Television series
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
A 1990s romantic-comedy take on Superman that sidelines the cape for witty newsroom banter and will-they-won't-they tension. Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher have genuine chemistry, and the show treats the identity-concealment premise as a genuine relationship obstacle rather than plot mechanics. It's pulp with heart, pitched somewhere between action-adventure and screwball comedy. Perfect if you want superhero stories that remember fun exists.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you love a romance-driven superhero show where the banter between two leads does more work than the villains, and you don't mind a polished 1990s network look.
Skip it if you want relentless action or dark, gritty stakes, since this is a bright, glossy romance with fights kept comparatively light and an hour-long episode format.
What it asks of you: Roughly an hour a week over four seasons, with the romance simmering slowly and each episode's trouble wrapping up tidily before the next one begins.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Smallville2001
Ten seasons of Superman mythology that takes itself seriously but never loses its sense of wonder. Excellent character work, genuine stakes, and the slow-burn relationship with Lois feels earned rather than inevitable.
But The early seasons lean heavily into soap-opera plotting, and some of the villains-of-the-week feel like filler in a show this long.

The Flash2014
A modern superhero show with the same balance of humour and heart. Fast-paced, genuinely funny, strong ensemble cast, and it remembers that superpowers are fun rather than tragic burdens.
But The later seasons lose focus and the show sometimes repeats its own beats. The time-travel plotting gets exhausting.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.2013
Scrappy underdogs learning to be a team. Excellent chemistry across the cast, surprises when you think you know where it's going, and genuinely moving character arcs without abandoning its sense of fun.
But The first season takes a while to find its feet, and the Marvel tie-ins sometimes feel obligatory rather than organic.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Ms. Marvel2022
Both use the superhero premise as scaffolding for a genuine love story. Both believe the relationship is more interesting than the fight sequences.
A generation-skipping meditation on what it means to inherit a legacy. Absolutely gorgeous filmmaking, brilliant character work, and it understands that romance and superheroism both require vulnerability. Fresh without being slick.
But The climax relies on exposition dump explanations that undercut the emotional work. If you want straight action spectacle, you'll be disappointed by the show's focus on internal conflict.

More like this (8)
Wonder Woman1975
Lynda Carter as Diana is pure joy—elegant, funny, powerful, and utterly charming. The 1970s aesthetic is camp in the best way, and the show knows exactly what it is without apologizing.
But The writing is inconsistent and many episodes feel slight. Some of the plots haven't aged well, and pacing can drag in the middle.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century1979
1980s space opera with a goofy charm and surprisingly good character work. Erin Gray is excellent, and the show balances action sequences with genuine emotional beats better than you'd expect.
But The special effects are dated to the point of distraction, and the show sometimes mistakes quirkiness for comedy.

The Incredible Hulk1977
Bill Bixby as Bruce Banner carries this with quiet intensity and genuine pathos. The transformation scenes were cutting-edge, and there's real melancholy underneath the action.
But Very episodic—each week is nearly identical in structure. Slow pacing that can feel tedious, and the Hulk himself (Lou Ferrigno) is stiff and underused.

Dharma & Greg1997
Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson have electric chemistry. Smart, snappy writing, genuine warmth between the leads, and the show trusts the audience to keep up with its banter.
But The supporting characters are thinner than the leads, and some of the broader comedy hasn't aged gracefully. Later seasons lose what made it special.

Beauty and the Beast1987
Moody, romantic, genuinely emotional. The 1980s production design is striking, and there's real tenderness in how it treats its central relationship and the New York setting.
But Uneven writing and some episodes are genuinely boring. The show is slow-paced even by 1980s standards, and the logic of its world can feel fuzzy.

M.A.N.T.I.S.1994
Short-lived but charming martial-arts adventure with actual character development. Crisp action sequences and a genuine attempt to do something different with the superhero genre.
But Only lasted two seasons for good reasons—the premise wears thin fast, and the writing doesn't have the depth to sustain it.

Alias2001
Both centre on a protagonist hiding their true identity from their love interest as the actual engine of the story. Both treat that concealment as a real emotional problem, not just a plot device.
Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow: a spy with a double life, constant genre-shifting from espionage to supernatural to action-comedy, and a central romantic tension that feels genuinely unresolved for years. Propulsive and emotionally complex.
But The mythology gets increasingly baroque and some seasons lose the thread entirely. The final season is a noticeable step down in quality.

Moonlighting1985
Both are fundamentally romantic comedies wearing a genre costume. Both believe the tension between the leads is more important than whatever plot is supposed to be happening that week.
The template for every witty will-they-won't-they on television. Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd have chemistry that could power a city. Fast, clever dialogue, genuine mystery plots, and it commits completely to the romantic tension as the show's actual subject.
But The first season is uneven while it finds itself, and the later seasons suffered from real behind-the-scenes chaos that shows on screen. Some episodes are frustratingly slight.

People
Cast
Production
- Chris LongAssociate Producer
- Tony PalermoAssociate Producer
- Deborah Joy LeVineCo-Executive Producer
- Dean W. BarnesCo-Producer
- David JacobsExecutive Producer
- Robert ButlerExecutive Producer
- Robert SingerExecutive Producer
- Mel EfrosProducer
- Thania St. JohnProducer
- Bryce ZabelSupervising Producer
- Dusty KaySupervising Producer
Recommended by
Wonder Woman, Adventures of Superman, Jonny Quest, The Lone Ranger, Howdy Doody, Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century, The Adventures of Superboy