Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman s01e21 Episode Script
Barbarians at the Planet (1)
- We'll have to search it.
Give me a hand.
- Right! Come on, throw it down.
- What have you got? - Nothing.
When you said Italian, I had no idea we were actually going.
It's my favorite restaurant in Milano.
Magnifico.
Lex, what am I gonna do with you? Spend the rest of your life with me, I hope.
I'm serious.
Lois Lane.
Will you marry me? I don't know what to say.
Only three possible choices.
Yes, no, maybe.
It's not that simple.
What about my life at the Daily Planet? Clark and Perry and Jimmy, they're like family, l I believe in families, large ones.
Lex, the last few weeks with you have been wonderful.
I hardly know you.
The only thing you have to know about me is that I love you.
What? What is it? Is there something else? Would it have anything to do with Superman? It's just a lot to take in.
But you'll give it some thought.
Yes.
So it's maybe, for now.
Well, yes, maybe.
It is beautiful.
Actually, it's a piece of rock.
On your hand, it's priceless to me.
Phone for you, Mr.
Luthor.
Excuse me.
Your information was accurate, Luthor.
I have the kryptonite.
When can I expect delivery? I'll call you when I get back to Metropolis.
- The price is $5 million.
- Done.
Priceless.
- How many is that? - That's six.
Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Blitzen Good morning, Mr.
Kent, your flying magazine is in.
- Dasher, Cupid, Donner - That's seven, one more.
- You're stuck.
- I'm not stuck.
- I'm stuck.
- That's $5.
$5.
- Okay, just tell me the name.
- Vixen.
- Double or nothing.
- Okay.
The seven dwarfs.
You are on.
Piece of cake.
Happy, Dopey, Doc Sneezy, Sleepy - Grumpy - That's six.
Sleazy? - Bippy, Dippy, Mopsy, Flopsy, Steve, Joe - No.
- That's it! Time's up! - I hate this.
- Tell me.
- It's so obvious.
Can't you read? Bashful.
- When will we be paid? - I'm not sure.
I guess when there's money to pay you.
I'm only the messenger here, boys and girls.
I can only repeat what I'm told and that ain't much.
What are we doing to resolve this? I mean what is the paper doing? I have no idea.
- They haven't asked for my input.
- What's going on? You tried to cash your paycheck? - I deposited it.
- Rubber.
Again? They said last week's problem was a clerical error.
Yeah, like being broke.
- There's a rumor the paper's going under.
- Jimmy - there's always a rumor.
- It's usually true.
Anything else, Chief.
Any more surprises? - They talked about lay-offs.
- What? They can't do that.
All I know is, unless we find ways to save money, we're all gonna be out of business.
No business lunches, no payments for sources, no cabs.
We might as well hang up our word processor.
Come on, we'll adjust.
Hopefully, it's only temporary.
Clark, we're newspaper people.
We're supposed to have resources to write the news as it happens.
Old news isn't news, it's history.
I think it's a scam.
Those pinstriped pinheads upstairs want us to think the Planet is broke.
Why would they do that? I've seen it before.
Management pretends there's a crisis and panics people into cutting costs.
I heard people talking about a strike.
Strike? No way, not me.
I feel like I just walked in.
Tell me about it.
Besides, this is the Daily Planet.
We may be down, but we're not out.
Things could be a lot worse.
- At least we're still - Unemployed.
Amazing! They really are pink.
Shall I pour? Let me.
Should we begin to switch the Lex Corp advertising accounts to other papers? Not yet.
We must preserve the illusion of loyalty.
Metropolis won't be Metropolis without the Daily Planet.
How will this affect your proposal to Lois Lane? It's designed to help.
If you wish to utterly defeat an opponent, you must destroy their support systems their allies, and any avenue of retreat.
Lois Lane, an opponent.
Figuratively speaking.
Mr.
Devane.
I'm ready to make delivery.
Are the funds available? Have you authenticated the item? The kryptonite is genuine.
Don't jerk me around, Luthor.
It will take me about 10 seconds to find an alternate buyer.
Aren't you forgetting whose sources turned up the existence of the stone? No, I'm not forgetting.
That and $5 million will get you your stone.
Do you want it or not? May I see it? I want it.
- I could talk to Perry.
- We both could.
It's not his fault.
He probably would've prevented it if he could.
Besides, he probably feels bad enough as it is.
I guess it's back to a life of crime for me.
It's always good to have something to fall back on.
Steve, everything all right? I've just been laid off.
Where am I gonna go? What am I gonna do? It's a massacre.
- It's all happening so fast.
- Or maybe not.
Maybe management's had money problems this whole time.
The employees are always the last ones to know.
We've gotta strike back.
I've been doing some polling.
We the people from printing, maintenance distribution, administration, news staff, even accounting.
Only drastic action will convince the board we're not fooling around.
Lois, you talking about a full-scale walkout? If that's what it takes.
I for one refuse to accept the indignities lying down.
Don't even think about it.
Clark, do you think about the future much? All the time.
You? A lot lately.
I mean if the Planet ever went under, I'd be lost.
No, not you.
You'd be back on your feet in no time.
Maybe.
Something happened recently.
- Something bad? - No.
Just something that made me think.
I wanted to talk to you about it, but Talk to me now.
It's not the kind of thing that you just blurt out.
It takes delicacy.
You're in a lot of trouble there.
I know I don't seem like the type of woman that this would happen to but I've never had anyone in my life actually ask me to be his Listen up, kids.
I just got a call from upstairs that we can expect an announcement just about now.
- Ladies and gentlemen.
- Lex! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Lex Luthor.
I, no less than you, have been greatly distressed by the sea of troubles that has mired Metropolis's one great newspaper.
I don't know why your advertisers have abandoned you or why circulation is down.
I don't know why your banks have cut off your lines of credit.
I don't know why your cash reserves were depleted by unnecessary expenditures, though I have my suspicions.
