Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. 2040 Avenue of the Stars Los Angeles CA 90067 (310) 557 7777

July 19, 1995

LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

Star

Executive Producer

The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel

Pasadena, California

*************************************************************

SHERRIE ROLLINS: Welcome to day two. I hope you all enjoyed last night. We'll start off this morning with "The New Adventures of Superman," and before we start, we'll show a clip of how we left Lois and Clark in the season finale.

[CLIP SHOWN: "LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN"]

ROLLINS: Now I'd like to introduce Dean Cain, Teri Hatcher, and executive producer Bob Singer.

QUESTION: For anyone who'd like to answer, feel free to get as specific as you want to get, when you filmed that scene, was that exactly the point it stopped on, or Teri, did you have another word beyond that final sentence?

TERI HATCHER: [she laughs] Actually, we shot three different endings. And I didn't know what they were going to air until I watched it when the rest of the country did.

So, there were more words.

QUESTION: Do you know at this point in time which of those three endings is being used?

HATCHER: Now? Yes, now I do. But they've had me brainwashed for today's purposes only. [laughter] Yes, I do.

QUESTION: Did you expect it to get to that point at the end of last season? Did you think that's where things were headed? [Cain laughs]

HATCHER: Did I expect that? Do you know what -- it sort of -- I guess around mid-season it started to heat up quickly. And then it felt, knowing, I think, what they wanted to do this year, then it felt real natural to try and get to that point last year.

I don't know -- did we start off this season that way?

ROBERT SINGER: Well, we had that in mind and wanted to see how it went. We felt that the chemistry between Teri and Dean would certainly support this kind of romance. And I think it has.

QUESTION: Dean, Teri -- it's the chemistry between you that just makes this show delightful. I really enjoy it.

Would each of you talk about the other, and say what you find attractive in the other person?

HATCHER: I have to go first, [laughter] since I said it yesterday.

QUESTION: Teri, why don't you go first? [laughter]

HATCHER: It's just -- can I tell this story?

DEAN CAIN: Yeah.

HATCHER: You're going, "Oh, now tell it twice, that's great."

CAIN: Naw -- tell it carefully.

HATCHER: Okay. [she laughs] I'll try and tell it accurately. No, just a couple of days ago we were shooting a scene, and I just commented -- I sort of said -- now on looking back on it, I don't know why I said it like this, but I said, "Isn't it funny that we have this chemistry on--" -- I'm talking to him -- I said, "Isn't it funny that we have this chemistry onscreen, and everybody thinks we're this cute couple, and we're just not attracted to each other at all in real life?"

[she laughs] [laughter]

And he sort of went, "We're not?" [laughter], and then I said, "Well, no, I don't mean, you know, we're not-we're not. It's just, we work together 15 hours a day, and, you know, you know every little pimple and whatever, and how you look. And who's attracted to that?", you know.

And I guess mostly I really just thought, how could anybody be attracted to me if they had to be with me 15 hours a day? [she laughs]

So, that was sort of my answer to that. But, anyways, you go ahead. [laughter]

CAIN: Well, my story won't be nearly as fun. I think, you know, you never really know -- I mean, you may have -- I think you could even have tremendous attraction in real life, and it maybe doesn't transfer to the screen. I think we're just lucky that what we do transfers.

I think for me, I know -- for me, part of what makes it real easy is that Teri is such a fantastic actress. And to be honest, that makes whatever I do, you know, as small as it can be or whatever, it makes it much easier to do.

So I think a lot of that credit goes to her for being, you know, that kind of an actress, because I like to be -- as an actor -- I like to more react as opposed to, you know, cause tremendous turmoil or do things. And she sort of causes a lot of turmoil and does a lot of things. So, for me, it's a lot easier to react off of that.

I think it's just -- you take two different people and you put them together, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

QUESTION: I have two questions. The first is, would you reveal the three endings that you shot? I mean, I'm assuming it's yes, no, and something else. [laughter]

And then, are there any cast changes for this year?

SINGER: There are no cast changes this year, which was a lot different than last year. We're real happy with this cast.

I think everyone on the show is very proud of what we did last year, the distance we came, and just the shows in general.

So, we're back in toto this year, with the same writers, with an addition of some new writers. And I think it'll be a terrific year.

And it was yes, no, and then, tune in. [laughter]

CAIN: YOU saw "tune in."

