A Decade of "Smallville"

[sanalayla]

Smalville has been going on for ten years and – since it’s the final season – I’ve found myself thinking a lot about the series, as a whole, and the changes that have taken place since the first season. I find myself asking questions like, “What would be my Top Ten episodes of SV?” Or “How was each season of SV different and what did you like/dislike about each of them?” And, of course, I can’t help but think about the characters and their growth (or lack thereof in some cases). Naturally, I am a huge Clois shipper, so S10 has got me thinking about how SV handled shipping and what it means to be a shipper in the SV fandom.

So, I’ve decided to just start jotting down my random thoughts. I’ll share them here as they come to me. Maybe some of you are also thinking about this show and how the ending is fast approaching. Maybe, like me, you’ve been through a lot of changes over the past decade and it’s a little disconcerting to think that SV was one of the major constants in your life. And, maybe, you’re a Superman fan who is happy that the show is ending in a place where you can imagine our characters in the current comic books that are coming out, but you can’t help but lament the years wasted getting to this point. So it's quite possible that you'll be interested to hear what I have to say and will probably respond with thoughts and musings of your own. 

I’m going to make a note, right off the bat, that this is my interpretation of the show and how I perceive the fandom to be. It’s my LJ and I’ve got that right. Therefore, if you’re a random Clana and Chlark fan who happens to enjoy reading a Clois fan’s LJ, you’re probably going to want to stop in your tracks right now. It’s not my purpose to offend anyone, but I’m not going to hold back, either.

So…. For the next few weeks, I’m going to post my (utterly random and rambling) thoughts on SV as a whole. Some of them may be "friends only"... mainly because I worry about the crazy people out there. If you want to read everything posted here, you can drop me a note to be added to my 'friends' and I'll add you. 


First up? My thoughts on Clana vs. Chlark vs. Clois. Stay tuned.

Comments

[ladygawain.livejournal.com]

Bring it!

Haha, I can't wait to read your ramblings. Especially as someone who wasn't around in the fandom until rather late, and therefore blissfully unaware of the insanity until it kicked me in the face --- I'd love to read your perspectives and ramblings on all of it!

*is excited*

[sanalayla.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Trust me, there is going to be an emphasis on "ramblings". I am kind of doing a stream of consciousness thing and not over-thinking it. These are just my thoughts about how I see SV when I look back on it.

[nakimura.livejournal.com]

Can't wait to read your inner ramblings. I've been watching the show since the pilot, so I was part of the fandom right from the beginning. I know I will agree to whatever you will say hehe. :D

[sanalayla.livejournal.com]

LOL! Maybe not... I plan to be pretty brutal. Wait until you read what I have to say about the Chlois theory!

[nakimura.livejournal.com]

LOL! I love that you're brutal! Oh I can't wait for you to tear down that bollocks. hehe

[kanarazu.livejournal.com]

OH HELL YEAH WE NEED TO READ THESE! :D

I fell out of love with SV and wasn't very consistent in watching it. Admittedly, I only watched for Lois after the fourth season because I was so interested in the way they were going to develop her. So it would be nice to read your take on the whole show. :D

[sanalayla.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, I have seen every single episode except for the non-Lois ones in the back half of S8. That means I'm pretty damn crazy, because I was tortured for 6 years when I could have just watched the last two seasons.

[lifesend.livejournal.com]

Wow! That's dedication. I didn't start watching SV regularly till season 8, although I had been watching it off and on since the very beginning. Like other comments have said, I'm looking forward to reading your ramblings. I would like to add my own two cents and say that I'm not at all upset that it took clois this long to get here. The journey was worth it (yes, even the clana cringe worthy ones), and since the journey was so filled with obstacles and Clark had to overcome them the result is so much sweeter.
Looking forward to your posts!

[theclexfactor.livejournal.com]

Can't wait!

[sanalayla.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[svgirl-203.livejournal.com]

I'm really looking forward to reading this. I have a feeling I'll be nodding along in agreement with most of what you have to say.

[sanalayla.livejournal.com]

LOL... Well, even if you don't, it's OK. That's the thing... it's all right for folks to view this show differently and disagree with each other. This is just how I perceive the show to be. I don't expect everyone to agree with me... even if they're Clois fans. ;)

[audrey229.livejournal.com]

I'm very interested in what you have to say.

I was actually thinking of doing something similar on my own journal. I think I'm going to take each character and try to go through and figure out what their best character moments were throughout the course of the show. I thought it would help me to really evaluate some of the better moments for all the characters---even the ones I didn't care for.

I'm in an odd place right now in terms of "shipping" in that....I've developed a sort of an odd soft spot for the early Clark/Lana relationship and for Lana in general. I still think she made a lot of mistakes. However, when I rewatched the series over the summer, I realized that she had many moments of real kindness towards Clark that got buried for me amongst the Al/Miles worship. I feel like I can truly look at what they had in the early days and appreciate it for what it was knowing full well that these were two people who just weren't meant to be together. On top of doing the series rewatch, I've befriended a few Clana fans who have been very supportive of Clois and that has really given me a new appreciation for what they liked about the relationship. It's been kind of liberating to see all these nice things about Lana. It doesn't make me forget all her mistakes...but it makes me feel for her more.

I've had a much harder time coming to terms with Chloe. And I'm not sure why. My gut is that it's in part fandom related. My gut tells me that I'm just too hurt over all the horrible things that some of those fans have put Erica through and I just can't let it go. Perhaps it's because I know feel as though the glorification that has occurred with Chloe over the last two years has far surpassed anything that was ever done with Lana---and was, imo, far more damaging. Maybe I can respect Clana because it was an ACTUAL relationship and because I know Clark really loved her. I love Clark so I feel like I should try and respect what he loved. But since I feel 100% sure that Clark never truly had real romantic feelings for Chloe outside of "back up plan"---I struggle to have any kind of soft spot for Chlark at all.

It's an odd place to be in. I find myself feeling more and more for Lana and hoping and wishing that she has a happy future and can call both Clark and Lois a friend. It's harder for me to do with Chloe.

I'm really looking forward to your comments.

[sanalayla.livejournal.com]

Oh, Audrey... I can tell you right now that my posts are not going to be as nice and zen as yours. LOL

[audrey229.livejournal.com]

That's Ok Sana. This is your journal and you need to say what you want to say in the way you need to say it.

I'm just a very odd person in fandom these days. I don't know what to say.

Maybe it's the joy of finally seeing Clark get closer and closer to the end of this journey and finally seeing Lois take her rightful place in the Superman legend beside him....but I've been going out of my way to try and find positive things about all the characters from early seasons. The only character that I've struggled with is Chloe. And I'm trying to get to the root of why that is. I honestly think it's fandom related in part...and also because when it comes down to it....I just don't really like her. LOL When I watch early seasons of the show I can see that Lana was a sweet young woman. I can understand why Clark had feelings for her. But even in the early seasons I'm turned off by Chloe. Looking forward to what you have to say! You always express yourself well.

[sanalayla.livejournal.com]

I don't think you're the only one. Chloe fans are particularly hateful and spiteful. They can't build up Chloe without tearing down Lois. And the way they worship Mack? I can't stand it.

So I don't think you're an outlier. But I'll talk more about that when I cover Chlark, Chlois, and Chloe fans.