Changes: Superman's Pal

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Superman: TAS episode

"Superman's Pal"

Airdate:

February 20, 1999 (USA)

Production Number:

048

Airdate Order:

49

Episode navigation

◄ Previously produced

Next produced ►

"In Brightest Day..."

"Legacy, Part I"

◄ Previously aired

Next aired ►

"In Brightest Day..."

"A Fish Story"

"Superman's Pal" is the eighth episode of the third season of Superman: The Animated Series, and the 49th of the overall series. It depicts the problems Jimmy faces when Angela Chen dubs him "Superman's Pal" on TV. Now people are flooding to him asking for favors and looking for the chance to meet Superman. When Jimmy realizes that this can help him gather the attention of a girl he's interested in, he soon finds that she's allied with one of Superman's deadliest enemies.

Plot

It's another day in the Daily Planet and the new intern Tina walks around with her excessive jewelry clanking. Jimmy watches her with desire and tells Clark that though he has asked her out she's rejected him twice. A TV newscast shows that there's a car chase just outside the building and Jimmy goes to take pictures, while Clark sneaks off to become Superman.

Superman easily apprehends the fleeing truck, but Angela Chen tells her pilot to get lower, as she "wants a better shot". Her helicopter crashes into another, causing it to crash into a bridge. Superman manages to get the helicopter to safety, but the bridge starts to collapse. Superman tells Jimmy to get the crew out of the helicopter while he fixes the bridge. After the chaos is over, Superman refuses to give Angela a statement and thanks Jimmy for his help. Angela, looking to cover for her lost footage, asks Jimmy for an interview. He politely refuses, claiming he wouldn't be comfortable, nor would really call himself a close friend of Superman.

File:Angela Jimmy fame.jpg

Angela Chen glamourizes Jimmy Olsen.

Later, a newscast shows Angela interviewing Jimmy. However, the interview has been edited so that when Angela asks about Jimmy's relationship to Superman, it appears that he's saying that he and Superman are friends. Angela then claims that Jimmy is Superman's pal. Tina then follows after Jimmy and asks him out, much to his delight. Shortly afterward, people start to call Jimmy "Superman's pal", and he is given a free meal at a fancy restaurant. Jimmy talks to Tina about Superman and takes credit for a lot of things he didn't do. While Jimmy talks, he discovers the downside of being called Superman's pal. A group of thugs recognize him and attack to get back at Superman. Tina calls for Superman's help and he comes to save Jimmy. Superman tells Tina that he does see him as a friend, but Jimmy should clear up the "pal stuff".

File:Jimmy runs.jpg

Jimmy chased by his adoring public.

The next day, Jimmy tries to get Angela to take back the story, but she refuses. People start to ask Jimmy for favors, such as giving Superman a thank-you note, inviting him to a party, getting him to do commercials, asking him to attend charity dinners, and having people turn down their music. He is also chased by a large group of girls who are more interested in meeting Superman than Jimmy himself. Tina shows up and helps Jimmy escape.

File:Tina Metallo kiss.jpg

Tina and Metallo kiss.

Tina takes Jimmy to a junkyard where she reveals her real love: Metallo, who is angry with her for bringing him Jimmy rather than Lois. Tina assures him that Jimmy's just as good. Jimmy tries to escape in Tina's car, but the keys are gone and she uses a magnet to drop him into the car masher. The masher is activated, but the car is crushed only enough to trap Jimmy inside, not to hurt him.

Clark overhears a distress call from Tina and heads off to the junkyard. Jimmy tries to warn Superman, but it's too late. Metallo ambushes Superman and pummels him. Jimmy manages to escape the car and confronts Tina, but her fighting skills are much greater than his. However, Jimmy manages to lock her in a closet and activates the magnet, capturing Metallo and dropping him into the masher. Metallo manages to escape and fights Superman some more, but Jimmy manages to get Metallo to fall in. The masher is activated and Superman keeps Metallo inside.

At first, it seems that Metallo has been defeated, but he soon emerges unscathed and hits Superman with Kryptonite rays. Jimmy picks up a car battery and hurls the acid at Metallo. While Metallo's body is unharmed, the Kryptonite falls out of his chest and he falls in after it, but does not re-emerge.

Later, Superman counsels Jimmy and then gives him a watch that can release a distress signal should he ever get into trouble again.

