--season 3, 1995 - 1996--
Easter eggs, call-outs and trivia:
--Episode 1 "We Have a Lot to Talk About": Bobby Bigmouth returns. The Churches have in their secret collection Gainsborough's "Yellow Boy," which Lex was shown to have in season 1, episode 16, "Foundling."
--Episode 3 "Contact" introduces Lois' neighbour and psychic friend, Star (Olivia Brown). One of Star's clients is Mr. Schaffenberger. Lois thinks she was abducted by aliens and wears a tinfoil hat.
--Episodes 1 and 2 have the intro from season 2, but episode 3 onward has the updated intro, showing Lois with her shorter haircut, which she has beginning in that episode, it makes her look more like her mother, Phyllis Coates.
--Episode 4 "When Irish Eyes Are Killing": Speaking of Phyllis Coates, the Daily Planet charity auction is raising money for the Coates Home for Children--one of the people at the auction is called Brenda Bessolo--George Reeves' actual name was George Bessolo. Dennis O'Neil is the owner of a Druid mask. When Clark calls O'Neil, he gives the alias of Glenn Whitmore (Whitmore is a long time colourist on the Superman comics).
--Episode 5 "Just Say Noah": We glimpse Alice White. At this point Alice and Perry are on good terms in their marriage.
--Episode 6 "Don't Tug on Superman's Cape": The guest villains are Tim and Amber Lake--Jonathan Frakes and Genie Francis, married in real life. Background player Joe Ochman shows up again as a Daily Planet staffer. Dr. Bernard Klein (Kenneth Kimmins) debuts as a S.T.A.R. scientist--he replaces Emil Hamilton as the scientist that Lois and Clark always consult--if Hamilton was named for Edmond Hamilton then maybe Klein is a tribute to George Klein, the inker from the 1960s Superman comics. The Lakes collect rare items and presumably own the Batmobile. Three fantasy sequences are in this episode--I LOVE LUCY, James Bond THE SPY WHO LEFT ME, DRAGNET. In the LUCY fantasy, Lois dresses up as a Super-Woman--just as Lucy did when she met Superman (George Reeves) in "Lucy and Superman" (season 6, episode 13); Lois is a Bond Girl, Miss Goodbottom in the James Bond fantasy--Hatcher would later play a Bond Girl--Paris Carver--in TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997); in the DRAGNET fantasy, Perry is the Friday character and Jimmy is his fast-talking partner.
--Episode 7 "Ultra Woman": When Superman is hit by a Red Kryptonite beam his powers are transferred to Lois who becomes "Ultra Woman." Superman is said to have no more powers than Batman. Jimmy gets a call about a suicide jumper at Giordano & Adams. Alice leaves Perry--from this point on Perry's love life becomes a concern.
--Episode 8 "Chip Off the Old Clark": Dave Coulier plays the actual Anonymous not in disguise.
--Episode 9 "Super Mann": "Jim Mooney" is Perry's contact at the White House. The Nazis watch an episode of PERFECT STRANGERS, with Bronson Pinchot as Balki, even though Pinchot played the Prankster in the previous season.
--Episode 10 "Virtually Destroyed": Mr. X. is Jaxon Xavier Luthor, Luthor's son (played by Andy Berman). In the virtual reality Metropolis, there's an Italian restaurant called Restaurante D'Esposito--I'd like to think it's for inker Mike Esposito but it's more likely a tribute to the assistant director Anthony D'Esposito. Dean Cain wrote the script.
--Episode 11 "Home is Where the Hurt is": Lois' parents are now played by different actors--previously they were played by Denis Arndt (season 1, episode 5) and Phyllis Coates (season 1, episode 21)--now they're played by Harve Presnell and Beverly Garland, who played the second wife of Steve Douglas on MY THREE SONS--the same show that had Ernie Douglas played by Barry Livingston, who was Luthor's lawyer, Sheldon Bender, in season 2.
--episode 12 "Never on Sunday": Cress Willliams--who now stars as BLACK LIGHTNING--plays Baron Sunday. Baron Sunday was created by John Byrne, making his first appearance in SUPERMAN 26 (not cover dated--approximate cover date December 1988). Gary Dourdon plays Baron Sunday's flunky, Ziggy--Dourdon would go on to play Warrick Brown on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION. Famed singer-actress Carol Lawrence plays Lois and Clark's wedding planner, Beverly Lipman. Clark gives his birthday as February 28, 1966--sometimes Superman's birthday was said to be February 29th, but since 1966 was not a leap year, the 28th would have to do. Superman has a flashback of his origin on Krypton with his parents putting him in the capsule and sending him into space.
--Episode 13 "The Dad Who Came in from the Cold": Jimmy's dad, Jack Olsen (James Read), is a spy for the N.I.A. Sweet Tart (Una Damon) is another N.I.A. agent.
--Episode 14 "Tempus, Anyone?": H.G. Wells is played by a different actor (Hamilton Camp) and is supposed to be 17 years older than in his previous appearance. Emily Procter plays Lana Lang--Procter would play Ainsley Hayes on THE WEST WING. Alternate universe Clark wears glasses even though he has no secret identity. Elvis is still alive and was previously president in the alternate universe. There's a Carlin Avenue in the alternate universe. Lois died in the alternate universe and on her headstone the year of her birth is 1967--making her one year younger than Clark (Hatcher is actually one and a half years older than Cain).
--Episode 15: "I Now Pronounce You . . .": Tony Curtis plays Dr. Mamba, Fred Willard plays President Garner and Brad Garrett plays Reverend Bob. This episode was dedicated to the memory of Jerry Siegel who had passed away two weeks before the air date. Luthor's pardon from the fake President Garner reads:
After reviewing the application for executive clemency of the following named person, and giving consideration to a letter of the attorney general recommending executive clemency, he is hereby granted full and unconditional pardon LEX LUTHOR In Commuting his sentence of two life sentences, the aforesaid persons should never have any rights, privileges, claims, or benefits arising under the parole laws of the United States and the regulations promulgated thereunder, and if you can read this, we are really staying too long on this shot. Is hereby granted the foregoing rights, privileges, claims and benefits of parole.
--Episode 17 "Seconds": Luthor arranges to meet Clark at Steranko & Kirby. An uncredited Timothy Busfield appears as the spy guy that gives Lex the blowdryer-like device to kill Superman.
--Episode 19 "Oedipus Wrecks": Herkimer Johnson (Daniel Roebuck) suffers from Tommy Smothers Syndrome according to Dr. Deter (Larry Poindexter). Everyone at the Planet dance to the boom box song--"heyba heyba, hoba hooba haba"--not sure what this song is really called, anyone know?
--Episode 20 "It's a Small World After All": Teri Hatcher wrote the story. Lois went to high school in Metropolis--funny that her mother, father and sister all moved away, yet Lois stayed.
--Episode 21 "Through a Glass, Darkly": One of the astronauts on the space station is named "Bob Rozakis"; Swan and Jurgens are two staffers at the Planet; Binder is a contact in Houston. Teri Hatcher's husband at the time, Jon Tenney, plays Dave Miller/Lt. Ching.
--Episode 22 "Big Girls Don't Fly": Roger Daltrey plays Taz (could this be inspired by the Tasmanian Devil in LOONEY TUNES?). Clark wears the Superman black suit at the end of the episode.