17790 replies to this topic

[La Guardianista]

To exactly what the label says, really. Lots and lots of Chlois/ Lanois /even Lois discussions (and discussions about possible Chloe death in episode 100) going on so I did what the big boss said and made a thread.

My own personal opinion is that although I have no faith in the writers to do it the Chlois theory seems the most plausible explanation. This has nothing to do with the talent gap between the 2 actresses (although that does exist) but because of the whole characterisation so far.
Put it this way: you have two friends. One is 18, is at Uni, has been a school magazine editor and now has a newspaper internship and a really close friendship with a guy she knew from school who is always acting the hero. She's always fancied him but he's always been hung up on one of their mutual mates.
Your other friend is in her early 20s, dropped out of school and then Uni, and now rents a flat above her coffee shop employment in a small town. She knows the hero friend, but they're more like uneasy acquaintances.
Which one do you think is more likely to end up a professional reporter and having a romantic relationship with the guy?

Edited by La Guardianista, Nov 4, 2005 @ 12:04 PM.

[Chiriru]

Chloe doesn't die in 100; she's present in the episode after that

Chlois actually has had foreshadowing, really, since the second episode of the series if they go through with it. Chloe was always the Metropolis girl who wanted to get out of SV and work at the DP; and when given the chances to do that, she did. Not to mention we've seen her continue to refine her journalism and her investigative tendancies to become better at both and really use her brain in the situtations she gets herself into.

IMO, the fact that Chloe isn't hestint to try to fight off people but isn't aggressive, instead using the power of the press shows right away she's Lois. Lois Lane isn't a ninja, or well, IMO, shouldn't be when she's not a reporter either; Chloe's whole arc is saying that getting in the DP isn't easy at all and I frankly can't buy it that ED's Lois could hack it at all.

[Lucy Wiggin]

Can anybody really believe that KHAAAAAAANNN or Perry will accept "Lois" to the DP? Because I can't.

Edited by Lucy Wiggin, Nov 4, 2005 @ 11:29 AM.

[mobiusklein]

I think that's my main problem with SV!Lois. Her resume is pretty crappy. And if she just barges in and demands a job w/o something to show she's capable of stuff then she's going to come off as an obnoxious version of Lana w/o the alien phobia but all the expectations of entitlement. The interviewer would ask Lois the following questions and I think these are freaking standard questions.

1) Why do you want to be a reporter?
2) What are your qualifications?
3) Do you have experience in the field?
4) What other habits/talents do you bring to the job that would be of benefit?
5) Why should I hire you over someone else?

I just wouldn't be THAT thrilled with a resume of a Starbucks barista expecting a top job off the bat. Imagine the huge amount of resentment from people around her who HAVE gone to school, HAVE experience, etc.

And I've said this before and I'll say it again. You can decapitate Chloe but you can't kill off every single other competitor SV!Lois is going to go up against.

And frankly if it were Chloe on that pole, I KNOW that SV!Lois fans would not count that as a Chlois hint at all.

Edited by mobiusklein, Nov 4, 2005 @ 11:39 AM.

[Chiriru]

And frankly if it were Chloe on that pole, I KNOW that SV!Lois fans would not count that as a Chlois hint at all.

Agreed. Had Lois said "up, up, and away" would there of been any debate if it was an anvil simply because "Lois" said it?

Imagine the huge amount of resentment from people around her who HAVE gone to school, HAVE experience, etc.

Which we are already being privy to when Chloe did it; strong arming isn't what a "real reporter" does. And arguably, Lane and Kent in the future are real reporters.

Can anybody really believe that KHAAAAAAANNN or Perry will accept "Lois" to the DP?

It doesn't make any sense at all after what Chloe - the girl who has been persuing it for at least four years, who won her first job at the dp on her writing alone, who believes in journalism as a way to find the truth and provide justice... and she had to work for it. They don't have all the time in the world to develope ED's Lois, and the more we see of her, the less she fits in within the plot.

