Stiletto Screentime Totals

[costas22]

He had more screentime minutes in this than in Eternal.

True. But for me, it's not about going from 17 minutes to 19. Both are low for him regardless. At least they are below his season average if you want me to put it like that. And it's not fixing to get better next week.

[geminis]

BadToad, Agent Chaos, thanks as always.

What was hard for me to take was seeing the 11 after Lois' name in comparison to the 19 after Clark and Chloe. For that reason, I'm not going to begrudge Clark a few minutes less in his totals. And Jimmy, he just can't catch a break. But this was a good episode for all of them nonetheless.

[costas22]

BadToad, Agent Chaos, thanks as always.

What was hard for me to take was seeing the 11 after Lois' name in comparison to the 19 after Clark and Chloe. For that reason, I'm not going to begrudge Clark a few minutes less in his totals. And Jimmy, he just can't catch a break. But this was a good episode for all of them nonetheless.

Jimmy has had the most rough luck out of everyone. He got bumped from Hex at the last minute and in Stiletto he was mostly used to support the other arcs. It's a shame too because after Turbulence i did want to see what he would do.

[petitemimi]

Thanks BadToad! I'm OK with Clark's minutes in the episode, because I thought it furthered Clark's story (maybe I'm in the minority here).

[Tompouce]

It is rare but I am like Maddie. It is the first time I am able to say, it doesn't annoy me to see Clark less than another character. Just because this story was in a way a constant bound to him. Whatever happens, the purpose was Clark/RBB, so for once, I won't complain
Thanks BadToad

[cloisthelegendbegins]

True. But for me, it's not about going from 17 minutes to 19. Both are low for him regardless. At least they are below his season average if you want me to put it like that. And it's not fixing to get better next week.

His highest was the one you mentioned - Infamous: 27m 31s.
His lowest (no surprise) - Power: 15m, 2s

Hope that Bad Toad doesn't mind if I look at the numbers a slightly different way...

Episodes that focus on other characters tend as a norm to bring his screentime down compared to theirs (and my Math sucks so feel free to double check the figures in brackets):

Toxic (Oliver backstory) - Clark: 16m 1s, Oliver: 24m 49s (Clark 8m 48s less)
Abyss (Chloe flashbacks) - Clark: 20m 57s, Chloe 29m 46s (Clark 8m 49s less)
Power (Lana flashbacks) - Clark: 15m 2s, Lana 20m 15s (Clark 5m 13s less)
Hex (Chloe-centric) - Clark 22m 41s, Chloe 26m 57s (Clark 4m 16s less)
Eternal (Davis backstory) - Clark 16m 1s, Davis 22m 42s (Clark 6m 41s less)
Stiletto (Lois-centric) - Clark 18m 56s, Lois 22m 48s (Clark 3m 52s less)

So there's a pattern to that. Although Abyss and Hex still kept him above the 20 minute mark (Abyss giving him 8m 49s less than the person the episode was focussed on and Hex giving him 4m 16s less than the person the episode focussed on).

In episodes where other characters are not the focus of attention he suffers from the problems of A plot versus B plot - in other words what story is being focussed on that week.

Odyssey (return of Clark) - 17m 24s (highest screentime minutes)
Plastique (Clark at DP) - 22m 15s (highest screentime minutes)
Toxic (Oliver backstory) - 16m 1s (second highest to Oliver)
Instinct (Clark & Maxima) - 22m 33s (highest)
Committed (Lois & Clark investigate) - 19m 6s (second highest to Lois)
Prey - (Clark investigates) - 19m 55s (highest)
Identity (Clark/RBB) - 24m 23s (highest)
Bloodline (Phantom Zone & Kara) - 20m 26s (highest)
Abyss (Chloe flashbacks) - 20m 57s (second highest to Chloe)
Bride (Wedding & Doomsday) - 19m 38s (highest)
Legion (Superhero-centric) - 24m 21s (highest)
Bulletproof (Clark undercover) - 22m 24s (highest)
Power (Lana flashbacks) - 15m 2s (second highest to Lana)
Requiem (Clark/Lana/Lex) - 23m 35s (highest)
Infamous (Clark/RBB) - 27m 31s (highest)
Turbulance (Clark/Tess) - 16m 6s (highest)
Hex (Chloe-centric) - 22m 41s (second highest)
Eternal (Davis Backstory) - 16m 1s (third behind Davis and Chloe)
Stiletto (Lois-centric) - 18m 56s (second highest to Lois)

That's 12 out of 19 episodes where he's had the highest screentime minutes, 6 out of 19 where he's had second highest (when the episode focussed on another character) and 1 out of 19 where he's been third highest.

