Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic Smallville - Recruit

Writer 1: "OK, I finally have the script for this episode done. I'm really proud of it. Tell me what you think!"

Writer 2: "Uh oh, we have a little problem here ... I see where you're going with this plot, but I'm afraid the fans won't get it. There's just way too much nuance."

Writer 1: "But ... but ... I worked really hard on all that nuance. I mean, this is a *smart* script ... look, the characters are well balanced, the setting is realistic."

Writer 2: "Hello! What do you think I'm talking about?? These characters are way too gray ... we need black and white, black and white! Do you really think our viewers will understand under *subtle*?? They're not exactly rocket scientists, you know."

Writer 1: "Well, *I* understood it. But all right, if you say so. OK, so make all the characters into over the top paradies of real life, check. But I can keep the recruiting storyline realistic, right?"

Writer 2: "What are you, stoned? No, no, no! I want to see rowdy fraternity parties where there are no ethics, ditzy sorority girls who are all whores! Have the whole freakin' college roll out the red carpet for a high school player who has only played one season! Throw in every NCAA violation you can think of! We want even viewers in a coma to be able to understand our message on this one! Hit them over the head! Preach, preach, preach! Oh yeah, and make sure the trampy girls all show a lot of skin."

Writer 1: "Sigh ... well, can I at least keep the last five minutes, where I show, once again, the Chloe is the perfect girl for Clark? I mean, I know Lois is here and all, but I really dig Chloe and you know, it's kind of become my trademark."

Writer 2: "Oh, all right ... we can work with that. But be sure to keep that short bit at the end where Lois tricks Clark into letting her stay at his place. It's cute. But make her reasons for getting kicked out of college much more absurd -- why ruin a perfectly unrealistic episode by having things make sense at the end?"

Writer 1: "Well, back to the drawing board!"


Kathy

I imagine their every episode undergoes a similar revamping session

I have to say that despite the typical over-the-top characterizations, I loved the interaction of Lois with Clark there at the end. This Lois babbles as well as the Lois we all know and love. And it was priceless to see Clark stare after her in a daze wondering, "What just happened?"

I have a feeling that's going to be happening to him for the rest of his life... if he's lucky.

He's doomed. He just doesn't know it yet.

P.S. My other favorite line, "Lois, who would have thought I'd be relieved to hear your voice?"

LOL Roger, I'm with you there. I was practically throwing things at the TV for the entire episode but the last five minutes, I was scooting up closer to the TV to make sure I didn't miss any part of the L&C interaction. I even said Clark's line, "What just happened here?" a second before he did, LOL. (Oh, yeah, and I also liked the part where he went all postal on the bad guy because he wouldn't tell him where Lois was. Just wait, Clark, you're going to have so many more instances where this happens ...)

But as for the rest of the episode, I kept telling my husband, "Wow, this script was written by a 14 year old fanfic writer."

Though, actually, that was probably an insult to the 14 year old fanfic writers among us.

Kathy

Ditto.

I did like it when Chloe told Clark she had "just a hunch" that he had a greater destiny than football. IMHO, that was the best scene in the whole ep.

I'm a Smallville, well... hater is a bit too strong. Let's just say that I haven't bothered to keep track of the show beyond the threads here, and on Zoom's boards regarding the show. I've never liked Miller and Gough's twisted version of the Superman mythos. That, and I've always had a problem with 25 years trying to play 15 year olds. While I might be able to accept the cast as 'college-aged' types, I've never been able to see them as high-schoolers.

So, bad scripts, mediocre acting, and producers who don't have a clue have kept me away from the show. But I watched the other night... why? Lois Lane.

I agree with Kathy that the script was just a jumble of over the top cliques, but I didn't care. I like Erica Durance and think she does a very good job as Lois. (Even though Lois has no business being in any show about Clark Kent's Smallville days).

It's too bad that Erica has now been tainted by Smallville. I could see her as Lois (with an appropriate 'professionalizing' of her look) in the movie. She's about the right age for what the producers and directors are looking for. She's actually older than Kate Bosworth (who I think is too young to be believeable as a top investigative reporter).