But I do know that your problems can be solved with strong leadership and fiscal responsibility.
So I've taken the one step necessary that would guarantee the future of this great newspaper.
I bought it.
I'm the new owner of the Daily Planet.
Today begins a new era.
I promise no interference, only a few minor modifications and no layoffs.
Why tamper with greatness? Happy days are here again! - Presses will roll.
- This is a great thing you've done, Lex.
Isn't this wonderful? It's a disaster.
Clark, can't you give up this idea that Lex Luthor is the root of all evil in Metropolis? Why should I give it up, Lois? It's true.
No it's not true.
Give him some credit.
Lex just saved our jobs, not to mention Not to mention what? Not to mention he asked me to marry him.
Perry, good morning.
Forgive the intrusion.
My office won't be ready till tomorrow.
I needed a quiet spot for some phone calls.
Sure, of course.
If you'll excuse me.
No, excuse me.
I don't believe you've met Chip Peterson, have you? - How you doing? - It's a pleasure to meet you, sir.
I'm a great admirer of your work.
You've had such an illustrious career.
Thank you I have "had"? Chip is just out of Harvard Business School, top of his class.
He is very interested in journalism.
Well, it's It's a fine profession.
It takes a lot of hard work and dedication.
It's not exactly what you'd call a fast track.
Chip is our new Supervising Editor in Chief.
- Supervising? - Don't worry, Mr.
White.
We'll make the transition as smooth and painless as possible.
Chip, will you excuse us just for a minute? That won't be necessary.
I think it will be very necessary.
- Perry! - Did you or did you not just make that featherbrain, snot nose, pimply-faced, under-aged cow chip, my boss? Well, that's one interpretation.
Here's another interpretation.
Why don't you just get the hell out of my office and stay out? Perry, you're over-reacting.
My management style may not be exactly what you and the Daily Planet are used to, but give it time.
We'll learn to adapt, compromise, work together, maybe even love each other.
Think of this as our honeymoon period.
Why don't we just think of it as our divorce, period? - Perry, you going somewhere? - Home! Are you all right.
Are you sick? No, I am not sick and no, I am not all right.
- But - lf you have a problem you take it up with your new owner and his new Supervising Editor in Chief, Chip! What? Jimmy, what are you doing? I'm cleaning out my desk.
I thought you and Jack got your jobs back? We got our jobs back, yeah.
But not the same jobs.
We report to the printing plant tomorrow morning.
You know it's funny, because I'm having a tough time seeing this as a lateral career move.
This is an excellent piece of writing, Clark.
I think we'll hold off on running it.
- Why? It's a hot topic.
- Controversial might be better.
Allegations of excessive rate hikes at Metropolis Electric is controversial? That necessary rate heights are excessive is your opinion, not of this paper.
Isn't this because you are on the Board of Directors for Metropolis Electric? That inference is both insulting and unprofessional.
Frankly, I expected more from you, Mr.
Kent.
- Who died and made you king? - Excuse me, what? I said, "Who died and made you king?" The boy has courage.
I hope it won't get him into too much trouble.
Is that how it's gonna work around here, Luthor? The free press is free only to do your bidding? If you don't feel free enough around here, Mr.
Kent, you're free to leave.
Why tamper with greatness? Great.
Lois, just the woman I was looking for.
Lex, what's going on? - Did you fire Perry? - What? Of course not.
I hired another fellow to help take some of the load off.
He wants the load.
He won't accept this.
He'll quit.
I sincerely hope not.
It will be a great loss to this paper.
If Perry weren't so resistant to progress.
But if I've made a mistake, I'll talk to him.
I'll apologize.
What about Jimmy and Jack and Clark.
What were you two arguing about? Jimmy and Jack I just got jobs, the only ones available and I'll get them back on the floor as soon as possible, I promise.
But Clark has this unreasonable hostility toward me, I don't why.
I have nothing but respect for him, Lois.
I don't how to gain his trust, but I will.
I'm trying to save the Planet.
All right? So give me a chance.
Trust me.
Everything will be fine.
It's gonna work out fine, Clark.
Give it time.
Lex will turn things around.
- Incredible.
- What? You, a prize-winning investigative reporter.
Is there a point? How can you be so blind, Lois? You look right at the guy, and still you don't have a clue who he really is.
- Who? - Luthor.
Look, Clark, I'm not naive.
I know that Lex did not reach his station in life by being a nice guy.
But look at all the good he's done.
Luthor Hospital.
Luthor Home for Children.
Luthor Foundation for the Arts.
Not to mention employing hundreds of thousands of people in Metropolis.
And most recently, saving our jobs.
A cover, it's all a cover.
Why? If he's such a rotten human being, why bother? Because that's what he enjoys most.
Getting away with it.
The man is more than just evil, Lois.
He's a monster.
I'm not going to listen to this.
Especially not now.
You aren't actually considering his proposal, are you? I don't know, Clark.
I'm thinking about it.
That's all.
I'm just thinking about it.
I don't believe she'll actually do it, but the fact that she's even considering it You'll have to prevent it, Clark, knowing what you do about Luthor.
I think it's time that I do more than that.
What is it, Son? Remember you asked me what I wanted when I first moved to Metropolis? Yeah, sure I do.
I said that I wanted to meet someone settle down, raise a family.
I know now that Lois is the woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Are you just now figuring that out? Your father and I have known that from the moment you started talking about her.
Maybe I did, too.
I just couldn't let myself Do you love her, Son? Yeah, I do, Dad.
Good, then tell her.
Tell her what? That I'm Superman? That's got to be up to you.
At least tell her how you feel.
If she feels the same way, well It shouldn't take her too long to figure out you're no ordinary guy.
Lois, I need to talk to you.
In a minute.
This is important.
Spring catalogue ID number 774660 work number 217-555-9241 home number 217-555-2364.