[mobiusklein]

Also, I don't consider Lois!fu to be a big anvil that she's Lois Lane. Why? Because frankly, by giving Lana the ability to get her fu down in one single episode (implying one single lesson) by Lex, master of being beaten down, then that particular is devalued. If wimpy!Lana can kick someone across a room . . . the writers really frelled that one up by not thinking ahead.

If they really want to kill Chloe to make Lois THE Lois then . . . it makes Lois look ghoulish. God knows how many people snark like mad over all the dead people Lana has killed (yes, I know it's mind!whammied but seriously) and how all of her boyfriends except Clark die. And doing stuff in tribute to the dead cousin makes me think of Lana and the Talon, which has all sort of bad vibes.

Edited by mobiusklein, Nov 4, 2005 @ 12:57 PM.

[MartaDolores]

Lana's Kung-Fu plays more believably than Lois's does. I guess it's because ED/Lois plays it with this air of "Imma kick your ass" that makes it so cartoonish.

We've already seen how Lois reacts to her cousin's death, and it wasn't "spring into action and right this wrong". It was, "wait a few months, and then eventually start looking into things." There's nothing wrong with that, mind you, but we've already seen that Lois wouldn't feel obligated or inspired to pick up where Chloe left off. While I do believe that Nois just may be the real Lois (according to this show, not to myself), I don't believe this is the route they'll take.

I also felt that Lois picking up on Melissa's Jimmy Choo shoes was a bone to let her contibute something to the investigation.

[Jasonb]

I can totally see that interview.

1) Why do you want to be a reporter?

Well, err. My cousin was one, and she died so I thought i'd give it a shot.

2) What are your qualifications?

I didn't finish high school but a friend's friend totally hooked it up for me to get into college anyway, but they kicked me out inside 3 months for underage drinking. Then I worked at a coffee shop for a while.

3) Do you have experience in the field?

Ah-ha yes! I totally went undercover as a stripper and distracted people while my cousin did some investigative work.

4) What other habits/talents do you bring to the job that would be of benefit?

Errr. i'm a bad speller, i know kung-fu, and i'm totally obnoxious to anyone who is anything resembling nice to me.

5) Why should I hire you over someone else?

My name's Lois Lane.

You're hired Sweet-heart!

Sad part is she will probably turn out to be the real lois.

[mobiusklein]

And I wonder a bit at this: Would people say that Clark stripping at a club for a story be a huge anvil that he's superman? Sure you could origami it into an anvil if you like by saying "Well, it's just like changing into his uniform!" but I doubt that it would be seen that way.

[Cyb]

The only thing that keeps me from believing that Chloe is the Lois is that I have no faith in the writers to go through with it. It makes the most sense to have the girl who lives and breathes journalism be Lois Lane, but I don't necessarily think they'd do the thing that makes the most sense. I think they're indulging in having their cake and eating it, too. They get to have the smart, investigative girl with drive and passion--and they get to have someone named Lois Lane without the messy work of developing her. They have the characteristics of Lois and the name of Lois in one show, just not in one person.

Edited by Cyb, Nov 4, 2005 @ 8:13 PM.

[Aurelian]

I have to agree that I doubt the writers have the balls to do it. As for the complaint that I see all over that they can't do that because it violates continuity from the comics/movies, honestly Smallville has already pissed all over continuity. The Clark and Lex grew up together, while present in the Pre-Crisis universe, was taken out by Man of Steel (Of course Birthright brought it back, but DC can't quite make up its mind if that's canon or not), so there's that. Then there's the basic fact that Clark ever met Lois in Smallville. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that has never been a facet of the comics, that Lois and Clark would know each other quite a bit from his Smallville days. There's also the whole Pete is black, the existence of Chloe, and all his interactions with Jor-El, etc. as well.

Suffice to say, continuity doesn't really seem to be their strong suit. So why not do the ballsy thing and go Chlois. They could even double swerve fans if they did a situation where both Chloe and Lois were in danger, then have Chloe come out of it and take on Lois's name for the paper. It would be a huge moment that would have serious press play (look at what happened when the comics killed Supes), throw the casual fan who doesn't know the Chlois theory at all for a major loop, and also have the advantage of fucking with the 'net fans who would be seriously wondering which would die. Of course, as I said, the writers have no balls and would never do it, though I'd respect the series a whole hell of a lot more if they did.

