Tess = Poor Man's Lex

[One-Winged-Angel]

Even though she's not an awul actor and all, she's just doesn't have what it takes to convince me she's the genuine article, like Lex.

I dont mind watching her, but i find myself thinkig "what would lex do" all the time, and i really miss lex.

And by the way, this all happened YEARS ago when CK first saved LL's life! They already established a great "good vs evil" theme between Lex And Clark and now it's all happening again with Tess.

I'm tired of the writer's recycling habits!!

Tess = close, but no cigar:cool:

[mistaguitarmasta]

On the contrary, I felt that tess was a little too much like lex, esp last night. If you replaced her with lex and changed nothing else, the story still totally works. I don't mean this as a complaint. I enjoyed the episode immensely. I just disagree with you slightly.

Also, I am very convinced that she is genuine. When she told that cab driver to take the guy to the hospital, I was like "oh she is SOO evil!" I'm sold. She's by no means my fav character, but she's alright in my book.

[cklookalike89]

Shes basically the female version of Lex. Acts and thinks just like him pretty much. Shes definitley a good fill in for Lex

[Aries83]

We knew she was replacing Michael Rosenbaum, so why complain about who's better or not? It doesn't matter.

[Smallville6]

I really really like Tess. She kinda annoyed me at first, but I'm starting to really love her and think she's a great character! I'm not voting. Both characters are great in their own ways.

[Minela]

I think Tess is her own character. I think she tries really hard to run LuthorCorp the way Lex would and she is always thinking in the back of her mind, "What would Lex do?" but I think she is her own person and quite different from Lex in many perspectives. She isn't as fascinated by Clark as Lex was, and most importantly she doesn't desperately want to be his friend. She is not seeking love everywhere like Lex did. Also, she isn't fighting her dark side like Lex did. I get the feeling (especially since last episode) that she has already fought her battle with her conscious. Most importantly, unlike Lex, she didn't have that weight on her shoulders of an overbearing Lionel Luthor and the Luthor throne. She had to fight her way to the top, tooth and nail from the bottom up.

She is different from Lex, which I like, but she also tries to be like him because she idolizes him (or at least I get that feeling), which is also good because Lex is sorely missed.

Anyway, I voted Lex because he is still the baddest and best arch nemesis. Tess is great, I thought I was gonna hate her, but I like her since 'Toxic'.

[borednow]

Tess is Lex

[thefilmguy22384]

On the contrary, I felt that tess was a little too much like lex, esp last night. If you replaced her with lex and changed nothing else, the story still totally works. I don't mean this as a complaint. I enjoyed the episode immensely. I just disagree with you slightly.

Also, I am very convinced that she is genuine. When she told that cab driver to take the guy to the hospital, I was like "oh she is SOO evil!" I'm sold. She's by no means my fav character, but she's alright in my book.


Shes basically the female version of Lex. Acts and thinks just like him pretty much. Shes definitley a good fill in for Lex

It is because she is just a female version of Lex that her character has problems. When ever you get a new villain the key word is NEW. You don't want a cheap imitation of an already existing, and totally irreplaceable, great villain like Lex Luthor. I really don't care for the Tess character. When Chloe said that Tess was a Luthor wannabe I laughed because that's exactly what the character is. She's such a poor replacement and is usually just doing Lex impressions every time she is on screen. She even imitates some of the same looks Rosebaum used. However, I do have to admit that in Toxic she showed a few new sides to herself. She at least showed some signs of humanity and compassion. It at least showed me that the actress has potential to act and be her own person. But sadly it looks like the people behind the show are going to continue having her directed to act like a female Lex. Now I could be wrong and Toxic could mark a start to her evolving into her own character. It's hard to say at this point which way they are going to go with it. If she does continue doing Lex impressions though then I really want her to get killed off. All her Lex impressions do is irritate me and remind me what a loss Michael Rosenbaum's absense from the show is. He is not replaceable. With that in mind the Smallville creative team should make her her own person instead of a female Lex. Again I just really hope that they can convince Rosebaum to come in at least for the last episode or two. Things really need to be tied up with that character before the show ends.

[Danley1973]

Tess is Lex


If you think that, then how do you explain her being on the island
with ollie? (And yea Lex was not missing at the time they were on the island because he was learning how to use the bow and arrow at the time)

[borednow]

Kryptonaian magic memory implantation... crystal

[lilkoolmaria]

I absolutely LOVE Tess. She's so interesting and Cassidy is an amazing actress. I couldn't vote, because I like both Lex and Tess equally so far.

[ClarkyBoy14]

I love Lex, but I think Tess is a nice breath of fresh air. Yes, she tries to be like Lex sometimes, but she also has her own personality quirks.

[Liquid-Prince]

People actually voted for Tess? I mean she's awesome, but she is definitely no Lex...

[Theshadow129x]

Lex wouldnt put up with her crap unless her name was Clark lol and thats the truth.