Expiration: 1/95.
Item number "L" as in lame.
"C" as in comatose Color code: Wheat.
Size 7B.
- Lois.
- What do you mean, discontinued? No, I don't have another selection.
You mean I just gave you every intimate detail of my life for nothing? Yes, I would like to speak to your supervisor.
I'll catch you later.
So, where'd they stick you? - Ink supply room.
- Beautiful.
- I'm a utility person.
Whatever it means.
- Great.
Everybody out! Get out! Jack, come on.
He inhaled a lot of smoke.
He's gonna be okay.
Thank you.
How's the water pressure? Good, but we'll never get our lines in there.
Yes, you will.
How many times has he just stepped in and saved our lives? What a guy.
Gone.
It's all gone.
- We'll rebuild.
- Sure we will.
It's just about the worst thing I could imagine.
No, not the worst.
The worst would've been to have one of our very own employees someone who we didn't know for long but someone in whom we had trust set this fire deliberately.
That's the guy.
- No.
- Get him.
I didn't do anything, let me go.
- Luthor, this is a mistake.
- Lex.
No mistake.
The incendiary device that did this was in his lunch pail.
The police found the explosives that he used to make it, hidden in his room.
We're familiar with his criminal past.
Get him out of my sight! You're wrong! I'm sorry.
- It's a sad day for all of us.
- No, it's an historic day.
Tomorrow for the first time in 219 years, there will be no edition of the Daily Planet.
It's okay, Chief.
We'll bounce back.
I'm afraid the Daily Planet and I are all bounced out.
"Will not re-open in the foreseeable future.
" That's how Luthor put it at the press conference.
Let me buy you guys a cup of coffee.
I was only 17 years old when I came here.
I had an interview with old man Crebs for assistant copy boy, and I was 15 minutes late.
But I just stood out there under that globe.
I just stared up at it.
I don't know, somehow I just knew my future was tied up in that building.
It was barely a year ago when I interviewed with you, Chief.
Thanks for giving me the best year of my life.
I wanna thank you for giving me the chance to work with you.
I refuse to sit here and cry in my café au lait or deliver testimonials to my wonderful but short-lived career at the Planet.
That life is not over.
We'll be back.
All of us, together.
No, not me.
I'm gonna take an early retirement.
- You? - Yes.
Chief, you're too young to think about retiring.
You're right, I am too young.
But I'm also too old to start interviewing with snot-nosed kids who've got more diplomas than good sense.
No, I'm gonna travel, fish, read.
Spend more time with my kids.
Life's gonna be Boring.
No, relaxing.
No more pressure.
I gotta meet Alice at the realtors.
Chief? Whatever happens, I just want you all to know that you're the very best that I've ever worked with.
The best.
I don't know.
I've never seen him like this.
We've gotta do something.
There's only one thing to do.
What a lovely surprise.
I believe you too aren't acquainted.
Mrs.
Cox, Lois Lane.
- So pleased to meet you.
- Mrs.
Cox is my personal assistant.
What exactly does a personal assistant do? Whatever is necessary.
- Lex, I need your help.
- With what? Rebuilding the Daily Planet.
There isn't an advertiser in this city that I can count on for revenue.
The Planet was pitifully under-insured.
Rebuilding makes no economic sense.
I wish I could, but I can't.
I have the stockholders to think of.
But everyone is so lost.
No one knows where or if they'll find a job.
Perry is threatening early retirement.
What's wrong with that? Perry deserves retirement.
He's worked too hard for too long.
Let him enjoy life.
His life was the Planet.
Mine, too.
I know that the Planet was your home, but I can make another home for you.
A new home.
Lex, I can't just sit around here organizing dinner parties.
I need to work.
I know that, my darling, but that is why I have a job for you.
Luthor News Network.
Television? It's the on-ramp to the information super highway.
The future lies in 500 interactive channels of television viewing.
Let me show you around.
If you don't like it enough to start right away I'll never bring it up again.
I guess there's no harm in taking a look.
That's my girl.
Speaking of which have you reached your decision yet? Not quite yet.
I have something I need to settle first.
I'll give my answer tomorrow.
Clark! Thanks for coming.
- What's going on? - Plenty.
I have been here all afternoon.
What am I doing here exactly? I'm gonna work here and I want you to work here, too.
We can still be partners.
I'm a newspaper reporter.
You'd still be writing the news.
Copy for our reporters.
Or you could be a correspondent.
Look around, it's so modern.
- It's sterile.
- It's efficient.
- It's soulless.
- It's fast-paced.
- It's superficial.
- Clark, where's your open mind? I can't believe you gave up so easily on the Planet.
Did it mean so little to you? The Planet meant as much to me, if not more, than it did to you.
But it's gone.
Even Lex can't put it back together, and this is good, exciting work.
I will never work for Lex Luthor.
What about us? What about partners? Lois, is there some place we could talk? Alone? When I thought about losing my job at the Daily Planet saying good-bye to Perry and Jimmy and everyone I realized that I could lose all of that and still go on.
I realized that there was only one thing that I didn't wanna live without.
And that was you.
Seeing you every day, working with you, just being with you That's why you should come and be my partner.
No, Lois, listen to me.
I'm not talking about the partnership.
I'm talking about us.
I have been in love with you for a long time.
You had to have known.
I knew.
I guess I knew that you liked me or were attracted to me.
Clark, I'm sorry.
I just don't feel that way about you, romantically.
You're my best friend and the only partner I could ever stand to work with.
I admire you and I respect you and I do love you as a friend.
And what about Luthor? Do you love him? I don't know.
I have feelings for him.
I haven't said yes yet.
And I won't until I talk it over with someone else.
Who? I think you know who.
If you see him, will you tell him I'm looking for him? Do you have the money? $5 million dollars.
The stone? Perfect.
Slide the case over here.