Edited by Aurelian, Nov 4, 2005 @ 8:53 PM.

[Cyb]

I'm waffling back and forth on whether Chloe working at the DP now makes her less likely or more likely to be future!Lois.

The argument in my head goes something like this:

Less likely: Well, now that she's working there under her own name, wouldn't people know she's Chloe in the future?
More likely: Eh, if Clark can disguise himself with glasses, Chloe can do it with dark hair.
Less likely: Yeah but, if she suddenly becomes Lois, wouldn't she have to start all over again? She's putting in all this work as Chloe, not Lois.
More likely: True, but when Perry starts working there, he'll be in on it! He'll give her a break as Lois because he knew her as Chloe.
Less likely: Yeah, but--
More likely: UP, UP AND AWAY, damn it!!!

[CantThinkUpName]

I think the anvils for both characters are incredibly different.

Chloe's anvils work on a subtle level or even becoming character development. Lines like "You won't play Nancy Drew in my precinct" and "up, up and away," the Silver Age Lois suit, working at the DP etc. fit into the story and also help in identifying us with the character and the characterization of Chloe. Her foreshadowing is genuine foreshadowing.

With Lois, all her anvils seem even clunkier than the Clark/Lex ones. They come from nowhere and often make no sense ("Someday Lois you will fall in love with an even more Super Man"). Also, if she becomes real!Lois, it will almost be like punishing SV!Lois since she'd turn into everything she hates. It's one thing to have a character ambivalent about some things but she seems vehemently against Clark, journalism and being motivated to do something.

The big problem is really the producers. Chloe to Chlois is an organic character turn but we know they don't really like Chloe (at least AlMiles) and they admit to letting her and loving to let her get the shaft. I can't imagine them letting the bane of LanaLovers existence ends up stealing their man.

[carcassi]

I think [TPTB are] indulging in having their cake and eating it, too. They get to have the smart, investigative girl with drive and passion--and they get to have someone named Lois Lane without the messy work of developing her.

I agree that that's what TPTB are doing, and, IMO, it's not only a cheap cop-out, it's also an admission that they *can't* make this version of "Lois" into anything like the iconic Lois Lane. After all, wasn't it TPTB that originally claimed that Lois Lane was supposed to be a combo of Lana and Chloe? As far as I can see, ED's version of "Lois" is, at best, Lana redux with a hotter body and a little extra snark. I originally expected Lois Lane, if and when she appeared on SV, to completely outclass Lana and Chloe. Instead, she's an "also-ran" to both of them.

AlMiles can lightswitch all they like, this will never be THE Lois Lane to me. That role was filled, far more believably, by Chloe, from Season 1 on.

[Cyb]

After all, wasn't it TPTB that originally claimed that Lois Lane was supposed to be a combo of Lana and Chloe?

They must have changed their minds along the way because part of what they originally said was that Lois would be "perfect like Lana." Neither "Lois" nor Chloe are perfect. Nor is Lana, in any sane reality, but she's treated as such in the show.

[carcassi]

They must have changed their minds along the way because part of what they originally said was that Lois would be "perfect like Lana."

If TPTB really want their version of "Lois" to be "perfect like Lana," then she's not any version of Lois Lane that I've ever seen before. Because one defining factor of Lois Lane (at least in the movies and on TV), is that she is laughably, but lovably, NOT perfect. Lois Lane, in any incarnation, has never been called a "princess."

I'm so glad you told me that, Cyb, b/c it just reminds me not to expect too much of SV going forward. :(

[mobiusklein]

Also, another problem is that in Slumber, Lana's shown to be exasperated by the fact that Clark and Chloe VOLUNTARILY sift through dusty old records. Could SV!Lois actually dig doing that or is she going to sluff the boring crap on to Clark?

