norwich36: (Lana when I'm bad)
norwich36 ([personal profile] norwich36) wrote2006-10-19 08:01 pm
Entry tags:

Smallville: Arrow

If you hated this episode, this may not be the review for you.



Let me just get this out of the way first:
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE THIS SHOW! I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I screamed out loud at least three separate times when I was watching it!!!!


Ahem. Ok. I will try to contain my fangirly joy long enough to be semi-coherent about this episode. I expect there will be abuse of the CAPITALS OF EMPHASIS AND GREAT EXCITEMENT in this post, though, so please be warned.

Things that filled me with tremendous joy in this episode:

LOIS: I could finally see, beyond a shadow of a doubt, iconic Lois Lane. She really shone in this episode. Even when she was bumbling tactlessly through cocktail party small talk, she was amusing, but I loved how good she is at being an action-adventure heroine! Seriously, I *believed* her ability to catch up to Ollie, and more especially, her proficiency at self-defense when attacked by the goons and her toughness under torture a hell of a lot more than I ever believed in the self-defense moves of any of the women on this show before. She seemed like a grown-up, tough woman, rather than a little girl playacting at being tough.

And I'm believing her entry into journalism, too, because I can definitely see someone like Green Arrow getting under her skin and making her crazy enough that she can't stop investigating him. I love that just like she ends up eventually giving Superman his name, she gives Green Arrow his name, too--and I love their adversarial relationship. Hell, her banter with Green Arrow is even better than her banter with Ollie.

I think the moment I loved Lois most in this episode, though, wasn't any of the dramatic stuff or the great banter, but just how self-assured and snarky she was in her initial scene with the security guy, because that's the moment I went, oh YES. That is a Lois Lane I can buy into!

I only have one concern with her new trajectory this season, and that's that I really hope they're not setting up a Lois/Chloe journalism rivalry. That would make me sad, because I love their relationship. I think maybe Chloe's still being a tad condescending to her, but they did work together, and I liked that better than a rivalry.

CLARK:
I really liked all his interactions with Ollie--they seemed really in character for his future role. I like that he's simultaneously realizing that not everything is black and white and yet at the same time holding onto a moral code, because future Superman really *isn't* Robin Hood. And I'm actually interested to see what he does with that necklace--I hope we will find out in future episodes. And that final talk he had with Ollie about relationships was fantastic, I thought, because it shows first of all that Clark has learned something from his time with Lana, and because it struck me as a nice bit of protectiveness toward Lois. (I still don't really see Clois chemistry--more of a sibling thing--but I like that he feels protective).

I'm not as into Ollie as the rest of fandom, but I can definitely see the slashy potential there, too, and definitely look forward to reading those stories.

LANA:
Oh, MAN. Before the very end of the episode, this review was going to close with a long section on how much I LOVE LANA in this episode--she was so LUTHORIAN. (And I still think that--it's just now I have to end with Lex, for obvious reasons. But first Lana).

I never thought I could possibly love Lana as much as I loved Lana tonight, but this Lana? Kicks serious ass. HOLY SHIT! She was playing Lionel! I mean, he was playing her in a very complex game for Lex, but until that reveal, I was so damned impressed that she made Lionel think she was sympathetic to his agenda and then went and blackmailed that scientist. DAMN! That was just the most perfect thing I have ever seen in my life. I love that she puts Lex's interests above those of other people; I love that she is using the Luthorian skills of blackmail and manipulation, and I love her little steely explanation to Lex that she wants him to keep investigating so if the Kryptonians return they can fight back. That was so marvellously in keeping with the whole fear-of-aliens motif that was her primary character arc last season and was only reinforced by the encounter with Zod, and I love it to DEATH.

LEX
And really, the only thing better than Lana's plotline was to find that Lex was playing her testing her the whole time. DAMN! That's my Lex Luthor! And holy crap, he got Lionel to play along with him! This is it, folks. This is Lex taking serious steps down the road on his iconic journey. The power reversal from season 1 is almost complete: now Lionel's the one begging to be let into Lex's projects, and Lex is the one with power. And he's using the power for what to him is a serious and important goal--being able to protect the world--and if that's dangerous, so be it.

And can I just say, I actually got up and did a little joy dance around my living room at the confirmation that Lionel has been playing the Kents, and Lex knows it very well. (Ok, it's possible that Lex is right, Lionel *has* convinced himself that he's good and he's playing some sort of deep multi-level game, but either way, I don't care: Lionel's back to his glorious, bastardly, devious self and I couldn't be happier.)

Oh, and Martha Kent running for U.S. Senate, not just state senate, and needing Lionel's help to grease the wheels: an excellent motive for her to spend more time with him. Mionel! With Clark not wanting his mom to be indebted to Lionel! I am so excited about the potential of this storyline!

And next week's preview, which I won't mention specifically so as not to spoil the DL crowd, but it makes me so excited too!

I love my show so VERY MUCH!!!

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_touched/ 2006-10-21 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Really? She seemed so smug when she told Clark that she hadn't shared the information with Lois.

Maybe Chloe was a little smug, but I do still believe that she would have eventually shared the information with her. I still say that Chloe's been at this journalism thing a lot longer than Lois, so with Lois just taking an interest in it - I will be pissed if it causes the writer's to push Chloe's character to the background as far as news goes.

