TPTB wants people to hate Lana so...

[Kreukie]

...the viewers that do like her character or like Clana (one of the more popular pairing on this series) or didn’t mind Lana can shift gears and move on to whatever other character or plot they're going to try to spoon feed us next for us to like.

If they don’t want to write Lana well, write her off the series already and do what you want with all the other characters they seem to care to write for.

[He Who Lurks]

They just don't know what to do with her now. They realized that they were drawing out the Clark/Lana relationship for too long, and put a stop to it.

After that, though, there is no more real reason for her to be on the show. She only existed in the first place as a romantic interest for Clark. Once that possibility is exhausted, they either have to find something else for her to do or just get rid of her. This whole Lex/Lana thing just seems like an afterthought. Something tacked on to give Lana a reason to keep existing.

This is the same reason why Chloe does all the investigative work. If Clark can do it himself, why would Chloe be on the show? They'd have to re-define her role. Drama comes from character interaction, and the more characters you have, the more story possibilities exist.

[tejdog1]

I haven't seen the episode, but I will say this. As an amateur writer myself (I've written a 400+ page fanfic), juggling characters is very hard. My fic revolved around Clark and Lex, with Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Jon and Martha Kent as the co-stars. Perry White and Lionel Luthor were also in there. That's what...8 characters. That's about the max I could write for and keep the storylines flowing properly. Lana, Pete, Lucas, etc, would get a chapter or two here or there, but there just wasn't anything for them to *do*.

Having said all this, the writers for this show are *professionals*, you'd think they could fit in arcs for every character. The fact they can't, shows their lack of talent. As do episodes like Thirst, LOL.

[Kreukie]

Originally posted by He Who Lurks
They just don't know what to do with her now. They realized that they were drawing out the Clark/Lana relationship for too long, and put a stop to it.

After that, though, there is no more real reason for her to be on the show. She only existed in the first place as a romantic interest for Clark. Once that possibility is exhausted, they either have to find something else for her to do or just get rid of her. This whole Lex/Lana thing just seems like an afterthought. Something tacked on to give Lana a reason to keep existing.

Also without Lana, there would be barely any Lex scenes this season to speak of. Because at this point he has no close relationship with any of the other characters besides Lana.

So really they could careless for Lana. They're using her right now to give Lex a reason to have a reason to have screen time. :rolleyes:

[He Who Lurks]

Indeed. I hadn't thought of that, though the same theory applies. Lex's purpose on the show was dramatic irony. He and Clark were friends, even though we the audience know what happens eventually. Now that Lex is "bad" or at least "worse", the relationship with Clark has died and the character needed to be re-tasked.

And I agree, tejdog. Juggling characters can be remarkably difficult (I have the entire Wheel of Time series within eyesight as I say this). As you say, though, these people are professionals.

[kf6tac]

Originally posted by Kreukie
Also without Lana, there would be barely any Lex scenes this season to speak of. Because at this point he has no close relationship with any of the other characters besides Lana.

So really they could careless for Lana. They're using her right now to give Lex a reason to have a reason to have screen time. :rolleyes:

I dunno, I feel like Lex would have more meaningful scenes if they weren't so busy working the Lexana angle. I'd rather have more Lex scenes that deal with his search for Fine and the ship and whatever other sinister things he's up to with his massive resources over scenes of him gazing longingly at Lana. But yeah, Lana has outlived her usefulness. It's almost a waste that they killed Jonathan Kent to preserve her character.

[Kreukie]

Originally posted by kf6tac
I dunno, I feel like Lex would have more meaningful scenes if they weren't so busy working the Lexana angle.

Like what? The ship storyline is basically the only thing driving Lex this season, which is what brought on Lexana.

Lex doesn't have a storyline to speak of, he hasn't for a long time.

All his character does is take over Clark's left overs. Be a ship, stones or his (ex) girlfriend.

[Timester]

Originally posted by Kreukie
Like what? The ship storyline is basically the only thing driving Lex this season, which is what brought on Lexana.

Lex doesn't have a storyline to speak of, he hasn't for a long time.

All his character does is take over Clark's left overs. Be a ship, stones or his (ex) girlfriend.

Brainiac, the spaceship, the lvl 33.1, the fight for the control of LuthorCorp (that was a great plot dropped because of Lexana) are not storylines? They deciced NOT to focus on these stories because the wonders of Lexana. :\

And it's not leftovers, Clark and Lex should always be tied on the same stories. They are going to become arch-enemies after all.

[MBCorp]

Originally posted by Timester
Brainiac, the spaceship, the lvl 33.1, the fight for the control of LuthorCorp (that was a great plot dropped because of Lexana) are not storylines? They deciced NOT to focus on these stories because the wonders of Lexana. :\

That makes me feel so frustrated Timester to think of all of the cool storylines that they could have done this season with Lex but instead ignored. The fight for control of LuthorCorp would have made a really interesting arc plus it would have brought in some meaningful interaction between Lionel and Lex (and there really hasn't been any important interaction between those two this season) Level 33.1 should have been shown instead of only being alluded to on the Vengeance Chronicles (hopefully they'll do something with it next season) and Brainiac and the spaceship should have been focused on far more than they actually have been. Argh, the wasted potential! :mad: :(


And it's not leftovers, Clark and Lex should always be tied on the same stories. They are going to become arch-enemies after all.

