Where to watch Superboy (19
2 Stars
Clark discovers that Luthor is trying to fix some of the school’s basketball games so that he make a killing in betting. And the way he does that is, that he has a photo of the team’s star player in a compromising position that if it got out it would ruin his career.
Original Air Date: 11/26/1988 – “The Fixer”
The eighth episode of the first season of “Superboy” falls back into the mediocre category after a promising seventh episode. The producers aim to transform the series to appeal to both teenagers and the adolescent demographic. “The Fixer” reintroduces Lex Luthor, portrayed poorly by Scott Wells, as Superboy’s main source of criminal disruption. Luthor and his accomplice Leo, who may or may not have a romantic relationship, echo Gene Hackman and Ned Beatty’s interpretations from the Richard Donner-directed Superman films. The storyline revolves around college basketball and whether a star player is willing to shave points for Luthor.
My biggest issue with “The Fixer” is that, while it addresses a relevant and worthwhile topic, it fails to integrate Superboy meaningfully into the solution. The writer resolves this dilemma by making Superboy the referee for the climactic game, a ludicrous plot twist that is even more ridiculous when portrayed onscreen. John Haymes Newton zooms up and down the court, trying to monitor the action and ensure a fair outcome. The gymnasium already feels small, and it becomes even more cramped with Superboy “flying” around the auditorium.
Scott Wells consistently delivers stilted line readings, making him the weak point of yet another episode. Meanwhile, James Hampton, co-star to Burt Reynolds in “The Longest Yard” and Michael J. Fox in “Teen Wolf,” is billed but has minimal presence in this sports-themed installment. “The Fixer” earns some recognition for introducing harsher elements to the story, but ultimately, it remains a middle-of-the-road episode.
Directed by: Colin Chilvers
Written by: Alden Schwimmer
Starring: Michael Landon Jr., John Newton, James Hampton