Could a METROPOLIS tv show work?

[Pharozonk]

It's curious that when the OP suggested a Metropolis show with Lois Lane as the POV character, there were plenty of objections. A Jimmy Olsen show? Awesome! What makes a Jimmy show a better idea than a Lois show?

Jimmy's oddball, awkwardness makes him more fun to watch then Lois.

[kidstandout]

Smallville?

I think it's harder to sell Clark not being Superman after Smallville. Better do a Metropolis show before Superman show up, he only go out when he is 33 years old. There's a lot of time to explore with Lois, perry, metropolis police.

nope, clark was the focus regardless of him wearing the costume or not.

[misslane]

Jimmy Olsen is not in the movies (Jenny does not count, she has no similarities with him other than working at the Planet), and I'm more interested in seeing a weirder, crazier and ultimately more unique show, something which is more interesting than the OP's pitch.

Is it impossible to make a weird and crazy show starring Lois Lane? It's not like her character is anathema to weird and crazy. She can not only exist in the same crazy world in which Jimmy would exist, but she can also be crazy herself. Lois is an adrenaline junkie who loves going undercover. She's witty and has a myriad of odd contacts around Metropolis and around the world. There's no reason why Lois cannot be just as unique, weird, and crazy as Jimmy Olsen.

Jimmy as a whole has not got good representation outside of comics.

You don't suppose there's a reason for that. He wasn't considered interesting enough for Man of Steel. No one cares about Jimmy Olsen. There is no established fan base for Jimmy Olsen. There isn't even a Jimmy Olsen Appreciation thread here.

Jimmy's oddball, awkwardness makes him more fun to watch then Lois.

How familiar are you with Lois Lane? Erica Durance's Lois, for example, was often awkward and wacky. She's constantly putting her foot in her mouth, going undercover in crazy costumes, and making powerful people look like jokes. Lois also has the added bonus of actually being witty; she not just fun to watch, she's also funny. Lois can balance being sophisticated and sassy with being crazy and fun. Jimmy's much more two-dimensional.

Lois being awesome, cute, fun, and crazy:

[Blacksun]

You don't suppose there's a reason for that. He wasn't considered interesting enough for Man of Steel. No one cares about Jimmy Olsen. There is no established fan base for Jimmy Olsen. There isn't even a Jimmy Olsen Appreciation thread here.

Jimmy is a character that people like, but not at the point of being really important for protagonist...

Lois can give many funny moments in a TV show, no doubt. Even teri hatcher had some good comedy

[Auguste Dupin]

Not interested.


Like DochaDocha I'm not always down for a Superman show that has little to do with Superman......unlike DochaDocha however I bend the rules if Jim Olsen is the main character and POV. I like the idea of Superman coming in only as a plot device or a fixture in the world. I like Jim more than Lois for a show where Superman isn't the main focus because I get all of the crazy weirdness and fun that comes with Superman but without the heavy moral responsibility of the world. He can be a journalist, adventurer, you name it Jim can pretty much be it all and still be Jim. The Legion of Superheroes know him almost as well as they know Superman, and have had nearly as many adventures with him.

So to sum it up: for me it's Jim Olsen or bust when it comes to a Superman show that's not about our Superpowered main character.

As far as "stories with Jimmy Olsen as a main character" go, I felt Kirby's take on it (or at least, on the few arcs I've read of it) was a pretty good. Basically, the whole thing worked like an inversed Superhero/sidekick dynamic, where the sidekick is the main character, and the superhero is more in the background. That made Jimmy a character that was pretty badass in his own right (I mean, when your first story involves you becoming the leader of a biker gang with your fists, and fearlessly hunting down a "moving mountain", you pretty much qualifies), but who often was involved in stuff way over his head and needed Superman's help to get out of trouble. Which was a basis he used in the 40's with his Newsboy Legion, but played up to eleven.
Then again, it was Jack Kirby.
As for the "Metropolis" thing.....I guess it could work. Wether or not I would watch it, well......I don't watch many tv shows so it would better have a great artistic team behind it.

[Mr. Mastermind]

Is it impossible to make a weird and crazy show starring Lois Lane? It's not like her character is anathema to weird and crazy. She can not only exist in the same crazy world in which Jimmy would exist, but she can also be crazy herself. Lois is an adrenaline junkie who loves going undercover. She's witty and has a myriad of odd contacts around Metropolis and around the world. There's no reason why Lois cannot be just as unique, weird, and crazy as Jimmy Olsen.

The weird and crazy part was not included in the show's pitch, so I didn't consider than angle.

You don't suppose there's a reason for that. He wasn't considered interesting enough for Man of Steel. No one cares about Jimmy Olsen. There is no established fan base for Jimmy Olsen.

