We are zen now.
May. 15th, 2003 10:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hackthis_archiveI have been Reloaded. All is right with the world. I will say no more.
(On that particular subject)
Yesterday I was a bit vexed about the Lana thing. Today, I am reloaded. (how many times d’you think I’m going to say this today?) Anyway, I can be more coherent now.
To Whom It May Concern:
As a slasher, my first instinct is, as always, to protect the hoyay that is inherent on Smallville.
As a fan, my first instinct is to root for the M&G boys to pay attention to canon, but to expound on it. To fill on those huge gaps, while at the same time not forgetting what the hell comes later on.
As someone who graduated from high school not too long ago, my first instinct whenever someone tries to idealize the experience is to ask ‘Are you smoking crack?’
This is not to say that high school is not without its great points: friends, sports, all those learning experiences that will make you who you are later on in life. However, a great big part of high school is about learning who you are and who you’re are not. High school is about fucking up, and doing stupid shit, and if you’re smart, not getting caught.
It's a time to become mature through trial and error. High School is not a Challenge Stradale. You do not go from zero to mature in 4.26 seconds.
I don’t know of anybody who was the same going out as they were coming in. And I certainly don’t know of anybody who didn’t have one or two hitches along the way. The captain of the cheerleading squad got dethroned. The eventual valedictorian-type person really lost her mind in eleventh grade, and we won’t even begin with the drama. It’s amazing how high school kids can create drama out of a pile of dust bunnies. And it’s not that high school drama is unimportant, but looking back on it now? Does it matter whether you have/had thirteen dates for prom, or none? Is that the crux of your existence these days? I highly doubt it (or I pray for you). But back then, if it was, that’s okay, too. That's what high school is all about, and I want to know about that. As a viewer, if I'm going to invest in a character, I want to know that they're human. That they have faults and concerns and dirt under their fingernails.
This has not happened with Lana Lang.
And I for one, can’t stand this sort of bullshit.
High school is a tough ass time – which is exactly why I keep swearing I’d never do it again – and to try and make it out any other way? That’s a cop out.
M&G have no trouble treating Chloe like shit; Clark is the uber geek, and Pete? Bless him. But as far as Lana goes? Does the child even get hangnails? Ever seen her with a zit? What about worrying about her honors classes? If she’ll get caught changing the margins on her paper about 'East of Eden'? Do you think she’s ever been to the library? Does she do homework? Oh, wait she just helps everybody else? She has no problems with teachers. Doesn’t do extracurriculars to save her arse, lives at Chloe’s house, never seems to make dinner or do chores or clean the bathroom. Does Gabe always take out the trash at the Sullivan household?
We’ve never even seen her go shopping.
What high school girl doesn’t go shopping?
And we’re supposed to relate to her and root for her?
I think not.
My problem with Lana is that I believe that M & G are coping out where she’s concerned. I think they’ve got such enormous blinders in deference to KK’s pulchritude, that they’re just turning Lana into Helen (of Troy. Not that other one). And frankly, I just can’t abide by this sort of blind-eyeness. Beauty is all well and good, but without any substance to back it up, what’s the fucking point exactly? That beauty gets you everything? That pretty people are superior, and as such don’t have the same troubles? Give me a fucking break. Even Jude Law sits down to use the toilet at some point (Sorry, I know that was a drastic example, don’t pass out on me).
Beauty is all well and good, but it's no replacement for a personality and a brain. And it will fade.
Look. I know Television and Reality are big oxymorons, but still. A little something could go a long way in this case. People like the ability to relate. It’s called the Everyman Appeal. We like Clark because he makes mistakes. We love Lex because he has flaws. If you want us to love Lana, she needs to fall down every now and then. Swap the bitching about her dead flapjacks for bitching about the Chem exam that sucked. Make her a bit sweaty and smelly during gym.
Make the girl a bit more human.
For the sake of all the other girls out there.
They'll (We'll) thank you for it.
Okay. I feel better now.
Now we can play.
Notes: For the record, yes I did have eight dates for prom. None of them worked for me. I went solo instead, it made life easier.
Edited: They... they... they axed Fastlane? INFIDELS!
(On that particular subject)
Yesterday I was a bit vexed about the Lana thing. Today, I am reloaded. (how many times d’you think I’m going to say this today?) Anyway, I can be more coherent now.