Raise your hands, step back.
If the stone works, I'll pay you your money with a bonus.
- Double-crossed.
- Now! The voice wasn't bad but I never felt he had the mannerisms down.
It isn't easy playing you.
Nonsense.
I do it every day.
Is that kryptonite in your pocket or are you glad to see me? Pay him his bonus, will you, Mrs.
Cox? Superman.
- I heard you wanted to see me.
- Yes.
Come in, I'll just put on a robe.
Unless it's lined with lead, Lois, it's a waste of time.
I guess so.
I'm just trying to figure out I have a lot of changes going on in my life and I just wanna make the right decision.
And I can't do that until I know how you feel.
Is there any hope for us? You and me? I'm so completely in love with you I can't do anything else without knowing.
Lois, I do care for you.
But there are things about me that you don't know.
That you may never know.
But it doesn't matter.
I know you.
I don't mean you the celebrity or you the superhero.
If you had no powers, if you were just an ordinary man leading an ordinary life I would love you just the same.
Can't you believe that? I wish I could, Lois.
But under the circumstances I don't see how I can.
Five minutes, people.
We've got to get cooperation.
What's going on? Sources at the court tell us the grand jury may indict two city councilmen.
The re-development fund scandal.
We got a camera crew there, they have no access.
We don't know who they are.
We're not sure about the information.
Till then, you don't have a story.
But CNN's about to go with it so So they must know something we don't.
I'll make a few calls.
I know some bailiffs.
I'm on the air in four minutes.
Not unless you have something to report.
- How are you? - Swell.
The room is small and drafty.
The company's not much to speak of.
But on the other hand the food stinks.
Jack, I wanna hear it from you.
The truth, no matter what it is.
I had nothing to do with it, I swear to you.
Why would I? I had a good job, people who trusted me.
It was all going so great.
You believe me? Yeah, I believe you.
Don't worry, we'll get you out of here.
I don't like the lawyer Luthor hired for me.
He doesn't listen to me.
He said we should cop a plea.
I'll get you another lawyer.
Any chance you could ask Superman to bust me out of here? - Jack, no.
- I didn't think so.
Go out on the floor, people.
- We're live in five, four, three.
- And now an LNN special news bulletin.
The grand jury today handed down indictments calling for the arrests of Metropolis city councilmen Fernig and Montane.
As you can see from this exclusive tape taken outside the courthouse the councilmen have already been remanded into custody and we will be covering their arraignment later this afternoon.
For now, I'm Sandra Ellis, for LNN News.
This is LNN.
Let's have a toast to the Daily Planet.
God bless her, I don't know how I'm gonna live without her.
But you know at one point, Elvis went 13 years between Las Vegas engagements.
Well, that was the start of his bloated period.
Gosh, I tell you, time sure will slip up on you.
Well, now there's time for everything, Chief.
You have no more deadlines.
Maybe you can plan that trip to Graceland and actually go.
Graceland! Yes.
Did you know that Elvis had a twin brother? Jesse Garon Presley.
Delivered 35 minutes before the King.
Born dead.
Sad.
It's sad.
Lonely Teardrops.
Jackie Wilson, 1975.
Collapsed on stage singing Lonely Teardrops.
Elvis sent his wife $35,000 to help pay the medical bills.
See, that was the King.
That was the King.
So much for the Chief not having a good time.
- So, how is your new job, Lois.
- Great! Broadcasting is a whole new world.
It's very exciting.
Not like life at the Planet, dull and boring.
You know what I mean.
Nothing will ever replace the Planet.
I'm not gonna sit around obsessing about it.
I'm just trying to find out why the paper failed.
And what we know is just the tip of the iceberg, Lois.
Clark, can I talk to you in private for a second? You are ruining Perry's retirement dinner.
- I'm not the one gloating over my new job.
- Gloating? All you can talk about is your new job at LNN And all you can do is sit around whining in your beer.
- What? - You're afraid, Lois.
- I'm not afraid of anything.
- Yes, you are.
You're afraid of the truth.
The truth is that Luthor is hiding what really happened at the Planet.
- I've been doing some - I know why.
- You do, do you? - Yes.
You told me your feelings, and you're hurt.
I am sorry about that, Clark, but all of this is just sour grapes.
- What if I find evidence? - You're talking about a man I trust who has always been completely truthful with me.
If you really cared about me you would let me You would help me to be happy.
I have found a good job and someone who wants to spend his life with me.
- What is wrong with that? - Okay, that's fine.
If that's what you want, Lois, go ahead.
Get in bed with the devil.
- Fine! - Fine, let's get back to the party, then.
Yes, have a really good time.
I will.
It must be nice to have a free car at your beck and call.
Come on, Jimmy! The word free is not in Luthor's vocabulary.
With him, you always pay.
Will you stop.
Are you coming? I'd rather walk.
Suit yourself! How was the retirement dinner? - Painful.
- I'm sorry.
I wish there was something I could do.
- What? - Nothing.
Do I really know you? I don't know enough about you.
My life is an open book.
Shall I read it to you? Just the parts you wouldn't want anyone else to know.
All right.
Well, I started with nothing.
I was orphaned at the age 13.
It must've been terrible.
Yes, but it made me strong.
But, Lois, look, I'm no saint.
I've done questionable things in the pursuit of my success, but that's the nature of big business.
Gentlemen, don't worry about the advertisers and the banks.
They'll do what I tell them to do.
The board's decision to sell the Daily Planet must be immediate and unanimous.
Naturally, your loyalty will be rewarded.
Or, should I say "compensated"? And sometimes, out of jealousy or frustration I've over-reacted.
I've been ruthless with my enemies.
But, as God is my witness, I swear to you from this moment on, I'll change.
I no longer want to hurt anyone.
I'm willing to devote my life to you.
To commit myself to you totally and eternally.
Will you marry me? Is there any hope for us? Yes, Lex.
