The Greatest Criminal Mind Of Our Time: an all-encompassing LEX LUTHOR discussion

[Vordan]

In the case of both of our best live action Luthors , (Cryer and Rosenbaum) the one thing thing the actors have in common is they are primarily comedic actors. On paper Kevin Spacey was the perfect Lex. Great dramatic actor known for playing all types of roles, proper age, look, voice and body type etc... And he is arguably the most disappointing live action Lex.

I mean Rosenbaum... The guy is a goofball by nature who is in no way someone remotely Lex Luthor, and he was the best thing about Smallville and up till Cryer, the undisputed best live action Lex.

Maybe the key with casting Lex is casting against type.

Eisenberg was casting against type I’d argue, and that didn’t work out. At least not for me.

[llozymandias]

I reserve the right to adjust my assessment in case SUPERGIRL goes Poopergirl on Lex like it did with Kal.

But ... based on just his debut episode ...

Jon Cryer is the best Live-Action Lex Luthor we've ever had!

Which is equal parts genuine high praise to Cryer and damning evidence of how low the bar was set for previous Luthors.

Lyle Talbot: haven't seen yet
Gene Hackman: too much of a buffoon
Scott James Wells: too much of a joke
Sherman Howard: too crazy
John Shea: not brilliant enough
Michael Rosenbaum: never was truly adult Lex
Kevin Spacey: forced to ape Hackman
Jesse Eisenberg: too quirky
Jon Cryer: emotionally & mentally, he totally nails Lex!

Personally, I prefer a Lex who is physically an Evil Bald Bruce Wayne, but beyond that ....

Jon Cryer sits upon the Lex Throne.

You need to see Lyle Talbot as Luthor. He was the best live-action version yet. Also compared to Lex Bruce is Forrest Gump. Or dumber.


Seeing that they have Brainiac 5, what about Brainiac. In the earth-38 universe is Brainiac Superman's other archenemy? Did Lex occasionally team-up with Brainy? I want to see Brainiac 5 & Lex meet. It would be interesting to see how they react to each other.

[Osiris-Rex]

Seeing that they have Brainiac 5, what about Brainiac. In the earth-38 universe is Brainiac Superman's other archenemy? Did Lex occasionally team-up with Brainy? I want to see Brainiac 5 & Lex meet. It would be interesting to see how they react to each other.

I am guessing that the Krypton show on the SyFy channel has dibs on Brainiac for the foreseeable future. They did have a female Brainiac in season 1, Indigo, who was also known as Brainiac 8. She had some
sort of weird relationship with Non. Not sure if they were lovers or just partners in crime.

[stargazer01]

I think Lex was mostly good in the second episode, but I don't know about the superpowers. The episode felt so convoluted to me. I liked some things, but others not so much. The episode felt rushed.

Also, the show can say whatever they want, but the fact that Lex already knows Kara's real identity but Lena does not is beyond silly and hilarious. Tell me who is the genius again.

[rpmaluki]

I think Lex was mostly good in the second episode, but I don't know about the superpowers. The episode felt so convoluted to me. I liked some things, but others not so much. The episode felt rushed.

Also, the show can say whatever they want, but the fact that Lex already knows Kara's real identity but Lena does not is beyond silly and hilarious. Tell me who is the genius again.

Does that mean he knows Superman's secret identity?

[Osiris-Rex]

Also, the show can say whatever they want, but the fact that Lex already knows Kara's real identity but Lena does not is beyond silly and hilarious. Tell me who is the genius again.

I still contend that because Lena tested Kara to see if she was an alien and the test showed Kara was human that Lena has no reason to believe that Kara is an alien.
To think Kara is Supergirl would mean Kara is an alien. And Lena knows this isn't true, that Kara isn't an alien. (Kara sabotaged the device) What is there that would make
Lena doubt the test results? Kara and Supergirl act different around Lena. Supergirl is bold and confident while Kara acts sort of ditzy around Lena. That Kara and Supergirl look similar?
With Kara wearing glasses and her hair usually in a bun or a ponytail they do sort of look like different people. Sort of like how in movies the nerd girl becomes the hot girl when she
takes off her glasses and lets her hair down.

