The title "Madame Ex" is a play on the 1966 film title "Madame X," starring Lana Turner and John Forsythe. And while there were several movies with that title, the 1966 film is the most famous.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

1- Lex Tower- home to Dr. Heller’s office at Lex Labs, Dr. Gretchen Kelly’s laboratory, Lex Tower Penthouse
2- Construction Site- where Superman saves a falling man and is met by cheering from some and angry accusations by others who witness the feat. This is the first such confrontation he experiences.
3- Daily Planet- newsroom, break area, elevators, lobby, Dr. Carlin’s office
4- Suicide Slum side street with alley and dumpster
5- City Hall- anti-Superman demonstration outside where City Council is honoring Superman
6- Sheldon Bender’s Office- where reading of Lex’s will takes place
7- Cab of Truck and Street Outside- Arianna and double hijack it, fight over a gun and cause driver to lose control, sending the truck careening along the street
8- Gun shop- where, as Lois Lane, the double buys the gun to be used to kill Superman
9-Grounds of the Queensland Retirement Home- where the ship’s captain, who married Luthor and Carlin, is now living
10- Police station- where Perry and Clark pay Lois’ bail after her arrest
11- The block where MPD building is located has a Billiard/Pool establishment next door, then an art gallery, and a florist shop.
12- The Bureau of Vital Statistics- mentioned by Lois, where she found no marriage certificate for Luthor, despite hours of searching.

ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS

1- The Kent farm- where Clark discusses events with his parents

POWERS USED AS SUPERMAN

1- Flight- rescues falling construction worker, goes to Kansas and along the way buzzes a farmer in a tractor
2- Strength- breaks and fixes a radio transmitter tower while flying and reading a book, stops out of control truck though weakened by kryptonite exposure
3- Breath- neutralizes tear gas by freeze drying it so it can be swept away
4- Heat vision- bores a hole in a fish tank so water will spurt onto unconscious Lois and rouse her

POWERS USED AS CLARK

1- Strength- throws a tire like a lasso to capture a running man
2- Breath- stops a taxi by inhaling and pulling it backwards
3- Hovering- helps Jonathan paint the barn

HINT, HINT!

1-points into the air, then pauses, as he tells a puzzled Perry why he is late for work, in full view of Jimmy and Lois, too.
2-somehow knows Lois keeps candy bars in her desk drawers but she only thinks he’s been going through her drawers and demands to know why

CLARK’S LAME EXCUSES - CLARK’S PRETTY GOOD EXCUSES

1- Tells Perry he’s late for work because “I had a problem dropped on me.” (Falling man)
2- Tells Lois he caught the running homeless man because “he got... tired.”
3- “He must have super hearing”- to explain why a taxi has suddenly returned after passing them by

LOIS’ LAME EXCUSES/ LOIS’ PRETTY GOOD EXCUSES

1- She wasn’t at anti-Superman rally because she was at home eating chocolate...cottage cheese...chocolate flavored cottage cheese...a new fla-...she was doing her laundry!
2- Tells Clark she keeps a box of candy bars in her desk in case of emergency- i.e. if her blood sugar drops drastically low
3- Declares half the media shrinks aren’t real doctors, then when assured by Dr. Carlin that she is a real doctor, Lois says she was talking about the other half

DEVICES

1- New Computer System at Daily Planet- fax modems, new email provider, sound
2- Kryptonite shaped into a bullet

BEEN THERE

No mention of Clark's travels in this episode.

SAY WHAT?

No mention of any of the languages Clark speaks.

HISTORY, HOBBIES, ALL CHARACTERS

Clark Kent

1- is surprised by anger from some people after he rescues falling construction worker
2- reveals to his parents he is worried about Lois because she won’t admit how much the events of her wedding day are affecting her
3- knows what an acrostic is and explains them to Lois and, later, to Perry
4- agrees with Perry that Lois should talk to Dr. Carlin
5- thinks people tearing pages out of phone books to be inconsiderate
6- tells Perry Dr. Carlin was once Mrs. Luthor, she killed Dr. Heller and created the double in order to destroy Lois
7- he carries a beeper and uses it
8- he thinks Lois is brilliant but can’t resist teasing her that there is a fine line between brilliance and lunacy

