Same Planet, Different Worlds

[rivkat]

LaT pointed to this page, which made my jaw drop two separate times. [ETA: LaT correctly points out that the first reviewer, Neal, says a bunch of things with which I agree, and that she doesn't agree with his wacky views about the feminist agenda of the producers.]

But Neal hated the episode because it was so "feminist," in combination with "Spell," because in his reading the show argued that women's sexuality is good and fun and women are never responsible for their choices and men are evil dogs if they like sex.

Yes, "evil slut" is apparently a good thing in the show's universe -- Neal thinks that the producers want us to admire sexy Countess Lanabelle's sexual agency, despite Lana's condemnation. And he thinks we're supposed to sympathize with Shannon. (I guess he kind of has a point here, since we're told that she's right about Lex almost as often in the episode as we're told that Lana is Beautiful.) But, feminist? Of all the reasons to hate an episode of Smallville, feminism has to rank up there with "the actors aren't pretty enough." He also seems to think that women sleep with Lex just because he's rich. Yeah, keep thinking that, Neal.

But wait! There's more! Search down for Rebecca's review. (On behalf of Rebeccas everywhere ... I'm really sorry.) She loved the episode! A perfect ten! And Clark was so nice to Lex at the end, giving him another chance!

This is why we're never going to see Clark recognize his share of the responsibility for how Lex turns out. As long as a significant viewer population accepts at face value the show's statements about who's good and who's bad, the people responsible for the show will never take the position that Clark is any more responsible for what happened these past years in SV than he was for the meteor strike in the first place; Clark will feel equally guilty about both, and the audience will be supposed to understand that neither is his fault.

Comments

[latxcvi.livejournal.com]

But it's like that kid you know in high school who has such potential but sleeps his way through class, forgets to get a haircut, and opts for vo tech instead of AP because it's easier. I can almost taste what Smallville could be, but it feels to me like the people on the inside are just taking the easiest route, and it BUGS ME.

That's it *exactly*, Bone. Exactly. Seriously, if I could view the show from *just* an eye-candy perspective, I probably would be much happier about it as a whole. But I can/could *see* the potential that was there (and might still be there, although it's rapidly dwindling as the series gets closer and closer to what I really do think will be its final year), and the potential was so *tantalizing* in terms of it being a genuinely different, unique and thoughtful take on the Superman story as a story of Becoming. Like I said, though, I think the creative team is in panic because they realized that maybe their pace in showing Clark and Lex becoming was a little too slow, and we're now almost to the halfway point of the fourth season, and they need to really start showing their iconic stripes. Hence, we get Lex abruptly inheriting Lionel's Mantle of Evol and Clark is now never, ever wrong (even when he is).

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

My take on it (AKA my personal river of denial) from almost the beginning is that this is the first Superman universe where Clark Kent has had any kind of positive relationship with Lex Luthor in his formative years, and therefore their adult interactions are forever changed.

I foresee a future for them where Superman battles Lex's evil plans while Clark continues to try to salvage the good in Lex, continues to love him.

Just like thamiris, I was able to read much of Clark's reactions in Bound as profound jealousy. The love's still there -- I can't think of anything else that would provoke such strong and specific reactions.