I like Tess but I still dont see her as a fill in for Lex...Lex has left a shadow on the show so tough that every character still fears his return which is amazing. That shows how much of a great villain Lex was; if every still talks about his schemes and plans and so on and so fourth it shows you just how bad he was.

if Tess ever died or disappeared, no one would really care i think. I mean we havent seen much about her but she can never touch lex and what he has done. period.

[Aloof]

I've always liked Lex, but Tess is growing on me since Lex is no longer on the show.

[KryptonStones]

For me, it's honestly too early to tell. NO ONE can replace Lex, NO ONE. If the writers purposely try to make Tess a cheap, feminine version of Lex, that transaction is going to fail horribly. We've had seven seasons of seeing Lex evolve, seven seasons of seeing him in a constant and perpetual battle with his darkside, and that has (IMO) given the audience and the viewer a deeper connection with his character than we will EVER HAVE with Tess Mercer. I don't want to see this ruthless, cold, unforgiving woman because then I'm just going to see like I said before, a poor imitation of Lex, which lacks creativity on the writer's part. Toxic did shed some light on her character and she has the potential to be her OWN woman. Not a Luthor wannabe...but her OWN woman.

Traces of this was also found in the last episode, where one of Luthor's henchman stated how differently Lex would've handled the meteor freak. It showed, once again, that Tess has a ruthless side to her, but ruthless in the business sense. She still cares for her fellow man which Lex didn't no matter how many times he said.

Another difference between Luthor and Mercer is their state of mind. Tess seems somewhat grounded in reality, seems more stable, than Lex was who actually tried to convince, and succeeded in convincing himself that all the misdeeds and maleovlent acts he committed were for the benefit of mankind. Tess knows of the grey areas, she knows that life is all black and white, but her grey area isn't as skewed as Lex. THAT'S another difference that makes the Tess character attractive to me. I will NEVER like Tess as much as I like Lex because I've had several seasons to grow up with the character, but at this point in time I don't see her as a complete Lexs knock off. They have extremely similar mannerisms, but that's about it. And I'd like it to remain that way.

[jimmyolsenblues]

michael rosenbaum is a great actor and we have seven years to fall in love/hate with lex, its not really truly fair to compare him to tess. but over all yes i do agree tess is a poor man's lex. we lost alot when michael did not resign for season 8.

[Humdinger]

^^^Agree with you. I find her character cold and annoying, even after "Committed." I have no problem with her being evil, but they need to veer off making her just like Lex. She needs her own brand of rotten behavior, not a clone version of Lex as he was before S7 ended.

[dotsie23]

Like most people here, I voted for Lex and I do like Tess, her take on being, for a lack of a better description, a No-nonsense Corporate Cutie is fine, but again no Lex.

[disciples of zod]

Lex.

although i like tess and her character, as well as the way she is fitting into the stories, Lex was the MAN. i was watching some older eps, and i was just like, man, i miss him. a lot. he gave so much to the show. so much. now he's gone. =(

~H

[bychance]

How is she an awful actor?

I think some of you guys are being WAY too harsh.

[HeartChakraBabe]

One word: LEX

Lex is THE BOMB. Tess can't compare, even though she tries.

----- Added 1 Minutes later -----


How is she an awful actor?

I think some of you guys are being WAY too harsh.

I agree. Some people are being too harsh. Cassidy Freeman isn't a bad actor at all; I just don't happen to care for her character.

[jpfort1957]

Lex any day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LuthorKent90]

Lex.

What has Tess done that anyone who is capable of reading and sneaking though others belongings couldn't do?

She learned about Davis and Clark though Lionels "hidden" journal.
It takes one season of snooping for her to discover things that it took Lex years to?:confused:

All this character does is give sob story after sob story about how the men in her life are to blame for anything that went wrong in her life.
She's also a golddigger.

[I_AM_LEX_LUTHOR]

Lex.

What has Tess done that anyone who is capable of reading and sneaking though others belongings couldn't?

She learned about Davis and Clark though Lionels "hidden" journal.
It takes one season of snooping for her to discover things that it took Lex years to?:confused:

All this character does is give sob story after sob story about how the men in her life are to blame for anything that went wrong in her life.
She's also a golddigger.

I agree

Lex managed to solve the Veritas mystery that Lionel and the Teagues had tried to solve for years.

Even after Lex went AWOL and Tess took control of Luthorcorp, he was still in control using Tess only as his eyes and ears. Lets face it, Tess was lex's puppet:)

Hopefully Lex will return and show Tess a thing or two :lol:

[Kschreck]

I like Tess but she isn't even close to the awesomeness that is Lex Luthor!

[LuthorKent90]

I agree

Lex managed to solve the Veritas mystery that Lionel and the Teagues had tried to solve for years.

Even after Lex went AWOL and Tess took control of Luthorcorp, he was still in control using Tess only as his eyes and ears. Lets face it, Tess was lex's puppet

Hopefully Lex will return and show Tess a thing or two

I really liked when one of Lexs minions put Tess in her place.

She asked him to join her, and he replied: "I'd rather shovel cow dung" :lol: