Smallville 8.12

[bop_radar]

You have GOT to be kidding me. Really, Smallville? REALLY?

First, you write Lois as lovestruck, emotional, pining-after-an-oblivious Clark. That was bad, but I was holding out hope that Clark would have a Lois epiphany while she was away.

Well, THAT was a foolish thing to hope, now, wasn't it.

And to make it worse, you actually MENTIONED LOIS in the episode and pointed out how HORRIBLE it would be if Clark didn't consider her feelings at this time. That was so gratuitous--it didn't need to be there and I THOUGHT the scene was there to show Clark taking Lois seriously. No, it was there to up the angst and the ship wars....

Thanks a lot for making Clark Kent a giant jerk and Lois a fool. And for overturning years of really good handling where Clois and Clana were NEVER directly in competition. BIG FUCKING MISTAKE, dudes.

I don't really think there is any coming back from this.

I may or may not write an episode review depending on how this settles with me.

ETA: Spoilers for BSG 4.11 in comments.

Comments

[taragel.livejournal.com]

Oh I was dying to see what you'd say about this one. I was struck by how similar the Clark/Lana/Lois storyline was to what happened last week with BSG Lee/Dee/Kara in a way (both men going back to their exes because of their insecurities/need for reassurance).

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Well I have a massive FUCK THAT response in both cases... ;)

I'm so deeply unimpressed I can't even think about the rest of the episode yet.

Why did BOTH of my shows have to traumatise me like this?!

[taragel.livejournal.com]

Aw ::hugs:: Sorry girl. I had my mini-hissy last week for BSG. Smallville...eh. I can't get too worked up...unless it's about my honey Davis. (I actually thought overall this week was terribly boring and I fell asleep in the middle!)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Heee icon! His chest and Oliver's are really 'bringing it' this season. ;)

I only get worked up about Lois in SV. She's my girl.

I do agree the rest of the episode was boring. Personally I was really miffed that an episode with J'onn in it featured him in a coma for most of it. (I really like him.)

And what is Doon doing?! Making his way really slowly from the Arctic to Metropolis? o.O

[taragel.livejournal.com]

I love me some Ollie too. I thought his line to Clark about "guilt is your thing, we get it, now let's MOVE" was hysterical.

Poor Lois. It felt very conspicuous that she was not there this week, esp. since we got to see Chloe for a few minutes. So Lois is standing by Jimmy's bedside while Chloe runs home? That's weird.

And Clark was so noncommittal. Sigh.

Doom is apparently taking like the scenic road trip back to Smallville. Stopping at every roadside attraction like the world's largest Ball of Twine and shit.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I love me some Ollie too. I thought his line to Clark about "guilt is your thing, we get it, now let's MOVE" was hysterical.
Oh I know! *giggles* I loved that line. I actually found the Clark-Oliver interactions the highlight of the ep. Oliver is so funny because he really GETS Clark and he loves him but he's also so 'WT..?' about him. Which, let's face it, is kind of how I feel!

So Lois is standing by Jimmy's bedside while Chloe runs home? That's weird.
Yeah this whole no-Lois phase is really awkward. And wow, Chloe is really not in a rush to get to her new husband, huh? I was shocked to see she was still there! They didn't need to have Allison in this episode and it's weirder that she WAS there. They did it deliberately to bring up Lois, and ... that really stings. I was waiting for Clark to be all bashful and secretly loving of Lois. But no.

Stopping at every roadside attraction like the world's largest Ball of Twine and shit.
I can picture him stopping to stare at it in a really growly way and then buying a really lame postcard or something. :D

[taragel.livejournal.com]

Oliver is so funny because he really GETS Clark and he loves him but he's also so 'WT..?' about him. Which, let's face it, is kind of how I feel!
Yes he really is. He makes a very nice foil for Clark actually being a man of impulsive/action (which sometimes ends badly) versus Clark's super thinky/emotional stuff even thoguh they're both on the side of good.

