Hi! Long time no post...

[greenlady2]

But I have something interesting for your consideration, if anyone is still here.  A Doctoral Dissertation, no less.  On Smallville!  Well, well, well.

Here's the link, and I have a few comments after the cut.

http://gradworks.umi.com/3457264.pdf

Comments

[complicat]

I skimmed most of it and only read the Clark-Lex chapter in detail, but yeah I agree with most of your comments especially the superficial acceptance by the author when the show told us 'Lex is evil now' despite the evidence and it being unclear if the author agrees with the homophobia = evil message in many of these texts or is merely noting it's prevalence.

Also noted several times the author draws conclusions when discussing fannish reaction based on a sample of 4 or 5 people. Just...no.

[greenlady2]

"...the superficial acceptance by the author when the show told us 'Lex is evil now' despite the evidence

[ciaan]

A quick google says Shahriar is a Persian male name.

[greenlady2]

Thanks. I was too busy and distracted yesterday to think of Googling. :-)))

[sheliana]

This crap gets doctoral dissertations written about it?.. My faith in humanity has just taken another hit.

Sorry, don't have anything more intelligent to contribute. I just cannot wrap my mind around the fact that such an objectively bad show still has smart people thinking about it and analyzing it and trying to make sense of it...

[greenlady2]

'This crap gets doctoral dissertations written about it?'

Yup. More than one, apparently, though I have not ventured to check out the rest.

'My faith in humanity has just taken another hit.'

Yours and mine both.

'...I just cannot wrap my mind around the fact that such an objectively bad show still has smart people thinking about it and analyzing it and trying to make sense of it...'

I know the feeling.

I've read most of the dissertation at this point, and there's some interesting stuff in it. The author makes some good points. The thing is, the show itself doesn't live up to what he's writing about it. It's like... what would be a proper analogy? Writing an opera based on 'Mary had a little lamb'? Nah. Worse than that. :-)))

[sheliana]

>>Yup. More than one, apparently, though I have not ventured to check out the rest.... )

[greenlady2]

"Why? Why? WHY

[josephina_x]

Bleh. ...Well, that makes me totally not want to read it(/the dissertation), when I would have been interested and ended up wasting my time otherwise, so thanks for the heads-up? *coughs

[josephina_x]

[[holy effing crap, I can't believe I'm actually writing a two-comment post, here

[greenlady2]

"...(Should I run and hide now? ^_^;; ) "

Please don't do that. I can't comment on your comment right now, but I will later. Promise. :-)))

[josephina_x]

*lol* Not a problem -- as you can no doubt tell, I tend to lag a lot in my own re:'s -- I can hardly frown upon time spent on a thoughtful response! (And thank you for responding! :)