This is a really good post. I think you outlined many of the issues with the season very well and yet I still really appreciate the way you bring something positive and inspiring to everything you have to say.
I think Al and Miles quote is very sad and very telling. I will always believe that Superman is a harder character to understand than a character like Batman or Spiderman will ever be. Bruce Wayne, in my opinion, is an easier character to grasp. Clark Kent is a character with so many layers and so many subtle areas of depth that I think some people just miss who he truly is entirely. People write him off as a boyscout or they write him off as just a boring do-gooder and they fail to look deeper at who he truly is. And in terms of the females in the DCU..I feel the same way about Lois Lane. (Except instead of people writing her off as a do-gooder they write her off as a bitch.) She is, in my opinion, harder to understand and to truly grasp than someone like Diana. And though I love them both as strong female characters in the DCU...my heart will always belong to Lois a little bit more because of the depth and flaws that make up her character.
One of my biggest regrets of the season thus far is that the show seems to outright refuse to do any sort of proper journalism arc for either Clark or Lois. I adore their romance and I have loved their romantic moments this season. But I also think that show sometimes misses that part of their "love" is WORKING TOGETHER. It's part of what makes them...them. If you remove their partnership and you remove their passion at work together....you miss half of what makes them amazing. I have missed the presence of the Daily Planet this season for both characters and their individual arcs.
Your description of Chollie sounds a lot like how I would have written it. They would have and could have been a nice contrast to Lois and Clark. And yes, I agree. A happy ending for them might make shippers happy but it doesn't really make sense in the narrative. Plus, I will admit that part of me feels kind of bitter as both a Clark fan and a Clois fan that the show is trying to juggle two "epic" (at least in their view) true love type romances at once. IN a weird way...it feels like one more thing that's been taken away from Clark. Clark's journey to find his soulmate was basically a theme from Day 1 on this show. It was never part of Ollie's journey. And there is a part of me that feels like that particular romantic leading man storyline should of only ever been Clark's---particularly in the final season. Ollie should have remained the snarky, sidekick character supporting Clark and Chloe should have had her own journey with someone else. As it stands, I feel like the show is trying to tell me that Chloe and Oliver, with their precious little screentime/little development, is supposed to be on the same level as Clark's search for his life partner and the 7 years of screentime that Tom and Erica have shared together to get to this point. And that feels kind of insulting to me as both a Clois fan AND as someone who just loves Clark so much.
I was kind of "meh" about Booster for a while there but I think you are right. I think there is potential for that episode to address some really important themes of heroism.
Those stills of Tom are AMAZING. He's officially found the fountain of youth. How can someone so strong and masculine still manage to look like such an angel?
Thanks so much! I'm glad you don't find my opinions completely negative.
I will always believe that Superman is a harder character to understand than a character like Batman or Spiderman will ever be.
I know what you mean (I can't even tell you how many Batman/Spiderman vs. Superman conversations I've had), but there was never any contest for me. Superman has always been my guy. And Lois is the only woman who could ever stand by his side. I can't help but wonder what kind of show Smallville would have been under the leadership of showrunners who saw Clark Kent as America's greatest hero, rather than a "boring do-gooder."
One of my biggest regrets of the season thus far is that the show seems to outright refuse to do any sort of proper journalism arc for either Clark or Lois.
I know! And the worst part is that you know Tom and Erica would totally rock that kind of storyline! Part of what I like best about Clark and Lois is their playfulness, and their working relationship has always been the perfect showcase for that: the teasing banter, the competitive spirit, and Lois's reckless pursuit of the story, tempered by Clark's cooler head. I love all of that, and I miss it.
the show is trying to juggle two "epic" (at least in their view) true love type romances at once
I think they are doing that; we have two couples who are basically competing for the OTP spot. Onscreen they're too similar, and offscreen the shippers battle it out over which one is better, and more in love. And as long as the show is doing such a poor job of focusing on what remains of Clark's journey, I'm going to think every minute devoted to Chlollie could have been better spent telling his story.
Booster Gold is a pretty interesting character. I'm hoping Geoff Johns brought some of the humor he gave his story in the comics to the script for Smallville. I really want to see Tom flex his comedic muscles as a director.