Lois Lane

1- checks coin returns and picks up dropped coins - until Clark points out the habit
2- tears pages out of phone books
3- admits to Dr. Carlin Lex’s proposal confused her, it was the last thing she was expecting
4- admits she had trouble sleeping after the bombing of the DP
5- was further confused by Clark’s declaration of love and then his recanting of it
6- admits she was attracted to Lex because of what she thought was his humanitarianism and to his power
7- declares she never loved Lex- only Superman- but leaves her feelings for Clark unknown to us but with the implied impression she only loves Superman, as Clark is merely her best friend.
8- was stunned to learn Lex was married before - he’d told her she was his first true love
9- sees her double leaving the DP and follows her. In an alley they exchange insults until Arianna arrives and takes Lois captive at gunpoint.
10- Admits to Clark she does feel better after talking to Dr. Carlin and getting a few things off her chest.
11- used a letter opener to remove kryptonite bullet from Superman’s shoulder
12- once again surprise Perry and Clark by agreeing to take some time off.

Perry White

1- announces the hiring of a new staff psychologist and admits he has never read her column
2- orders Lois to see Dr. Carlin professionally twice
3- he and Clark find subliminal anti-Superman rhetoric in Dr. Carlin’s recent columns
4- says he and Lois have been working together “about five years”
5- questions Jimmy’s choice of birthday presents for his mother but claims he doesn’t meddle in the lives of his employees (reporters)
6- ultimately decides Carlin is one brick shy of a full load

Jimmy Olsen

1- discovers Luthor was married aboard a ship in the Caribbean.
2- follows Superman news in all publications, including rival paper, the Star
3- expresses anger at Lois after seeing the double at the anti- Superman rally on TV- tells her it took a lot guts to do what she did
4- claims his mother is overweight and has allergies as an excuse to give her an autographed book by Dr. Carlin instead of candy and flowers for her birthday. Later returns the book.

Jonathan Kent

1- Tells Clark to give him more warning when coming up behind him
2- wonders why Clark decided to lie to Lois about his real feelings- crossed fingers or not

Martha Kent

1- Tells Clark to continue being patient and understanding with Lois
2- States that Lois seeing Dr. Carlin is the right step

Superman

1- Tells Perry Lois is right, there is a double posing as her
2- Finds Lois’ purse on sidewalk outside the DP Bldg.
3- Convinces Lois she must remove the kryptonite bullet after he is shot
4- Suggests the middle of the Bermuda Triangle might be a good spot away from him to put the kryptonite bullet
5- Can be snarky - tells Arianna Carlin the truck driver who disarms her obviously doesn’t read her column

Arianna Carlin

1- syndicated self-help columnist, “Healing the Inner Self on the Couch”
2- author of best selling book “Subliminal Persuasion”
3- funded creation of Lois II, a double to compromise Lois Lane’s sanity and ruin her
4- used her column to promote anti-Superman sentiment
5- was once married to Lex Luthor, now refuses to be called Mrs. Luthor because she hasn’t been Mrs Luthor for ten years
6- murders Dr. Heller in cold blood with the Lois double as a witness
7- She lies to Perry White and Clark Kent about Lois Lane’s state of mind.
8- She shoots Superman with a kryptonite bullet retrieved from the Luthor penthouse
9- calls Lex the love of her life and believes Lois and Superman betrayed him and are responsible for his death, even though she knows he isn’t exactly dead anymore
10- assures Lois she is a real doctor
11- tells Gretchen that Lex said she was the best physician he ever had
12- tells Lex’s body she has the kryptonite- no reaction in his vital signs
13- suggests Lois might be suffering from post traumatic stress because of her (apparent) erratic behavior and memory loss
14- admits Luthor divorced her though she doesn’t use his name


Lois II/Double

1- is naturally left handed and a blonde
2- thinks Lois is “plain” and a prissy, glorified typist
3- tossed tear gas into the newsroom and told Perry to consider it her/Lois’s two weeks notice
4- identifies herself merely as “an accident victim in the right place at the right time”

Dr. Gretchen Kelly

1- stole Luthor’s body and is bringing him back to life
2- tells Arianna Lex is very special to her
3- tells Arianna she will begin stimulation to start regeneration of Lex’s body “tomorrow”
4- tells Lex’s body that Arianna failed and looks for reaction in vital signs- there is none.