Chloe is really not in a rush to get to her new husband, huh? I was shocked to see she was still there! They didn't need to have Allison in this episode and it's weirder that she WAS there.
I think they did say something like she was just back briefly to pick up more clothes--and ended up helping Clark. But I think they do actually contractually have to have AM in every episode. She and Clark are the only regulars in every ep I read somewhere.

I was waiting for Clark to be all bashful and secretly loving of Lois. But no.
See, I really with TW was a better actor because a lot of the times when he's supposed to be playing those kind of secretive emotions...all I see is blankness. Which makes him seem aloof like he doesn't care, but might just be TW's not so great acting. But I agree he could've been a little more into Lois when Chloe was questioining him.

I can picture him stopping to stare at it in a really growly way and then buying a really lame postcard or something. :D
HEH! And taking pictures with Japanese tourists who call him GODZILLA! And the postcard would say:
Davis,
WISH YOU WERE HERE(NOT)!
XOXO
Dooms

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I think they do actually contractually have to have AM in every episode.
Oh yeah, I always forget that.

might just be TW's not so great acting. But I agree he could've been a little more into Lois when Chloe was questioining him.
See, crediting TW with better acting than you do, I assume that his disinterest was deliberate. I'm not sure which is worse!

[tigergal05.livejournal.com]

I had a feeling you'd be upset with this one, Boppy. Clark completely regressed in those last 10 minutes. Chloe bringing up Lois was fantastic, but seemed to turn into a pretty moot point by episode's end.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it upset me. :( Like you I was initially excited to hear Chloe mention Lois but now it seems like they only brought it up to remind us how sad Lois will be.

[tigergal05.livejournal.com]

Well, let's hope we see Lois again, soon. There is a definite void when she isn't there..

[svgurl.livejournal.com]

I was really upset with that too ... at least if Clark didn't know, I could accept it. But he KNOWS and it's like he doesn't care.

I'm heartbroken. I don't know how they're going to make the Clois look believable. :(

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I don't know how they can ever make it believable now, no. And I just feel it was so unnecessary. It was cheap melodrama! I get that Clark has a lot of emotions to work through with Lana, but I expected to see them do so as friends, perhaps admitting a residual attraction to each other but both keeping level heads about that. Instead it seems like Clark is still totally in love with Lana and just can't move on. And more than that, he doesn't care enough about Lois to even talk to her about HER feelings, which she made so clear. What's he thinking? That she'll just come back and go 'oh well'?! They have to WORK together!

Pfft. Men.

[daybreak777.livejournal.com]

Aww, poor Boppy. I didn't pay that much attention to the cop thing. Alessandro Juliani (BSG's Gaeta for those who don't know) was on! Dr. Emil! I kept waiting for more A.J. sitings, I have to admit. ;-)

I feel sad for Lois and I got confused. Why? Because I like Clark. And last year I shipped Clark/Lana. I should have been happy, right? But I also remember Lois' voice when Clark was tortured in front of her and also when Clark left the dance floor for Lana. It's not fair. Even I, the shipper, realize now that Clark/Lana is past. They killed it last year, it can't always be revived. :-(

My spec is they are hooking them up for some superbaby and that's Lana's future as mother of superboy and if that's true I will be SO PISSED. I like babies, generally, but Lana can be so much frakking more than that.

But that's just me. :-)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wish Alessandro had had more lines. ;) He looked cute as a doctor though.

Your spec strikes enormous FEAR into my heart! I know it's in a different way but I've been invested in Lana's journey for YEARS, DB! And I had a theory for quite a lot of time that her destiny was motherhood. I thought we were past that time, but perhaps not...

[taragel.livejournal.com]

Does that dovetail with the comics though? And does the show care about that? I can never quite figure out how they treat the comics/meta/pre-established superman stuff. I guess they play fast and loose.

The comments from the Legion-aires last week surprised me about Lana's having a special destiny (where's Leoben when you need him?).

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

It doesn't dovetail with the comics, but Smallville canon is different in several ways. They might have to clear some stuff with DC, but they've been given license in the past... it's not impossible.

The thing that made me always think Lana would end up as a mother (and probably in Smallville) was that the show under Al and Miles really pushed the idea that you were destined to become your parents, or to relive their journeys. So you have Lex turning into Lionel, Clark torn between the Kents and his Kryptonian parents/destiny, etc. With Lana, her mother had an affair and married young.