QUESTION: Dean, which character is easier for you to play, Superman or Clark? And which one's more challenging?

CAIN: Well, I think easier and challenging are the same guy. I mean, I think -- it's, well...Superman, the Superman character is just one facet of what the Clark Kent character is. For me, he's the action character, and he's the perfectly moral guy.

The Clark Kent character has a lot more levels, and is actually much more of a person, and can have fun, and make mistakes, and for me, I really enjoy playing the Clark Kent character more.

If I could control how it happened, and I can't [he laughs], I would have, you know, have Clark do his things, and then all of a sudden when it's time for action, just make Superman -- I get uncomfortable when I have to be Superman and, you know, sit on a psychiatrist's couch and act like a normal person. [he laughs] You know, it's a little hard.

So I would prefer to play Clark most of the time.

But then I talked to a kid on the street and I said, "What's your favorite part of the show?" And he said, "Well, when you fly." So, you know, it's a balance of the two. I mean, I'm quite happy playing both, but it's easier to play Clark, I think.

QUESTION: And as the father of a 13-year-old girl, I'm wondering which -- [he laughs] which character your fans respond more to and find to be sort of a cooler guy, Clark or Superman?

CAIN: Well, I think -- it's kind of -- I think most people like Clark better. And I get letters to that effect, which is really nice, you know: "Well, Superman's nice, but I think Clark is the cuter guy."

They're nice, and I like that, but then again, I know a lot of people turn it on to see people fly, too, you know, to see Superman fly.

So it's hard to say. I would say more of the responses actually come for Clark, but there's quite a strong number for Superman as well.

QUESTION: Dean and Teri -- by the way, congratulations on your TV Guide cover. And I wanted to ask you, following up on Bob's comments about the changes last year -- not only were there cast changes, but with the producer changes there was kind of a thematic change.

Did you have a lot more apprehension last summer going into year two than you do now, when you're going into year three, which is a more indication of a hit and you have two years of work behind you, and two years of acceptance by the audience?

Or is there still an apprehension that maybe the show is not as successful as you'd like, and the characters aren't exactly where you would like them to be?

CAIN: Oh, is that--

SINGER: That's you guys.

HATCHER: This is for us.

QUESTION: That's for Teri and Dean.

HATCHER: I just know that I think we're starting this year off the most prepared. And I think the first couple of scripts I've read are the best of anything that I've read in the last couple of years. And so I'm real excited about that.

The mood around the set is -- well, we've always had a great set to work on, but it's even more like a family that just really knows each other so well, so it's so comfortable and it just seems to be happening very smoothly.

And that feels great. That's a great place to go to work, so I'm real excited about this year.

QUESTION: Teri, to follow up, what was the mood last summer, when you were going into year two when all of these changes were occurring?

HATCHER: Well, I think that the people that we have involved with the show are all, you know, really hard workers and try and give everything their best, so I don't think there was negative feelings.

But I do think it was probably just a little -- I don't think it quite had the organization and the ease that it feels like it has this year.

QUESTION: Dean? Dean, would you answer the same question?

CAIN: Yeah. It's funny, when you take a show -- as a show, we have a chance on the Warner Bros. lot to see a lot of different shows come in, go out, do different things just in the two seasons we've been there.

For us it's been sort of a battle. We came in and we've been sort of battling along in sort of an uphill climb. And now we're doing very well. It's funny because you take a show like "ER," that comes in as an immediate smash hit, they almost have nowhere to go. What can they do? They can only be number one still. We keep climbing, keep climbing, keep climbing -- we keep getting better, and keep getting better, and keep getting better.

So I think this year is the least, you know, apprehension we've ever had, and it's definitely the best prepared we've ever been from A to Z through the whole season. And we're finally -- it's like you have a group that's really a cohesive, strong group.

There are very few changes and we have a very clear idea, and I think we're all excited because the show took a turn, I think, in the middle of last season. And that turn -- I know myself, I got very personally excited about coming to work every single day. And I still have that feeling now.

We're into some territory here, without giving anything away, [he laughs] that is very exciting and very fun, and to be honest, it's a joy to come to work every day.

And to address the last of your issues, I think it was just a lot of confusion because nobody was quite sure, as sure as we are this year, about -- you know, there were cast changes, and everybody has feelings about that, and it takes time to get past the feelings. And there was producing changes.

And there were all these different changes -- no one was really quite positive, maybe, about where they were going to be and how they were going to sit, or whether everything was going to change.