Firstly, using representation in Man of Steel is a seriously flawed way of measuring the quality of a character. Jimmy Olsen isn't in that film not because he's a bad character, but the character is far too fun to appear in a film featuring mass genocide, suicide and our worst fears of urban terrorism brought to life. The tonal shifts between all that and a signal watch might be a bit bizarre.

Secondly, Jimmy hasn't had good representation in other media because nothing outside of comics has captured the pure craziness of Superman's world.

There isn't even a Jimmy Olsen Appreciation thread here.

I was going to create one, but I had already created two and I don't want to be a part of the problem; I want to be a part of the solution.

[Superlad93]

It's curious that when the OP suggested a Metropolis show with Lois Lane as the POV character, there were plenty of objections. A Jimmy Olsen show? Awesome! What makes a Jimmy show a better idea than a Lois show?

Pretty much what everyone else said. Jimmy just comes off as inherently more whimsical and wondrous. Almost as much as Superman himself actually. The thing that really sets the two apart is that Jimmy doesn't come with "responsibility" and gravity that Superman does. The Superman 2000 pitch outright says this perfectly

"Part of the fun of Jimmy was that he was the guy who always got to enjoy the same kinds of wild adventures Superman enjoyed but without any of the incumbent responsibilities"

-Superman 2000 pitch https://sites.google.com/site/deepsp...-2000-proposal

Also he hasn't been show much as Mr. Mastermind and yourself pointed out so I'm not over saturated with people pushing the character on me screaming for me to like them. This is done with other characters in DC and in Marvel and I get burned out on it if it doesn't feel natural.

Jimmy's a diamond just waiting to shine if you ask me.

You don't suppose there's a reason for that. He wasn't considered interesting enough for Man of Steel. No one cares about Jimmy Olsen. There is no established fan base for Jimmy Olsen. There isn't even a Jimmy Olsen Appreciation thread here.

I care about Jimmy Olsen.

[Superlad93]

oops!

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[Superlad93]

As far as "stories with Jimmy Olsen as a main character" go, I felt Kirby's take on it (or at least, on the few arcs I've read of it) was a pretty good. Basically, the whole thing worked like an inversed Superhero/sidekick dynamic, where the sidekick is the main character, and the superhero is more in the background. That made Jimmy a character that was pretty badass in his own right (I mean, when your first story involves you becoming the leader of a biker gang with your fists, and fearlessly hunting down a "moving mountain", you pretty much qualifies), but who often was involved in stuff way over his head and needed Superman's help to get out of trouble. Which was a basis he used in the 40's with his Newsboy Legion, but played up to eleven.
Then again, it was Jack Kirby.
As for the "Metropolis" thing.....I guess it could work. Wether or not I would watch it, well......I don't watch many tv shows so it would better have a great artistic team behind it.

That's exactingly the same thing I was thinking. Kirby, All Star Superman, the Jimmy one shot, and his old transformation stories are what I think about when Jimmy comes to mind. Also I agree with your assessment of Kirby's take. He pretty much made Superman into Jimmy's genie in the lamp or his magic word Superhero plot device like 40's Cap. Marvel. To me it was the best and most interesting way to play this. The idea of the sidekick taking the lead in this new way made for great story.

Jimmy has pretty much built up his own unique way of navigating the Superman world that I'd love to see more of. He knows the Legion members by name and was even part of them. He saves the day but more in a crazy only-a-guy-who-watches-too-much-TV-and-reads-too-many-comics-could-come-up-with-this sort of way.

So much untapped potential. The main character of a show would be well within his grasp if anyone put more than 3 seconds of thought to it.

[Auguste Dupin]

Is it impossible to make a weird and crazy show starring Lois Lane? It's not like her character is anathema to weird and crazy. She can not only exist in the same crazy world in which Jimmy would exist, but she can also be crazy herself. Lois is an adrenaline junkie who loves going undercover. She's witty and has a myriad of odd contacts around Metropolis and around the world. There's no reason why Lois cannot be just as unique, weird, and crazy as Jimmy Olsen.

Without stating it is impossible to have a "weird and crazy show" starring Lois, her character has always been more on the "serious" side on the spectrum. She's more about the "real" side of reporting, while Jimmy is the kind of guy who takes being turned into a giant turtle dude in stride, has to fight off a prehistoric superpowered manmade version of himself, and has dressed up as a woman so many times it wouldn't be hard to argue him to be an out of the closet transvestite. Lois would have to do a bit more than dress up as a Stormtrooper to beat him at this game. That's why they're both Superman's friends: both represent different aspects of his life. That's also why he wasn't in Man of Steel: in a wacky setting, he's Superman unofficial sidekick, but in a serious setting, he has no part to play.

[Auguste Dupin]

That's exactingly the same thing I was thinking. Kirby, All Star Superman, the Jimmy one shot, and his old transformation stories are what I think about when Jimmy comes to mind. Also I agree with your assessment of Kirby's take. He pretty much made Superman into Jimmy's genie in the lamp or his magic word Superhero plot device like 40's Cap. Marvel. To me it was the best and most interesting way to play this. The idea of the sidekick taking the lead in this new way made for great story.

