The Big Freeze

Second grade memories. Election day was approaching . Lyndon Johnson running against Barry Goldwater. One of my classmates comes to school wearing a Goldwater pin on his sweater. The reaction was vitriol by the majority of students. Teased and ridiculed for not choosing the populous candidate Johnson, the boy was wondering what he did wrong until my teacher stepped in and gave a lecture about the right to choose your candidate. Innovative and definitely different, this episode is up there as one of my favorites. Corruption hits Metropolis on Election Day. No it's not the Russians or counter intelligence that sways the voters but the mob run by well dressed double breasted,Duke Taylor (George E. Stone)and his uncouthly, blundering, husky Little Jack (Richard Reeves) No relation to George our Man Of Steel. Our catalyst in all this is the wacky Doctor Watts (Rolph Sedan). Elderly and with a weird rhythm to his sentences as he repeats all his lines by accentuating a certain word. I.E. The title of this review. Anyway I was amazed how Superman not only has superpowers but is so knowledgeable about applying Makeup.Editor Perry White remarks to Clark Kent after his facial application. "Kent You seem to have a bit of a tan!" Let's backup for you outsiders who have never watched the episode before. Doctor Watts constructed a lead box that is filled with tons of compressed Freon gas. Extreme cold which the Doctor believes will take away Superman's powers for a price of 50,000 dollars which is a lot of cabbage.Duke Taylor calls Clark Kent to inform him that Lois Lane and Jimmie Olsen have been kidnapped. Taylor give a specific location and Superman rushed to the scene. Opens the lead box and become a shade of white from head to toe. Our caped crusader tries to fly but can't. Sorry sight for Superman fans.Then Superman changes into his Clark Kent outfit which asks one of the great mysteries of the series. Where does Superman keep his Clark Clothes while being Superman? No one notices a frosty looking man walking into the Daily Planet building (Clark's employer.) Clark goes into Lois Lanes Office and Applies rogue, mascara for the hair and a nice shade of Lipstick. Don't forget to brush your Eye lashes Clark. Anyway as always, things work out as Clark gets a nice commission check from Mary Kay cosmetics. No just kidding! The Mobsters re neg on there cash offer to the naive Doctor Watts which brings him to the Daily Planet as he tells a concerned Clark Kent that Superman will regain his powers by entering ac blast furnace or it might kill him. I give this episode 6 out of 10 electoral votes. Oh by the way, vote for Buckley!

Outstanding episode, in league with the classic comicstrip, likely a springboard to outlandish ideas for writer David T. Chantler. If you're looking for a far different SUPERMAN adventure, this is it. Only debit, the budget is limited, so don't expect spectacular special effects. However, for a 50s tv show, it's good.

Crooks Duke Taylor (George E. Stone) and Little Jack (Richard Reeves) want to rig the elections in Metropolis, also keep Superman out of their way once and for all... They team up with scientist Dr Watts(!), played by veteran actor Rolfe Sedan, who comes up with a revolutionary freezer room. All they have to do is lure Superman into the ice box -- set at 2000 degrees below zero! -- and his powers will become frozen.

George Reeves' "white" makeup is a gas, thanks to artist Lilyan F. Reynolds, who worked on scores of film classics, even doing Elvis' makeup in KID GALAHAD.

Best bit it watching Clark, using a makeup kit in his office, cover up his frozen white face (in seconds!) so Lois, Jimmy and Perry White won't find out his true identity.

Must see episode for its 100 percent camp value. Perfect casting of George E. Stone, who specialized in Runyen-esque characters in scores of classic films. SEASON 4 EPISODE 3 remastered Warner Brothers dvd box set. Features seasons 3 and 4. Classic set with comicbook artwork. Thanks METV for bringing these oldies back.

The opening scene sets the comedic tone for this one as a thug "Little John" (show regular Richard Reeves) swats a fly off a picture on the wall and smashes the glass. It turns out there is no fly. "I was just practicin' for when it's summer again," explains the big dope to his boss "Duke Taylor" (George E. Stone).

Duke is going to rig the upcoming elections "so I can run this town." Little John answers, "Yeah, but Superman don't like it if you fix the elections." So, the plan is to get Superman out of the way. Enter another eccentric scientist (the only kind ever shown on the program) who has an invention on how to kill Superman. "Dr. Watts" (Rolfe Sedan) has invented a freezing room that, if they can Superman to go it in, will freeze all of his powers for up to a week.

Of course, Superman is coerced into going in, does get "neutralized" and now the elections look lost. However, a number of things happen and this winds up being one of the more entertaining of the Superman episodes with a good mixture of adventure, comedy and drama.

First of all, how can the whole election situation rest on such a delicate balance. Thugs at polling places, beating up voters or threatening them, so that the person selected by the mob can take over. Jump to a professor who has a love for "cabbage" to develop a machine that can lower the temperature to -2000 degrees (way below absolute zero) so he can freeze Superman, thereby keeping him from protecting the ballot boxes. They must at least have had a high school science teacher to bounce things off when it came to the laws of physics. The professor is an eccentric little guy who talks very much like Yoda from Star Wars. Anyway, Superman is frozen (sort of). Actually, he turns white and his powers are stripped. Then, as Clark Kent, he uses Lois's makeup to look normal. Can you imagine? The mistake the bad guys make is they get cheap (after all their efforts) and decide to do the Pied Piper thing, where they refuse to pay after the job is complete. This episode really stretches the imagination. Of course, we look at it through modern eyes and as Americans. Other countries might say, "Of course, the elections are rigged and there are guys with machine guns outside the polling place." But the utter lack of oversight here is amazing. Not one of the best efforts.

I love that episode but I always wondered who bought the "frozen" suit. I know it is an collector item. I wish I had the money to buy it but I don't so I hope whoever has it is taking good care of it. I can't swear but I think it is one of a kind. The science in freezing Superman appeared to be a bit flawed. At the time of the episode no one really knew the temperature of the solar system. I guess the writers took poetic license when the script was written. I would truly appreciate any one's comment if I have made a mistake. Is it possible for one to get a copy of an original script. I love to write and I would be very grateful if someone has the access.