Night of the Lizard

"Night of the Lizard"

Night of the Lizard is the pilot episode of Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

Plot

The episode begins with two plumbers talking whilst down in the sewer, suddenly, a giant Lizard attacks them. Both men frantically climb up onto the roads of New York. They attempt to climb into their van, but the Lizard grabs one of them, the other tries to save him but instead pulling off his glove, the man is then dragged by the Lizard back underground. As the man in the truck drives on, he embarks on a road rage, until Spider-Man spots him and interferes, just as the vehicle flies into a river. Spider-Man then saves the plumber, but Spider-Man doesn't believe his sightings of the Lizard.

At the Daily Bugle, Robbie Robertson comments on how Peter Parker often publishes good pictures of Spider-Man, he then hires Peter to take a photograph of the Lizard. J. Jonah Jameson walks in and accuses Peter of never being around when something is going on, resulting in him being naive to the situation. Eddie Brock also enters the room. Jonah then offers any photographer a $1000 bonus for a photo of the Lizard.

Back at Aunt May's house, she is under stress over high bills. Peter then realizes something is wrong and he plans to use the money to help his aunt.

Spider-Man then sets off to take a picture of the Lizard. He embarks down the sewer, believing the Lizard to be a myth, but is then proven wrong when he spots a large Lizard-shaped footprint. He takes a photo and sets off to see Dr. Curt Connors, his science teacher. Along the way, Peter bumps into another one of Connors' students, Debra Whitman. He explains to her that he is going to see Dr. Connors about something. As they enter a room in the building, they find the place trashed and meet the Lizard, who steals something from the lab and escapes through the window. The experience intimidated Debra.

Peter is then shown to be helping an arm missing Dr. Connors with an experiment, the experiment involves re-growing a reptiles missing limb. He plans to re-grow humans who have lost their limbs, such as him, who had lost his arm in the war.

The Lizard is then shown climbing from the sewers towards Dr. Conners house. Spider-Man is inside and frightens his wife, Margaret Connors, and son, Billy. Eddie Brock then appears outside, intimidated by the Lizard approaching Brock. Spider-Man then appears and takes photos of the Lizard, but his camera then falls into a puddle. The Lizard angrily throws a bicycle at Spider-Man, but Spider-Man shoots a web at his tail. The Lizard then attacks Spider-Man and thrusts him, demolishing a treehouse. Billy then shouts at the Lizard, refers to him as "Daddy". After the Lizard leaves, Spider-Man recovers and Margaret confirms that Curt is the Lizard. She explains that in an attempt to re-grow his lost arm using a "neogenic recombinator", Curt was accidentally transformed into a reptile-like creature. Eddie Brock is eavesdropping and adding notes onto a notepad, but after Spider-Man sensed his presence he runs away. Spider-Man follows and webs Eddie onto a lamppost. Spider-Man overhears Billy creaming and explains to him that the Lizard came back and kidnapped Margaret, taking her down the sewer, Spider-Man takes Billy to a neighbor before going down to catch the Lizard.

When Spider-Man is far way into the sewer, he finds the plumber that the Lizard kidnapped trapped behind some bars, pleading him to save him. After Spider-Man overhears Margaret screaming, he explains to the plumber that he'll come back for him.

Spider-Man overhears a conversation between Lizard and Margaret, and webs a camera onto the surface. Spider-Man then overhears that Curt plans to transform Margaret and the population into New York into beings similar to himself. Spider-Man then swings down and kicks the Lizard, Lizard then gives Spider-Man a swing of his tail, before attempting to crush him with a rock. Spider-Man then orders Margaret to escape, but not touch the neogenic recombinator, she ignores him and attempts to take the recombinator, the Lizard approaches her but Spider-Man throws a web at his tail. Spider-Man then gets hold of the recombinator but the Lizard launches at him and they both fall into some sewage water. The Lizard and Spider-Man then fight whilst in the water, until Spider-Man escapes and drags a Curt Connors, back in human form, out of the water. Spider-Man then grabs his camera carrying an $1000 photo of the Lizard.

When J. Jonah Jameson and Eddie Brock get out of the vehicle, the following dialogue commences:

• Eddie Brock: I tell you, J. J., the Lizard is Curt Connors. I would have been out here earlier but Spider-Man webbed me.
• J. Jonah Jameson: Dr. Connors is a respected scientist, Brock. Peter Parker already bought me photos of the Lizard early this morning.
• Eddie Brock: But I'll show you the Lizard himself.
• J. Jonah Jameson: You better be right about this.
• Eddie Brock: If I'm wrong, I'll eat this week's Daily Bugle!
  (Curt Conners answers the door)
• J. Jonah Jameson: You want it raw or cooked?

At the end of the episode, Aunt May is curious as to how Peter obtained the $1000. He explains how he took the photo for the bugle. She accuses him of following Spider-Man into the sewer to get the photo of the Lizard.

Cast

• Christopher Daniel Barnes — Spider-Man/Peter Parker
• Ed Asner — J. Jonah Jameson
• Linda Gary — Aunt May
• Rodney Saulsberry — Robbie Robertson
• Liz Georges — Debra Whitman
• Hank Azaria — Eddie Brock
• Joseph Campanella — Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard
• Giselle Achecar — Margaret Connors
• Toby Ganger — Billy Connors

Production

Following the episodes original air, it was expanded into a comic book. It was then reprinted in several other editions, including trade paperback. When Spider-Man references to the Fantastic Four, it may have been a reference to the Amazing Spider-Man issue in which he plans to join the Fantastic Four. The episode title may have adapted from what was considered a partner series, X-Men, as the first episode of X-Men was titled "Night of the Sentinals".

Reception

The episode has been considered the highlight of the entire series. Reviewers have highlighted quality music, animation, colouring and editing, attributes that many feel later episodes of the show, particularly the following seasons, were lacking. As with many pilot episodes, the episode seemed to have had better production efforts than any other episode of the series. In the spite of Saban's and Fox Kids' rather strict censorship rules, some of the action sequences were never the less considered well-choreographed and intense.