Continuity

Angela Chen puts her own spin on several of Jimmy's past encounters with Superman:
- She credits him with saving Superman from the Parasite, in "Feeding Time", which is true; and from Luminus, in "Solar Power", which is not.
- She also mentions him going undercover to crack Intergang's connection to Apokolips in "Little Girl Lost, Part I", but inaccurately states that Jimmy did so at Superman's request.
In Justice League, "Only A Dream, Part II", Superman has a nightmare that his powers grow beyond his control and people are now fleeing from him in terror, except his "pal", Jimmy.
Jimmy uses the signal watch in "A Fish Story" when a ship he is on is attacked by a killer whale. He still has it in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Question Authority", when Huntress kidnaps him and uses it to summon Superman for a private meeting.

Background information

Home video releases

Production inconsistencies

There are a few moments where Jimmy Olsen's eyebrows change from black to orange.
When Jimmy listens to the man telling him about a time when Superman saved him from a sinking boat, his irises go invisible, revealing the background of buildings behind him as he walks.
When Superman flies out the window of Perry White's office, it can be seen that when Lois Lane holds up her skirt so that her underwear cann't be seen, her skirt goes through her hands.

Trivia

Final appearance of Metallo in the series. He reappears in the Justice League episode "Hereafter" and Justice League Unlimited episode "Chaos at the Earth's Core".
Jimmy does have a Superman Signal watch in the comics. In the Silver Age, it was a gift from Superman. However, in the Post-Crisis comics, he made it himself rather than Superman giving it to him.
"Superman's Pal" was a series of Olsen-centric comics during the Silver Age. Several of them featured Olsen gaining superpowers.
Bruce Timm has referred to this episode as one of the worst of the series (and of the entire DCAU), most notably on the third DVD collection of the series, albeit with a quick compliment to David Kaufman on his performance as Jimmy.
The musical score used during Jimmy's montage is reused from The New Batman Adventures episode "Joker's Millions", when the Joker had a similar montage.

Cast

Actor	Role
Tim Daly	Superman/Clark Kent
Dana Delany	Lois Lane
David Kaufman	Jimmy Olsen
Lauren Tom	Angela Chen
Malcolm McDowell	Metallo
Larry Cedar	Restaurant Owner
Dina Sherman	Tina
David Walsh	Captain Croissant
John Mariano	Short Order Cook
Charles Rocket	Used Car Salesman
Melissa Disney	College Girl

Quotes

Angela Chen: Got time for a statement, Superman?
Superman: You wouldn't want it!

Metallo: Careful. We don't want to damage our collateral just yet.
Tina: Speak for yourself. You didn't have to spend an evening with him.
Metallo: And I thought I was cold-hearted.