I think this year, we finally, everyone, sort of settled down and we're all, you know, cogs in a wheel and it's clicking pretty well.

QUESTION: Mr. Singer, amid all this optimism, would you comment, please, on the battle. Superman, it seems to me, has a relatively strong opposition this year with "Cybill," "Mad About You" -- the same type of viewers who might be watching your show might defect to the other two situation-comedies.

What do you think about this competitive environment?

SINGER: I don't think they're comparatively tough, I think they're very tough. I'm hopeful that our audience is loyal to us. I think, really, from the beginning of this show, in year one, I think there was a core audience that wanted to watch this show, that stayed with this show through various ups and downs of it, and has enjoyed us in the ups.

And I'm hopeful that that core audience will stay with us. It's a tough time-period, but we're the only drama in the time-period now, so I think that's -- if people want to spend an hour with a show, they'll come to us.

But, you know, we can't look at the ratings, you know, we just can only do the best show we can do, and try to make it the best show we can. And, you know, if it works out in the ratings, that's great, you know, if not, that'll be unfortunate.

But I think that whatever happens to the show, we have to be proud of the show we did. So that's really the ball that we keep our eye on.

QUESTION: You did some interesting things last year with recurring characters who went back over several episodes, like Farrah Forke and Jim Pirri, I guess.

Are you going to do anything like that this season? Are there people coming in for several episodes?

SINGER: Yeah, I mean, that seems to be a formula that's worked. It's worked for me in the past on other shows I've done -- you bring someone in, and if the character works, you bring them back because I think that people, the audience, is comfortable with someone they know. And some stories take longer to, you know, to unfold than others.

So if we find that character this year, certainly, you know, we'll do it -- and re-occur villains as well.

QUESTION: Mr. Singer, can I ask you -- working on "Charlie Grace," how hard is it for you to -- is that right? Yeah, the Mark Harmon show -- trying to get a show like that launched, which must be very difficult, and still kind of shepherding this show, how do you divide your time up?

And do you feel kind of schizophrenic in terms of your attention.

CAIN: Well, Bob's schizophrenic, anyway, so--

QUESTION: Oh, good, yeah.

SINGER: I'll tell you, so far it's worked fine, and I think the reason it's worked fine is that both shows have terrific staffs.

The crew on "Charlie Grace" is basically the same crew we had on "Reasonable Doubts," so there's not a great breaking-in period there. The crew on "Lois & Clark" has been there for a number of years, and the writing staff on "Lois & Clark" is as strong as we've had in the three seasons.

So, while my days are long, it doesn't feel so much as, you know, as putting out fires as just kind of the normal, you know, problem-solving process, making decisions, and, you know, the people are carrying them out great.

So, so far, so good. But, you know, it's July -- ask me in November. [laughter]

QUESTION: Well, let me just follow on that briefly. It sounds like a silly question, but, you know, parents always kind of worry about liking one child better.

Do you feel -- do you have one particular show you like better than the other?

CAIN: He feels very strongly about "Lois & Clark." [laughter]

SINGER: You know, I'll tell you what it's like. You know, you could have a birth child and then you could have an adopted child. You may love them differently, but I think you love them equally.

You know, "Lois & Clark" was not my invention. Deborah Joy LeVine created this show, and left a blueprint that we follow today. And I wasn't on this show in the beginning, and really kind of came in as a caretaker in that first year.

But I think over the last year and a half we've all come to be very fond of each other, and I've learned to love this show a lot, and would be -- You know, a lot of people said, well, you've got the new show on. You'll be leaving "Lois & Clark." And I said, no I won't. There would be too much separation anxiety for me to do that.

I think it's an adopted child and a birth child. And I love them different but equally.

QUESTION: Just to step back for a second, on the recurring villains question, Mr. Singer, you mentioned recurring villains might be coming back. Could you mention some from the past season who might be coming back?

SINGER: We're going to try to get Raquel Welch back. She was a terrific villain. We'll be talking to John Shea, and if his schedule permits and he'd like to do a Lex turn one more time. We'd like that to happen.

QUESTION: Teri and Dean, you keep mentioning the turn that took place in the middle of last season. Can you get really specific about it? What were the elements of that turn? What did the show do, what did your characters do, what did you do to effect that turn? Would you spell it out?

