Smallville season one thoughts - Part 2
Apr. 29th, 2009 09:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seriousficOn Lana Lang (knew we were going to get here, didn’t you?): she’s actually tolerable when she has a narrative function and actual characterization. Although the consistently whispery line readings is annoying. Just say the damn line, would ya?
Wanting to escape being the Homecoming Queen/head cheerleader that everyone loves is a pretty rich bitch girl problem, but at least it’s a problem. The thing is that Clark’s infatuation with her, and the ensuing “star-crossed romance” that is still going to this day, is so easy to see as immature.
He “falls in love” while not even being able to speak to her due to a Kryptonite necklace she wears (which doesn’t give her a freakish mutation because…? Writers? Hello?). He spies on her through a telescope in his barn (which is depicted as cute and romantic, unlike when a freak of the week videotapes her. Videotaping someone, EVIL AND STALKERISH. Watching someone through binoculars, ROMANTIC.), he accidentally uses x-rayvision to check her out in the locker room… basically, his entire relationship with her boils down to “she’s hot.”
So, once Chloe’s love for Clark comes on the scene, it’s all over. Show-killer. Because Chloe’s feelings for Clark are based on friendship and personality and who he actually is. Clark choosing Lana over her is like someone choosing a fold-out of Pamela Anderson over the cute girl who loves playing LEGO Star Wars with him. It just seems shallow.
Also, maybe it’s just me, but Chloe is much hotter than Lana. Lana is “ehh, I wouldn’t kick her out of bed, unless she was eating crackers, is she eating crackers?” Chloe is “Sex? You? Me? CANCEL MY WEEKEND PLANS, TELL THE PRESIDENT HE CAN WAIT!”
I’m still a bit surprised they never ‘went there’ with Clark/Chloe. I know SV has really flailed about, and still is, going from the “Superman as a teenager” show to the “Superman as Superman” show, but how cool would it have been if Clark and Chloe had gotten together, then a rogue plot device forced Chloe to assume the identity/pen name of Lois Lane? You could even wipe her memory of Clark’s secret so there was the classic Clois “trying to figure out who Superman is” plot arc, while Clark tries to find a way around whatever mental block Brainiac or whoever is using on her. Then Davis comes along, willing to be there for Chloe while Clark has to keep her at arm’s length…
See what I mean about potential? Even now, it’s hard to stop thinking about how Smallville could’ve been great sci-fi instead of… Smallville. But to sum up, the most obvious subtext is that Lana is an infatuation, someone who Clark will inevitably see is wrong for him, whereas Chloe is the kind of character you expect the hero to realize he loves in the third reel. Clark staying fixated on Lana is like a visible symptom of his continued immaturity or, more personally, Duckie not getting the girl. We expect him to move on, so when he doesn’t, it gets frustrating fast.
Also, the plot device of "it looks like Clark is going to get somewhere with Lana, BUT OH NOES, he needs to save the day!" was old-hat back in the sixties when Stan Lee used it to keep Peter Parker and the Girl of the Week apart.
***
The first TEN people to comment in this post get to request a drabble of any pairing/character of their choosing from me. In return, they have to post this meme in their journal, regardless of their ability level. If you absolutely can't write, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to offer drawings or icons or something instead.
Wanting to escape being the Homecoming Queen/head cheerleader that everyone loves is a pretty rich bitch girl problem, but at least it’s a problem. The thing is that Clark’s infatuation with her, and the ensuing “star-crossed romance” that is still going to this day, is so easy to see as immature.
He “falls in love” while not even being able to speak to her due to a Kryptonite necklace she wears (which doesn’t give her a freakish mutation because…? Writers? Hello?). He spies on her through a telescope in his barn (which is depicted as cute and romantic, unlike when a freak of the week videotapes her. Videotaping someone, EVIL AND STALKERISH. Watching someone through binoculars, ROMANTIC.), he accidentally uses x-rayvision to check her out in the locker room… basically, his entire relationship with her boils down to “she’s hot.”
So, once Chloe’s love for Clark comes on the scene, it’s all over. Show-killer. Because Chloe’s feelings for Clark are based on friendship and personality and who he actually is. Clark choosing Lana over her is like someone choosing a fold-out of Pamela Anderson over the cute girl who loves playing LEGO Star Wars with him. It just seems shallow.