I will marry you.
No! English
Give me a hand.
- Right! Come on, throw it down.
- What have you got? - Nothing.
When you said Italian, I had no idea we were actually going.
It's my favorite restaurant in Milano.
Magnifico.
Lex, what am I gonna do with you? Spend the rest of your life with me, I hope.
I'm serious.
Lois Lane.
Will you marry me? I don't know what to say.
Only three possible choices.
Yes, no, maybe.
It's not that simple.
What about my life at the Daily Planet? Clark and Perry and Jimmy, they're like family, l I believe in families, large ones.
Lex, the last few weeks with you have been wonderful.
I hardly know you.
The only thing you have to know about me is that I love you.
What? What is it? Is there something else? Would it have anything to do with Superman? It's just a lot to take in.
But you'll give it some thought.
Yes.
So it's maybe, for now.
Well, yes, maybe.
It is beautiful.
Actually, it's a piece of rock.
On your hand, it's priceless to me.
Phone for you, Mr.
Luthor.
Excuse me.
Your information was accurate, Luthor.
I have the kryptonite.
When can I expect delivery? I'll call you when I get back to Metropolis.
- The price is $5 million.
- Done.
Priceless.
- How many is that? - That's six.
Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Blitzen Good morning, Mr.
Kent, your flying magazine is in.
- Dasher, Cupid, Donner - That's seven, one more.
- You're stuck.
- I'm not stuck.
- I'm stuck.
- That's $5.
$5.
- Okay, just tell me the name.
- Vixen.
- Double or nothing.
- Okay.
The seven dwarfs.
You are on.
Piece of cake.
Happy, Dopey, Doc Sneezy, Sleepy - Grumpy - That's six.
Sleazy? - Bippy, Dippy, Mopsy, Flopsy, Steve, Joe - No.
- That's it! Time's up! - I hate this.
- Tell me.
- It's so obvious.
Can't you read? Bashful.
- When will we be paid? - I'm not sure.
I guess when there's money to pay you.
I'm only the messenger here, boys and girls.
I can only repeat what I'm told and that ain't much.
What are we doing to resolve this? I mean what is the paper doing? I have no idea.
- They haven't asked for my input.
- What's going on? You tried to cash your paycheck? - I deposited it.
- Rubber.
Again? They said last week's problem was a clerical error.
Yeah, like being broke.
- There's a rumor the paper's going under.
- Jimmy - there's always a rumor.
- It's usually true.
Anything else, Chief.
Any more surprises? - They talked about lay-offs.
- What? They can't do that.
All I know is, unless we find ways to save money, we're all gonna be out of business.
No business lunches, no payments for sources, no cabs.
We might as well hang up our word processor.
Come on, we'll adjust.
Hopefully, it's only temporary.
Clark, we're newspaper people.
We're supposed to have resources to write the news as it happens.
Old news isn't news, it's history.
I think it's a scam.
Those pinstriped pinheads upstairs want us to think the Planet is broke.
Why would they do that? I've seen it before.
Management pretends there's a crisis and panics people into cutting costs.
I heard people talking about a strike.
Strike? No way, not me.
I feel like I just walked in.
Tell me about it.
Besides, this is the Daily Planet.
We may be down, but we're not out.
Things could be a lot worse.
- At least we're still - Unemployed.
Amazing! They really are pink.
Shall I pour? Let me.
Should we begin to switch the Lex Corp advertising accounts to other papers? Not yet.
We must preserve the illusion of loyalty.
Metropolis won't be Metropolis without the Daily Planet.
How will this affect your proposal to Lois Lane? It's designed to help.
If you wish to utterly defeat an opponent, you must destroy their support systems their allies, and any avenue of retreat.
Lois Lane, an opponent.
Figuratively speaking.
Mr.
Devane.
I'm ready to make delivery.
Are the funds available? Have you authenticated the item? The kryptonite is genuine.
Don't jerk me around, Luthor.
It will take me about 10 seconds to find an alternate buyer.
Aren't you forgetting whose sources turned up the existence of the stone? No, I'm not forgetting.
That and $5 million will get you your stone.
Do you want it or not? May I see it? I want it.
- I could talk to Perry.
- We both could.
It's not his fault.
He probably would've prevented it if he could.
Besides, he probably feels bad enough as it is.
I guess it's back to a life of crime for me.
It's always good to have something to fall back on.
Steve, everything all right? I've just been laid off.
Where am I gonna go? What am I gonna do? It's a massacre.
- It's all happening so fast.
- Or maybe not.
Maybe management's had money problems this whole time.
The employees are always the last ones to know.
We've gotta strike back.
I've been doing some polling.
We the people from printing, maintenance distribution, administration, news staff, even accounting.
Only drastic action will convince the board we're not fooling around.
Lois, you talking about a full-scale walkout? If that's what it takes.
I for one refuse to accept the indignities lying down.
Don't even think about it.
Clark, do you think about the future much? All the time.
You? A lot lately.
I mean if the Planet ever went under, I'd be lost.
No, not you.
You'd be back on your feet in no time.
Maybe.
Something happened recently.
- Something bad? - No.
Just something that made me think.
I wanted to talk to you about it, but Talk to me now.
It's not the kind of thing that you just blurt out.
It takes delicacy.
You're in a lot of trouble there.
I know I don't seem like the type of woman that this would happen to but I've never had anyone in my life actually ask me to be his Listen up, kids.
I just got a call from upstairs that we can expect an announcement just about now.
- Ladies and gentlemen.
- Lex! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Lex Luthor.
I, no less than you, have been greatly distressed by the sea of troubles that has mired Metropolis's one great newspaper.
I don't know why your advertisers have abandoned you or why circulation is down.
I don't know why your banks have cut off your lines of credit.
I don't know why your cash reserves were depleted by unnecessary expenditures, though I have my suspicions.