The usual debate is whether having Lois or the Chloe/Doomsday stories takes away from his screentime. With this breakdown I would argue that (much to my own surprise I'll admit) With Chloe in all 22 episodes, Clark still managed to have the highest screentime in 12 out of 19 of the episodes shown to date. In the episodes where Lois/ED ALSO appeared (colored Blue for this breakdown) he had the highest screentime in 7 out of 11.

Episodes Chloe appeared in where Clark had most screentime = 12 out of 19 (63.16%)
Number of episodes focussing on other characters = 6 out of 19 (31.58%)

Episodes Lois/ED appeared in where Clark had most screentime = 7 out of 11 (63.63%)
Number of episodes focussing on other characters = 3 out of 11 (27.27%)

Very little in it is there? And when we add Agent Chaos's average figures for the season overall:

Season 8:
Clark- 20m, 29s
Chloe- 13m, 21s
Lois- 13m, 19s
Jimmy- 10m, 18s
Tess- 8m, 57s
Davis- 9m, 25s
Oliver- 10m, 38s

Clark's minutes continue to remain the highest - which to me is the most important thing. The fact Chloe and Lois' figures are so close with Chloe on 19 episodes and Lois on 11 seems fair to me too, speaking as a Lois fan, especially when we have 3 more Chloe episodes to come and only 1 more with Lois. So all in all I think the screentime minutes per character this year have been about right.

What it once again comes down to with me, as it so often does, is the STORY.

[clois-destiny-forever]

Yeah, it was ok not seeing a ton of Clark in this episode. Bring on the Lois!! It's still annoying that Tess has more screen time than Jimmy, though.

[xrayvision]

By the way BadToad, I always wanted to know something. In scenes like the ending one with the phone conversation, do you count those entire minutes for both Lois & Clark (since both their voices are heard at times when each one isn't on camera) or do you only count a character's screentime when they visually appear, regardless of whether you hear them? I guess it's the latter. I remember there was an episode (I think it was Leech) where we didn't see John Glover but heard his voice on the phone as Lex spoke to Lionel, who congratulated him for taking over Sir Harry's company.

[BadToad]

By the way BadToad, I always wanted to know something. In scenes like the ending one with the phone conversation, do you count those entire minutes for both Lois & Clark (since both their voices are heard at times when each one isn't on camera) or do you only count a character's screentime when they visually appear, regardless of whether you hear them? I guess it's the latter.

A character being heard over a telephone does count into their total. The one exception would be if their voice is on an answering machine, meaning it isn't actually them, just someone talking to their telephone. I think this has only happened a few times. But if they're talking, IMO, they are there in the scene, whether we see them or not, and so it counts.

And please, everyone feel free to play with the numbers, and look for comparisons, and statistics all they want. Thats why I provide the information. Look at awesome AC has done with her season averages, which is especially cool for me because I suck at averages.

[geminis]

Yeah, it was ok not seeing a ton of Clark in this episode. Bring on the Lois!! It's still annoying that Tess has more screen time than Jimmy, though.

Very interesting breakdown, Annie. Thanks bunches! I'm glad Clark is still on top too.

Clark may not have been on top but imho he wasn't overshadowed. The closeness in Lois and Chloe's total average still doesn't make up for the lack of Lois for me, but it helps. Somewhat. I do sort of agree with you about Jimmy and Tess, but the villains do tend to overshadow the heroes. Frustrating, but true. Here's hoping that Jimmy is more and better utilized in the future.

[xrayvision]

I don't even want to know how time-consuming it is to do those counts. You probably have to re-watch the episode as many times as there are main characters who appear in the episode.

By the way, would Doomsday's shadow count for Davis?

[BadToad]

I don't even want to know how time-consuming it is to do those counts. You probably have to re-watch the episode as many times as there are main characters who appear in the episode.

Would it surprise you if I told you I can do this all in one rewatch? Because I can, and do. Sometimes I do have to go back over a scene, just to make sure on an entrance or exit, and get the timing right. But multiple rewatches are not necessary.

By the way, would Doomsday's shadow count for Davis?

I've struggled on this point. Ultimately, I think it should, which would add about 6s to Davis' screentime overall for this episode.

[costas22]

Annie good work on your facts. Didn't realise that 17-20 minutes of Clark was this often. I just thought that they would give him some more time leading into the finale and especially given the fact that he won't appear so much in Beast. It's not the Lois story that took away from his total. It was the introduction of Intergang that took up some few minutes, which is something logical i guess. I just hope it was worth it and we see more of Bruno next year. Finally, my props to BadToad for all the work on the screentime totals.

[Tompouce]

Costas, I watched it again and you are right. What takes many precious minutes is the scene with intergang in the cave when Bruno killed his boss and all. It could have been shorter.

[wingster55]

Thanks BadToad and AgentChaos.
not really surprising that Chloe and Lois' average screentime are similiar. Chloe was hardly in the last three Lana episodes.