[jayseyfield]

The only two ways of having the show end with the exact Superman setup that I can think of would involve either Lois dying and Chloe take her identity or Chloe dying and Clark and Lois both getting amnesia to forget each other. This seems to complicated to me.

I think the whole "true" Lois Lane idea should just be dumped. Chloe and Clark should just end up working at the Daily Planet. Clark can be Superman and with Chloe knowing his secret.

Lois Lane should never have been brought into Smallville in the first place. If they wanted the character they should have gave her a different name. The whole Lois things just breaks any illusion that Smallville is a true prequel to Superman.

[clooless]

Hey everyone!! First timer here..:)

I think the SV!Lois character is quite sad, actually. Back before S4, there were hints of Chloe being the probable Lois Lane of the future, but the ideas weren't so popular back then...

In S4, TPTB dropped Lois on us, and voila!! Instead of the Chlois theories dying down, they raged like never before. Which, I think just goes to show how disastrous it was to bring SV!Lois into the picture and worse, to cast ED in the role.

*sigh*. if there was only something we could do...

[Chiriru]

In reply to Scumbag -

Are you familiar with what a retcon is?

Yes, I am, actually; and there is a difference between what I'm talking about and a retcon. Lucy is a retcon -- we go from single child raised by overprotective dad to suddenly mothering older sibling with father who was never available. Chlois, IMO, is more like Memoira -- a reveal where we don't know it all because the characters don't know it all, not a lightswitching of previously canonized facts.

Chlois would likely happen in a comic, but this ain't a comic.

Or y'know, Alias. Or The Pretender. Or y'know the fact that SV is a comic (complete with serial comics that went inbetween episodes during S3).

all that development can occur off-screen.

No, it can't. The place SV has to end is where the audience can viably see why THESE people are now/are soon to be THESE icons. We have to see Lex fall, we have to see Clark be a hero, and we HAVE TO SEE Lois be a reporter. We've had forshadowing with Lex and Clark since day one, including line drops, canonized projects/actions, -- neither are perfect nor all bad or all good but the set up is there. Lois' set up is not there to realistically say, after what Chloe went through with Kahn, that she could get a job there.

And come on, folks, the final proof that Chloe ain't Lois:

That's wrong in listing order. It's TW, KK, MR, ED, AM, JG, AoT, and JS. And if you're talking about listing order then it's absolutely prudent to look at the other years where it's alway "The Big Three" (TW, KK, MR), the secondary cast (S1: EJ, SJ3, AM; S2-S3: SJ3, AM, JG; S4: JA, AM, JG; S5: ED, AM, JG), and then AoT and JS.

The ONLY thing it proves is that after the people who have negotiated spaces (TW, MR, KK, AoT, and JS) is that they go in alphabetical order.

Moving right along...

Instead of the Chlois theories dying down, they raged like never before.

Not only telling, but after Lucy we started getting a revamp in Chlois anvils (the destined line in Spirit, the 'epicenter of the story' in Commencement).

Clark can be Superman and with Chloe knowing his secret.

See, to me that's the version in the comics that I grew up with -- them working as a team with her in the know. That IS Lois and Clark to me, and that's where the new All-Star Superman comics are re-exploring, that time when Lois first finds out and such -- which interestingly goes along with kind of what we're seeing in Chlark on SV this year.

Could SV!Lois actually dig doing that or is she going to sluff the boring crap on to Clark?

As Lois basically admitted in Blank, she doesn't even wonder how Chloe does what she does. So I'm guessing the answer there is a big resounding no.

[Massena1]

Talking about Nois depresses the heck out of me. She is just WRONG! I wish I could talk to AlMiles and plead with them to just give up on her and go with Chlois. Chloe is everything Lois Lane should be in my mind. In fact, Chloe would be my favorite Lois Lane.