Those pics are my new favorites. He's so beautiful, and he IS Superman.
I think Al and Miles quote is very sad and very telling. I will always believe that Superman is a harder character to understand than a character like Batman or Spiderman will ever be. Bruce Wayne, in my opinion, is an easier character to grasp. Clark Kent is a character with so many layers and so many subtle areas of depth that I think some people just miss who he truly is entirely. People write him off as a boyscout or they write him off as just a boring do-gooder and they fail to look deeper at who he truly is. And in terms of the females in the DCU..I feel the same way about Lois Lane. (Except instead of people writing her off as a do-gooder they write her off as a bitch.) She is, in my opinion, harder to understand and to truly grasp than someone like Diana. And though I love them both as strong female characters in the DCU...my heart will always belong to Lois a little bit more because of the depth and flaws that make up her character.
One of my biggest regrets of the season thus far is that the show seems to outright refuse to do any sort of proper journalism arc for either Clark or Lois. I adore their romance and I have loved their romantic moments this season. But I also think that show sometimes misses that part of their "love" is WORKING TOGETHER. It's part of what makes them...them. If you remove their partnership and you remove their passion at work together....you miss half of what makes them amazing. I have missed the presence of the Daily Planet this season for both characters and their individual arcs.
Your description of Chollie sounds a lot like how I would have written it. They would have and could have been a nice contrast to Lois and Clark. And yes, I agree. A happy ending for them might make shippers happy but it doesn't really make sense in the narrative. Plus, I will admit that part of me feels kind of bitter as both a Clark fan and a Clois fan that the show is trying to juggle two "epic" (at least in their view) true love type romances at once. IN a weird way...it feels like one more thing that's been taken away from Clark. Clark's journey to find his soulmate was basically a theme from Day 1 on this show. It was never part of Ollie's journey. And there is a part of me that feels like that particular romantic leading man storyline should of only ever been Clark's---particularly in the final season. Ollie should have remained the snarky, sidekick character supporting Clark and Chloe should have had her own journey with someone else. As it stands, I feel like the show is trying to tell me that Chloe and Oliver, with their precious little screentime/little development, is supposed to be on the same level as Clark's search for his life partner and the 7 years of screentime that Tom and Erica have shared together to get to this point. And that feels kind of insulting to me as both a Clois fan AND as someone who just loves Clark so much.
I was kind of "meh" about Booster for a while there but I think you are right. I think there is potential for that episode to address some really important themes of heroism.
Those stills of Tom are AMAZING. He's officially found the fountain of youth. How can someone so strong and masculine still manage to look like such an angel?
Hope you are well.
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I will always believe that Superman is a harder character to understand than a character like Batman or Spiderman will ever be.
I know what you mean (I can't even tell you how many Batman/Spiderman vs. Superman conversations I've had), but there was never any contest for me. Superman has always been my guy. And Lois is the only woman who could ever stand by his side. I can't help but wonder what kind of show Smallville would have been under the leadership of showrunners who saw Clark Kent as America's greatest hero, rather than a "boring do-gooder."
One of my biggest regrets of the season thus far is that the show seems to outright refuse to do any sort of proper journalism arc for either Clark or Lois.
I know! And the worst part is that you know Tom and Erica would totally rock that kind of storyline! Part of what I like best about Clark and Lois is their playfulness, and their working relationship has always been the perfect showcase for that: the teasing banter, the competitive spirit, and Lois's reckless pursuit of the story, tempered by Clark's cooler head. I love all of that, and I miss it.
the show is trying to juggle two "epic" (at least in their view) true love type romances at once
I think they are doing that; we have two couples who are basically competing for the OTP spot. Onscreen they're too similar, and offscreen the shippers battle it out over which one is better, and more in love. And as long as the show is doing such a poor job of focusing on what remains of Clark's journey, I'm going to think every minute devoted to Chlollie could have been better spent telling his story.
Booster Gold is a pretty interesting character. I'm hoping Geoff Johns brought some of the humor he gave his story in the comics to the script for Smallville. I really want to see Tom flex his comedic muscles as a director.
Those pics are my new favorites. He's so beautiful, and he IS Superman.
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