To Whom It May Concern:
As a slasher, my first instinct is, as always, to protect the hoyay that is inherent on Smallville.
As a fan, my first instinct is to root for the M&G boys to pay attention to canon, but to expound on it. To fill on those huge gaps, while at the same time not forgetting what the hell comes later on.
As someone who graduated from high school not too long ago, my first instinct whenever someone tries to idealize the experience is to ask ‘Are you smoking crack?’
This is not to say that high school is not without its great points: friends, sports, all those learning experiences that will make you who you are later on in life. However, a great big part of high school is about learning who you are and who you’re are not. High school is about fucking up, and doing stupid shit, and if you’re smart, not getting caught.
It's a time to become mature through trial and error. High School is not a Challenge Stradale. You do not go from zero to mature in 4.26 seconds.
I don’t know of anybody who was the same going out as they were coming in. And I certainly don’t know of anybody who didn’t have one or two hitches along the way. The captain of the cheerleading squad got dethroned. The eventual valedictorian-type person really lost her mind in eleventh grade, and we won’t even begin with the drama. It’s amazing how high school kids can create drama out of a pile of dust bunnies. And it’s not that high school drama is unimportant, but looking back on it now? Does it matter whether you have/had thirteen dates for prom, or none? Is that the crux of your existence these days? I highly doubt it (or I pray for you). But back then, if it was, that’s okay, too. That's what high school is all about, and I want to know about that. As a viewer, if I'm going to invest in a character, I want to know that they're human. That they have faults and concerns and dirt under their fingernails.
This has not happened with Lana Lang.
And I for one, can’t stand this sort of bullshit.
High school is a tough ass time – which is exactly why I keep swearing I’d never do it again – and to try and make it out any other way? That’s a cop out.
M&G have no trouble treating Chloe like shit; Clark is the uber geek, and Pete? Bless him. But as far as Lana goes? Does the child even get hangnails? Ever seen her with a zit? What about worrying about her honors classes? If she’ll get caught changing the margins on her paper about 'East of Eden'? Do you think she’s ever been to the library? Does she do homework? Oh, wait she just helps everybody else? She has no problems with teachers. Doesn’t do extracurriculars to save her arse, lives at Chloe’s house, never seems to make dinner or do chores or clean the bathroom. Does Gabe always take out the trash at the Sullivan household?
We’ve never even seen her go shopping.
What high school girl doesn’t go shopping?
And we’re supposed to relate to her and root for her?
I think not.
My problem with Lana is that I believe that M & G are coping out where she’s concerned. I think they’ve got such enormous blinders in deference to KK’s pulchritude, that they’re just turning Lana into Helen (of Troy. Not that other one). And frankly, I just can’t abide by this sort of blind-eyeness. Beauty is all well and good, but without any substance to back it up, what’s the fucking point exactly? That beauty gets you everything? That pretty people are superior, and as such don’t have the same troubles? Give me a fucking break. Even Jude Law sits down to use the toilet at some point (Sorry, I know that was a drastic example, don’t pass out on me).
Beauty is all well and good, but it's no replacement for a personality and a brain. And it will fade.
Look. I know Television and Reality are big oxymorons, but still. A little something could go a long way in this case. People like the ability to relate. It’s called the Everyman Appeal. We like Clark because he makes mistakes. We love Lex because he has flaws. If you want us to love Lana, she needs to fall down every now and then. Swap the bitching about her dead flapjacks for bitching about the Chem exam that sucked. Make her a bit sweaty and smelly during gym.
Make the girl a bit more human.
For the sake of all the other girls out there.
They'll (We'll) thank you for it.
Okay. I feel better now.
Now we can play.
Notes: For the record, yes I did have eight dates for prom. None of them worked for me. I went solo instead, it made life easier.
Edited: They... they... they axed Fastlane? INFIDELS!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2003-05-15 03:37 pm (UTC)A little humanity would go a long damn way.
Yes! Yes! My point exactly, or one of them. There are so many things wrong with this portrayal though, that you couldn't miss a point if you closed your eyes and spun around and tossed a dart over your head.
Also, Reloaded. Oh, yes yes yes precious. It is that good.
Re:
Date: 2003-05-15 03:40 pm (UTC)Bwah! True, true. Which is...pretty sad.
Oh, yes yes yes precious. It is that good.
Oooh. *is even more excited*