News and Updates
Superman Versus ... Erm, Superman
Wed July 19th 2006 @ 9:26AM - James - Tom Welling - 1 Comment
I miss being in high school; it was a time not so long ago when I could get away with so much! And so, apparently, can Oregon high school student Julia Waterhous, who has shamelessly (and amusingly) defiled the hallowed ground that is the Superman saga in today's edition of the Seattle Times. You don't put Superman in a head-to-head with Superman: you just know one of them will mess up their spit curl.
On the heels of Bryan Singer's effects-laden yet origin-light blockbuster, Superman Returns, which stars newcomer Brandon Routh, Julia's article takes a look at the reasons why Smallville is still – after five years and more than 100 episodes – drawing in fans week after week. Here are a few excerpts from the article:
Hmmm. Reason 5 was interesting. Having run down through her six reasons, Julia closes by noting that "Smallville, unlike the big-screen Superman, manages to touch the viewer intimately, and makes you want to reach out to Clark and make his life OK."1. The story lines. The plots are really complex; but at the same time, the overall story is simple, because we know how it's going to end.
2. The girls. If the grown-up Clark Kent's lover is Lois Lane, what on earth will happen to Lana? And the Lois of Smallville is hard-headed and stubborn, so how and when, exactly, do they turn into lovers?
3. Clark's inner turmoil. Clark has this huge secret that he is trying to hide from the world, and it's absolutely agonizing watching him hide it from the ones he loves - just because he's trying to protect them.
4. Jor-El. Jor-El is unique to Smallville. He's a complete mystery and you can never tell whether his intentions are good or bad.
5. What can I say? Tom Welling is absolutely gorgeous. Would Smallville be the same with a different actor playing Clark? Why are you even asking?
6. Clark Kent is so ... good. There is no other word for it, and that is what makes him un-human. He always does what is right, and although people strive to be that virtuous, nobody is truly capable of it.
This disquisition has certainly touched me - you're not supposed to make me sniffle at 9:30 in the morning!
Comments
Thu July 20th 2006 @ 6:29AM GMT - Barb - E-Mail
What a great article! Julia really puts all of my (our) feelings into words. She is so right about the viewer wanting to help Clark and make his life easier. I love #5 - my feelings exactly! To me she just gets it right and made me realize why (besides Tom) I love the show.