Maybe Chloe does agree with Oliver for now, but that doesn't mean that she still couldn't change her mind and see it Clark's way if something happens. As far as Lois goes - I've tried to like her and I can't. I favor Chloe and her journalism more.

Ooh and my Lex and Lana...love them. :)

And I'm glad that you didn't get offended with this. I just don't like Lois attitude b/c I find it annoying and superior and she's not been there as long as Chloe. But that's cool. :)
ext_1774: butterfly against blue background (Trouble -- Chlois (by thefakeheadline))

[identity profile] butterfly.livejournal.com 2006-10-21 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
And I'm glad that you didn't get offended with this. I just don't like Lois attitude b/c I find it annoying and superior and she's not been there as long as Chloe. But that's cool. :)

No worries. I'm coming at the whole 'reporters' thing from the other direction -- I have adored Lois Lane, with her pushy (sometimes tactless) and direct ways since as long as I can remember, so for me, she's been there ages longer than Chloe and she's the one I get defensive on behalf of.

I like Chloe, but even in Seasons One-Three, I saw her as a foreshadowing of Lois Lane and some part of me was waiting for Lois. I was so thrilled to see Lois in Crusade and that I liked her (much better than Superman Returns' Lois. Who washes dishes!).

But Lois can definitely be arrogant and superior and a lot of work. She's high-maintence in a very unusual way and that's part of what makes Clark (in the future) fall for her. She's always going to surprise him. She'll never take him too seriously and she'll help him keep his feet on the ground.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_touched/ 2006-10-21 07:52 pm (UTC)(link)
01. See I guess that I'm just the other way around about it, b/c I never saw Lois coming onto SV - I don't think she belongs there. She needed to be in Metropolis. Not SV and certainly not there to push Chloe to the back with this journalism thing.

02. I'm a Chlois theorist and I cannot change those thoughts. So, I see Chloe as a lot better than Lois ever could be and I just don't like ED like I do AM. Maybe that also plays a factor in it.

03. SV's Lois to me doesn't seem very Lois-like at all and also, I feel like she's only half-way written and not fully done yet.

04. I am more for Chlark than Clois any day on SV. lol. So that gets me too. lol. Can't help it, but I'm more Chimmy than anything. lol.

And sorry about the numbers, it just made it easier for me to string thoughts together. I would type more or elaborate, but I smashed my middle finger on my left hand last night and it's wrapped up and it's hard to type a lot without it throbbing. :)
ext_1774: butterfly against blue background (Trouble -- Chlois (by thefakeheadline))

[identity profile] butterfly.livejournal.com 2006-10-21 08:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, the Chlois theory has never made any sense to me -- Chloe is a female reporter, yes, but she's never done anything to make me think she was Lois Lane (her use of the Lois Lane name in Delete did just the opposite, for me, as it confirmed the existence of a real Lois in the Smallville universe).

She's not hard enough, not cynical enough, and doesn't have any of the signature Lois Lane quirks/flaws, like bad spelling or being an ex-smoker. Chloe backs down from people when they get scary and mad, while Lois will confront (no matter how bad an idea it may be!).

I can understand liking Chloe more than Lois -- she's an underdog and a very sympathetic character. And I can understand liking Chlark more than Clois, because if you don't like that kind of snarky relationship, it can look almost mean from the outside. But thinking that Chloe is Lois just kinda baffles me. I like Chloe too much as herself, with her own quirks and faults and talents.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_touched/ 2006-10-21 08:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, I guess that's where the two of us agree to disagree, b/c I feel differently about Chloe regarding Lois than you obviously do. In Chloe I've seen a lot more Lois-like qualitied than I have in SV's Lois. Plus, when the show first started, it was said that Chloe's character was written based losely on Lois character.

I believe that Chloe is underestimated a lot and that she does have strength that she could use that would surprise us all and I do believe that she could be hard, cynical and does posses some of the Lois Lane quirks. Maybe Chloe does back down from people, but we can't say that it could last forever. Who knows maybe she could surprise us and be strong in the face of danger and stand up to someone. I have faith enough in her.I do believe that Chloe could easily confront somebody and not be scared if given the chance.

And like-wise thinking that SV-Lois is Lois-like baffles me too, when I think Chloe represents the better Lois in my pov. *shrugs* But I guess we're both entitled to our own thoughts. I respect your views even if I can't always agree with them.
ext_1774: butterfly against blue background (Trouble -- Chlois (by thefakeheadline))

[identity profile] butterfly.livejournal.com 2006-10-24 11:18 am (UTC)(link)
*nods*

I think that we view different qualities as the 'essential' Lois Lane qualities -- for me, Lois has all the important stuff and can work her way up to the less essential parts and for you, Chloe's the one who has the essential LL heart and can work up to the other things.

I do think that Chloe was a bit more like LL in the first season, but starting in S2, they started to play up parts of her that were very different.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_touched/ 2006-10-24 05:46 pm (UTC)(link)
And for me I think Chloe has all of the essential important and *has* worked her way up and she's got the LL heart and the other things going for her as well. I can't help but think that when I'm an avid Chlois theorist.

I like to forget about S2, b/c I like to think that Chloe has become better since then and she has come a long way as well. But that's okay, because like I said before - you and me - we have our own views and there's no reason we can't respect the others.