Having achieved success in various other media—comic books, newspaper strips, animated cartoons, live-action serials, daytime radio, and hardcover books—the Man of Steel whooshed his way into the hearts of TV viewers with this phenomenally popular series, first telecast in 1952. Starring then-little-known actor George Reeves as Krypton's favorite son, Adventures of Superman also featured Phyllis Coates as tough, occasionally abrasive newshound Lois Lane; Jack Larson as cub reporter Jimmy Olsen; and John Hamilton as perpetually exasperated editor Perry White. The first-season stories, many of them adapted from the radio-show serials, are considerably more hard-edged and action-packed than later episodes, which were dumbed down for younger audiences. “The Haunted Lighthouse” still comes across as pretty darn spooky, while “The Riddle of the Chinese Jade” is mystifying, and “Crime Wave” is downright gritty and violent (one installment, “The Stolen Costume,” actually ends with the deaths of two miscreants who've stumbled onto the secret of Superman's dual identity). The season-ending two-parter, “Unknown People,” is actually a slightly edited version of Superman and the Mole Men (also included as a DVD extra), the short feature film that served as an unofficial pilot for the series—a real standout, with the Man of Steel trying to protect the peculiar-looking, diminutive residents of an underground community whose excursion to the surface world finds them targeted by narrow-minded, intolerant bullies. A nostalgic favorite of millions, the 26 first-season episodes collected here hold up quite well in comparison to other shows of TV's early days, and this set is likely to find a receptive audience. DVD extras include audio commentaries, a retrospective documentary, a vintage short, and more. Recommended. (E. Hulse)
Adventures of Superman: The Complete First Season
Warner, 5 discs, 662 min., not rated, DVD: $39.98 November 28, 2005
Adventures of Superman: The Complete First Season
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