Also, they made so much of Lana's desire to move beyond Smallville (from the windmill days on), but the show continually showed the ways in which she was trapped. I always thought motherhood would be the way to trap her, and when she was with Lex it all seemed to be playing out that way.

[suex.livejournal.com]

With Lana, her mother had an affair and married young.

But Lana's mother said in her Graduation Speech that she wished that she had been able to make a difference and hoped that her children one day would.

I always thought that when Lana found out about Clark that his influence would help her move beyond that which she appeared destined for.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

But that's not the message that Smallville has delivered over the years. No other character gets to escape their destiny. At least not on Al&Miles's watch. It's beginning to feel like anything can happen now they're gone though.

[suex.livejournal.com]

Well.... I guess you could say then that Chloe was destined to become a hotshot reporter for the Daily Planet, but her life has taken a different path than that.

I agree with your thoughts regarding Clark and Lex, but I don't hold Lana or Chloe for that matter, in the same regard as the two guys. Lex offered Lana a challenge way back at the end of Season 3 on whether she wanted to become a small town coffee shop owner or move onto bigger and better things and I think from that moment on it was all up to her.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I always felt Al and Miles held the three of them--Clark, Lana and Lex--to the same standards. Lex too was offered lots of opportunities not to follow in his father's footsteps and what about all those speeches by the Kents to Clark about him making his own destiny and not having to do what Jor-El said? It all seemed on par to me.

Now that Al and Miles are not at the helm though, I can see them going for a more empowered Lana ending. I'd be ok with that as long as it keeps in the spirit of her character overall in SV canon. I can't tell yet whether it will or won't.

[daybreak777.livejournal.com]

Noes! No motherhood! I love babies and babyfic and would love a superbaby but that would be the end of Lana's quest for her own self independent of man or child.

NOES!

I will drown myself in the idea of AJ having a possible reccuring SV role instead. Yes, he is doctor to the superheroes. I like this thought. :-)

[chatchien.livejournal.com]

When Clark and Chloe were in the Isis Surveillance Room and the subject of Lois came up, I was confused. What? Why are they talking about Lois? What has she got to do with any of this?

I liked the episode and I liked Lana throughout the episode, but Clark....

He thinks that he can have a life and love outside of hero calling and he runs to Lana...to make her that part of it?

Geez, I don't really think that he is the guy for Lois after all. Lois should just stay gone; it's not going to work out with this Clark. Sorry, Lois, but you picked the wrong guy to romance yet again. If you want a commitment, stick with your career. In this Smallville universe; Clark is not your go-to-guy.

I've got to agree with you there; I don't see any future for Clark and Lois in this AU. But I will enjoy Tess and Oliver; now, that looks interesting.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

It seems like that doesn't it? I have to say that between them writing Lois as lovestruck and them writing Clark as unsensitive to her feelings and certainly not returning them in any way, they've totally destroyed Clois. I kind of hate the new writing team. At least Al and Miles didn't do this to us!

Tess and Oliver are really interesting. I thought Tess was AMAAAAAAZING in this episode (and I totally don't see how Lana could have beaten her in a fight), and I look forward to that part of the show.

[lonelypond.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Agree...Clark and Lana is so very badly written for both characters and this season is Lois's worse I think...I was hoping he'd have an epiphany too but I'm almost convinced they just have no interest in a fun spark filled Lois and Clark relationship.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yes, I have come to the same conclusion and I am so disappointed I feel numb. They had so much to work with! Why did they throw it away? Why did they change the entire spirit of the ship in its nascent form? Grrr.

[suex.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot for making Clark Kent a giant jerk and Lois a fool. And for overturning years of really good handling where Clois and Clana were NEVER directly in competition. BIG FUCKING MISTAKE, dudes.

Its funny how we all see things in so many different ways. I didn't walk away with this feeling at all and never once thought that Clana is going to be in competition with Clois. Possibly because Lana will be gone by the time Lois gets back and by that time Clark may have completely different outlook on things.