Sheldon Bender

1- Luthor attorney, reads Lex’s will then refuses to talk to the press later

Captain Keene

1- retired ship’s captain who tells Lois the woman Lex married was much prettier than she is and “really built”
2- jokingly tells L&C that Lex’s bride was named “Mrs. Luthor”- then shows them a picture of Lex and Arianna Carlin after he married them aboard his ship and tells them her real name
3- he reveals the date to have been October 8th, 1984

PERIPHERAL CHARACTERS

1- Dr. Heller- a noted plastic surgeon working for Lex Labs, he is murdered by Arianna Carlin
2- Joe- careless construction worker who knocks co-worker off top of building with a beam
3- Grateful construction worker who fell from building
4- Homeless Man in alley- who identifies Dr. Heller’s killers as “two chicks” though one is named “Harry” and identifies Lois as one of them.
5- Detective Ryder- he arrests Lois for aggravated assault, B&E, and grand theft after the double attacks a guard at Lex Tower and steals the half million dollar engagement ring Lex gave Lois
6- Female NEWS reporter who interviews anti-Superman protestors
7- Male and female anti-Superman demonstrators
8- DP Newsstand operator- who is anti-Superman and DP Security guard- he is pro-Superman
9- Temp Secretary- she’s packing up at the late Dr. Heller’s office
10- various newsroom employees: a man and a woman disagreeing over Lex Luthor’s reputation and death and whether Superman should have saved him; The two later stop at Lois’s desk and tell her about the new computer system; many who are angry at her after the double’s TV appearance at anti-Superman rally
11- Radio DJ and Harold, a caller on DJ’s radio show who is anti-Superman. The DJ seems tired of hearing the Luthor angle of the controversy.
12- Truck driver- whose rig is hijacked by Carlin and double; he disarms them and gives gun to Superman

NAME THAT TUNE

1- Series theme is the only recognizable tune used- during Superman’s battle to stop the run away truck while he is in a weakened state

MISCELLANEOUS

-The art gallery a few doors down from the MPD either displays some of it’s paintings outside in good weather, or it was having an art fair during this episode as L&C walk by many easels holding paintings.
-Metropolis has very narrow sidewalks in some places.
- Interesting how Lois will not listen to Perry’s suggestions until after Clark says it’s okay or a good idea.
- Interesting how the Kents question Clark’s decision to ultimately lie to Lois about his feelings- as if they hadn’t pushed him into admitting them and getting shot down before.
-After Lois barges past the temp secretary at the Heller office and locks her in a room with an outside lock, Lois and Clark get the information they need from Dr. Heller’s files. They leave - with the temp still locked up in the other room.
-After berating the double for using her left hand too much, Arianna shoots Superman and proceeds to put the gun into the unconscious real Lois’ LEFT hand. Granted, her right arm is beneath her, but still...
-Some of Lex’s will 'bequeathments': $50,000 to Metropolis Arts Council, $25,000 to Metropolis Children’s Summer Camp (to be used as director sees fit,) an unclear amount to the Metropolis Summer Music Fair, the ACL Corporation will manage an annuity to his ex-wife, a scholarship is to be established in his name for students who represent his high ideals; his artwork and jewelry will be auctioned off and the proceeds go to ACL Corporation; has also set aside funds for the creation of a state of the art theater where a three hour film documenting his extraordinary life and rise to the top will be shown (daily or continually) at no cost to the public.
-Luthor and Carlin were married on October 8, 1984, and the wedding announcement was run in the DP ten years ago according to Jimmy (in 1994,) and Arianna says she hasn’t been Mrs. Luthor for ten years- the marriage lasted a very short time. They were already divorced or in the process less than two months after the ceremony.
-Was forming the ACL Corporation the reason for the brief marriage? It could have been set up in her name while he maintained control over it.
Note: ACL might have been Luthor’s only corporation that was completely clean of his criminal activities as his will names it to carry out his wishes. Arianna presumably would keep his other secrets after inheriting the bulk of his empire.
-According to Dr. Heller, skin will burn when bandages are removed after cosmetic surgery and that is perfectly normal.
-According to Heller’s files the “full facial” reconstructive surgery on the double was done only a week before his death- suggesting the swelling and bruising cleared up in a week. He was a very brilliant surgeon!
-Subliminal acrostics in Dr. Carlin’s columns included: Superman Is Evil, Man of Steel Wicked, Superman Must Die and, created but not published, Lane Murder of Superman Good.
-After the bullet is removed from his shoulder, Superman’s wound heals immediately and though weakened, he is able to fly and discern that Carlin and the double are escaping in a truck.
-Lane and Kent are writing a series of articles called “The Breakup of LexCorp.”
-When Clark teases Lois that a young rookie cop wanted her phone number, she assures him she is interested in “only one man in blue.”
-Lois apparently spends her week off from work on a cruise to get rid of the kryptonite bullet as Superman suggested.
-20% of people polled in Metropolis are against Superman’s presence in Metropolis- but can’t explain why
-Considering the trash blowing in the street of some areas of the city, it’s no wonder the city is spraying for fruit flies again. Apparently, it was so well written that the DP Powers That Be decide to rerun Lois’ original article on the subject- either that or the newsstand sells back issues of popular editions
-When Lois goes to sign for her purse at the MPD, it is lying on a desk instead of locked away securely in the property room.