Anyway, I too thought her little exchange with Clark at the end of the show was classic (even if it didn't make any sense) babble mode Lois. Why she would think that Clark would offer her a place to stay is beyond me, and why she would come to Smallville to stay even if she isn't currently in school escapes me. Still, it might provide a few watchable moments on a series that has had few of them over the years.

Tank (who wonders if the Colorado College football recruits think that the storyline was over the top)

When Clark asked, "What just happened here?" I said, "You just let Lois move in with you!" out loud to the TV. Then I got all giggly! I love it when Lois is on that show!

I couldn't believe Clark didn't ask his parents first. Even Smallville Clark has a sense of responsibility. After all, Mom & Dad own the house, and they're the ones who are going to decide in the end.

I assume he talked them into it later, but still.

If you'd watched earlier in the season, Tank, you'd know why ... because Lois stayed with Clark and his family before, when she first came to town. So it made sense for her to go back there, since she knew they had room, had put her up before, etc. Of course, that was before his parents caught them in the shower together. <beg> ("Two showers! We *each* took a shower!" )

I've found most of the episodes this season to be very enjoyable, which is why this one was especially disappointing. I've been a Superman fan from way back ... enjoyed the comics, all the various incarnations on both the big and little screen. So the fact that SV turns the mythos on its ear doesn't bother me. I'm not a purist -- every incarnation of Superman has made changes, some small, but some very big. I mean, if fanfic can have Lois meeting Clark in high school or college, why not do it on a show? It's all basically the same thing to me; one writer just gets paid more.

So I, for one, am glad they brought Lois on SV. ED does a marvelous job and she's a lot of fun to watch. So the last five minutes was the best part of this episode for me -- I can't wait to see more L&C interaction going forward!

Kathy (wondering why CC and Lynn haven't chimed in yet ... I'm waiting for them to tell me why I'm oh-so-wrong about this episode, but so far, all I hear is the little birdies twittering .... <eg>)

Well, Lois did already end up staying with them once when she first came to town. I believe it was the 2nd episode of the season? I watch Smallville fairly regularly, but I'm not crazy enough about it to pay attention to details and episode names, sorry. :p So I'm guessing she just *assumed* he would offer her a place to "crash." I, too, *loved* that scene ... then again, I love just about every scene with Lois in it. She's honestly the reason my interest in this show was renewed this season. I really, really enjoyed Chloe and I have even more respect for her seeing the way she is dealing with knowing "the secret" ... thank GOD Lana wasn't the one who found out, oh I shudder to think! I'm wondering though if Chloe will *ever* tell Clark that she knows? I almost prefer it this way, but we'll see.

The last 5 minutes were the best, dare I say I think we are *finally* starting to see Clark heading down the road towards becoming the superhero we all know.

On one hand I agree some of the ep didn't make sense, but remember this *is* Smallville LOL. I've learned to not necessarily have high expectations, that way I am rarely disappointed! Overall though, this was probably one of my favorite eps of Smallville's season 4. Looking forward to Lois sticking around for the rest of the season (or at least most of it anyway).

Kathy, I'm ROTFL at your first post! What a perfect parody.

Have any of you ever seen the movie Johnny Be Good with an all-grown-up Anthony Michael Hall (who turned out to be quite the stud considering where he started out, but I digress...)? It's a movie about a high school football star being romanced by colleges to come and play for them. I felt like the writers of this episode used this movie as their bible for "Recruit."

You summed it up perfectly, Kathy. They pretty much crammed every single cliche in the book into this episode. They even scammed off "Raiders of the Lost Ark" with that opening scene of Lois drinking the frat boys under the table. I actually was surprised (pleasantly) that this didn't turn into a The Evils of Underaged Drinking episode since it had all the marking of such.

Funnily enough, the thing that bothered me most about this epi (besides the sorority girls throwing themselves at Clark) was the whole Lana/Jason/Lex crap. They are taking our beautiful Lex and abusing him!! He has all this potential and what do they have him doing? Chasing geese on some stupid-*ss storyline just so TPTB have a reason to keep Lana on the show now that Clark has so wisely moved on. Gack! Plus, did anyone just want to scream "What is that thing?!" when Lana went to Lex's estate with that funky hair-do twist dealy smacked upside the back of her head? She looked like some kind of alien life form. So.Very.Stupid.

