| Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | |
| Season 4, Episode 8 | |
 | |
| Air date | November 17, 1996 |
| Written by | Brian Nelson |
| Directed by | Oz Scott |
| Episode Guide | |
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Lois and Clark are shocked to learn that their new friends Bob and Carol have a secret of their own; Bob is really the assassin known as Deathstroke. The episode's title refers to the 1969 film Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, which also deals with a friendship between two couples (though it otherwise has little in common with the episode).
Plot[]
After several disastrous attempts at going out with other couples, most recently with Perry and his new airheaded girlfriend Candy, Lois is averse to trying again, but Clark coaxes her to join him for dinner with his new basketball buddy Bob Stanford and Bob's wife Carol. At dinner Bob and Carol are very interested in Lois's latest lead, a possible interview with Grant Gendell. Gendell is one of the richest men in the world, and withdrew from the public eye 23 years ago. He is looking to emerge from hiding, and since Lois wrote an article a few years ago which defended him, she became a natural candidate for his first public interview in 23 years.
In actuality Bob and Carol are only interested in Lois and Clark as a means of getting to Gendell. Bob has a dual identity as the costumed serial killer Deathstroke, whose powers leave distinctive markings on the chests of his victims. Clark has been doing a story on the killings. His friend, N.I.A. agent Pete Rawlins, fills him in on Deathstroke's codename and modus operandi.
Using information they dug up on Lois and Clark, Bob and Carol build their friendship by assuming the same interests. Carol switches Lois's mobile phone with a bugged duplicate, allowing her and Bob to listen in on Lois's conversation with Gendell's paranoid lawyer, Denzler. After thoroughly checking out Lois's background, Denzler picks her up in a limousine for a video conference with Gendell. She answers his security questions satisfactorily and Gendell, taking a liking to her, arranges an interview. Bob and Carol follow the limo and use surveillance equipment to listen in, while being followed themselves by Pete, who has marked them as Deathstroke suspects. Carol spots Pete. She and Bob lead him into an alley, where Bob attacks him as Deathstroke.
While studying a list of Deathstroke's victims, Clark and Jimmy stumble upon the discovery that all of them worked for Denzler Ltd., a shell company which Gendell uses for the handful of people who have direct contact with him, such as doctors and contractors. Clark realizes Lois may be another target. After confirming she is safe, Superman overhears Pete's cries and races to the rescue. Superman and Deathstroke fight in a deadlocked battle which leaves both severely weakened. Deathstroke flees, and Superman confirms that Pete is dead. Concerned at what Deathstroke did to him, Superman and Lois consult Dr. Klein, who studies tissue samples and reports that Deathstroke's power magnetizes the iron in a person's blood. Since Kryptonians have less iron in their blood than humans do, Superman is more resistant to his power, but a second bout with Deathstroke would likely kill him.
When they arrive at Bob and Carol's house for dinner, Lois spies Bob closing up the bookcase door to his lair. Additionally noting how Carol's interests all match up with hers, she pieces everything together, realizing Bob and Carol became interested in them as soon as she became a candidate for the Gendell interview. However, Clark dismisses her suspicions as paranoid and refuses to x-ray the hidden room, saying it would be a breach of trust.
After investigating at Superman's behest, Dr. Klein calls to tell Clark that a physicist named Earl Gregg was working for one of Gendell's companies when he was exposed to magnetic charges, giving him powers that could only be controlled with a suit designed by another researcher, who he later married. Gregg received no compensation for the accident, leading him and his wife to swear revenge against Gendell. A photo of the couple reveals that "Bob and Carol Stanford" are really Earl Gregg and his wife.
Denzler takes Lois to Gendell's hideout for the interview. Gendell tells her he has realized his money has made him a prisoner; he intends to come out of hiding and donate his entire fortune to charity. Superman arrives to warn Lois and Gendell moments before Carol and Deathstroke arrive. Lois deduces that their plan is to kill Gendell and everyone who has seen him so that they can steal his identity and siphon off his fortune. Superman fights Deathstroke to save Gendell; he uses his heat vision to rupture Deathstroke's suit, causing him to lose control of his powers and magnetize himself to a metallic support beam. "Bob and Carol" are arrested. Clark assumes that the experience will have permanently soured Lois on couples dating, but when Gendell invites them to dinner with him and his new girlfriend Connie, Lois eagerly accepts, endorsing Gendell's new philosophy of getting out and taking risks.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Dean Cain as Clark Kent/Superman
- Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane
- Lane Smith as Perry White
- Justin Whalin as Jimmy Olsen
- K Callan as Martha Kent
- Eddie Jones as Jonathan Kent
Recurring role[]
- Kenneth Kimmins as Dr. Bernard Klein
Special guest star[]
- Kenneth Mars as Grant Gendell
Guest starring[]
- Sydney Walsh as Carol Stanford
- Steve Hytner as Denzler
- Rif Hutton as Agent Pete Rawlins
- And Antonio Sabato Jr. as Earl Gregg / Bob Stanford / Deathstroke
Co-starring[]
- Betsy Lynn George as Aurora
- Darrell Kunitomi as Dr. Kobiyashi