Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic Smallville - 4/23

I don't know how many people here are fans or foes of the show, but I thought I'd bring this up for discussion and see what people think.

I am a fan of the show (it's not as good as LnC of course). Last weeks episode was, imo, not good at all so I had little hope for this week. I was pleasantly surprised, however, when it turned out to be a good ep. Not the best, but good overall.

Good things: Lex and Helen moving ahead in their relationship. Some great dialogue by Lex. Lana kicking some serious butt. No 'Hothead Johnathan.' No Lionel. No Freak of the Week. No meteor rocks.

Bad things: The plot was ripped off of Whine, Whine, Whine. Not enough Pete and Chloe. No mention of Martha's pregnancy. The main frat guy looked like he should have belonged to a chess club, not a frat.

Overall I think I'd give it a 7 out of 10.

What does everyone else think? Agree? Disagree?

~Anna

I watched the pilot of Smallville in advance and thought it was okay, but it never survived past the opening few episodes for me and my interest quickly waned. So I can't comment on this particular episode.

I caught the last half of an episode just the other day though while channel hopping. The one where Martha and Lionel are being held hostage? Have to say that it held my interest and I was rather impressed by the production values. Had a few things that irked me - can't remember what most of them were now - but I half enjoyed it. <g> Not enough to keep watching, but anyway was pleasantly surprised at how it's improved.

LabRat

Hi there

My first post since the boards came back up!

Anyway, Smallville. I'm not a great fan of the show. I stuck with it through it's first season (it was Superman, so I assumed it would have to be good...) but I didn't miss it when it finished and had too much other stuff to watch when season 2 started. What put me off was all the kryptonite. Every ep seemed to revolve around it and it really didn't hold my interest.

Some of my friends are watching this season (S2) and say its really good, but I don't have the time or inclination to go back to it.

Loriel

I enjoy the show and have the pretty much the same assessment of this week's episode that you do, Anna.

What I found interesting is that, as far as I can recall, this is the first time the show has made Lex the primary character -- I viewed the Clark/Lana/fratboy storyline as secondary -- in a storyline that didn't involve his father. Lex was definitely the "hero" in this episode ... recognizing immediately that Helen was being stalked by her ex, taking matters into his own hands when police didn't prevent her attack, then proving at the last minute that he is good inside by not killing the guy, even when he could have gotten away with it.

The proposal at the end was very sweet (though I expected her to be cut up a bit more -- I thought that guy was going to carve up her face when he grabbed those scalples!), though it does make me expect even more than before that Helen is going to have something to do with making Lex go bad. If she dies, will he go off the deep end? Especially if his father has something to do with it? It's the logical answer, though I hope it doesn't happen -- I really like these two and just as I want to change continuity and make Chloe really be Lois Lane in the witness protection program <g>, I want Lex to somehow cheat fate and not turn evil.

As for the show overall, it tends to be full of plot holes and this week was no exception (exactly *why* did the frat boy drop his lawsuit? Because Lana beat him up? He might not want to sue her because he was embarrassed, but she it wasn't like she has anymore proof that he was faking his injuries than she had proof that he tried to assault her, yet the police believed her this time and not the first time?), but if I view it as mindless fun -- and a chance to watch a likeable (not to mention majorly swoonable <g>) Lex -- I enjoy it. As long as they keep Lana's screen time to a minimum (she annoys the heck out of me ), I'm happy. <g>

(BTW, did anyone else think last week's episode -- when Clark asked both Chloe and Lana how they would feel if they found out someone they knew was an alien -- was a *total* indicator that he's meant to be with Chloe over Lana? (Thus my hope that Chloe is Lois. <g>) Chloe says it would be totally cool while Lana was fearful ... says it all right there, Clark!!)

Kathy

Well, I quite agree with you Kathy.

I think Chloe is the most interesting character on Smallville. And the best actress..IMHO

Do you suppose they will have the good sense to put this actress in a dark wig and have her portray her (as hints have been made) cousin, Lois from Metropolis?

I have TOTALLY been wanting that to happen since the very FIRST episode!!! I like the two of them together so much...I don't know how they are going to have "Lois" come on the show and be "better" than Chloe...


-Breanna

I completely agree with Kathy, Trenna, and Breanna. Chloe is definitely the most interesting character, the best actress, and so incredibly likable that I can't figure out why the writers insist on snubbing her in favor of Lana in most of the episodes. I'm not exactly annoyed by Lana, I like her just fine (certainly more than Alt-Lana of LnC), but Chloe is just so adorable, as well as smart and self sufficient, while at the same time being human and emotionally vulnerable at times. I could probably go on and on about how great Chloe is and about how the writers have slighted her, but I'll stop there.

Another character I think is slighted is Pete. Sam Jones is a great actor and the character could have a much larger affect on the plots given that he knows Clark's secret. Instead they bring him in almost like cameo shots where he talks to Clark for a split second, or does something for Clark, or tags along with Clark. He has never been rounded out as a character. I want to know so much more about him than the show lets us know.

One thing that I love about Smallville in general is Michael Rosenbaum as Lex. This is the one thing that is, imo, better in Smallville than it was in LnC. Michael Rosenbaum is a far better actor than John Shea and the writers have made his plot lines far more believable. The fact that Lex is involved in almost every facet of what goes on in and around Smallville is natural in the setting of a small farming community. On LnC, however, I always thought that it was a little far fetched to say that Lex was behind every villainous scheme that occured. I equate the Lex of LnC with the meteor rocks of Smallville more than I equate him with the Lex of Smallville.

