Explore every episode of the podcast Radio Retropolis

 A man wants to murder his allegedly cheating wife by setting off a time bomb to go off at precisely 3 O'Clock. JR speaks about star Van Heflin, the psychological impact of knowing the exact moment of your fate, and what is behind the "Woolrich Coincidence".

Our 12th season kicks off with a brand new adventure with two returning villians and the one substance that can kill Superman-Kryptonite.  JR speaks on the change in direction for the series as well as the overall production.

Seventeen year old Betty thinks she's ready for marriage. Commentary on the genesis of the series and how it would evolve.

A man who kept his life savings in his mattress has been killed. His invalid wife has been beaten with a club. Commentary after the episode on The Martin and Lewis Show which also ran on NBC radio at the time.

A woman files a report with Friday and Smith that her mother has disappeared.  Foul play is suspected with their key suspect the woman's father.  Commentary on Harry Bartell's time in radio.  Plus announcer George Fenneman working with two polar opposites-Jack Webb and Groucho Marx.

With Kent somehow being easily tricked by Tango Pete to leave the room, Pete was able to nab the antidote crystals while planning to make his own money deal.  Will Superman find him and the crystals in time?  And as the final football game begins, will he save the team and the inheritance donation?  This exciting conclusion will answer all questions.  Commentary on the speed of Superman and how the excellent 1978 Superman movie copped out in its last few minutes.

In our last episode, John Carter was hit by a poisoned dart and is now near death.  Will Clark get the antidote in time?  Will Tango Pete be able to help or will Superman have to use his super speed to save Carter and the football team in time? Comparison with this episode with that of the Superman 1955 television episode "Test of a Warrior".

A pair of check forgers are at work in Los Angeles. Friday once again goes undercover to track them down. Commentary on the PSA in this episode on Ground Observer Corps which was needed during the height of the Cold War and during the Korean War.

When we last left the story, Kent, Pete and Carter have rejected a demand by the headhunting pygmies for several human sacrifices.  Angered by this decision, the headhunters have begun their attack.  Who will survive.  Who wont?  Commentary on Superman's decision with the natives.  Plus, a look at the genocide of Babi Yar which began on this day and resulted in over 30,000 deaths.

Last time, Clark may have let on too much in Tango Pete's hearing when he says the antidote is worth $3 million to him to get it.  Will Pete double cross Clark for the bigger money?  Commentary on the dichotomy of how Superman is impervious to all pain yet he can still feel.

Clark is deep in the central American jungle following the diary's direction as to where he can find the antidote to the poison crippling the Metropolis Football Team. Commentary on the real indigenous tribes of the region, as well as the truth about headhunters.  Plus we look at the real value of what Tango Pete sees as Kent's offering.

A gang of car strippers is hitting the city while a sixteen-year-old boy is killed in a crash while resisting arrest.  Commentary on juvenile joy riders and car theft rings of the 1950s.

Martha was preparing to burn the diary that contains the antidote to the poison as she is holding Lois at bay by gunpoint.  That diary is the team's only hope and Lois has no options in front of her.  Commentary on the speed of flight with Superman in this episode. Plus a new supporting character possibly voiced by someone familiar!

In our last episode, Kent and White chased Dr. Stone who lost control of his car and died.  But before doing so, he took glee in spilling all the details to Kent about the poison and its antidote being in Central America not knowing that Kent is the only one who could get it in time.

The son of a cop has become a dope addict and Friday goes undercover to bust the head man in the operation.  Commentary on the series Barrie Craig Confidential Investigator and series star William Gargan.

We last saw Clark ringing that bell which forced Wilson's assistant to keep gassing that chamber as Clark knew the only way to get out that chamber was by Superman.

After making a huge mistake of accusing the cook Dorf of poisoning the team, Kent receives a call from White on new evidence.  Commentary on Superman finally being publicly outed.

The wife of a college professor has been kidnapped from her home. They are demanding $10,000 in cash.  Commentary on how a suggested direction in the plot line could have made for a better story.

Last time, Jimmy discovered the football team's cook dropping something into their meal and went to get Kent to tell him what he saw.  Upon returning to the kitchen, the cook was gone.  Commentary on Clark's constantly tipping his hand that he was Superman.

Last time, Superman broke into Quincy's office to get a look at that will to see who could have ulterior motives, yet when he reaches the safe he has been caught by someone in the shadows.  Commentary on the not so nice Superman in this episode.

As Clark and Jimmy visit the lab where the test animals are stored, Jimmy decides to check on the big gorilla they've got in which he lets out a big cry for help with Clark racing to reach him not knowing the danger that lies ahead.  Commentary on the connection between Superman and John Carter of Mars that helped Siegel and Schuster with one major character element in creating Superman.

A little old lady check forger is plaguing the city, but there's more to the old lady than meets the eye.  Commentary on the difference in writing style between original Dragnet writer James Moser and current writer John Robinson, aka Jack Webb.

Clark must find a way to protect the football team so the team can go to the Rose Bowl and the money is granted for a cure for infantile paralysis.  Commentary on the history of the Rose Bowl with special attention to the year of this broadcast.

All 30 players of the Metropolis Football Team collapsed with no motive or explanation in site although Clark is quick to assume that poison of some kind must be involved.  A look at the history of infantile paralysis (which is the story point for this series) better known under it's common name, polio.

For the past six months the managers of large markets have been the victims of an elderly holdup man. The suspect they had in custody in part one, was not the guy.  Commentary on how this episode was somewhat ridiculous and off point.  Also actor, Ralph Moody.

Clark and Lois cover the Metropolis Football game for the Daily Planet when Clark notices the players are collapsing on the field.  Commentary on Clark and Lois' relationship.

