With 'Superboy' out of the way, WB embarked on a marketing plan to develop their own Superman series for television...'Lois and Clark'. Some believe that if 'Superboy' had not of been a success then there would have been little chance that 'Lois and Clark' could have aired when it did. Of course, one could argue that there was no blame on WB's part for eradicating a perfectly good TV show like 'Superboy'. They had "all" the legal rights to Superman, including "Supergirl", "Superboy" and "Superpup", and rather than work out a deal with the Salkinds and continue on where 'Superboy' left off (where Superboy later becomes Superman), they decided to pursue an entirely new idea, a Superman show that would focus on the Clark Kent character, rather than Superman. The Producers of 'Lois and Clark' would say this concept was fitting due to the fact that the John Byrne's Revamp occured before the production of the 'Superboy' series, and this revamp was the up-to-date version of Superman history; Clark Kent would be promoted to a higher status. No longer would he be in second place next to Superman, the one ignored by Lois Lane. No, Clark would be the one that Lois truely loved, eventhough she had an obvious infatuation with Superman. John Byrne erased the Superboy character entirely from Superman history in 'The Man of Steel' #1, setting it in stone that Superboy never existed. In this regard, 'Lois and Clark' would be faithful to the current DC storyline, rather than follow a continuity that was introduced in the 'Superboy' series.

Ironically, 'Lois and Clark' only faired critical acclaim for the Pilot episode and the 1st season run. After the Pilot episode, for the most part, the flying FX had been relegated to Superman merely flapping his cape in front of the camera, an inferior technique compared to the many spectacular wire shots done on the 'Superboy' series. 'Cape-Out' had been termed by the FX supervisor on 'Lois and Clark'. Budget restraints seemed to be the apparent reason for 'Cape-Out'. Yet this doesn't explain why the flying shots were more advanced (especially the landings and take-offs) on the 'Superboy' series which had a smaller budget and was produced years earlier. Dean Cain's performance in general was questioned. He performed a fairly likeable Clark kent, but some feel his Superman was weak. A matter of opinion. Granted, Dean Cain did have high expectations to live up to (Christopher Reeve). So to be fair, perhaps it would be just too hard to expect him to fill Reeve's shoes. The primary focus would be the development of the love-story between Lois and Clark. Most people will agree that Cain was a good Clark Kent, so without being too hard on the guy, perhaps the goals and intentions of the show were accomplished...via, Lois and Clark.

In an odd twist of fate, Gerard Christopher read for the role of Superman/Clark Kent during the casting sessions of 'Lois and Clark' and was originally cast (which is mentioned in an interview with him on his website. You can read it here )! The discovery of Gerard Christopher's past career as Superboy talent led to an abrupt dismiss. Gerard Christopher would not appear in 'Lois and Clark', nor would 'Lois and Clark' be affiliated with 'Superboy' or its' continuity. The producer's wanted a fresh start. 'Superboy' would remain a show that matched the richness and fullness of the pre-crisis history.

'Lois and Clark' dropped in ratings during it's 4th season and eventually was cancelled (as was it's plans for a 5th season renewal). Did the romance kill the show? Unlike the 'Superboy' series which opted to retain the sexual tension between Superboy/Clark and Lana (for the sole purpose of keeping that romantic interest firmly in place) it is possible 'Lois and Clark' gave up the pursuit too early in the game. However, it should be pointed out that despite the tremendous criticisms against this competitive adversary, 'Lois and Clark' did in fact gain a fan following. The 'Lois and Clark' cheering section can be found at this link . Who is the better Superman is a debate better left behind, but most critics will always hold Christopher Reeve in high regard.