Lana's getting shafted...

[djpnutz]

Writers are feeding us crap and we're eating it like it's chocolate pudding... Lana's character was great until Al Miles didn't know wth to do with her after season 3... even her character switch episodes in season 1 thru 3 were important to the story but the whole witch arc did nothing for her. I know there are a lot of Lana-haters out there and I don't blame you... she's a badly written character that COULD bring people back to liking her IF they were able to give her some actual story that ties into the whole Superman world. The witch story was the ONLY way to get her into the quest for the stones and that story was a joke anyways. Clark got all 3 in 1 episode with no problem... They coulda given her a relationship with JUST HER... no possession, no killings, no nicodemus flower(well... maybe 1 :D ) and it would have been more valid to her character than the crap story they gave her last season. They're still doing it now... Just give Lana a story that doesn't have to deal with her losing her mind again so that we can actually ADD something to her... everything in season 4 was mainly forgotten right after the words, "I think this isn't an end, but a new beginning....." Give her some kind of story we AND she will remember.

[GatorTex]

Yeah, Lana's character can be alot more interesting if TPTB wanted it to be. It's just not happening. We can always hope!

[Mr.Bond]

I totaly agree! Lana character is being shafted.

They need her to be more of her own character, They need to build around her instead of getting they cheesy parts. They built Chloe in to a good write and even Stealing some of Lois Thunder at time, You can even say the Chloe was suppose to be Lois Character with the whole daily planet stuff.

Why cant they do that to Lana make her more of an intricate part of the Plot instead of just being a love interest to Clark.

[Liriel]

Originally posted by Mr.Bond

Why cant they do that to Lana make her more of an intricate part of the Plot instead of just being a love interest to Clark.

Much as I hate to give TPTB any credit - they tried that last season.

They just don't know what to do with Lana. She was originally conceived of (I think I heard this anyway) as the unattainable for Clark. I'm not sure they ever had a clear idea of her personality outside that. They've tried giving her her own storylines a couple times (Henry Small and the witches). It just hasn't worked out (neither of those storylines was at all interesting, IMO).

[cmgames]

The only one TPTB know how to write for is their own creation - CS and everybody else pretty much gets the shaft. You know how you eradicate that problem? You take her out of the equation and then maybe, they'll get their heads out their asses and focus themselves properly on the other characters instead of just creating a fan fic for their beloved one.

[mobiusklein]

I think it's hopeless. Lana should just get a ticket to Wichita to join Pete.

[Liriel]

Originally posted by cmgames
The only one TPTB know how to write for is their own creation - CS and everybody else pretty much gets the shaft. You know how you eradicate that problem? You take her out of the equation and then maybe, they'll get their heads out their asses and focus themselves properly on the other characters.


Sorry, I love Chloe. Fact is, if you remove her, I don't expect the writing for the others to get better, but the show as a whole to get worse. And I'd quit watching the show.

They are trying to write well for Lana. Taking away the one person they do write well for isn't magically going to make the writing for others better.

They aren't intentionally giving Lana the shaft. They love her. The problem is that she doesn't figure largely in the mytharc (like Lex, Clark, and even Brainiac, a bit) so working her into the big arc as anything other than "Superman's high school girlfriend" is difficult. So you're left with her and the mystery-of-the-week, which is usually the weak part of the story anyway. Chloe gets worked in there by being the exposition fairy.

Chloe's storyline with the Luthors was fantastic (IMO) and I'm hoping that TPTB will come up with something like that for Lana this season, something to really flesh her out and something that everyone just has to tune in to see.

Another problem with Lana writing is the "she's so perfect" sydrome. TPTB don't want to aknowledge any of her faults/mistakes, but that makes the character flatter and less fun to watch (they do this with Clark a bit, too - have him do things way more out-of-line than anyone but the baddies and not call him on it). It annoys watchers like me.

But they could work Lana into an interesting story with Clark with the breakup. "Hidden" really gave a great line with about her being scared of the hero dangers (BTW, I have huge issues with her "I've always known" bit because it doesn't fit canon - that so annoys me because there was no reason for it at all. Take a lesson from Lois & Clark (amazing I said that, heh?) where they aknowledge that she didn't fall for Clark immediately but that that in no way lessens the strength or depth of that love.) That bit was fascinating to me. It's the reason they could never succeed as a couple, even with honesty. That would have been great to follow up on - and maybe they still could be, if Lana ever finds out the secret.

Anyway my point is that TPTB aren't deliberately giving Lana the shaft - they are trying to write interesting stories for Lana. They just aren't doing a good job.

[cmgames]

Originally posted by Liriel
Anyway my point is that TPTB aren't deliberately giving Lana the shaft - they are trying to write interesting stories for Lana. They just aren't doing a good job.