Question: Does anyone think that Helen will become pregnant very soon and have a son named Jaxon? Just a thought.

~Anna

pregnancy! pregnancy!!

What a horrible plot development! How cruel could you get. Like the Titanic we know how that one will end. Man, if i hadn't already stopped watching the show, that would have been the final nail in the coffin.

James, who loves to torture his own characters, but doesn't see the need for that kind of agnst.

Yeah, James, I've heard that complaint registered before ... would they really be so cruel as to let her get pregnant, have it be a recurring subplot during the whole season, only to let the baby die? I am really wondering how they are going to get themselves out of that one. But, of course, they've changed continuity in large ways before, so who knows ... maybe this will be Smallville's version of Supergirl. <g>

As for Chloe, I agree about her getting snubbed. I can't figure out what they are doing with her; it just doesn't make sense. In script after script, she is being set up as the perfect companion for Clark. Yet Clark holds on to his crush on Lana. What message are they sending, if Clark isn't destined to wind up with Chloe in the end?

I was especially astounded by the episode where Clark was so sick with the K-poisoning and Chloe came to sit with him. The letter she read to him -- "My dad says there are two kinds of girls: the kind you grow out of and the kind you grow into. I hope I'm the kind you will grow into." -- was amazing and beautiful and so touching. And in response, they torture her by having Clark call out Lana's name so that Chloe bursts into tears? What in the world are they thinking??

Now Anna's comment about Lex ... I disagree that John Shea wasn't a great actor; I thought he did an amazing job with the character. Yes, L&C's Lex was involved with a lot of crime, but that's like saying Superman was involved with a lot of rescues. <g> It's the premise of the show. But I definitely won't argue that Michael Rosenblum does a great job, too -- I think he has a bright future ahead of him as an actor. He has looks and charisma and a presence about him ... more often than not,I find his storylines more interesting than Clark's.

Kathy

Now I'm totally convinced that Chloe doesn't deserve Clark... She deserves someone better.

I think Michael R. and John Shae are both great actors. I personally find it hard to compare the two since LnC's Luthor was evil, and so far, Smallville's Luthor is sort of decent...a few hang ups with some dealings sometimes (and here I'm thinking of his father getting involved and messing up his life) but nothing major.

Smallville frustrates me to no end when it comes to the ever present love triangle. If Clark just realized that Lana's not girlfriend material for him, and he started dating Chloe instead, the world would be a better place. As it is, none of them seem to be able to get their acts together. But hey, that's teenage life for ya.

I like the show about half the time, and grind my teeth the other half. Missed this week's ep.

I think Lana and Chloe are supposed to represent different parts of Clark's future love, Lois. But I'm liking Lana less and less.

I agree with the comments re the pregnancy. Plus what if Martha's right and that's NOT a normal human baby?

Holy cow. <g> Seems good old Smallville just ain't the town it used to be these days!

What have they been smoking down there?

LabRat (who's enjoying reading this discussion more than she suspects she'd enjoy watching the show )

Actually, that's exactly my main problem with the show. Smallville is no longer the happy, idyllic safe place it has always been painted.

As for smoking things... well, nobody has been shown ingesting meteor rocks that way yet...

Oh no! Don't give the writers ideas! The last thing we need is for them to come up with another way to make Freaks of the Week.

Darn right! Good thinking, Dan.

As for John Shea as an actor, I guess I haven't seen him in anything but LnC so he might be a fine actor, but I still can't stand what the writers did with the character on LnC. I know I'm probably alone on this (which is perfectly okay, I'm alone in a lot of things ), but I really do think that the one thing the Smallville writers have done right is Lex. He's definitely the most interesting character on Smallville.

That's always the case with me, Kathy.

~Anna

I do watch Smallville, watched most of the season 1 and watching the season 2.

I'm not a fan of... but it's ok to watch it...

what i don't like it's that, it's got so much about meteor rocks and freaks.

from BanAnna
I have to agree with that, Chloe is the best

Meni

too late. remember the coach from episode 2? he inhaled kryptonite that burned off the hot coals in his sauna.

Paul

You're right! I forgot that.

I am a big fan of Smalllville (despite the plot holes big enough for a Mack truck to fall into )
It took me a bit to get used to Lana's lack of red hair, and I didn't expect to like her, but alas I do.

But I definately have to go with so many others, and say that Chloe is the best!!! Allison Mack is a great young actress and Chloe's character is strong and pretty well defined. We just don't get enough of her though!!!!

Me too, I figure TPTB has altered the superman mythos already (ie Martha's pregnancy, clark's lack of glasses, Lana's dark hair) that this wouldn't be THAT much of a stretch!!

OMG yes, I get soooooo frustrated with the "duh clark" ARGH!!!!

He is on Mutant X now, I've only seen it a couple of times, but he seems to have the same general demeaner as "his Lex", or maybe it's just that all I could see was him as Lex after watching and rewatching LnC so many times. I do think that MR's Lex is much more depth, but am not sure if it's the actors or the writing.

I'm with you Anna on this weeks episode Plus some glimpses of "old school" Chloe!!

I suppose, Jen, but it's also tv-producer-think. In their little heads, happy = boring. What they seem completely oblivious to is that constant angst can get pretty boring, too. I've stopped watching Farscape (even before they cancelled it :p ) for that reason; they've been doing the "will they, won't they" dance for at least three years now. This last year, they've gone to more and more ridiculous lengths to keep the two apart. At this point, I really don't care *what* they do any more.

I think this is one of the main reasons I like fanfic better than tv A million possibilities but almost always, a happy ending

PJ
who doesn't actually watch Smallville