CAIN: I think it's the thing that's also going to make the show this year stronger than it's ever been. I think, what it is, is at the middle of last year we took a turn that sort of weaved like a common thread between this episode, to the next episode, to the next episode. More so than having episodes that just sort of stood on their own. And the relationship between Lois and Clark was progressing. Things happened.

And I think for me, without a doubt, that's what it was that made things work. And I think this year, again, it goes back even to his comment here about people coming in for three and four episodes, guest villains and people like that. Sort of a common thread weaved between. It's a story that keeps going on, it keeps going.

And I think that's a lot of what makes it work. And obviously that's the biggest thread that's weaved and things that continue going on is the relationship between Lois and Clark, how that evolves within the framework of whatever happens to be going on in Metropolis at the time.

QUESTION: Robert, to continue with that, I assume that doing that was your idea -- to make the continuing thread. And if not, whose was it? And how did you come to that conclusion that that would work?

SINGER: The continuing thread of...?

QUESTION: Well, do you agree that that's what made the show turn and gain in popularity? And who made that decision and how did you get to that decision?

SINGER: Well, the decisions -- creative decisions are sort of made by committee, in that myself and the writers, and other producers get in a room and fight with each other for a couple of days until we reach an accord of what we think the best way to go is. But I have the most votes.

I think what happened is that we found when we got bold in storytelling, doing shows like "Resplendent Man," which we has Leslie Jordan playing a superhero, and allowing Teri and Dean to react to these kind of things and let them be the --they have their feet on the ground, and what's going on around them is a little nuts. The audience seemed to respond to that kind of thing.

Also, we found that the more romantic they got, the more we pushed them into a romantic place, the audience seemed to respond to that. You could almost chart the ratings of the week following some real push in the relationship, and you would see the ratings would spike. So it doesn't take, you know, a genius to say this is the path that we should pursue.

And we mapped it out very specifically for the last half of the season to end up where we did. And it worked. I mean, you never know. But you know, we took a definite, decided course and fortunately for us it worked out.

QUESTION: And a question for Teri, probably before you were born, there was a poster of Farrah Fawcett that made her a lot of money. And now I read about this thing on the internet. I don't get the Internet. Is that going to be a poster for you? And are you going to ever be able to make any money off this famous picture that everyone's downloading?

HATCHER: Well, I was born when that poster was out. [laughter] You know, it's just not something that's -- I mean, I didn't do that picture to say, hey, let's have a picture be the biggest picture downloaded on the Internet. That was just part of our last year's ABC photo gallery. Which, you know, we sort of do a single shot, and a double shot. And that was just one shot that was taken. And people happened to respond to it. And I think it's a good shot.

But, you know, it's not where my focus is about -- if I'd want to make money off a -- I mean, I don't really have any desires to have my poster be everywhere. [laughs] I guess it's flattering, but it's just not something that I really think about. It's sort of a result that's happened.

QUESTION: Teri, is it my imagination or has Lois really mellowed out over the past two years? And if that's true,

was that a conscious thing that both you and the writers decided to make her, you know, less assertive, less pushy, demanding as she was in the original couple of episodes?

HATCHER: Do you think she's less pushy?

SINGER: I don't see it that way. I think we're just more used to her. [laughter]

HATCHER: I sort of think that, too. I think what's happened, rather than her really becoming less assertive is that through the relationship with Clark you have begun to see, and will continue to see more of a vulnerable side of her that I think always existed.

But when you start with a character that's like Lois -- which is a really strong woman who has a lot of defenses up, I think when it comes to relationships and dealing with people some insecurities and some fears that make her respond the way she does -- it's going to take a while to break that down and begin to see another part of this human being. I don't think it's that it necessarily changes.

And what's nice for me in some of the work we're doing this year is that you see those moments of, you know, where you can clearly see that a person has a decision to either say, "Okay, I forgive you," or to get really stubborn, and defensive, and be like, "Well, fine. Just fine. I'm leaving," you know. And you can see her really working those two choices. Being very conscious about what she should do and how she should act. And that's fun for me as an actress.

So I don't really think she's changed. I just think the journey of this series is developing her more and more.

QUESTION: Just a brief follow-up, I asked that because a lot of the women that would write or call me at first said they really didn't like Lois. And that seems to have changed. And maybe it's a metamorphosis that you've described. But I wonder, what kind of reaction do you get from the women fans of the show that write in and call?