But I do know that your problems can be solved with strong leadership and fiscal responsibility.
So I've taken the one step necessary that would guarantee the future of this great newspaper.
I bought it.
I'm the new owner of the Daily Planet.
Today begins a new era.
I promise no interference, only a few minor modifications and no layoffs.
Why tamper with greatness? Happy days are here again! - Presses will roll.
- This is a great thing you've done, Lex.
Isn't this wonderful? It's a disaster.
Clark, can't you give up this idea that Lex Luthor is the root of all evil in Metropolis? Why should I give it up, Lois? It's true.
No it's not true.
Give him some credit.
Lex just saved our jobs, not to mention Not to mention what? Not to mention he asked me to marry him.
Perry, good morning.
Forgive the intrusion.
My office won't be ready till tomorrow.
I needed a quiet spot for some phone calls.
Sure, of course.
If you'll excuse me.
No, excuse me.
I don't believe you've met Chip Peterson, have you? - How you doing? - It's a pleasure to meet you, sir.
I'm a great admirer of your work.
You've had such an illustrious career.
Thank you I have "had"? Chip is just out of Harvard Business School, top of his class.
He is very interested in journalism.
Well, it's It's a fine profession.
It takes a lot of hard work and dedication.
It's not exactly what you'd call a fast track.
Chip is our new Supervising Editor in Chief.
- Supervising? - Don't worry, Mr.
White.
We'll make the transition as smooth and painless as possible.
Chip, will you excuse us just for a minute? That won't be necessary.
I think it will be very necessary.
- Perry! - Did you or did you not just make that featherbrain, snot nose, pimply-faced, under-aged cow chip, my boss? Well, that's one interpretation.
Here's another interpretation.
Why don't you just get the hell out of my office and stay out? Perry, you're over-reacting.
My management style may not be exactly what you and the Daily Planet are used to, but give it time.
We'll learn to adapt, compromise, work together, maybe even love each other.
Think of this as our honeymoon period.
Why don't we just think of it as our divorce, period? - Perry, you going somewhere? - Home! Are you all right.
Are you sick? No, I am not sick and no, I am not all right.
- But - lf you have a problem you take it up with your new owner and his new Supervising Editor in Chief, Chip! What? Jimmy, what are you doing? I'm cleaning out my desk.
I thought you and Jack got your jobs back? We got our jobs back, yeah.
But not the same jobs.
We report to the printing plant tomorrow morning.
You know it's funny, because I'm having a tough time seeing this as a lateral career move.
This is an excellent piece of writing, Clark.
I think we'll hold off on running it.
- Why? It's a hot topic.
- Controversial might be better.
Allegations of excessive rate hikes at Metropolis Electric is controversial? That necessary rate heights are excessive is your opinion, not of this paper.
Isn't this because you are on the Board of Directors for Metropolis Electric? That inference is both insulting and unprofessional.
Frankly, I expected more from you, Mr.
Kent.
- Who died and made you king? - Excuse me, what? I said, "Who died and made you king?" The boy has courage.
I hope it won't get him into too much trouble.
Is that how it's gonna work around here, Luthor? The free press is free only to do your bidding? If you don't feel free enough around here, Mr.
Kent, you're free to leave.
Why tamper with greatness? Great.
Lois, just the woman I was looking for.
Lex, what's going on? - Did you fire Perry? - What? Of course not.
I hired another fellow to help take some of the load off.
He wants the load.
He won't accept this.
He'll quit.
I sincerely hope not.
It will be a great loss to this paper.
If Perry weren't so resistant to progress.
But if I've made a mistake, I'll talk to him.
I'll apologize.
What about Jimmy and Jack and Clark.
What were you two arguing about? Jimmy and Jack I just got jobs, the only ones available and I'll get them back on the floor as soon as possible, I promise.
But Clark has this unreasonable hostility toward me, I don't why.
I have nothing but respect for him, Lois.
I don't how to gain his trust, but I will.
I'm trying to save the Planet.
All right? So give me a chance.
Trust me.
Everything will be fine.
It's gonna work out fine, Clark.
Give it time.
Lex will turn things around.
- Incredible.
- What? You, a prize-winning investigative reporter.
Is there a point? How can you be so blind, Lois? You look right at the guy, and still you don't have a clue who he really is.
- Who? - Luthor.
Look, Clark, I'm not naive.
I know that Lex did not reach his station in life by being a nice guy.
But look at all the good he's done.
Luthor Hospital.
Luthor Home for Children.
Luthor Foundation for the Arts.
Not to mention employing hundreds of thousands of people in Metropolis.
And most recently, saving our jobs.
A cover, it's all a cover.
Why? If he's such a rotten human being, why bother? Because that's what he enjoys most.
Getting away with it.
The man is more than just evil, Lois.
He's a monster.
I'm not going to listen to this.
Especially not now.
You aren't actually considering his proposal, are you? I don't know, Clark.
I'm thinking about it.
That's all.
I'm just thinking about it.
I don't believe she'll actually do it, but the fact that she's even considering it You'll have to prevent it, Clark, knowing what you do about Luthor.
I think it's time that I do more than that.
What is it, Son? Remember you asked me what I wanted when I first moved to Metropolis? Yeah, sure I do.
I said that I wanted to meet someone settle down, raise a family.
I know now that Lois is the woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Are you just now figuring that out? Your father and I have known that from the moment you started talking about her.
Maybe I did, too.
I just couldn't let myself Do you love her, Son? Yeah, I do, Dad.
Good, then tell her.
Tell her what? That I'm Superman? That's got to be up to you.
At least tell her how you feel.
If she feels the same way, well It shouldn't take her too long to figure out you're no ordinary guy.
Lois, I need to talk to you.
In a minute.
This is important.
Spring catalogue ID number 774660 work number 217-555-9241 home number 217-555-2364.
Expiration: 1/95.
