Fire: Baron Sunday.
• Pocket Protector: After being shrunk in "It's A Small World After All", a miniaturized Superman shields Lois from a bullet by hiding underneath her lapel.
• Powers as Programs: See entry for Lightning Can Do Anything. In "Ultrawoman", a red kryptonite laser transfers Clark's powers to Lois, then Lois to Lucille Newtrich, then Lucille back to Clark.
• Remember the New Guy?: "Don't Tug On Superman's Cape" introduces Bad Brain Johnson, an escaped criminal who blames Lois and Clark for his conviction — which was never shown. Yet the episode treats Bad Brain as a returning villain. In fact, viewers can be forgiven for assuming they either missed that episode or completely forgot about him.
• Reunion Revenge: "It's a Small World After All"
• Richard Nixon, the Used Car Salesman: Charlton Heston is President of Earth-2. Elvis Presley also held the office sometime in the past.
• Sadistic Choice: Ching kidnaps Jimmy/Perry and ties them to a bomb in an undisclosed location, while doing the same with Clark's parents in another location. The bombs are set to go off a the same time. They give Superman a choice of saving his friend or his parents, as he only has enough time to find and disarm one bomb. Supes decides to Take a Third Option and uses a beam splitter to fry both bombs with his laser vision from the sky.
• Sexy Santa Dress: Mindy wears one while crashing Superman's charity drive.
• Sidekick Glass Ceiling: Lois, when she becomes Ultrawoman.
• Smoking Is Glamorous: Lois' alter-ego "Wanda Detroit" is permanently stuck in Old Hollywood.
• Reptiles Are Abhorrent: Baron Sunday's Hellish Pupils resemble those of a snake, he demonstrates an ability to shapeshift into an anaconda, and a snake rattle follows him everywhere. Even his Calling Card is a snake.
• So Happy Together: Clark Kent has married Lois Lane after battling the evil frog-eating clones created by Lex Luthor. They have a sweet scene together, and Clark goes to the bedroom to await his bride. And then we watch Lois eating a frog, heralding how exactly how the rest of this is gonna go....
• Sunglasses at Night: An overly-cautious weapons smuggler in "Seconds."
• Superhero Episode: While this is technically a superhero TV series, Lois Lane is not one of the superheroes ... except in the episode "Ultrawoman", where she gets Superman's powers and her own costume. (And, eventually, discovers the downside to being able to hear trouble in every corner of the globe while she can only be in one place at a time.)
• Take That!: Lois judges a grainy photo handed to her by Clark.
  Look! There's Elvis...and Jimmy Hoffa...and the plot to Showgirls!
• There Will Be Toilet Paper: The day after losing his powers to Lois in "Ultrawoman", Clark comes into work like this.
• This Means War!: Lex to Superman in "Seconds".
• Thrown from the Zeppelin: In "Home Is Where The Hurt Is", Mindy holds a mob conference to re-establish Intergang. The male gangsters don't express much enthusiasm about being bossed by a woman, so Mindy gasses them.
• Timmy in a Well: Subverted in "Ultrawoman". The "baby" in question is just toy doll planted by the villains to lure Superman to them.
• To Be Lawful or Good: In "Sex, Lies, and Videotape", Superman is photographed kissing Lois (now married to his alter-ego), causing a scandal. After Malicious Slander threatens to derail Superman's peace talks between two nations, Clark comes pretty close to divulging his secret identity.
• Tomato Surprise: Clark's bride is revealed as a frog-eater. (No, not that kind).
• Tuxedo and Martini: Jack Olsen is a walking Cliché Storm of Bond references.
• Twisted Christmas: Lois' family reunion in "Home Is Where the Hurt Is".
• The Un Favourite: "Lame Brain", the brother of a deceased criminal known as "Bad Brain Johnson". To try and win his sadistic mother's affection, he builds a fully functional mind control machine, to offer her the whole world as a gift. Not only was he met with equal disdain (as usual), but not even the machine a full power could force her to tell her son she loved him.
• Valley Girl: Lois' clone (Clois).
• Virtual-Reality Interrogation: "Virtually Destroyed" is about this trope, although with a bit of twist.
• Voluntary Shapeshifting: Tez.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Ching.
• Wham Line: The season 3 premiere:
  Lois: Who's asking? Clark..." *swipes glasses* "...or SUPERMAN?.
• What Is This Thing You Call "Love"?: Clois, after undergoing a Heel–Face Turn, develops a childlike crush on Clark. Apparently, reading self-help books didn't do much to teach her about love.
• You Will Be Assimilated: Tez gets stronger every time Superman fights him, emulating his heat vision and super-breath.
• Your Mind Makes It Real: Baron Sunday uses this trope to kill people.

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