They aren't doing very much good for Clark, Lois or Lex either. Why don't we just call them 3 backward regression because they aren't really doing so much character wise, 1 step forwards, 2 steps back. Same can not be said for Chloe, whether intentional or not it's irrelevant. Fact is, they are clearly showing a preference for Chloe giving her forward momentum which 4 of the other major cast members are not getting. If they kick Chloe to the curb, maybe they will give each character the proper attention that they deserve. Keep her on and they will always show favouritism and it reflects badly on the show as a whole when the other 4 cannot move forward whislt their own creation seemingly carries on her upward curve to infinity.

[Watching Smallville]

I think they can write well for Chloe because in Chloe they've created a character who knows who she is, knows what she wants. That kind of character is easier to write than ones than are always changing direction -- or who have no direction. I think they're writing well enough for Lex this season, turning his character a little more toward his destiny.

And I think they're writing well for Clark -- even though I don't understand Clark, :confused: but I can accept that his confusion is part of who he is at this point in his life, at least in this portrayal (that boy is so confused...).

I'd just like to see Lana be someone whose character is so well defined that it naturally generates story lines, like Chloe's does. No more plots out of the blue. That would make the show much more interesting. They could have spent time on her applying to Met U w/ out telling Clark -- that would have been interesting to watch. Instead they drop it on us, and we're like "Okay, arc over, I guess." It's as if they decide these things for her at the last minute.

[Dannyblue1]

They've been trying since season 1 did give Lana a larger role on the show. They've tried storyline after storyline with her, but none of them have ever really worked.

Kicking one character to the curb isn't going to make another character better. If the Lana character can't generate good stories on her own, giving her other characters' stories isn't going to help.

We know this because they've already tried. They've given Lana other characters' storylines in the past, only to have them fall flat.

Also, they did try kicking Chloe to the curb. In season two, they minimized her role, even tried to make her more unlikeable, so that Lana would look better against her. But minimizing Chloe didn't make fans start liking Lana by default. It just meant some fans stopped liking Chloe, and pretty much liked (or not) Lana the same as they always had.

They've also tried putting Lana in Chloe's Scooby/sidekick role on occasion. But that doesn't work because that's not Lana's purpose.

Characters aren't like interchangeable pieces; take one out, put another in it's place, and it's all good. Characters are like real people, unique individuals. Something that will work for one character won't necessarilly work for another.

[Eh,Man?You-El?]

The problem is the writing process used.
The basic storylines are brainstormed and refined in commitee. Then the basic plot points are given to one or two writers to flesh-out into a script. This almost always guarantees the plot points themselves are mediocre, lack subtlety and seem to lurch forward from episode to episode if they connect at all. This show is NOT character driven (even though it could and should be) primarily because of the writing procedure chosen.
For example, Chloe's character, as the primary expositor can offer wry commentary, even if the situation is jaw-droppingly contrived. Allison Mack is a wonderful actress but all the silly situations provide MORE need for the services or her ROLE than Lana's role. All the inexplicable plot jumps require great (and fun) writing in Chloe's lines just to keep the whole mess afloat. Even Chloe's heartbreak is easier to write because her disappointment that the situation "is not as it should be" can EASILY reflect audience (and writers') disappointments with some basic flaws in the show itself.
Lana's main roles are: the desireable goal (sometimes withdrawn), the victim and the love interest. The writers have to work very hard to make Lana attractive but approachable and still not quite attainable because a happy love relationship would kill the drama. Add to this the VERY limited time available to do all this while filling in the "connect-the-dots" pattern from hell that make up the typical Smallville episode, and Lana becomes a VERY hard character to write who inevitably gets lost in the shuffle.
This situation really can't get better while the committee Plot development structure is retained.

But, even if a strong single hand took hold of the basic plotlines for the rest of the season, Lana would STILL get the shaft, because the entire SERIES is built on the premise that Clark does NOT end up with Lana. The roadblocks are build in. The one roadblock that MUST be removed, however is the one where Lana does not know that Clark is a SUPER-man. It leads to the worst kind of insulting, insular thinking in the whole series.
The great charm of "Buffy" was that people found out stuff and just DEALT with it. There is no reason in the world Lana's character couldn't be allowed the same respect and freedom. We (and the writers) would be happier for it.

[mobiusklein]

I think part of the problem is the actress' performance. Honestly, they keep writing her as mind!whammied bad because that's something she actually punches up her performance. I notice that even her fans like it when she's playing a nasty girl like Nicodemus, Isobelle, etc. But because she always goes back to being Lana, it just feels so contrived. If they actually made her nasty all the time and was ALSO acknowledged as nasty at the same time, she'd be interesting and maybe the actress would actually seem to enjoy her job.

[lzpoof]

When I read the thread title, I thought this was gonna be another Clana thread

[mastadon]

Lana getting shafted is not an unpleasant image for me.