HATCHER: Well, one experience that I had which was just one of my favorites -- because one of my very best friends from grade school is in the political arena up in Sacramento, so she's a very smart, you know, working woman. And she had said to me that all the women in her office just love Lois, and love that she's so tough, and smart, and you know, goes after what she wants. And it made me feel great that women like that were responding to this character. QUESTION: This is for Mr. Singer, what does your audience reach? I mean, your demographics that you --?

SINGER: We're a demographic dream, actually. Clearly we're very good with kids and teens. And we're very good with females 18-49. A little less good with males 18-49. But we're not weak in any demographic category except the over 50s. Although my mother is really out there trying to get those people. [laughter]

And being over 50 myself I am not sure why that's such an invaluable demographic. [laughter] So, no, across the board we're good. But we're strongest, I think, with kids. We're like a 29-30 with kids.

QUESTION: Dean, your latest bio says you're writing several scripts for the new season. Could you be specific on the number of episodes that Bob has commissioned you to write?

CAIN: I can be very specific. One. [laughter] Bob says --it's really difficult to write scripts for the show, and I do have a full time job. You know, the number stands at one.

QUESTION: Why don't you just give us a little tease what your script will be about.

CAIN: One second. [sotto] Can I go ahead and do it?

SINGER: Yes, yes you may.

CAIN: See, you've got to turn to the boss there. The script that I'm dealing with actually, it's a virtual reality script. It's based around Virtual World and the villain is a computer person who downloads a lot of pictures of Teri on the Internet. [laughter] It's actually, it is a virtual world that is created, and some things happen inside there. And there could be some really interesting things that happen with the casting if things can work out well. We have a lot of ideas and things.

I wrote the Christmas episode last year, which I enjoyed and I wanted to write. I feel much more strongly about this episode as a concept, as an idea. I think it has a lot of, you know, action and romance, and a lot of fun things. There's a lot of things that I'd like to have happen in there that haven't happened yet.

QUESTION: Was this a concept you developed, or did Bob have it and he threw it to you, and said if you want to write one script you can do this one? CAIN: Actually, no, it's a concept that I developed. I mean, when I write a script for "Lois & Clark," I am like any other writer. The only thing about me is that I can get a meeting more easily, I think. But then I've got to come in and I have to pitch it. And I have to come back in and pitch it again, and pitch it again. And I have to pitch it to everybody, and I have to basically get everyone to agree. And they listen and I get the comments just like a writer would. It's just the same.

It's actually a concept that a friend of mine from college, actually my closest friend in college, he came up with this concept for it. And then from there we sort of developed the idea. And then I came in and pitched it. He's hard to hook, Mr. Singer is. Because I had to come in two or three times before he actually said okay.

QUESTION: Teri, is playing Lois enough for you? Or do you have aspirations to write or direct episodes?

HATCHER: Of "Lois & Clark?"

QUESTION: Yes. [long pause] You can say no.

HATCHER: No, no, no, no, no. I definitely have aspirations to direct. I think, though, I probably won't start with directing "Lois & Clark." Just because it would mean I'd have to prep over the Christmas vacation. And we work, you know, 14 hours a day, nine months a year. And those are like a precious five days I think I need to myself. But right now, I just --you know, I did another movie on my hiatus. And I'm really concentrating on doing high-quality feature film work as often as I can.

QUESTION: Dean, correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem to have taken your shirt off a lot more on-camera the first season, than you did the second season. And was this a conscious decision or -- and what do you feel about that, that -- well, you have certainly proven yourself more than just a pretty face. So what do you feel about people looking at you the way they used to look at women, looks first and then they discover personality and intelligence?

CAIN: Well, that goes back to the famous Teri Hatcher quote. First time she met me, she goes, "Oh, all right, pretty packaging, but there's nothing upstairs."

HATCHER: Did I say that?

CAIN: Yeah, something like that. Isn't that what you said?

HATCHER: See, he's exaggerated this over two years.

CAIN: What did you say?

HATCHER: That's not what I said.

CAIN: What was it -- what was it then?

HATCHER: Well, I don't know, but I never called you a pretty package.

CAIN: You said, "You have nothing going on" or you said something like, you know, "Yeah, okay, cute, he's got nothing upstairs."

HATCHER: I don't think I said cute.

CAIN: Oh, what did you say then?

HATCHER: I said, "There's nothing going on." No, I'm just kidding. No, I don't remember what I said.