And sometimes I wonder why they are trying so hard to make Nois fit the role when she doesn't have the right stuff. I wonder if it's me or just us here at TWoP and we're being too hard on her. But, then I see the Lois Lane unappreciation thread at fanforum and the Chlois thread at Ksite and it's not just us. And I'm continually surprised by how many people come out for the idea. I visit Allison's thread at thewb.com and people often say Chloe should be Lois Lane. And then the other day, Marta posted a comment about aintitcool.com 's talkback section and people are posting about it there. Those guys at aintitcool are generally pretty shallow so I expected them to be pretty impressed by ED's obvious physical assets and consider them sufficient to fill the Lois mold, but they don't. They love Chloe. Heck, Chlois is there, too.

LOIS IS HOT. Although no way Clark ever ends up with her in this Smallville universe, she's trashy. - Batmajere

What I'd like to see: Lois Lane is the predicted death and Chloe takes her name to honor her memory. What we will probably get, Chloe dies and Lois turns reporter as a result. Please let me be wrong about this. - SpikeTBB

So is Lois going to die and Chloe become Lois Lane at some point, or take over her persona? Or is Clark eventually become involved with Chloe when he starts working at the Daily Planet? - Kelvington

And since Chloe is working at the Daily Planet, are they going to kill her off and someow bring Lois into the journalism world? Or are they going to do what I wished for, which is to kill Lois and make Chloe somehow take over Lois' identity. - anchorite

http://www.aintitcoo...d=21673#1014802
http://www.aintitcoo...d=21728#1019371

If they don't do Chlois, it will be a huge wasted opportunity.

Edited by Massena1, Dec 28, 2005 @ 5:59 PM.

[monsterzero]

Long time lurker adding my two cents: personally I like the Chlois approach not because it grows naturally out of the characters or story (though you can certainly make that argument). I just prefer the idea of Allison Mack playing CanonLois, rather than ED. AM wins me over in every scene, and she deserves the role. ED isn't even capable of playing Lucy.

[reallylazy]

Well, I just had to come out of lurkdom to post my Chlois-y thoughts.

I desperately want Chlois to be true not simply because I am in love with the character of Chloe and AM but that it would both make more sense than EDLois in terms of character and be so much more meaningful in the long run when you look back at the series from the end. A lot of people criticize the Chlois theory because it is against canon. I would totally agree with them if Smallville had anything to do with Superman canon. If strict adherence to Superman canon is what you're looking for than what the hell are you watching Smallville for? It's very premise is, in and of itself, anti-canonical. I think it was someone over in the Thirst thread that pointed out you shouldn't look at Smallville as THE back story of Superman but rather as A story about Superman in which he just happens to be a teenager.

If you look at it that way then you are free to re-imagine things and let them occur in new ways that add new layers and depth to a story that is so familiar to us all. That is what Smallville can do at its best. You can have Clark and Lex meet sooner than they should and become friends which adds a dimension of betrayal to their inevitable confrontation. Just as this adds depth to the Clark/Lex relationship, having Chloe become the real Lois, knowing Clark when they were kids, growing up together adds new layers and meaning to a familiar relationship. It fits in so well because so much stuff earlier in the series can be seen as subtle hints towards this end. The Chlois theory helps to bond the entire series together as a cohesive whole. It is so much more meaningful than a thirty-something looking Erica Durance showing up in Smallville and when she isn't being an annoying bitch is slutting it up with her big, fake boobs. A Chlois twist would be the best kind of plot twist -- one which most people won't see coming (at least those who aren't obsessed enough to be posting on the Internet about it), one that when you consider it, is consistent with what has happened before on the show and most importantly one that actually makes the show better.

Of course, if watching Smallville has taught me anything it is not to get my hopes up. I have no faith that AlMiles and the SV writers will have either the brains or the balls to go with Chlois. They'll probably just keep mindfucking us with their occasional Chlois anvils to keep us watching then go the EDLois route in the end.

[mobiusklein]

For me, it's not about canon as I'm not a comics!fan (manga & anime fan, sure) but if they go for a SV!Lois/Clark working team at the DP, then won't it be Clark who's the leader/mentor/top dog instead of SV!Lois? So, it becomes a question of what does she bring to the partnership? Wouldn't he prefer to work with someone with more to offer than what she is showing now? As I've said before, you can stick Chloe's head on a pike but you can't kill everyone.