[Watching Smallville]

Originally posted by Eh,Man?You-El?
Lana's main roles are: the desireable goal (sometimes withdrawn), the victim and the love interest.

I think you've stated the problem exactly. She's an enhancement for Clark, rather than a character of her own. She fulfills a purpose for the main character, but doesn't have an independent identity. You make a really good point about Chloe being the one who delivers all the exposition. That role does give her a natural prominence in the series. But she also has puposes of her own. Clark figures into her life as a friend, but also because he falls into her sights as a mystery, and she loves a good mystery (no pun intended). She's not there only to enhance Clark's character. In fact, he supports her character development.

I just wish they would find some internal purpose for Lana apart from Clark. *sigh*

[dirtysanchez]

Seriously....It's been 4 seasons already....Lana's not getting shafted.....Everyone realizes KK can't act..so they relegated her character to being E Y E C A N D Y......You know for the ratings; the gratuitious T&A to catch the male demographic that Smallville aims for and dominates in. But that's ok with me, KK is hott..:)

[smallville_fetish]

Originally posted by Watching Smallville
I think you've stated the problem exactly. She's an enhancement for Clark, rather than a character of her own. She fulfills a purpose for the main character, but doesn't have an independent identity. You make a really good point about Chloe being the one who delivers all the exposition. That role does give her a natural prominence in the series. But she also has puposes of her own. Clark figures into her life as a friend, but also because he falls into her sights as a mystery, and she loves a good mystery (no pun intended). She's not there only to enhance Clark's character. In fact, he supports her character development.

I just wish they would find some internal purpose for Lana apart from Clark. *sigh*

Yeah thats what I thought too when I started to dislike her in season 4. Like when she went out Jason who made her stuck up and insecure (but at least he didn't make her a cry like Clark did) But I was thinking, wait no Clana romance.. then why is she still here?

Then she was forcefully connected with Clark again by the stones (agreed that was terribly written and stupid but she looked hott nontheless) But anyway when I pondered why she was still in the season if shes not in love with Clark, Then did I realize that THAT was her sole purpose in the show, which saddens me. Of course I wanted her to be with Clark but not to give her a more play in the show. Even her charecter is keeping him from truely embracing his distiny. He didn't really care if Chloe or Pete didn't accpet him, they did and he hoped they did, but his fear of Lana's rejection is beyond theirs. Thats not how it should be. Clark keeping secrets from her only makes them more distant and thats really not helping her charecter. Writters have screwed up with this Lana charecter and it makes me mad.

Hey, I think KK can act if they gave her some really good stuff. Right now, I don't blame Lana haters either though I wish they wouldn't go out of their way to bash her. She did after all, live a pretty messed up life with the meteor shower, FOTWS, and now secrets of her own. But that shouldn't be an excuse for the writter's poor plots for her. They should quit with this mystical sexual vampire jibberish (it doesn't make ratings THAT high but more importantly it hurts the show overall) instead make serious improvements on her. Theres a chance they are since she's now connected with the two main male charecters of the show and also who knows what college will do for her. Not to mention rooming with Chloe so maybe some of her witt will rubb off to Lana, or heres hopping.

[xrayvision]

I'm in agreement that Lana would be much more interesting if she did her own thing, but not like in the past. This season, they have a great opportunity to do something like this. I think a great scenario would be to make her also be a research assistant to one of her professors (like Clark is). The only thing is that the professor would be an implant of Lex's. He could have the professor make her do unorthodox research into alien life and look into Clark's life without knowing to ultimately find more info on Clark and have Lana all to himself by poisoning her mind. As I said in the past, I think Dr. Hamilton may still be alive after his body was not present when Lex & Lionel showed up at the scene in Duplicity. So he could be a great guy for Lex to place in Met U as a professor since he has done a crapload of research on kryptonite.

They usually do a parallel character development like they did many times with Clark and Lex with various themes (like their relationships with their fathers, and many other themes). They can do the same thing this time with Clark & Lana and show them going down parallel roads that will eventually lead both to discover the others secrets. For example, Hamilton's research projects for Lana will eventually lead her to finding out Clark's true ties to the caves & him being an alien. On the other hand, Brainiac's projects for Clark would lead to Clark finding out about Lex's role in the coverup of GT's death and finding out how Lana was involved.

They have a huge potential this season to make things VERY interesting, and I hope they do it.

[Watching Smallville]

Sounds good. I hope the writers read your post!

[No-El]

I think we want Smallville to be something along the lines of a 'Soap Opera' type program---if that's what it takes to get character development going??

[Supersonic]

NICODEMUS FLOWER!
NICODEMUS FLOWER!
NICODEMUS FLOWER!
NICODEMUS FLOWER!
NICODEMUS FLOWER!

I wanna see Lana act like a tramp!