Jimmy has pretty much built up his own unique way of navigating the Superman world that I'd love to see more of. He know the Legion by name and was even part of them. He saves the day but more in a crazy only-a-guy-who-watches-too-much-TV-and-reads-too many-comics-could-come-up-with-this sort of way.

So much untapped potential. The main character of a show would be well within his grasp if anyone put more than 3 seconds of thought to it.

Mmmmm. More than a tv show, that sounds like something that would work in a cartoon.
A crazy Silver Age/ All Star inspired self referential cartoon where Olsen gets himself in trouble every episode and him and his pal have to work together to save the day.
Also, he would become Darkseid's archnemesis. Imagine, at the end of each episode....
"I'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME, OLSEEEEENNNNNN!"
Just kidding, just kidding.
Anyway, my opinion is: Lois gets the tv show, Jimmy gets the cartoon.

[Blacksun]

Without stating it is impossible to have a "weird and crazy show" starring Lois, her character has always been more on the "serious" side on the spectrum. She's more about the "real" side of reporting, while Jimmy is the kind of guy who takes being turned into a giant turtle dude in stride, has to fight off a prehistoric superpowered manmade version of himself, and has dressed up as a woman so many times it wouldn't be hard to argue him to be an out of the closet transvestite. Lois would have to do a bit more than dress up as a Stormtrooper to beat him at this game. That's why they're both Superman's friends: both represent different aspects of his life. That's also why he wasn't in Man of Steel: in a wacky setting, he's Superman unofficial sidekick, but in a serious setting, he has no part to play.

For sure there is space for jimmy in a more serious approach.

It's not like lois never had crazy adventures

[Auguste Dupin]

For sure there is space for jimmy in a more serious approach.

It's not like lois never had crazy adventures

Never to the extend Jimmy had.
Even in the Silver Age, she was more "the love interest", than "the sidekick".
Just saying, when Superman goes to the bottle city of Kandor and plays up Batman, Jimmy plays up Robin, not Lois. When Superman and Batman have an annual contest to decide which is the best superhero, Jimmy is Robin's counterpart, not Lois.
Jimmy is the closest thing Superman has to a Robin. Lois is more somewhere between Gordon, Alfred, and Catwoman. Which is a perfectly valid role. Just not the same.

[Flash Gordon]

It's curious that when the OP suggested a Metropolis show with Lois Lane as the POV character, there were plenty of objections. A Jimmy Olsen show? Awesome! What makes a Jimmy show a better idea than a Lois show?

Lois Lane is an adult character with the same moral fortitude as Superman, himself.

Jimmy Olsen can make mistakes and be wacky, Lois is a serious journalist. A show about James Olsen can show all the wonder and awe of the world of Superman, but through the eyes of an average Joe. Plus he comes with a lot of Kirby-induced adventuring skills. Everyone knows that Superman and Lois Lane will be together, but with Jimmy you can do anything. We can watch him try and win Cat Grant over only to be turned down for the fifth time today. We can see him in drag trying to get a picture of some celeb. We can follow him on his motorcycle, across country, trying to get the scoop on some alien space craft landing.

I was not a fan of Erica Durance's Lois Lane at all, so I don't agree with Lois being dressed as a storm trooper. I like my Lois Lane to be more Phyllis Coates/Amy Adams.

[Superlad93]

Mmmmm. More than a tv show, that sounds like something that would work in a cartoon.
A crazy Silver Age/ All Star inspired self referential cartoon where Olsen gets himself in trouble every episode and him and his pal have to work together to save the day.
Also, he would become Darkseid's archnemesis. Imagine, at the end of each episode....
"I'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME, OLSEEEEENNNNNN!"
Just kidding, just kidding.

Please don't be kidding because that sounds AMAZING

Like Darkseid says something like "the most dangerous being standing in the way of my plans". Then a picture of Jimmy Olsen eating a big sandwich on his lunch hour.

God just think the Forever people, new gods, DNA PROJECT crazy transformations, the return of his "for a day" article the list goes on! "I was a Green Lantern cadet for a day", "I was the leader of an alien race for a day" etc. I could read stuff like this for the read or watch stuff like this for the rest of my life!

Anyway, my opinion is: Lois gets the tv show, Jimmy gets the cartoon.

Well absolutely give Jimmy the cartoon. Hell give that man a comic now that I think about it! But I really don't know how long I could watch a live action Lois focused show. I really don't. I'd much rather go for the idea that it's a show about the city and the dawn of the age of heroes. Lois obviously being a big part of this maybe allude Jimmy starting to have crazy adventures but never show them for the most part. Like we catch him at the tail end. Lois would probably do well in the grounded nature of live action TV though.