Lois: (After her skirt is caught by the wind) I've gotta start wearing pants.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 | production = 048
 | airedorder = 49
-| animation  = [[TMS-Kyokuichi Corporation]]
+| animation  = [[Group T.A.C. Co., LTD.]], [[Jade Animation]]
 | writer     = [[Robert Goodman]]
 | director   = [[Kazumi Fukushima]]
+| prevprod   = "[[In Brightest Day...]]"
+| prevaired  = "[[In Brightest Day...]]"
+| nextprod   = "[[Legacy|Legacy, Part I]]"
+| nextaired  = "[[A Fish Story]]"
+| gallery    = Superman's Pal
 }}
+"'''Superman's Pal'''" is the eighth episode of the third season of {{stas}}, and the 49th of the overall series. It depicts the problems [[Jimmy Olsen|Jimmy]] faces when [[Angela Chen]] dubs him "Superman's Pal" on TV. Now people are flooding to him asking for favors and looking for the chance to meet [[Superman]]. When Jimmy realizes that this can help him gather the attention of a [[Tina|girl]] he's interested in, he soon finds that she's allied with one of Superman's deadliest enemies.
+== Plot ==
-"'''Superman's Pal'''" is the forty-ninth episode of {{stas}}. It depicts the problems [[Jimmy Olsen|Jimmy]] faces when [[Angela Chen]] dubs him "Superman's Pal" on TV. Now people are flooding to him asking for favors and looking for the chance to meet [[Superman]]. When Jimmy finds that this can help him gather the attention of a [[Tina|girl]] he's interested in, he soon finds that she's allied with one of Superman's deadliest enemies.
+It's another day in the ''[[Daily Planet]]'' and the new intern [[Tina]] walks around with her excessive jewelry clanking. Jimmy watches her with desire and tells [[Clark Kent|Clark]] that though he has asked her out she's rejected him twice. A TV newscast shows that there's a car chase just outside the building and Jimmy goes to take pictures, while Clark sneaks off to become Superman.
+Superman easily apprehends the fleeing truck, but [[Angela Chen]] tells her pilot to get lower, as she "wants a better shot". Her helicopter crashes into another, causing it to crash into a bridge. Superman manages to get the helicopter to safety, but the bridge starts to collapse. Superman tells Jimmy to get the crew out of the helicopter while he fixes the bridge. After the chaos is over, Superman refuses to give Angela a statement and thanks Jimmy for his help. Angela, looking to cover for her lost footage, asks Jimmy for an interview. He politely refuses, claiming he wouldn't be comfortable, nor would really call himself a close friend of Superman.
-==Plot==
+[[File:Angela_Jimmy_fame.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Angela Chen]] glamourizes [[Jimmy Olsen]].]]
-It's another day in the ''[[Daily Planet]]'' and an [[Tina|intern]] walks around with her excessive jewelry clanking. Jimmy watches her with desire and tells [[Clark Kent|Clark]] that though he has asked her out she's rejected him twice. A TV newscast shows that there's a car chase just outside the building and Jimmy goes to take pictures, while Clark sneaks off to become Superman.
+Later, a newscast shows Angela interviewing Jimmy. However, the interview has been edited so that when Angela asks about Jimmy's relationship to Superman, it appears that he's saying that he and Superman are friends. Angela then claims that Jimmy is Superman's pal. Tina then follows after Jimmy and asks him out, much to his delight. Shortly afterward, people start to call Jimmy "Superman's pal", and he is given a free meal at a fancy restaurant. Jimmy talks to Tina about Superman and takes credit for a lot of things he didn't do. While Jimmy talks, he discovers the downside of being called Superman's pal. A group of thugs recognize him and attack to get back at Superman. Tina calls for Superman's help and he comes to save Jimmy. Superman tells Tina that he does see him as a friend, but Jimmy should clear up the "pal stuff".
+[[File:Jimmy_runs.jpg|thumb|200px|Jimmy chased by his adoring public.]]
+The next day, Jimmy tries to get Angela to take back the story, but she refuses. People start to ask Jimmy for favors, such as giving Superman a thank-you note, inviting him to a party, getting him to do commercials, asking him to attend charity dinners, and having people turn down their music. He is also chased by a large group of girls who are more interested in meeting Superman than Jimmy himself. Tina shows up and helps Jimmy escape.
+[[File:Tina_Metallo_kiss.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Tina]] and [[Metallo]] kiss.]]
+Tina takes Jimmy to a junkyard where she reveals her real love: [[Metallo]], who is angry with her for bringing him Jimmy rather than Lois. Tina assures him that Jimmy's just as good. Jimmy tries to escape in Tina's car, but the keys are gone and she uses a magnet to drop him into the car masher. The masher is activated, but the car is crushed only enough to trap Jimmy inside, not to hurt him.