Well, technically they are tied on the story with the Lexana plotline. They're both tied to Lana.:\

[kryptonium]

Season 4 was wasted on Lana...they have to salvage the show now

[myankskent]

They know what to do with Lana, but they just don't want to do it yet. They don't want her to know about Clark and be just good friends with him, so instead, they are killing episodes by having this lexana nonsense take place. All they're doing is killing time so that they don't have to make Lana a permanent "friend" fixture in Clark's life yet. They'd rather have the angst as long as they can before moving on.

[Sk8erGur1]

Originally posted by Kreukie
Also without Lana, there would be barely any Lex scenes this season to speak of. Because at this point he has no close relationship with any of the other characters besides Lana.

So really they could careless for Lana. They're using her right now to give Lex a reason to have a reason to have screen time. :rolleyes:

Funny because I actually thought they were now now using Lex to give Lana some storylines... not that its a good one.

[margroks]

Lana has always been a waste of screentime. She's unpleasant and selfish. Why would anyone want to watch her yell at and manipulate people and still be rewarded with the hero's affection? That's just pathetic. There are over seventy years worth of comics to get ideas from and it's unconscienable to give us this angsty crap instead. Lana should never have been puffed up into the reason for everything including why the sun shines and the moon rises but that's what we get and it's wearing thin. SHe nasty in the comics, too and why they thought they could bring that to the small screen and make her a much loved character is unfathomable.

Making her a reason Clark and Lex aren't friends is outrageous. And Lexana, while not only being both squicky and turning Lex's offers to help Clark win her early on into a sham, it's boring. It's pointless. It in no way advances the story of Clark growing up to any decent degree. It just makes both Clark and Lex look really stupid.

[Kreukie]

Originally posted by Sk8erGur1
Funny because I actually thought they were now now using Lex to give Lana some storylines... not that its a good one.

How's that so if Lana was the one who found the ship and told Lex about it.

If Lana didn't do that, Lex would still be searching for the stones.

[thedarknight]

Uh, Lex is a billionare playboy -- not to mention evil = Many storylines.

What exactly is special about Lana? She saw a spaceship? Big deal -- that's pretty much insignificant now.

They're using Lex for a reason to show Lana, Lex is one of Clark's greatest nemisis. Lana's basically unheard of in DCU.

The Lex-Brainiac arc is much more interesting then Lexana, which we all know how it's going to end.

[senay-jor]

They don't even have to try anymore... I've been disliking her since the latter part of season 1. I would like for her to be knock off her pedestal. Hopefully the dumb alien will realize how worthless and slutty she truly is.

[Watching Smallville]

Originally posted by MBCorp
The fight for control of LuthorCorp would have made a really interesting arc plus it would have brought in some meaningful interaction between Lionel and Lex
And it would have been even more screen time for Lionel's ambiguity. Instead. they have Lionel chasing after Martha.

What is it with these writers? Do they think everything has to revolve around romances between the main characters? NOT -- in season 1 or two. Or three. TPTB seem to have lost their grasp of the show. Let's hope it's temporary. I think trying to drive Lana to the forefront via romantic ties (Jason, Clark, Lex) is a waste of time. Give her something else to do -- if she's investigating the spaceship. how about some stories around that? Then we would all like her more.

[watcher4]

Originally posted by kf6tac
....It's almost a waste that they killed Jonathan Kent to preserve her character.

As you might guess, I do agree with you. IMHO, I will take it a step further and say that JK's death was absolutely a waste in an effort to perserve the character of Lana. TPTB have painted themselves in a corner with her character.

[shirkie]

Yeah, I'm not thinking TPTB want us to hate Lana as she is their all time favorite golden girl.

They are merely continuing to shove her into plotlines unneedlessly. Lana SHOULDN'T have had anything to do with the spaceship in the first place-- they stuck her there simply because they needed to give her something to do. And now we are struggling through the aftermath of all of that. Ick.
shirkie

[cotton candy girl]

I think Chloe is their golden girl. Lana's obviously not too well-written, and with Chloe on the show, why is there any need for Lana or Lois? Chloe is the intrepid reporter with the laptop that won't stop; Chloe is the best friend to Clark. How is Lana TPTB's favorite when Chloe can't seem to do much wrong?

[shirkie]

I admit they are treating Chloe better than they used to. She got her spine back and is getting her props. But I still get this feeling whenever I watch "Smallville" that AlMiles are just sitting there rubbing their knuckles and going "Mmmmm Lana yumyumyumyum we love you." Maybe that's just me!!!
shirkie

[DarkseidNow]

What gets me is that in Season 4, you could see that when Lana was not involved in any main plot or Clark's life, she became all but worthless.

Now I guess they are putting her with Lex to keep her characater relevant. Oui. All she does is whine about Clark's secrets and her pancaked parents!

And for all those talking about what Lex should have been doing this season, good points. Lex should be doing more with Luthorcorp and finding out more about Fine, not wasting his time and energy on some whiny, insipid college student.

[shirkie]

But we have to remember part of Lex's attraction to Lana is some sick desire to hurt Clark... At least that's how I see it.
shirkie