Here's the issue with angst, as I see it: whereas the type of conflict that drives a plot in a typical story arises organically, angst tends to arise by the characters acting like idiots. How many plots could be resolved by having one of the characters talk to the other one and sort things out, instead of assuming things? The behaviors that the characters engage in to create the angst also generally puts them out of character, or at least out of show cannon (which I will point out again, is different than what has become fanfic cannon). Yes, there were some angsty moments on the show...and at the time it aired, I hated it in the show, too. I remember at the end of season two, I swore that I would stop watching the show if Clark didn't tell Lois in the first episode of season three. We know what happened, and to this day WHALTTA is my favorite episode of the show because it finally meant an end to all that.
As others mentioned, what made the show great was the subtle humor and the romantic tension. It didn't take itself too seriously, which is why I'm not big on the epic, angst-ridden stories. The show was fun, even when it got heavy, and the fic should be fun, too. But...different strokes for different folks. I've actually started reading Superman comics lately because those have been fun (and I justify it by saying that my 5-year-old likes to read them with me, which is true. We bond over Superman
).
-CIndy
