Ranting about "Smallville" - Part 1

One of my favorite podcasts to listen to at work is Starkville’s House of El podcast. Lord, I don’t know how I’d make it through the day sometimes without podcasts. By the way, if you know of any good ones, post a comment. But, anyway. After listening to the past two episodes of House of El with Steve and Derek, I felt inspired to dedicate not one, but two entire posts to my opinions of “Smallville.”

Yes, folks, I’m going to talk about Superman again. :)

“Smallville.” I’ve watched pretty much from the beginning, but I didn’t really get into the show until the fourth season. Sure, blame it on the shipper in me. My love for Superman began when I was a wee child intrigued by the Superman-Lois relationship in the Christopher Reeve films. When “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” premiered, I was in seventh heaven. When they brought Lois Lane onto “Smallville,” it made absolutely no sense at all, but I loved seeing a new version of Lois and Clark on my TV screen. I guess one of the reasons I’d never been all that into “Smallville” in the past was because I disliked the idea of Clark and Lana so much. So, while most fans see Season Four as the beginning of the downfall of “Smallville,” it’s actually the season that pulled me into the show. Because of Lois. Erica Durance rocks. She’s one of my favorite Lois Lane’s ever.

Three seasons later, I’m beyond frustrated with certain aspects of “Smallville.” The fact that the writers have never stayed faithful to the general mythos of the legend has always bothered me. Martha was never a senator! Kara isn’t older than Kal-el! And, sure, I love Lois, but Clark didn’t know Lois in high school! I also have a problem with what’s happened with Lana throughout these seasons. I think Kristen Kreuk is a great actress, but I’ve had a lot of trouble swallowing this dark version of Lana that’s been progressing steadily. I don’t blame Kristen for wanting to retire the character. And, if I were a Clana shipper, I’d be so disgusted at the way the show has treated the couple. Together. Not together. Together. Not together. Geez. That has to have been tough on Clana shippers.

As for Lois Lane, I’m a little disgusted at what the writers have done to her, too. I mean, come on. “Smallville’s” version of Lois is a tad bit on the promiscuous side — she’s probably slept with half the Justice League at this point! I’ve certainly never envisioned Lois Lane as a prude, but I’ve never thought of her as promiscuous before! It kind of bothers me. It also bothers me that Clark and Lana have slept together, because I’ve always thought of Clark as being more principled than that. It always bothered me that Clark and Lois got busy in “Superman II,” too. It just seems…out of character for him.

Besides that, we’re into Season 7 now, and Clark’s progress toward becoming Superman has been painfully slow, thanks largely to his obsession with Lana. Another reason I’m no big fan of the character of Lana. I know we’ll never see Tom Welling in the suit, and Clark will never fly on the show. But when Clark found the Fortress of Solitude in the Season 5 cliffhanger, a big part of me screamed, “Yes! This is finally it. Clark will start training to become Superman now!” But has he? Not really.

I read a spoiler that Season 8 – which is sure to be the show’s last – is going to be heavy on Clois. I doubt they mean Clois as a romantic pairing, but all I could thank when I read that was, Thank God.

Enough ranting. My next post will feature my idea of how the final season of “Smallville” should end. I’ll try to post it later today.