I'm also of the opinion that Clark cant explore his feelings for Lois until he completely closes the door with Lana.

Having Lois be a little more sure about how she feels towards Clark is a loose interpretation, I guess, of Lois being in love with Superman in other stories.

Now that the dust has settled a little I'd be interested to know if you still feel the same.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I was completely on board with the idea of Clark needing to get closure with Lana. What I reject is the idea that he needs to resurrect that relationship first in order to do so. His proposal to Lana at the end of the episode implies not someone who is trying to come to terms with why they didn't work out with a couple but someone who believes there IS a way for them to work and wants that more than anything or anyone else in the world.

Having Chloe remind us that Lois has feelings for Clark and that Clark knows that and has maybe even implied an interest himself makes it clear that the two potential ships are in competition.

All I can hope is that this will be the world's shortest get-back-together and that Clark and Lana will break up before Lois even knows they're together. But I still want Clark to be honest with her about it regardless and that's looking less and less likely...

People kept telling me Clark had real feelings for Lois--that he wants a relationship but isn't sure how to initiate it. That just got completely debunked.

[suex.livejournal.com]

I was completely on board with the idea of Clark needing to get closure with Lana. What I reject is the idea that he needs to resurrect that relationship first in order to do so. His proposal to Lana at the end of the episode implies not someone who is trying to come to terms with why they didn't work out with a couple but someone who believes there IS a way for them to work and wants that more than anything or anyone else in the world.

Well, I think considering that Clark never "ended" the relationship he still hasn't really come to terms as to why it wont work. However, having said that, to me that scene was more about "I can save the world on a daily basis and have a relationship as well". He doesn't need to sacrifice one for the other. It just happens to be that at this moment in time Lana is the one that's there for him.

Having Chloe remind us that Lois has feelings for Clark and that Clark knows that and has maybe even implied an interest himself makes it clear that the two potential ships are in competition.

I need to watch it again, but I thought Chloe was saying to Clark that she's noticed that Clark has feelings for Lois and he better not do anything to hurt her while he's trying to make up his mind if he still thinks he can work things out with Lana.

Clark's response to me was, that he may have some feelings but Lois doesn't feel the same. Hence his comment "Lois is ...... " "Lois".

All I can hope is that this will be the world's shortest get-back-together and that Clark and Lana will break up before Lois even knows they're together.

I think since we know that Lana will only be sticking around for two more episodes that it will be the shortest get back together, but like you .....at least I think I'm thinking like you, that Clark has a say in putting this relationship to an end and its not because Lana cant cope again and runs off to who knows where. I would even be happy if she stuck around Smallville, but we just dont see her.

But I still want Clark to be honest with her about it regardless and that's looking less and less likely...

Do you mean honest with Lois? If they're going to have the fantastic relationship that they are going to have then I agree, he needs to be completely honest.

People kept telling me Clark had real feelings for Lois--that he wants a relationship but isn't sure how to initiate it. That just got completely debunked.

I don't think it was completely debunked, its just not ready to be explored yet and I think we can put that down to a Season 9 looking more and more likely.

By the way, I hope I'm not coming across too antagonistic 'cause I'm really trying to look at it from a standpoint of three or four episodes from now and because I have such a love for all three characters (they're my absolute favourites in the series) I'm feeling a little sympathetic towards each of them. I'm not such a great writer, better talker. ;)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I think considering that Clark never "ended" the relationship he still hasn't really come to terms as to why it wont work.
I agree. I just don't see why they can't talk about that like adults rather than run headlong after another fantasy.

that scene was more about "I can save the world on a daily basis and have a relationship as well". He doesn't need to sacrifice one for the other. It just happens to be that at this moment in time Lana is the one that's there for him.
I'm sorry... what? Firstly Lana isn't there for him--she's made it clear she is going to leave again and that leaving was the right thing to do. Clark had to actively appeal to her. Secondly, if anyone has made it clear that they're there for Clark this season, it's Lois. Do you mean there physically? Because that makes Clark seem like a total ass who adopts the nearest available girl when he wants a relationship. What, Star City is just too far away to contemplate?!