OK, here's the deal with Chloe. She knows. I'm glad she knows. But if they are going to have her play some kind of cat and mouse game with Clark for a few weeks, they gotta do something to make her a little more subtle about it. Because as they have it now, she looks really stupid. Like she can't remember that she decided not to tell Clark she knows or that she forgot she hasn't already told him, so she keeps dropping these cryptic messages that make no sense to us because they aren't even disguised. Specifically, I'm talking that scene in the hallway when she says "I'm surprised you even play football at all...with your special talents..." yada yada yada. They need to move her past keeping his secret into be a fully realized ally. That I cannot wait to see.

Lois. You know, even though I think the whole Lois living at the Kents is really lame and totally contrived, I like ED so much and her interactions with TW so much that I'll put up with it so we can keep her around. And I am very very much torn between knowing in my brain that having Lois and Clark develop any kind of romantic attachment at this point in time is way too off canon even for me (the unpurist) and wanting to see those two just lunge at each other. I do love the snark between them, though. Classic LnC banter.

CC is probably huddled in a corner whimpering for the shame of what they've done to Lex. And I can't even say as I blame her. They are wasting that man!

Lynn

ring ring...ring ring...

Writer 1:You want me to get that?

Writer 2:Uh, check the caller ID first, ok?

ring ring...ring ring...

Writer 1:Uh-oh.

Writer 2: Is it who I think it is?

Writer 1: Maybe if we just don't answer?

ring ring...ring ring...ring ring...

Writer 1: It's no use. It'll just keep calling.

Writer 2: Fine. (stomp, stomp, stomp)
Hello? Oh, hi, Continuity. I figured we'd hear from you today--huh? Some time to grieve Alicia, the girl he married/divorced/dated/"loved" in the previous two episodes? I don't see how that's necessary. We had football!

Writer 1: Here we go again. Preachy, preachy, preachy...

Writer 2: Hey, I thought you'd be happy! Did you see the preview for next week? We're bringing in Krypto! Straight from the comics!

Writer 1: Continuity is never, ever happy.

Writer 2: Look, this was a good episode. We moved Clark forward, had him make a strong, ethical, unselfish decision so all the Smallville CK haters will forget this number--pardon? Just a few minutes to mourn- or atleast seem to remember- lost love, are we back to this? Yeah, yeah, he *was* despondent in the barn...well, yeah, guilt-ridden and devastated, but that was *last* week...Another tear? We gave him a tear two weeks ago!

Writer 1: Only one tear every four seasons. It's in TW's contract.

Writer 2: Ok, I have to be honest with you, you can call and whine all you want, but we feel we took care of any remaining heartache for Clark with the cake and the sorority babes, did you get a load of their--what? Are *you* crying now?

Writer 1: Oh, for the love of Lana, just hang up! Hang up before it gets started on Lex!!

Writer 2: As always, thank you for your input, and have a nice day.

(click)

Writer 1: Whew. That was close.

Writer 2: No kidding. I hate when it calls. Got any chocolate?

Writer 1: Here, enjoy. Yeah, you know, it could have mentioned that whole business about Lionel being out of prison and why isn't Chloe scared to death.

Writer 2: No, no. Remember? Lionel's good now. We got that part covered.

Writer 1: Ohhh, yeah. Cool.

Writer 2: (chewing) You know, I don't know why it's all worked up about Alicia. Didn't it get she was just a plot contrivance? So Chloe could find out the big secret?

Writer 1: (snort) Yeah, sheesh. She was only on, like, what three episodes? And that first one she was a total nut job. Did it really think Clark would have fallen so deeply in love that he'd mourn for, like, more than a day?

Writer 2: Well, she did show a lot of skin. That's something when you're nineteen.

Writer 1: Nineteen? I thought he was eighteen?

Writer 2: No. Let's see, he was sixteen in Season 1 -

Writer 1: And we're on -

Writer 2: Season 4

Writer 1: So he'd be...what's that -

Writer 2: Twenty.

Writer 1: Thanks. I hated math. Twenty. Wait...are you sure he was already sixteen in Season 1?

Writer 2: I think we had him driving a truck.

Writer 1: Which truck?

Writer 2: You know, the red one. The one that crashed.

Writer 1: The first or second red truck that crashed?

Writer 2: Ummm...I'm not sure. Might have been the one that blew up.