I think that SV!Lois fans say "natural ability," but . . . Chloe has abilities AND has honed them quite a bit. It's the "honing" that people find fun.

[nemo]

Despite my current and prevailing change of heart on Chloe's character, I supported this theory Season 1 to 3. It was cool, it had shout-outs, and I believed even with Chloe's character faults she was like Lois Lane.

But I don't think the theory holds any water anymore and while I get that people love it, I find it extremely illogical.

Here's why imo.

1) Whatever reason, Season 4 intro'd a Lois. They gave a character the name, some of the current backstory and anvils to the iconic destiny. If you don't like the character or actress, even I don't, that doesn't change the fact she's there for a reason and has been brought back. A red herring wouldn't have lasted so long, so just her being there discounts Chlois ALOT. Chloising discounts AlMile's purpose of a Lois Lane already present or has too for it to work. Simply, Chlois doesn't factor in a purpose for Lois Lane of now. Also, what do you do with her? Why was she there? Why does she leave?



2) Chloisers still aren't accounting for a logical reason that would cause a name change for Chloe to Lois. Why is it better to have her honor her cousin? She's not long black- listed, she in fact has her dream job under her current name, why change? And lets' not kid, name is important or else you could just as easily argue Clana is a viable future match.

3) For all the hints, and I think there have been a few, they are often sutle or things people really have to be looking for. Sometimes I would argue that people reach for the slightest hint too. AlMiles don't do sutle often and there has never been an anvil hint related to Chloe, like those of Clark, Lex, and Lois.

4) It's oftened presented that Chlois won't change anything or it will change it for the better. You can't really have both.

5) It's discounted where Chloe's character is now or the other future roles she could play.Chloe is in on Clark's secret. A huge change from the norm of iconic Lois. Chloe has always liked Clark. Again a change.

One can argue that these are better changes, but it remains that these change things people considered fundementals of Lois before. These changes make it harder and more of a stretch to then compare it to previous Lois' because you are accepting one change and then either complaining about one in the current show Lois or putting importance on a minor similarity for Chlois ( similar dialogue to LnC??That one confused the heck outta me.).

6) Finally I think people should look at the similarities Chloe respresents with earlier versions of comics Lana. Lana's was a friend of Clark's. Reporter in extreme. Worked for TV reporting and Planet, even alongside Clark. Has a crush on him in some cases. Knows his secret in some cases.

An agruement or theory could be based on that because it too has merit. And before we make the requisite Comics Lana was younger Comics Lois. They didn't reveal her to actually be Lois. She and Lois remained seperate people, despite there sim traits.

My toonie.

[Massena1]

Chlois doesn't factor in a purpose for Lois Lane of now. Also, what do you do with her? Why was she there? Why does she leave?

My reply: Nois was a mistake. They added her in and kept her without really knowing what to do with her. Now, that she is a trainwreck, I think they should adopt Chlois as a brilliant exit strategy. Turn a mistake into good fortune. Cover up the mistake by making it so that Nois was there as Chlois' backstory and inspiration, much like Lionel is for Lex. Lionel has Lex Luthor's comic backstory. Nois has the current comic backstory for Lois Lane, kill her off and reveal that Chloe will use the pen name Lois Lane, much like Nellie Bly (the original inspiration for the character) used a pen name. Viola. Chlois.

Edited by Massena1, Nov 5, 2005 @ 1:54 AM.

[Chiriru]

(1) On KSite after Delete - and I'm totally serious here - there was a huge discussion of the canon of facial expressions of Allison Mack when Chloe is supposed to be lying. People blatently accused Chloe of lying about her cousin, the name, all of that. So concievably by bringing Lois in it's a way to prove that Chloe wasn't a liar in that scene.

My best guess is this, given what I read from Fraz and some others pre-S4: They couldn't get Lois, so they planned Chlois in a hinty way earlier on. When Ancier took over, they got clearence, casted Durance at the last minute. Now, given Almiles' commentary about the S4 episode review and the continual reduction of Lois' growth between spoilers and episode, my take is that after Lucy they weren't impressed with Durance -- but they still have to finish the story which ever way they take it which accounts for her apperences. If they Chlois, then they have to underscore why ED's Lois isn't Lois to the people who don't watch the show like a hawk; and quite possibly they are looking for which girl brings better ratings as a sort of popularity contest for which direction they take it.