I thought Chloe was saying to Clark that she's noticed that Clark has feelings for Lois and he better not do anything to hurt her while he's trying to make up his mind if he still thinks he can work things out with Lana
Agree. We read a lot of the scenes the same way but draw really different conclusions.

Clark's response to me was, that he may have some feelings but Lois doesn't feel the same. Hence his comment "Lois is ...... " "Lois".
That's where we differ. I thought his comment (which was really weird) was 'oh yeah, Lois has feelings for me... but that's just Lois. Oh well! Moving on!' Mixed with a bit of 'Oh, yeah, I may have some attraction to Lois, but she's just Lois, she's not Lana.'

Do you mean honest with Lois?
Yeah, I do. I don't see much sign that he will be.

I don't think it was completely debunked, its just not ready to be explored yet and I think we can put that down to a Season 9 looking more and more likely.
Yeah, well, I find that kind of writing really lame. They massively fastforwarded the Clois for most of this season and I had a lot of problems with that. So to have it suddenly put on ice because they've got a Season 9 really makes me doubly annoyed which is why this is a real roadblock for me. If it was this episode in isolation that I was annoyed with, I'd deal. Heavens, Smallville has annoying episodes all the time! But I've really struggled to be on board with the writing of Clois all season and this is the final straw. I honestly believe there was a way to have the Clana closure AND keep the Clois vibe, but they needed to make it clear that Clark had feelings for Lois and confusion about Lana. Instead we got confusion about Lois and feelings for Lana. And that's just too much for me.'

I probably seem antagonistic too and I don't mean to be. I can see you are stepping back and being more forgiving of the writing as a whole this season. That's admirable. I'm just in a place where this is the final straw after a LOT of straws and I don't trust the new writing team an inch now.

I want to be sympathetic to all three characters (I love them too) but they've now written each of them in a way I don't like, and I'm disappointed.

[suex.livejournal.com]

I agree. I just don't see why they can't talk about that like adults rather than run headlong after another fantasy.

Can you do that if you still have lingering feelings for someone? I think as mature women we might think that's the most logical course, but a young couple that has been in love forever? I'm not sure. But I take your point, as viewers that's probably a more satisfying approach.

I'm sorry... what? Firstly Lana isn't there for him--she's made it clear she is going to leave again and that leaving was the right thing to do. Clark had to actively appeal to her.

See there I go with my inability to write what I mean. :(

Lana said she was having a hard time leaving because of how she feels about Clark, I assume. Clark did appeal to her, your right, but his appeal was more a statement that she doesn't need to leave because of some greater calling he has. That he can save the world and have a love in his life. And we're still yet to find out exactly why Lana was gone for so long and where she's been without any word.

I know you don't do spoilers, but I am looking at this with a few bits of information on spoilers that I know of and it probably enables me to see things a little differently. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, a right thing or a wrong thing. :/

Secondly, if anyone has made it clear that they're there for Clark this season, it's Lois. She has, but I still think that we haven't really seen how far Clark's feelings for Lois go. I know he loves her as a a friend, but as someone that he wants to spend the rest of his life with? I'm not sure.

Yeah, well, I find that kind of writing really lame. They massively fastforwarded the Clois for most of this season and I had a lot of problems with that. So to have it suddenly put on ice because they've got a Season 9 really makes me doubly annoyed which is why this is a real roadblock for me.

Yeah, but unfortunately that's the problem when you run a series with a very defined end point. Its frustrating and at times totally unsatisfying for us as viewers, but its the nature of television.

I honestly believe there was a way to have the Clana closure AND keep the Clois vibe, but they needed to make it clear that Clark had feelings for Lois and confusion about Lana. Instead we got confusion about Lois and feelings for Lana. And that's just too much for me.'

That's fair enough, you have a way you want to see things play out and its playing out the total opposite way. I get that! But who knows, this is Smallville remember, next episode we could have that exact thing that you want to see.

I probably seem antagonistic too and I don't mean to be. I can see you are stepping back and being more forgiving of the writing as a whole this season. That's admirable. I'm just in a place where this is the final straw after a LOT of straws and I don't trust the new writing team an inch now.