CAIN: Well, I -- you know, it's just what's written, what happens. I mean, I think--

HATCHER: I was still picturing -- imagining you with your shirt off. I don't remember what I said.

CAIN: I wasn't even aware, actually, one to the other. I don't know. I mean, it's not such a big -- it's like -- I guess you could liken it to nudity in films. If it's necessary, great. If it works for what's going on, then it works. If it's not -- if it doesn't do something to the story, doesn't make something happen, I don't know -- you know, there's really no reason for it. I don't know why they -- you know, had me stop taking--

HATCHER: Can we get his shirt off more this season?

QUESTION: Is there a clause in your contract that you have to stay buff?

CAIN: Is there a -- there is no clause in my contract that says I have to stay buff. But it'd probably be pretty bad if I got out of shape. Yeah, it'd be -- it's a hard -- I tell you what, it's so difficult during the year to work out. It is so hard with the demands of time and, as it is, just from the amount of work that I do and the way I have to travel to and from work, I'm at home nine and a half hours a day, in which period -- that period of time, I get to sleep, eat, feed my dogs, go through any mail, do anything I want at home, including work out. And if you do the math on that, it's not enough time to get everything done. That's basically what it comes down to. And it gets really, really difficult.

I mean, I could sleep ten hours a day, after the hours we work. So it's really tough to stay in shape and keep working out and keep working out. So if I could get a clause in my contract that says that, I'd love to have it.

QUESTION: They don't have a gym at the studio for you?

CAIN: They have a gym at the studio. But it's not that easy. You say, well, why can't you work out over your lunch period? Well, that's your one hour of the day for sanity and time to sit down and eat. Plus, you have your make-up on. I mean, I don't know how many people want to go in there and work out, full make-up, and then, you know, you have to re-apply it, take it off, or whatever. You know, it. just takes time. Everything takes time. It comes down to time management.

And it's really, really difficult.

An ideal situation would be to come in the morning, work out, go to work, and then that's the day, but it's all about trying to schedule the day. It's really difficult.

QUESTION: Following on an earlier question about scriptwriting, it looks as though most of your down-time from "Lois & Clark," you spend writing scripts, either for feature films or other TV. What kind of feature films have you written and how much of your time do you spend writing scripts?

CAIN: Well, I started as a writer. I really started everything as a writer. And I only became an actor, because I needed to make money. And then it turned into something that started to become a career, and it is now, obviously, is a career. So it's a big love of mine, writing. I really enjoy that .

As far as the amount of time, I mean, I'm really project-oriented. If I have -- like, I have an episode to write, I spend a lot of time working. If I don't, I may just relax or whatever. I've written ---- most of the features that I've written in the past were written for my father. They're the amount of work that I do and the way I have to travel to and from work, I'm at home nine and a half hours a day, in which period -- that period of time, I get to sleep, eat, feed my dogs, go through any mail, do anything I want at home, including work out. And if you do the math on that, it's not enough time to get everything done. That's basically what it comes down to. And it gets really, really difficult.

I mean, I could sleep ten hours a day, after the hours we work. So it's really tough to stay in shape and keep working out and keep working out. So if I could get a clause in my contract that says that, I'd love to have it.

QUESTION: They don't have a gym at the studio for you?

CAIN: They have a gym at the studio. But it's not that easy. You say, well, why can't you work out over your lunch period? Well, that's your one hour of the day for sanity and time to sit down and eat. Plus, you have your make-up on. I mean, I don't know how many people want to go in there and work out, full make-up, and then, you know, you have to re-apply it, take it off, or whatever. You know, it. just takes time. Everything takes time. It comes down to time management.

And it's really, really difficult.

An ideal situation would be to come in the morning, work out, go to work, and then that's the day, but it's all about trying to schedule the day. It's really difficult.

QUESTION: Following on an earlier question about scriptwriting, it looks as though most of your down-time from "Lois & Clark," you spend writing scripts, either for feature films or other TV. What kind of feature films have you written and how much of your time do you spend writing scripts?

CAIN: Well, I started as a writer. I really started everything as a writer. And I only became an actor, because I needed to make money. And then it turned into something that started to become a career, and it is now, obviously, is a career. So it's a big love of mine, writing. I really enjoy that .

