Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 15, 1993                   TAG: 9311250312
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MIKE DUFFY KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

`LOIS & CLARK' SET FOR ROMANTIC EXPEDITION

When you're talking about ``Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,'' a whole lot. ABC's latest spin on the Man of Steel - premiering at 8 p.m. Sundays this fall - aims at ``skewing the Superman myth,'' says series creator/co-executive producer Deborah Joy Levine.

``Our show is a romantic-comedy-action-adventure,'' Levine said in a recent interview. In other words, this ``Superman'' will aim for a lighter, funnier and more romantic feel than either the ``Superman'' movies or the adorably clunky 1950s TV series.

``I do believe that this show and this whole Superman idea represent the most unrequited love story of all time,'' Levine said. ``Lois falling in love. Clark liking Lois. Lois finally liking Clark. Clark being attracted to Lois. Lois being attracted to someone else (ta-da, Superman). Are these two people ever going to get together?''

It's the ultimate love triangle, ``Sleepless in Metropolis.'' And young, hunky Dean Cain (Rick on ``Beverly Hills, 90210'') will be two points of that triangle, playing Clark Kent and Superman opposite Teri Hatcher (``Soapdish'') as Lois Lane. The idea is a breezier, more contemporary Superman for the '90s, Levine said. ``What we really have is a young man by the name of Clark Kent who really wants to live a normal life, even though he did come from another planet,'' Levine said, tongue slightly in cheek.

This Superman doesn't have a uniform at first. He doesn't use phone booths to change. And he doesn't fly in standard superhero fashion.

``I wanted him to fly more like a guy out on a Sunday fly,'' Levine said, hinting at a sort of Supereveryman. Clark still works at the Daily Planet with ace reporter Lois Lane, of course. But Editor Perry White doesn't say ``Great Caesar's ghost!'' Now he exclaims, ``Great shades of Elvis!''

But even with nifty special effects and battles against foes like Lex Luthor, the main focus will be on this blithely confusing affair of the heart. And it's a romance dance minus the coy games.

``When Lois Lane falls in love with Clark Kent, she says to someone, `Gee, I think he looks a lot like Superman.' And the response is, ``Well, all women in love think their man looks like Superman.'''