Duke Renard learns that Clark and Perry escaped the fire and now makes plans to do away with Bensen's car by rigging the drawbridge.  Kent plans to be in the sheriff's car disguised as a deputy but has no clue what's coming up or that the time to leave was switched earlier. Commentary on the disappointment in the big villain here as we compare this person to a similar villain in Dragnet.

A middle-aged robber wearing a black mask has hit a string of supermarkets with one locking the market employees in the deep freezer!  Also, a rare and final interview with NBC announcer Bill Roddy who was Jack Webb's roommate early in their careers.

The last we heard, Kent as Superman saved Perry White from the burning building set by Renard to kill them both.  Will Kent be able to intercept Renard's plan of murder in time? Commentary on the continuing wavering belief in Superman from characters in the story.

DA Warren learns of Kent's message to Dr. Roebling while Lois is accusing him of collusion by using his office for criminal deeds. Meanwhile Clark tells a nervous Renard exactly what he knows about his plans. 

Kent and White were captured by Duke Renard's group after thinking they were riding with the police to meet up with Bensen who Renard was planning to kill at 9pm that night.  But Kent has one Hail Mary pass and that is to contact Dr. Roebling whom Kent hopes is tuning in.  Commentary on the realities of such a voice machine and how this would never really work.

While waiting to make a narcotics buy, Sergeants Friday and Smith overhear a man tearfully admit that he had committed murder. Listen for the interrogation scene.  Plus lots of Jack Webb trivia!

Thanks to Dr. Roebling's machine tipping Kent off, he plans to catch Duke before he kills Bensen who is scheduled to be transferred to the state prison that night. Commentary on enjoying the great Julian Noa as Perry White plus a comment on what was missed when Duke struck Clark.

Last time, Clark preferring to stay in jail to find out who is planning to murder Benson, shared his plan with Lois while only to discover that his cell had been bugged.  Commentary on the humor between Clark and Perry and why after a year and a half Superman is still an enigma.

A burglary in a dry goods store is the latest in a series of similar crimes. The burglar has a most unusual secret!  Commentary on the hilarious sidebar with the two women in scene one.  Plus actors Gwen Delano and Paul Richards.  Also, the rise and fall of Michelob Beer.

As Roebling's machine was picking up a crime syndicate's plans with Clark Kent as a witness, the police barge in and arrest Kent much to his shock.  More commentary on Perry White and Lois Lane plus a quick history on the Dictograph.

Roebling's unscrupulous nephew shot his wife and destroyed the voice machine for the insurance money before Superman was able to stop him.  Can the doctor rebuild or is it a hopeless cause?

The co-owner of a pawn shop has been found murdered in the back room. A laundry mark on a shirt provides the only clue. Commentary on star Olan Soule including parts of a rare 1990 interview.

Roebling's unscrupulous nephew shot his wife and destroyed the voice machine for the insurance money before Superman was able to stop him.  Can the doctor rebuild or is it a hopeless cause. Commentary on a new twist in the plot line.

Because Clark, aka Superman, prevented Jack from stealing Dr. Roebling's voice machine, Dr. Roebling, in return, granted Clark, Lois and Perry White an exclusive demonstration of the machine itself!  Commentary on the reality of such a machine and a special look at the Gettysburg Address which is the focus of the machine.

Jack was able to get his uncle to sign the rights to the valuable voice machine in which he and his wife Chickee make their getaway.  What they didn't know is that Lois and Clark spotted the car and decided to give chase.  Commentary on the great Superman no-nonsense action and if this episode lived up to "the most thrilling episode" as promised.

A florist has been found strangled to death in an alley for no viable reason whatsoever.  Commentary on actor Eddie Firestone and Carolyn Jones who would later go on to play Morticia Addams in The Addams Family.

In our last episode, the devious nephew of Dr. Roebling has drugged the good doctor into signing over the voice machine's interests to him since he found out this discovery is worth $10 million. With Clark in an accident and Lois trapped in the hotel.  Commentary on why Lois Lane seemingly gets into trouble when Clark is around.

The trail to find Dr. Roebling leads to a local hotel that gets him closer to the truth of who Mr and Mrs. Jack Smith is in room 514.  What will he find?  Commentary on newly remastered recordings of The Adventures of Superman through the Smithsonian Institute.

Sergeant Friday goes undercover as a buyer of heroin from San Francisco to break up a narcotics gang.  Commentary on the similarities with this episode and The Big Red.  Plus, Lee Marvin makes a brief appearance which is capped here in an exclusive rare interview with actor Mitchell Ryan who talks of his and Marvin's alcoholism.

Sure that the man on the train is Dr. Roebling, Clark goes to the man's cabin to check on him after he collapsed in the dining car only to find he's not there.  Commentary on having both Perry White and Lois Lane back on the show front and center.

Clark and Jimmy embark on another mystery in which they find a threatening note left behind from a man Clark is sure is Dr. Roebling and one that the man has strongly denied.  Commentary on the events of these days that perpetuating the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese.

A woman is found murdered in a closet and the trail leads to a freighter in San Francisco.  Commentary on Peter Leeds, June Whitley and our host Hal Gibney.

Jimmy and Batiste are about to be killed by an angry bear with Superman racing to rescue them. Plus, a new exciting serial begins! Commentary on the the cliffhanger style of storytelling for this series and the welcome return to Metropolis for our next serial.

Jimmy and Batiste are in dire straits as they are trapped in a cave with bear ready to lash out. Commentary on why Kent let's his inner Superman personality surface with repeatedly in front of witnesses when he should conceal it.