As far as the amount of time, I mean, I'm really project-oriented. If I have -- like, I have an episode to write, I spend a lot of time working. If I don't, I may just relax or whatever. I've written -- most of the features that I've written in the past were written for my father. They're ghost-writing, writing behind him, clean-up work, unpaid, you know, slave labor that he had to get for me.

And so, it was -- a lot of my time was spent doing that. I've only written two spec feature films and those -- on one of them, I was a fledgling writer, and the second one, I've had options -- you know, possibilities to option the thing, but I haven't had time to really write another feature, anything of that nature, since I started working on "LC."

I had, in fact, to negotiate out of a contract with Hollywood Pictures, because I just didn't have time to write at their pace. With "LC," it's easier because everything's established. The characters are established. Then you hone the storyline. It's easier to make the episode work. As opposed to going out and writing a feature. So, I'm very project-oriented.

QUESTION: So beyond this, would you rather be a writer than an actor, do you think? Long term?

CAIN: I'd like to do both. But the fact of the matter is, you know, if I put my face through a windshield tomorrow, I'll still be able to make a living as a writer and that's --that's a nice, strong place to be able to go to. And you may not be able to do that as an actor.

QUESTION: Mr. Singer, you've embarked, I think, on probably the most dangerous path for series television in developing and progressing a romance between your two lead characters. And knowing how far to take it, where to stop it, how to handle it when it stops. Which way? You raise audience expectations and the audience is obviously responding to it.

So it seems to me you're in a very delicate area here in plotting out how to handle this romance as the seasons progress. Can you share with us some of the thoughts that you and your staff have had about this very issue?

SINGER: As soon as Mr. Harbert shares them with me. Hi, Ted.

SINGER: Yeah, no, it's -- the dangerous waters, but I --we're more convinced that you can't play a pat hand, I think, especially in a really highly competitive time period like we're in. So you know, our plan is you take it forward, you put up an obstacle and a roadblock and it drops back two steps. And you take it forward and you try to keep it interesting, to let the audience say -- know that this is where our finish line is. This is where we'd like to go. This is where we want the relationship to go in any given period of time.

And the fun of it should be what are the obstacles along the way? And once you reach that goal, then you set a new goal for "Lois & Clark." And that's down the line. And then the fun of it is watching those obstacles and how they deal with that.

I think our plan for this year is really well-mapped out. And I don't feel that there's any real lulls, that the audience will be getting bored; that you'll feel like it's continuing onward and forward.

And yet it takes a while to get where we're going. So I think that's the best answer I can give you. I can't really speak to next year because we'll deal with that if and when there is a next year.

ROLLINS: This will have to be the last question right here.

QUESTION: Dean, early in the first season, you were talking about the long days and the lack of free time, and you seemed to be somewhat overwhelmed by it. Now it just seems to be part of your life. And you're also writing scripts. Can you describe the process that you had to go through to get from that to this, even though it seems like it's the same amount of time?

CAIN: Actually, it's kind of funny, because it's basically, to me -- it's like going to college. When I went to Princeton as a freshman, I worked so hard in the classroom, and it just didn't seem to be getting me anywhere. I was going crazy. I remember the first exam I ever took, I got an 86 on. I thought, that's great. It ended up being a "C," because the curve changed. I'm like, where am I at school, these people are crazy. And it was difficult.

And then I couldn't seem to figure out -- there was such a course load, there was so much going on -- I couldn't seem to figure out how to adjust and get everything going. By the end of my senior year, my grades had improved substantially, and I seemed to have a lot more time to do things.

So I think it's just, again, it's time management. You get used to it, you adjust to what you have. You know that you're going to be working these hours. Instead of it seeming like there's no light at the end of the tunnel, I think then we see at the end of the day, you do actually go home. And there is time, and there's little places here, and you find the little pockets of time. And you also learn how to relax.

You know, I was -- I think I spent the entire first season so amped up, just the fact that I had a job like this, you know, that I tired myself out.

And it's a nice thing to be able to relax a lot more now.

QUESTION: Was there anything that you had to give up that you used to like to do?

CAIN: Yeah, well, I don't get to play basketball and sports as much as I like to. And probably to my benefit, I don't get to go out as much as--

SINGER: He only dates one woman now.

CAIN: [laughs] And so basically, it's just -- you know, I think I've grown up in the last two years as well. And so things change. Sort of your goals and your things that you find important change. It's no longer really important to go out to a nightclub, you know. It just doesn't do anything for you.

ROLLINS: Thank you very much.

CAIN: Thank you.