Does that mean he knows Superman's secret identity?

Probably. Jon Shea's Lex figured it out, and as I recall Michael Rosenbaum's Lex figured out Clark had powers, though I guess he died before Clark became Superman so obviously his Lex never
figured out Clark was Superman. Jon Cryer's Lex has had years longer to figure it out and he is a clever lad, he knows Clark and Kara are cousins. He know Kara is Supergirl. The logical assumption
would be that Clark also has powers. Plus they have similar costumes complete with a big red \S/ on the chest.

[manofsteel1979]

I still contend that because Lena tested Kara to see if she was an alien and the test showed Kara was human that Lena has no reason to believe that Kara is an alien.
To think Kara is Supergirl would mean Kara is an alien. And Lena knows this isn't true, that Kara isn't an alien. (Kara sabotaged the device) What is there that would make
Lena doubt the test results? Kara and Supergirl act different around Lena. Supergirl is bold and confident while Kara acts sort of ditzy around Lena. That Kara and Supergirl look similar?
With Kara wearing glasses and her hair usually in a bun or a ponytail they do sort of look like different people. Sort of like how in movies the nerd girl becomes the hot girl when she
takes off her glasses and lets her hair down.




Probably. Jon Shea's Lex figured it out, and as I recall Michael Rosenbaum's Lex figured out Clark had powers, though I guess he died before Clark became Superman so obviously his Lex never
figured out Clark was Superman. Jon Cryer's Lex has had years longer to figure it out and he is a clever lad, he knows Clark and Kara are cousins. He know Kara is Supergirl. The logical assumption
would be that Clark also has powers. Plus they have similar costumes complete with a big red \S/ on the chest.

Well Rosenbaum's Lex was resurrected in the finale and did know Clark was Superman for a very very brief period before Tess Mercer erased/surpresed Lex's memories. The Smallville season 11 comic series made the fact Lex was aware memories were taken from him and those memories involved Superman somehow a big part of the later couple stories prior to it's cancellation. I hope that one day we will see a continuation of that universe somehow. That was a great book IMO.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Absolutely loving Jon Cryer's Lex so far. He's managed to vault to the top of my favorite live action depictions of Luthor in only two episodes.

[Vordan]

Man who would have thought we would get Lex in his power suit on Supergirl before seeing it in a movie? At least we finally got it.

[stargazer01]

When is Lex supposed to show up again in Supergirl?

I find this show pretty unwatchable without him.

[manofsteel1979]

When is Lex supposed to show up again in Supergirl?

I find this show pretty unwatchable without him.

He is back in the season finale.

[stargazer01]

He is back in the season finale.

so he only had 3 episodes total?

[manofsteel1979]

so he only had 3 episodes total?

As far as I've seen yes. He may be back later. Depends on audience reaction and ratings I'm sure. Plus I imagine given the high paycheck he was drawing towards the end of two and a half men, I'd wager he's pretty expensive. Probably as much if not more than Melissa Benoist herself.

[Deniz Camp]

Fans of Lex might want to check out my comic, MAXWELL'S DEMONS, from vault comics.

It's...surprisingly relevant.

[Osiris-Rex]

As far as I've seen yes. He may be back later. Depends on audience reaction and ratings I'm sure. Plus I imagine given the high paycheck he was drawing towards the end of two and a half men, I'd wager he's pretty expensive. Probably as much if not more than Melissa Benoist herself.

Depends. Sometime actors take rolls just because it seems like something fun to do, even if the show can't pay them a lot of money. He said he wanted to redeem Lenny Luthor. Laurie Metcalf was on an episode
because her daughter is a Supergirl fan and that is why Laurie played Winn's mom.