Item number "L" as in lame.
"C" as in comatose Color code: Wheat.
Size 7B.
- Lois.
- What do you mean, discontinued? No, I don't have another selection.
You mean I just gave you every intimate detail of my life for nothing? Yes, I would like to speak to your supervisor.
I'll catch you later.
So, where'd they stick you? - Ink supply room.
- Beautiful.
- I'm a utility person.
Whatever it means.
- Great.
Everybody out! Get out! Jack, come on.
He inhaled a lot of smoke.
He's gonna be okay.
Thank you.
How's the water pressure? Good, but we'll never get our lines in there.
Yes, you will.
How many times has he just stepped in and saved our lives? What a guy.
Gone.
It's all gone.
- We'll rebuild.
- Sure we will.
It's just about the worst thing I could imagine.
No, not the worst.
The worst would've been to have one of our very own employees someone who we didn't know for long but someone in whom we had trust set this fire deliberately.
That's the guy.
- No.
- Get him.
I didn't do anything, let me go.
- Luthor, this is a mistake.
- Lex.
No mistake.
The incendiary device that did this was in his lunch pail.
The police found the explosives that he used to make it, hidden in his room.
We're familiar with his criminal past.
Get him out of my sight! You're wrong! I'm sorry.
- It's a sad day for all of us.
- No, it's an historic day.
Tomorrow for the first time in 219 years, there will be no edition of the Daily Planet.
It's okay, Chief.
We'll bounce back.
I'm afraid the Daily Planet and I are all bounced out.
"Will not re-open in the foreseeable future.
" That's how Luthor put it at the press conference.
Let me buy you guys a cup of coffee.
I was only 17 years old when I came here.
I had an interview with old man Crebs for assistant copy boy, and I was 15 minutes late.
But I just stood out there under that globe.
I just stared up at it.
I don't know, somehow I just knew my future was tied up in that building.
It was barely a year ago when I interviewed with you, Chief.
Thanks for giving me the best year of my life.
I wanna thank you for giving me the chance to work with you.
I refuse to sit here and cry in my café au lait or deliver testimonials to my wonderful but short-lived career at the Planet.
That life is not over.
We'll be back.
All of us, together.
No, not me.
I'm gonna take an early retirement.
- You? - Yes.
Chief, you're too young to think about retiring.
You're right, I am too young.
But I'm also too old to start interviewing with snot-nosed kids who've got more diplomas than good sense.
No, I'm gonna travel, fish, read.
Spend more time with my kids.
Life's gonna be Boring.
No, relaxing.
No more pressure.
I gotta meet Alice at the realtors.
Chief? Whatever happens, I just want you all to know that you're the very best that I've ever worked with.
The best.
I don't know.
I've never seen him like this.
We've gotta do something.
There's only one thing to do.
What a lovely surprise.
I believe you too aren't acquainted.
Mrs.
Cox, Lois Lane.
- So pleased to meet you.
- Mrs.
Cox is my personal assistant.
What exactly does a personal assistant do? Whatever is necessary.
- Lex, I need your help.
- With what? Rebuilding the Daily Planet.
There isn't an advertiser in this city that I can count on for revenue.
The Planet was pitifully under-insured.
Rebuilding makes no economic sense.
I wish I could, but I can't.
I have the stockholders to think of.
But everyone is so lost.
No one knows where or if they'll find a job.
Perry is threatening early retirement.
What's wrong with that? Perry deserves retirement.
He's worked too hard for too long.
Let him enjoy life.
His life was the Planet.
Mine, too.
I know that the Planet was your home, but I can make another home for you.
A new home.
Lex, I can't just sit around here organizing dinner parties.
I need to work.
I know that, my darling, but that is why I have a job for you.
Luthor News Network.
Television? It's the on-ramp to the information super highway.
The future lies in 500 interactive channels of television viewing.
Let me show you around.
If you don't like it enough to start right away I'll never bring it up again.
I guess there's no harm in taking a look.
That's my girl.
Speaking of which have you reached your decision yet? Not quite yet.
I have something I need to settle first.
I'll give my answer tomorrow.
Clark! Thanks for coming.
- What's going on? - Plenty.
I have been here all afternoon.
What am I doing here exactly? I'm gonna work here and I want you to work here, too.
We can still be partners.
I'm a newspaper reporter.
You'd still be writing the news.
Copy for our reporters.
Or you could be a correspondent.
Look around, it's so modern.
- It's sterile.
- It's efficient.
- It's soulless.
- It's fast-paced.
- It's superficial.
- Clark, where's your open mind? I can't believe you gave up so easily on the Planet.
Did it mean so little to you? The Planet meant as much to me, if not more, than it did to you.
But it's gone.
Even Lex can't put it back together, and this is good, exciting work.
I will never work for Lex Luthor.
What about us? What about partners? Lois, is there some place we could talk? Alone? When I thought about losing my job at the Daily Planet saying good-bye to Perry and Jimmy and everyone I realized that I could lose all of that and still go on.
I realized that there was only one thing that I didn't wanna live without.
And that was you.
Seeing you every day, working with you, just being with you That's why you should come and be my partner.
No, Lois, listen to me.
I'm not talking about the partnership.
I'm talking about us.
I have been in love with you for a long time.
You had to have known.
I knew.
I guess I knew that you liked me or were attracted to me.
Clark, I'm sorry.
I just don't feel that way about you, romantically.
You're my best friend and the only partner I could ever stand to work with.
I admire you and I respect you and I do love you as a friend.
And what about Luthor? Do you love him? I don't know.
I have feelings for him.
I haven't said yes yet.
And I won't until I talk it over with someone else.
Who? I think you know who.
If you see him, will you tell him I'm looking for him? Do you have the money? $5 million dollars.
The stone? Perfect.
Slide the case over here.
Raise your hands, step back.
If the stone works, I'll pay you your money with a bonus.