LIFE GOES ON (Other News Headlines)

- $3 Million In Aid Pledged For S.A. Earthquake Victims
- A Titanic -size nightmare: 45 Soviet ships trapped
- Traffic Safety Plan outlined by City Roads Authority
- Hospital Building Fund Nears Goal With State Support
- Fruit Fly Spraying

1. This was the second time the "Fruit Fly Spraying" article created for the first season episode "Pheromone, My Lovely" appeared in the newspaper. There's no deep mystery as to why the article appeared repeatedly. It was just a matter of necessity. 

A lot of prop newspapers were made for the Pheromone, My Lovely episode because the guest villain Miranda (Morgan Fairchild) was required to stab the newspaper article, specifically aiming for Lois Lane's byline, and so several takes of the paper being stabbed were filmed and that obviously required several papers. 

The Changing Cast

2. Lex Luthor would not be returning as a regular cast member for the show's second season. ABC felt having Lex as a recurring villain limited Superman's ability to defeat him, at least in any permanent manner. Later Lex would return in a few episodes as a guest star.

John Shea, who played Lex Luthor on Lois & Clark, explained that his version of the famous villain was not bald because as a billionaire he could afford to find a cure . Plus, he added, Lex would increase his fortune from the hair restoration patents.  

3. Cat Grant did not make the transition from first to second season either because Executive Producer Robert Singer said she was not a convincing rival against Lois Lane for Clark's affections.

Cat Grant was a character introduced into the Superman comics by John Byrne, who revamped the Man of Steel's myth so that Ma and Pa Kent got to live and see their son become Superman and Clark Kent got to be the real person for a change and Superman became the disguise.  It was this particular revamping of the story that made it appealing to show creator Deborah Joy LeVine.

4. Michael Landes, who played Jimmy Olsen first season, was also given his walking papers by Singer who claimed Landes looked too much like the show's star Dean Cain. Realistically, though, it was about ratings and needing a young male actor who could attract what today would be called a Justin Bieber type of fan base.

Generally the young girl age group is not a particularly desirable demographic, but they can make a difference in simple raw numbers. SeaQuest, an NBC show aiming to grab the same viewers as Lois & Clark, had heartthrob Jon Brandis on the payroll and the little girl demographic was all his. 

5. Chris Demetral, who played Jack in a handful of episodes near the end of first season, was brought on board in hopes of making the prepubescent girls swoon, but he flopped with test audiences in that age group and so limped off into the sunset with Landes. Justin Whalin, who was hired to replace Michael as Jimmy Olsen, took a lot of black-eyes from some fans who unfairly blamed  him for what happened to Landes and Demetral. On the bright side, Whalin won over the vast majority of fans and to his credit he was popular with that elusive pre-teen demographic.

6. Lane Smith, who was in no danger of being fired since he played the important role of Perry White, almost quit due to his previously unhappy working relationship with Robert Singer on the 1984/1985 series "V." Singer held Smith to his contract and Lane played Perry White for the remainder of the show's run.

7. Lastly, the entire first season writing staff did not return aside from the writing team of Tony Blake & Paul Jackson, who wrote this episode (Madame Ex) and first season's The Rival.  It's unclear, though, under what circumstances the staff left.