I've been really pleased with the way they have written Clark this season, and I've also been happy with the writing of Clois, even if it doesn't meet with canon, but Smallville always takes liberties there. The other thing I've really enjoyed about this season is that each episode is focused on one story and not an abundance of side stories going on in between. Lois is now a part of the main plot instead of being an addendum to the episodes that she appears in. And as a Lois fan, I'm very pleased about that.

I'm sorry that you've lost faith in the new team and hope that it can be restored some time soon.

I want to be sympathetic to all three characters (I love them too) but they've now written each of them in a way I don't like, and I'm disappointed.

Don't you just hate it when they do that? I used to really like Chloe, with the exception of Season 2 and up until Season 5, but now I cant stand her. However, it doesn't bother me not liking Chloe, 'cause she's Chloe. And I used to really like Lex up until Season 5 as well, when I think they took him to a place that didn't feel like a natural progression, but I'm supposed to not like him. Right??

I hope you hang in there, 'cause I love reading your reviews. :

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

but a young couple that has been in love forever? I'm not sure.
I don't know but I know the impression I felt I'd been given up until the very point where they kissed--and that was that they were past the point where working things out physically was a possibility, they were firmly in the 'friends' zone but confused about the end of their relationship. It came as a shock to me--I obviously had the wrong expectations. And yes, sounds like spoilers are giving you a different perspective. I don't have that and sometimes it means my reactions are pretty raw, especially when something shocks me, like this.

its the nature of television.
It is, but I didn't like the fact that their way of accelerating things with Clois was to put the whole relationship on Lois's shoulders. That's just a personal dislike that's always going to hold me back from loving season 8.

I think a large part of my disappointment here is because I'd really been enjoying Clark this season. If I couldn't have Lois written the way I like, at least I had Clark... until now. I had really been giving him the benefit of the doubt and thinking he had feelings for Lois and I've always thought he wasn't the kind of guy to pursue something with someone if he had reached the point where he knew he had feelings for someone else.

I'm the same with Chloe and I really miss liking her. She used to be my favourite character once upon a (very early) time! Agh. It sure is annoying when you lose favourites.

I'll hang in there because I've had lots of ups and downs with Smallville before now. I am invested in Tess and Oliver, at least, still. But thanks! I hope I enjoy one of the eps soon.

[suex.livejournal.com]

I think a large part of my disappointment here is because I'd really been enjoying Clark this season. If I couldn't have Lois written the way I like, at least I had Clark... until now. I had really been giving him the benefit of the doubt and thinking he had feelings for Lois and I've always thought he wasn't the kind of guy to pursue something with someone if he had reached the point where he knew he had feelings for someone else.

Saying this may make Clark sound even flakier, :/, I hope not.

For me its these really in depth feelings that he has that make him so special and one of the reasons why he wants to be Superman. He truly cares and loves on a scale that is just off the charts and because of that I actually think he'll keep on loving both women, he'll just eventually love Lois more than he ever loved Lana and Lois will be the right woman for him as he will be the right man for her. At this stage though, I think he's still going through the transition. (But yes, spoilers are a benefit sometimes when dealing with plots that you don't like) :D

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I have to giggle because my perspective on Clark's love is just so completely different. So far I feel Clark's love has been a lot about chasing an ideal, which Lana embodied. His feelings for her are genuine but also immature. I think he doesn't know yet what to do with Lois because she does not embody his ideal and yet he's still attracted to her. The depth of his love? Kind of irrelevant to me. I think he loves deeply, but selfishly. Perhaps all love is selfish. What I'm more interested in his behaviour when in love, and I don't think he was the world's best boyfriend to Lana and I just hope that he'll mature where that's concerned. I guess I'm one of those people for whom 'but I love you SO MUCH' isn't much of an excuse. For me, love's a verb--you have to do it, not say it, and I see a lot of saying and not much doing from Clark, especially in the Clana relationship.

But I like hearing your point of view because it shows me how different our perspectives can be, and the truth probably lies somewhere in between. Even though I have a different perspective, I see how you could view things your way.