EDITORIAL ROUTING 8-23-94 TO: ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS: NEA is discontinuing the Star View column. The final release will be dated Aug. 30. ‘Lois and Clark’ Cain and Hatcher explore new ground By Frank Lovece It was probably Nietzsche who coined the term “superman,” speak- ing metaphorically of a philosophical ideal. And it was Cleveland teen- agers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster who coined the term “Superman,” speaking about a guy in red and blue tights who socks people and has X ray vision. ‘Somewhere between those margins lies “Lois & Clark: The New Adven tures of Superman” (ABC, Sundays). ‘nd for stars Teri Hatcher (journal: ist Lois Lane) and Dean Cain (Su. perman and his alter-ego, Clark Kent), walking that tightrope is just part of the job. “I don't find his character to be some comic book,” asserts the pug naciously handsome Cain, 28, who in ‘a change of pace from the usual con: ception plays Superman as less a paragon of strength and confidence than as an earnest neophyte still amazed he has these powers. “Kent is a very human person,” Cain says, “It just so happens he has these spe- cial gifts.” Likewise, Hatcher, 29, a super- sultry girl-next-door type, plays Lois, Lane as a step beyond even the hard- charging Lois of the 1950s “Adven- tures of Superman” TV show. “Lois is this terrifically well-round- ed, very challenging woman's role that excites me,” she says, in a sur- prisingly, if endearingly, girlish voice. ‘And even though Phyllis Coates, Noel Neill, Margot Kidder and other past Loises tend to be remembered almost exclusively — an icon of Americana — Hatcher believes her version is “so well-written and such a fun and ter- rific role model that if it's a matter of being always remembered as Lois, Lane, T don’t mind, because I think this is a terrific Lois Lane.” The series, going into its second season, is a more lightheartedly ro: mantic take on the Superman legend, Lois and Clark seem younger and fit er here than in eaflier conceptions (hich include comic books, movie se- Fials, a TV show and a string of movies with Christopher Reeve as a stoic Supes). Hatcher's the first Lois to show cleavage, and Cain, formerly a recurring heartthrob on “Beverly Hills, 90210," is boyish beefcake. As an 8 o'clock, family-oriented show, this simmering sexiness never reaches the steam of Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman in “Beauty and the Beast” (1987-90), and it sometimes seems at odds with some of the show's sillier moments — such as Su- perman swallowing an exploding bomb just lke the cartoon Tasmat an devil, and even burping afterward just like Taz. And society columnist Catherine “Cat” Grant (Tracy Seog- “Lois and Clark,” going into its second season, is a more lightheartedly romantic take on the Superman legend. Lois and Clark seem younger and flirtier here than in earlier conceptions.’ gins) is a cartoonish, rolling-eyed vamp straight out of silent movies. ‘Then again, the relatively serious, straightforward and noir-ish “The Flash” (1990-91) lasted only a season, despite being a well-done show ofits type. But while the “Lois & Clark” producers learned from its failure to concentrate on the romantic ele- ‘ments — ostensibly, to attract female viewers — Cain says he's never tried to build his conception of Superman as not-The-Flash, “L wasn't familiar with (the TV show), to be honest,” he says. “I didn’t See what they did. And I never read comic books. I grew up watch- ing like “The League of Heroes’ on ‘TV in cartoons,” he says, possibly re- ferring to “The Justice League,” but “I wasn't a big comies reader.” But he was a football player: an All American at Princeton who held an NCAA record for the most intercep- tions in one season. (He was also cap- tain of the volleyball team.) Signed to the NFL's Buffalo Bills after gradua- tion, he decided to try acting after a knee injury during training reported: ly ended his pro-football career. He made his film debut with a role in “The Stone Boy” (1984), directed by his adoptive father, Christopher Cain (“Young Guns,” “Pure Coun- try"), a former actor himself (1977's “Force on Thunder Mountain”). Six years later, Dean broke into TV with fan appearance on the Jaclyn Smith series “Christine Cromwell.” He eventually gained attention as Brenda's (Shannen Doherty) summer love on “90210.” Hatcher was a college math/engi- neering major who went on to the prestigious American Conservatory ‘Theater. A dancer, she became a cchorus-line “mermaid” on “The Love Boat.” From there, she had a recur- ring role on “MacGyver,” and was in the casts of “Karen's Song” (1987) and “Sunday Dinner” (1991). After getting into films with a smoldering role in “The Big Picture” (1989), she went on to “Tango & Cash” (1989), “Soapdish” (1991) and other films. Hatcher stars with Alec Baldwin and Erie Roberts in the erotic thriller “Heaven's Pris ‘oners,” which is scheduled to be re- leased this December, and she has a role in “Dead Girl,” with Val Kilmer, which is completed but as yet has no US. distributor. “For a woman who is basically an ingenue type, I'm not as placeable as, people would maybe think,” she says ‘of her image in the public mind. “I get told a lot I have that chameleon kind of quality. T don’t know what that's from. I'm not Italian or Span- ish, which are the two things people think my looks lend themselves to; T'm a real mutt, which maybe has something to do with that chameleon- ish thing.” ‘A mutt she may be, yet Hatcher's anything but a dog. Same with Cain, ‘whose Princeton romances included fellow student Brooke Shields. With that kind of sexiness quotient, this clearly ain't your father's “Superman.” (01994 NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN. STAR VIEW FRANK ji LOVECE 1750 pena wonmponry emitnny sudan 0 sopmaied aon pga edo 20 engi wononpesse 9T8h-12z (008) 99TOT AN ‘H10X MON “ony Hed 00Z NOILVIOOSSV ASIUdUaLNA UadvdSMAN 4