+Clark overhears a distress call from Tina and heads off to the junkyard. Jimmy tries to warn Superman, but it's too late. Metallo ambushes Superman and pummels him. Jimmy manages to escape the car and confronts Tina, but her fighting skills are much greater than his. However, Jimmy manages to lock her in a closet and activates the magnet, capturing Metallo and dropping him into the masher. Metallo manages to escape and fights Superman some more, but Jimmy manages to get Metallo to fall in. The masher is activated and Superman keeps Metallo inside.
-Superman easily apprehends the fleeing truck but Angela tells her pilot to get lower as she "wants a better shot." Her helicopter crashes into another causing it to crash into a bridge. Superman manages to get the helicopter to safety but the bridge starts to collapse. Superman tells Jimmy to get the crew out of the helicopter while he fixes the bridge. After the chaos is over, Superman refuses to give Angela a statement and thanks Jimmy for his help. Angela, looking to cover for her lost footage, asks Jimmy for an interview. He politely refuses claiming, "I don't think I'd be real comfortable with that. [...] But it's not like I'd call us pals or anything."
+At first, it seems that Metallo has been defeated, but he soon emerges unscathed and hits Superman with [[Kryptonite]] rays. Jimmy picks up a car battery and hurls the acid at Metallo. While Metallo's body is unharmed, the Kryptonite falls out of his chest and he falls in after it, but does not re-emerge.
-Later, a newscast shows Angela interviewing Jimmy. However, the interview has been edited so that when Angela asks about Jimmy's relationship to Superman he claims that it's "Real comfortable. I'd call us pals." Angela then claims that Jimmy is Superman's pal. [[Tina]] then follows after Jimmy and asks him out much to his delight. Shortly afterward, people start to call Jimmy Superman's pal and he is given a free meal at a fancy restaurant. Jimmy talks to Tina about Superman and takes credit for a lot of things he didn't do. While Jimmy talks, he discovers the downside of being called Superman’s pal. A group of thugs recognize him and attack to get back at Superman. Tina calls for Superman's help and he comes to save Jimmy. Superman tells Tina that he does see Jimmy as a friend but Jimmy should clear up the "pal stuff."
+Later, Superman counsels Jimmy and then gives him a [[Signal watch|watch]] that can release a distress signal should he ever get into trouble again.
-The next day, Jimmy tries to get Angela to take back the story but she refuses. People start to ask Jimmy for favors such as giving Superman a thank-you note, invite him to a party, do commercials, come to charity dinners and force people to turn down their music. He is also chased by a large group of girls who are more interested in meeting Superman than Jimmy himself. Tina shows up and helps Jimmy to escape.
+{{-}}
-Tina takes Jimmy to a junkyard where she reveals her real love: [[Metallo]]. Metallo is angry with Tina for bringing him Jimmy rather than Lois but Tina assures him that Jimmy's just as good. Jimmy tries to escape in Tina's car but the keys are gone and she uses a magnet to drop him into the car masher. The masher is activated but the car is crushed only enough to trap Jimmy inside, not to hurt him.
-Clark overhears a distress call from Tina and heads off to the junkyard. Jimmy tries to warn Superman but it's too late. Metallo ambushes Superman and pummels him. Jimmy manages to escape the car and confronts Tina but her fighting skills are much greater than his. However, Jimmy manages to lock her in a closet and activates the magnet capturing Metallo and drops him into the masher. Metallo manages to escape and fights Superman some more but Jimmy manages to get Metallo to fall in. The masher is activated and Superman keeps Metallo inside.
-At first, it seems that Metallo has been defeated but he soon emerges unscathed and hits Superman with [[Kryptonite]] rays. Thinking quickly, Jimmy picks up a car battery and hurls the acid at Metallo. While Metallo's body is unharmed, the Kryptonite falls out of his chest and he falls in after it. Metallo doesn't re-emerge.
-Later, Superman counsels Jimmy for what happened. He then gives Jimmy a [[Signal Watch|watch]] that can release a distress signal that only Superman can hear.
 == Continuity ==
 * [[Angela Chen]] puts her own spin on several of [[Jimmy Olsen|Jimmy]]'s past encounters with [[Superman]]:
-**She credits him with saving Superman from the [[Parasite]], in "[[Feeding Time]]," which is true; and from [[Luminus]], in "[[Solar Power]]," which is not;
+** She credits him with saving Superman from the [[Parasite]], in "[[Feeding Time]]", which is true; and from [[Luminus]], in "[[Solar Power]]", which is not.
-**She also mentions his going undercover to crack [[Intergang]]'s connection to [[Apokolips]] in "[[Little Girl Lost|Little Girl Lost, Part I]]," but inaccurately states that Jimmy did so at Superman's request.