- Double-crossed.
- Now! The voice wasn't bad but I never felt he had the mannerisms down.
It isn't easy playing you.
Nonsense.
I do it every day.
Is that kryptonite in your pocket or are you glad to see me? Pay him his bonus, will you, Mrs.
Cox? Superman.
- I heard you wanted to see me.
- Yes.
Come in, I'll just put on a robe.
Unless it's lined with lead, Lois, it's a waste of time.
I guess so.
I'm just trying to figure out I have a lot of changes going on in my life and I just wanna make the right decision.
And I can't do that until I know how you feel.
Is there any hope for us? You and me? I'm so completely in love with you I can't do anything else without knowing.
Lois, I do care for you.
But there are things about me that you don't know.
That you may never know.
But it doesn't matter.
I know you.
I don't mean you the celebrity or you the superhero.
If you had no powers, if you were just an ordinary man leading an ordinary life I would love you just the same.
Can't you believe that? I wish I could, Lois.
But under the circumstances I don't see how I can.
Five minutes, people.
We've got to get cooperation.
What's going on? Sources at the court tell us the grand jury may indict two city councilmen.
The re-development fund scandal.
We got a camera crew there, they have no access.
We don't know who they are.
We're not sure about the information.
Till then, you don't have a story.
But CNN's about to go with it so So they must know something we don't.
I'll make a few calls.
I know some bailiffs.
I'm on the air in four minutes.
Not unless you have something to report.
- How are you? - Swell.
The room is small and drafty.
The company's not much to speak of.
But on the other hand the food stinks.
Jack, I wanna hear it from you.
The truth, no matter what it is.
I had nothing to do with it, I swear to you.
Why would I? I had a good job, people who trusted me.
It was all going so great.
You believe me? Yeah, I believe you.
Don't worry, we'll get you out of here.
I don't like the lawyer Luthor hired for me.
He doesn't listen to me.
He said we should cop a plea.
I'll get you another lawyer.
Any chance you could ask Superman to bust me out of here? - Jack, no.
- I didn't think so.
Go out on the floor, people.
- We're live in five, four, three.
- And now an LNN special news bulletin.
The grand jury today handed down indictments calling for the arrests of Metropolis city councilmen Fernig and Montane.
As you can see from this exclusive tape taken outside the courthouse the councilmen have already been remanded into custody and we will be covering their arraignment later this afternoon.
For now, I'm Sandra Ellis, for LNN News.
This is LNN.
Let's have a toast to the Daily Planet.
God bless her, I don't know how I'm gonna live without her.
But you know at one point, Elvis went 13 years between Las Vegas engagements.
Well, that was the start of his bloated period.
Gosh, I tell you, time sure will slip up on you.
Well, now there's time for everything, Chief.
You have no more deadlines.
Maybe you can plan that trip to Graceland and actually go.
Graceland! Yes.
Did you know that Elvis had a twin brother? Jesse Garon Presley.
Delivered 35 minutes before the King.
Born dead.
Sad.
It's sad.
Lonely Teardrops.
Jackie Wilson, 1975.
Collapsed on stage singing Lonely Teardrops.
Elvis sent his wife $35,000 to help pay the medical bills.
See, that was the King.
That was the King.
So much for the Chief not having a good time.
- So, how is your new job, Lois.
- Great! Broadcasting is a whole new world.
It's very exciting.
Not like life at the Planet, dull and boring.
You know what I mean.
Nothing will ever replace the Planet.
I'm not gonna sit around obsessing about it.
I'm just trying to find out why the paper failed.
And what we know is just the tip of the iceberg, Lois.
Clark, can I talk to you in private for a second? You are ruining Perry's retirement dinner.
- I'm not the one gloating over my new job.
- Gloating? All you can talk about is your new job at LNN And all you can do is sit around whining in your beer.
- What? - You're afraid, Lois.
- I'm not afraid of anything.
- Yes, you are.
You're afraid of the truth.
The truth is that Luthor is hiding what really happened at the Planet.
- I've been doing some - I know why.
- You do, do you? - Yes.
You told me your feelings, and you're hurt.
I am sorry about that, Clark, but all of this is just sour grapes.
- What if I find evidence? - You're talking about a man I trust who has always been completely truthful with me.
If you really cared about me you would let me You would help me to be happy.
I have found a good job and someone who wants to spend his life with me.
- What is wrong with that? - Okay, that's fine.
If that's what you want, Lois, go ahead.
Get in bed with the devil.
- Fine! - Fine, let's get back to the party, then.
Yes, have a really good time.
I will.
It must be nice to have a free car at your beck and call.
Come on, Jimmy! The word free is not in Luthor's vocabulary.
With him, you always pay.
Will you stop.
Are you coming? I'd rather walk.
Suit yourself! How was the retirement dinner? - Painful.
- I'm sorry.
I wish there was something I could do.
- What? - Nothing.
Do I really know you? I don't know enough about you.
My life is an open book.
Shall I read it to you? Just the parts you wouldn't want anyone else to know.
All right.
Well, I started with nothing.
I was orphaned at the age 13.
It must've been terrible.
Yes, but it made me strong.
But, Lois, look, I'm no saint.
I've done questionable things in the pursuit of my success, but that's the nature of big business.
Gentlemen, don't worry about the advertisers and the banks.
They'll do what I tell them to do.
The board's decision to sell the Daily Planet must be immediate and unanimous.
Naturally, your loyalty will be rewarded.
Or, should I say "compensated"? And sometimes, out of jealousy or frustration I've over-reacted.
I've been ruthless with my enemies.
But, as God is my witness, I swear to you from this moment on, I'll change.
I no longer want to hurt anyone.
I'm willing to devote my life to you.
To commit myself to you totally and eternally.
Will you marry me? Is there any hope for us? Yes, Lex.
I will marry you.
No! English