Favorite Incarnations of the Superman Characters

Clark Kent/Superman • Tom Welling (Smallville)

Tom Welling, but Dean Cain is SUCH a close second! They are both charming, heroic, striking men who do the most important thing that Clark Kent can do.  They both found their Lois Lane irrefutably charming and amusing -- even when she was driving him a little crazy.  Tom Welling was in my mind, slightly better at being the superhero while Dean Cain was the better "Clark Kent at the Daily Planet".  So together, they both fulfilled the two parts of it perfectly.  Tom Welling in a flannel shirt, uh uh.  He is the superhero. 

Lois Lane • Erica Durance (Smallville)

No question, no competition, there aren't really any other contenders in my book!  Erica Durance is the perfect Lois Lane.  I love her every day.  "Clark has many sides."  "Yeah, I've seen several of them already." <-- LOVE    

Lana Lang • Annette O'Toole (Superman III)

Annette's Lana is the most accurate, genuine, and understandable to me.  I don't want to get kicked out of the Clois fanbase for confessing this, but when I watch Annette's version of Lana Lang with Christopher Reeves's Clark Kent, I actually understand why these two characters find each other so comforting.

I spent years watching Smallville trying to grasp Clark and Lana's 'epic love' and to this day, I still fail to see it or even understand what they have in common.  However, with Annette and Christopher, I understand how being around Lana would feel like going home, how Lana would feel soothing whereas Lois could still feel overwhelming and abrasive in contrast. 

Annette's wide-eyed innocence in the role was spot on and incredibly difficult to pull off.  I am mesmerized every time I watch her in Superman III and I'm a little surprised by how much chemistry she and Chris had.  *don't shoot please*  lol. 

Anyways, other than it taking me a little while to get used to her voice saying, "Clark" in a non-mother/son relationship, she is absolutely my favorite Lana Lang. 

However, Kristin Kreuk's portrayal of Lana Lang and her intense romance with Lex Luthor is still one of my favorite things about Smallville.

Lex Luthor • Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville)

Oh my god!  Michael is beyond beyond...beyond.  Again, he really has no competition is my book.  He should've been given a couple of Emmys for this role.  Lex's dynamic friendship with Clark, how he and Clark were two sides of the same coin, his battle with darkness, everything was pure genius.

I am often bored with shows that make two-dimensional characters.  Lex Luthor's multi-dimensional layers were incredible and through Michael we were able to see everything Lex was going through.  Sometimes, we were even on Lex's side.  That is a great actor.

Jimmy Olsen • Aaron Ashmore (Smallville)

The perfect incarnation of Jimmy.  Innocent, enthusiastic, eager, wonderful.  I loved him.  I also enjoyed Justin Whalin and Michael Landes from Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.