Dear Mr. Millar and Mr. Gough,
I just watched the latest episode of Smallville, "Lucy." I'd like to take a few minutes to share some thoughts and ideas with you, if that's all right. I know you are big-time Hollywood types who are quite busy and I'm just a lowly viewer, but sometimes inspiration comes from the most unexpected sources.
First of all, kudos to your casting department for choosing an actress to play Lucy that actually had enough resemblance to Erica Durance that I believed the two women could be sisters. That was pretty cool. I also thought the girls had a great chemistry on-screen - they actually acted like sisters, with just the right amount of bickering tempered with a healthy dose of familial caring. Even though Lucy turned out to be a skanky criminal willing to endanger her big sister's life all because she didn't get enough of her Big Daddy's love, I kinda bought that these two came from the same family.
As a little sidebar - I know I'm not the hippest person on the planet, but dang, Lucy had some butt-ugly shoes! What were those white boots with the fluffy fuzz on top? And the shoes she was wearing when she snuck out of the Kent farm in the middle of the night should require a license and declaration as a concealed weapon. While I'm sure such footwear is all the rage in the major metropolitan centers of the world, it is a bit much for Smallville, Kansas. Perhaps a discussion with your costume department is in order? Maybe not.
Back to Lucy and Lois. I loved that we got such a great glimpse into the backstory of Lois Lane and the events in her life that have made her such a tough cookie. Sounds like her family could give Lex's a run for its money in the dysfunctional department. I loved that now we see a vulnerable side of Lois - a side that Clark, too, seems to recognize, which is the first step down that road to soul-matedness.
And - wink, wink - I got that clever intro to Lois's notorious lack of cooking ability you managed to slip in. Those deformed pancakes were a touch of genius. And was that bacon in that pan? Wow. Brilliant, I tell you. You actually illicited a chuckle out of me with Clark's reaction - his cynicism is well place. Boy, does he have a lot to look forward to.
While we're on the topic of Clark and Lois, again, props to everyone, actors and writers, for the great banter between TW and ED. I smiled during every single one of their scenes together, and they certainly moved in a forward direction from the beginning of the show to its ending. Congratulations on resisting the urge to jack up the flirtation between Lucy and Clark any further than you did. I was getting a bit queezy watching their scenes knowing how utterly inappropriate they were given Clark's future relationship with Lois.
It is to this end that I offer my first suggestion. IMO, this part of the show really works. The Clark/Lois interaction. Perhaps it would be prudent to keep these two together in as many scenes as possible. Not that they need to be boyfriend/girlfriend. At least not yet. I'm just saying, it's fun to watch them. I don't feel any incredible urge to reach for that remote control the way I do when Lana is on the screen.
Small question for you. When did Clark start trusting Lex again? Did I miss an episode? I must have because last I saw, Clark had a healthy wariness about Lex and Lex wasn't quite as tolerant of Clark's abuse and hypocrisy as he had been in Seasons 1 and 2. Guess I missed the scene when they kissed and made up and swore to be blood brothers 4-ev-R.
And oooohhh, you sneaky producers! Turning our little Lana into quite the sly fox! What a clever girl she is, hiding that stone in the waste pipe of the Talon all in an effort to fool Jason into thinking it had been stolen just so she could get his attention back to more important things. Mainly, herself. Can't wait to see how that turns out. Sort of. Not really.
Which leads me to Suggestion #2. I really appreciated seeing a villian plot that wasn't kryptonite or Lana-inspired. Not to mention a Lex Luthor who was lovable at the same time I know I should despise him for the future evil he will represent. I'm thinking you've got something really great here, and I'd love to see you run with it.
Oh, sorry, another little question. From the location shots you very kindly provide us on a weekly basis, the lovely Kent farmhouse looks to be a wonderfully sprawling affair of yellow clapboard charmingness. I'm amazed at the tricks cameras play on us viewers, because by the looks of it, I would imagine that such a spacious home would contain at least three bedrooms, if not four or five. However, clearly this can't be the case since Martha and Jonathan occupy one bedroom, Lois is bunking in Clark's room, and poor Clark is left to sleep on the couch. Perhaps Bo Kent could set Clark to using some of his superspeed to convert their unused attic space to a temporary bedroom so the poor boy doesn't have to change his underwear in the kitchen.
All in all, I thought this was a lovely episode. So much better than last week when Lana forever became a part of the Superman mythos.
You have left me to ponder how the future Lois and the future Clark can ever have a relationship that in any way resembles what decades of Superman canon have established. These two kids are starting to know each other on some pretty deep levels. And while I personally love every single minute of it, I do see that trying to sell me on a Lois who believes that Superman is someone completely different than Clark Kent without his glasses is a grand undertaking indeed.
Perhaps the best idea would be to scrap all future canon and keep going as you are. Let those two cute kids get together while they're young!
Thank you for your time. I'll see you in approximately six weeks when you will once again be airing new hopefully Lana-free episodes.
Sincerely yours,
Lynn M