Writer 1: The third or fourth one that blew up?

Writer 2: 'Cept, come to think of it, wasn't one of them blue? Maybe he drove the blue truck.

Writer 1: It'd be kinda cool if there was a place where we could look up all that stuff.

Writer 2: I got the DVDs.

Writer 1: Nope. No time. I gotta figure out how to shoehorn Lana into this scene with Clark and Krypto. What do you think about Lana opening a dog grooming parlor?

Writer 2: Could work. We'd have to burn it down, though. Trap her inside for her weekly brush with death.

Writer 1: Or we could have her change it to a tattoo joint next week. The Countess Thoreaux Tattoo and Nail Salon.

Writer 2: And Lois could go in to get a tattoo and we could throw in a Tom Welling torso shot. TPTB always love that stuff -

Writer 1: Well, yeah. Who wouldn't. Tom's been working out -

Writer 2: Makes great promos.

Writer 1: Cool. They can spin it to look like Lois and Clark have sex.

Writer 2: Ooooo...and Lana sees it...

Writer 1:...and goes to the barn to pout about Clark not telling her the truth.

Writer 2: That works. We haven't done a Lana-in-the-barn scene in at least, what, three weeks.

Writer 1: At least. I'll put her in a pink sweater. Kristin looks good in pink -

Writer 2: NO! No pink. Remember? Lana is mature now. Black. It's got to be black. Look, I hung that post-it on your monitor so you wouldn't forget. "Black = Mature".

Writer 1: I thought Black equals The Sexy?

Writer 2: Nope. That's only for Red-K Clark. When he's got the good hair. For Lana, it's maturity. But make sure she doesn't show any cleavage. She's a virgin.

Writer 1: Right. Black. No cleavage. Got it. Hey, save me some of that chocolate. I'm gonna need it to write this Lex-sleeps-with-Jason's-mother scene.

Writer 2: Tell me again, who's Lex?

Question about Writer One and Writer Two (who sound suspiciously like Cat in the Hat characters) where do they find the time to smoke this much WEED!?!?!?!

Just wondering...and where can I get some too?

FUN post guys!

TEEEEEEEEJ

Spoiler space (for those who want it)

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If they ever do, it'll be the prom ep. Kryptonsite says that Pete will be back in this one, and that he will be Chloe's date.

I can see it now:

Chloe: Um, so Pete, did Clark ever mention his "special talents" to you?

Pete's eyes get big: Uh, special talents? What special talents would those be?

Chloe: Oh, ah, you know.

Pete: No, no, I don't. I don't know anything about Clark. *breaks off and heads over to CK, who is enjoying a glass of punch and glancing wistfully across the room at Lana, who is dancing with Jason*

Pete (whispers): Hey, Clark, I think she knows.

Clark: Who?

Pete: Chloe. I'm telling you, she knows, man.

Clark: No way.

Pete: Yes, way.

And so it goes...

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OK, this thread is officially better than any episode of Smallville to date.

Well, except maybe the scene where Lois and Clark take their "shower" and get caught by his parents. And maybe that scene where Lois ruffles his hair after dunking him in the tank.

But that's it! I swear!

Kathy

Hear, hear!! I am cracking up!

~Liz

Let's face it: Erica Durance is the best thing that's happened to Smallville. She was nominated for a best supporting actress in the Saturn awards!

I still say that without Lois, Clark is too deep and dark - Lois with all of the facets of her personality brings out the lightness in Clark. Plus he can't figure her out.... thus the eventual interest in her.

Those that read "Birthright", the supposed new incarnation of Superman, I do have to say I thought the scene in the Daily Planet when she tells off the publisher because he's putting Jimmy Olsen down was great!

And then another scene where she's telling Perry how he handled a staff meeting wrong, he's not editing the staff's stories correctly, and Perry's sitting there steaming, writing a list of "fire" / "don't fire" reasons on a piece of paper.

That is pure Lois Lane. A woman we would all love to be!

Looking forward to Krypto - finally a furry FOTW!

I agree. Let's just forget about that show and write our own. You know, create our own storylines where we have L&C (forget Lana) interact with each other... Hmm, why does that idea sound so familiar?

Hee hee! There are over 4,000 Smallville fanfics on ff.net. And I'll bet that at least half of them are Mary Sues.