+** She also mentions him going undercover to crack [[Intergang]]'s connection to [[Apokolips]] in "[[Little Girl Lost|Little Girl Lost, Part I]]", but inaccurately states that Jimmy did so at Superman's request.
-* In {{jl}}, "[[Only A Dream#Part II|Only A Dream, Part II]]," Superman has a nightmare that his powers grow beyond his control and people are now fleeing from him in terror, except his "pal," Jimmy.
+* In {{jl}}, "[[Only A Dream#Part II|Only A Dream, Part II]]", Superman has a nightmare that his powers grow beyond his control and people are now fleeing from him in terror, except his "pal", Jimmy.
-* Jimmy still has the signal watch in {{jlu}}, "[[Question Authority]]," when [[Huntress]] kidnaps him and uses it to summon Superman for a private meeting.
+* Jimmy uses the signal watch in "[[A Fish Story]]" when a ship he is on is attacked by a killer whale. He still has it in the {{jlu}} episode "[[Question Authority]]", when [[Huntress]] kidnaps him and uses it to summon Superman for a private meeting.
-== Background Information ==
+== Background information ==
-=== DVD Release ===
+=== Home video releases ===
 * {{stasdvd3}}
 * [[Superman: The Complete Animated Series (DVD)]]
+* [[Superman Super-Villains: Metallo (DVD)]]
+=== Production inconsistencies ===
-===Trivia===
+* There are a few moments where [[Jimmy Olsen]]'s eyebrows change from black to orange.
+* When Jimmy listens to the man telling him about a time when Superman saved him from a sinking boat, his irises go invisible, revealing the background of buildings behind him as he walks.
+* When [[Superman]] flies out the window of [[Perry White]]'s office, it can be seen that when [[Lois Lane]] holds up her skirt so that her underwear cann't be seen, her skirt goes through her hands.
+=== Trivia ===
-* Final appearance of Metallo before Superman founds the Justice League. He reappears in the {{jl}} episode "[[Hereafter]]" and {{jlu}} episode "[[Chaos at the Earth's Core]]."
+* Final appearance of Metallo in the series. He reappears in the {{jl}} episode "[[Hereafter]]" and {{jlu}} episode "[[Chaos at the Earth's Core]]".
+* Jimmy does have a Superman Signal watch in the comics. In the Silver Age, it was a gift from Superman. However, in the Post-Crisis comics, he made it himself rather than Superman giving it to him.
+* "Superman's Pal" was a series of Olsen-centric comics during the Silver Age. Several of them featured Olsen gaining superpowers.
+* [[Bruce Timm]] has referred to this episode as one of the worst of the series (and of the entire [[DCAU]]), most notably on the [[Superman: The Animated Series, Volume Three (DVD)|third DVD collection]] of the series, albeit with a quick compliment to [[David Kaufman]] on his performance as Jimmy.
+* The musical score used during Jimmy's montage is reused from {{tnba}} episode "[[Joker's Millions]]", when the Joker had a similar montage.
+== Cast ==
-* Jimmy does have a Superman Signal Watch in the comics, however, in the comics he made it himself rather than Superman giving it to him.
-* "Superman's Pal" was a series of Olsen-centric comics during the Silver Age. Several of them featured Olsen gaining super-powers.
-* [[Bruce Timm]] has referred to this episode as one of the worst of the series (and of the entire [[DCAU]]), most notably on the [[Superman: The Animated Series, Volume Three (DVD)|third DVD collection]] of the series. He was quick to compliment [[David Kaufman]] on his performance as Jimmy, though.
-* The musical score used during Jimmy's montage is reused from {{tnba}} episode "[[Joker's Millions]]," when the Joker had a similar montage.
-==Cast==
 {| class="wikitable"
 |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
@@ Line 82: / Line 88: @@
 |}
-==Quotes==
+== Quotes ==
 {{Quotes
 |
-'''[[Angela Chen]]:''' Got time for a statement, Superman? <br>
+'''[[Angela Chen]]:''' Got time for a statement, Superman? <br />
 '''[[Superman]]:''' You wouldn't want it!
 |
-'''[[Metallo]]:''' Careful. We don't want to damage our collateral just yet. <br>
+'''[[Metallo]]:''' Careful. We don't want to damage our collateral just yet. <br />
-'''[[Tina]]:''' Speak for yourself. You didn't have to spend an evening with [[Jimmy Olsen|him]]. <br>
+'''[[Tina]]:''' Speak for yourself. You didn't have to spend an evening with [[Jimmy Olsen|him]]. <br />
 '''Metallo:''' And I thought ''I'' was cold-hearted.
 |
 '''[[Lois Lane|Lois]]:''' ''(After her skirt is caught by the wind)'' I've gotta start wearing pants.
 }}
-{{epbrowser
+[[Category:A to Z]]
-|series    = stas
-|prevprod  = [[In Brightest Day...]]
-|prevaired = [[In Brightest Day...]]
-|nextprod  = [[Legacy]] (Part I)
-|nextaired = [[A Fish Story]]
-}}
 [[Category:Comedic episodes]]
 [[Category:Superman: The Animated Series episodes]]
+[[Category:Episodes written by Robert Goodman]]