THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9408310047
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LARRY BONKO
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
IF YOU'VE BEEN watching the new Superman series on ABC - it airs tonight at 8 in a Thursday sneak preview - you've probably been wondering when Lois and Clark will become more than friends and colleagues at The Daily Planet.
There has always been a thing between these two.
Same story on ``The X-Files'' carried by Fox. Agent Mulder and Agent Scully also have this thing for each other.
But will they ever give in to their smoldering emotions and sleep together?
Will Lois and Clark?
Don't hold your breath.
The producers of both shows told me in Hollywood not long ago that they expect to continue the tease.
``We intend to keep Lois and Clark apart, romantically speaking, longer than the producers of `Moonlighting' kept Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis apart. Clark would love for it to happen with Lois, but he realizes that if it does, Lois must know his secret, and that could be dangerous to her,'' said Robert Singer, who took over as co-executive executive producer of ``Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' from Deborah Joy LeVine.
He'll change some things - but not the arm's-length relationship between two of the sexiest (and most cordial) people in prime time - Dean Cain as Clark Kent/Superman and Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane.
``The show will be more action-oriented,'' said Singer.
You'll see more special effects as the competition between this series and NBC's ``seaQuest DSV'' intensifies in the second season for both shows. (``Lois & Clark'' keeps its Sunday at 8 p.m. time slot come September.)
Singer wants to steal away the ``seaQuest'' viewers and will do everything he can to rope them in, even if it means upsetting the balance of action and whimsy that LeVine gave this series.
Watch out you don't screw up one of TV's better shows, Robert.
Singer promises more villains. That means less of John Shea as arch villain Lex Luthor. There will be a whole lot less of Daily Planet society columnist Catherine ``Cat'' Grant played by Tracy Scoggins.
Over at ``The X-Files,'' which may evolve from cult show to prime-time hit after millions of new viewers sampled the series in summer reruns, executive producer Chris Carter said he would never have agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) melt into each other's arms unless the network bosses put a gun to his head.
``A little sexual tension is a good thing,'' Carter said.
``What makes this show different from others such as `Moonlighting,' `Remington Steele' and `Northern Exposure' is that we won't have our central characters jump into the sack during the ratings sweeps. We don't want their relaationship to get in the way of solving the cases as happened on `Moonlighting.' However, I do see Mulder and Scully choosing other sexual partners.''
Producers of both shows are reluctant to hurry the lead actors into bed because of what Hollywood calls the ``Moonligting thing.'' It seems that viewers lost interest in ``Moonlighting'' soon after Maddie and David advanced from being colleagues (private investigators) to lovers.
On ``Northern Exposure,'' Joel and Maggie had a roll in the hay that was really a roll in the hay. But it didn't upset the chemistry of that show because Maggie won't admit to herself that she had sex with Joel.
Maybe Lois and Clark could do it in a fantasy.
One more change in ``Lois & Clark.'' For the flying scenes, they've fitted Cain with a harness that is better than the one he used last year. ``Not really comfortable,'' he said. ``Just less uncomfortable after I'm in it for 12 to 15 hours a day.''
And down on Earth, Fox continues with its pre-Labor Day launch of the new TV season tonight. ``Martin'' and ``Living Single'' return starting at 8. by CNB