I can see where some would say that merely being on the show is more of a hindrence to the theory and around Gone, I believe it; I'm just not quite buying it as much anymore... quite possibly because the episodes she's been in have given me (and plenty of others) to wonder what in the world the writers are doing.

(2) Not everyone thinks Lois has to die; Chloe's tried to use her name when Lois was alive before -- though seeing some kind of offical granting might smooth feathers at other sites better. We've seen Chloe been targeted by both Luthors (Lex in Nicodemus, Lionel in Truth) and I don't think it's unconscivable that Chloe could get a story about the Luthors that she'd want/need to protect herself over (let it be about her MOM, Almiles, plenty of fodder there); that's just one theory. If you check out KSite, there are hundreds of them.

(3) I'd argue that the Fever letter, the Delete name take, the Commencement "epicenter", the Arrival "Faster than a Speeding Bullet" and even the VO in Thirst weren't subtle at all. There are subtler (Metamorphosis' "I could never outgrow you!" for one) but to say there has never been really big glaring anvils is a mistake, especially when some of the biggest happened just this year.

(4) I think it would change the story as a whole because it then triples the story being told from the Pilot on to the viewer, to us, because then we'd know what was going on; I don't know if it would have to change how everyone interacts as characters within the show itself if that makes any sense at all.

What Chlois does is mostly in terms of backstory, combine prior elements of SA Lois and MA Lois comic backgrounds with a character progression that pulls a lot from the Golden Age and a personality that comes a lot from LnC. At least that's how I see it breaking down as.

That type of reinvention I don't have an issue for as they did it with Lex, he's combined from the SA Lex superboy serial and MA Lex, with personality traits from Shea's Lex. They totally cut out elements of his character and gave it to Lionel and yet, Lex is still obvious Lex; Lois having bits of MA backstory... I see it, and I see the point of it, but if Lex doesn't conform, I don't see where anyone else should be expected to.

(5) No, actually in the 1940's Shuster and Siegal wanted to let Lois in on the secret about everything (it was the first issue to interduce a derivative of kryptonite (K-Metal) too). During the Silver Age, there was an entire Earth II line about Lois knowing and being his wife and them having a family. In the Modern Age (started in 86?), Lois found out since the 90's and has been his partner ever since. In the second movie she knew (and had a cop out kiss); for half the run of LnC, Lois knew.

Smallville was orginally sold as "The Superman Story You Couldn't Know - Until Now!" meaning that it in and of itself is a version of the Superman story, not a prequel. And it doesn't even remotely fit into the Modern Age as it is -- it's an Elseworld from the minute that meteor shower hit town. And to have the snoopy reporter find out 1/2 to 2/3 way through is almost par for the course.

(6) You're talking about SilverAge Lana who was Lois Lane with red hair; Lana was created because they wanted to develope a young Superboy series and need a Lois Lane. In the Modern Age, Lana is a bit of a two-timing girl (she left her underwear in Clark's house for Lois to find) who enjoys art and was a former fashion model/designer, and a cheerleader in several versions as well; she was in the polics realm with Pete and Lex and is tied deep into having connections. In fact, what the comics have continually done is pull her more and more into her own identity so Lana has her own role which I think SV has kind of honored helped with, IMO.

[Massena1]

People who work at Smallville have described this season as Chloe-centric. Beeman said this would be Chloe's best year. And *my* enjoyment of this season has definitely increased as a result of more Chloe. Additionally, I think the quality of the stories has improved overall by bringing Chloe into the thick of the action. I think Chloe is the best, strongest female character on the show. So, there I think they have made a great call. Nois, otoh, doesn't work, imo. She dumbs down the stories. She sucks the energy out of it. She isn't dynamic.

And I'm not going to argue about ratings, that's Clana lovers' domain.