Also, maybe it’s just me, but Chloe is much hotter than Lana. Lana is “ehh, I wouldn’t kick her out of bed, unless she was eating crackers, is she eating crackers?” Chloe is “Sex? You? Me? CANCEL MY WEEKEND PLANS, TELL THE PRESIDENT HE CAN WAIT!”
I’m still a bit surprised they never ‘went there’ with Clark/Chloe. I know SV has really flailed about, and still is, going from the “Superman as a teenager” show to the “Superman as Superman” show, but how cool would it have been if Clark and Chloe had gotten together, then a rogue plot device forced Chloe to assume the identity/pen name of Lois Lane? You could even wipe her memory of Clark’s secret so there was the classic Clois “trying to figure out who Superman is” plot arc, while Clark tries to find a way around whatever mental block Brainiac or whoever is using on her. Then Davis comes along, willing to be there for Chloe while Clark has to keep her at arm’s length…
See what I mean about potential? Even now, it’s hard to stop thinking about how Smallville could’ve been great sci-fi instead of… Smallville. But to sum up, the most obvious subtext is that Lana is an infatuation, someone who Clark will inevitably see is wrong for him, whereas Chloe is the kind of character you expect the hero to realize he loves in the third reel. Clark staying fixated on Lana is like a visible symptom of his continued immaturity or, more personally, Duckie not getting the girl. We expect him to move on, so when he doesn’t, it gets frustrating fast.
Also, the plot device of "it looks like Clark is going to get somewhere with Lana, BUT OH NOES, he needs to save the day!" was old-hat back in the sixties when Stan Lee used it to keep Peter Parker and the Girl of the Week apart.
***
The first TEN people to comment in this post get to request a drabble of any pairing/character of their choosing from me. In return, they have to post this meme in their journal, regardless of their ability level. If you absolutely can't write, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to offer drawings or icons or something instead.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 02:52 pm (UTC)But otherwise, hell yeah--Chloe is infinitely hotter than Lana. I've always thought so. I used to ship her with Clark, but over the years I've come to believe that she deserves better than that bozo. Way better. Not Lex, though. Or Ollie. Bart, maybe. Or, of course, Davis.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 02:55 pm (UTC)This meme.
I used to ship her with Clark, but over the years I've come to believe that she deserves better than that bozo. Way better. Not Lex, though. Or Ollie. Bart, maybe. Or, of course, Davis.
Or Kara. WHAT? All the Kryptonian, none of the jerkass.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 03:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 03:37 pm (UTC)Yes, Kara would do nicely. Or a cross-over pairing, for that matter. I think she'd get along with Veronica Mars like a house afire. Both hot blondes with insatiable...curiosity. Yeah, curiosity. That's it.
Well...and lust! They're both very hot. How could they not see and act on it?
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 03:38 pm (UTC)Yes, this. My sisters insisted I watch "Smallville" with them at some point during season threeish? This was around the time Lois Lane was introduced, and Chloe was in the middle of a plot arc where she was hiding in some sort of a witness protection program. And...I kept thinking how much awesomer it would've been if she had just, you know, changed her identity and hair color and stuff! TO BE LOIS LANE! Sigh. And the awesome potential of that kept me from getting into either character, and I had to stop watching.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 03:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 03:44 pm (UTC)Once becoming aware of SV fandom I was into the Chloe/Lex dynamic, then his character became increasingly frustrating (but not EVIL, just more Lana infatuation) and now he's dead so whatevs. Current season-wise, Davis is definitely my favorite guy to pair with Chlo. Chloe/Oliver could have been interesting if the writers hadn't decided to make the character a dick.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 04:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 05:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-05 09:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 05:37 pm (UTC)As opposed to Quesada, who used the "selling marriage to the devil" plot device to keep Peter Parker and the Girl of his Lifetime apart.
(Gimme some Dinah/Babs? :D I will post the meme when I get home.)
no subject
Date: 2009-04-30 03:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-29 09:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-29 09:11 pm (UTC)I mean, they have all of DC to draw on, and they give us Bro aquaman and ten-years-too-late-for-the-riot-grrrl-party Black Canary?
(And something with Misfit would be nice, there isn't enough Misfit - maybe Misfit/Tim?
no subject
Date: 2009-06-22 07:02 pm (UTC)