Pilot discussion post

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

Link to my original comments here

I'll post again next week for the next episode, and if you have any episode reactions that you've been posting to your journals, you could share them with the community.

AlMiles mention in the commentary for the Pilot that the creation of this story with little Clark and little Lex was important to showing Clark becoming a hero he would become and Lex becoming an anti-hero, which I thought is an interesting thing to say, since an anti-hero =/= villain.

At the river scene, Miles says, "We love the idea of them kissing."

And later at the cornfield: "We really liked the idea of Lex having the chance to save Clark." Whee.

Kisses and saving each other!

So, what makes you squee the most? Favorite moments?
Not so favorite moments?
What did you think the rest of the series would be like given the pilot?
How did the Clex shape what you've seen?







Take and pimp the discussion/rewatch, if you like.

Comments

[myfablexy.livejournal.com]

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!
I was so much waiting this thing to start!
Because I really miss the magic of their first smirks, smiles, touching...
I think nothing was and never will be better than Clex.
Also now, that Lex is over, everytime Clark thinks about him, you can see that strange look in his eyes, like if he misses Lex so much, would justify him, but knows that it's impossible, and have to do his job.
But deep inside of Clark we always read the hope to change Lex and make him be again the complicated young man he fell in love with at that river.
So, let's start!

Personally, I found Pilot one of the best series' pilots, ever.
The idea of telling the tale about 2 young men so different, but so intimate, destinated to be enemies sounded like the best epic novel never told, and so it is, in the comics as on the screen.
But SV was something different from movies or comics.
SV added the chemistry, the sparkling of Tom and Michael, and Gos bless Al&Miles for creating that!! XD
I remember I never saw a cast so stunning and beautiful altogether in just one tv show.
Every single actor and actress (except for Sam Jones maybe) was so beautiful and good looking in a way.
When I saw Clark, I thought: "It's impossible a boy could be so gorgeous, sweet, sexy and nice at the same time!"
Then I saw Lex and thought: "Oh My God!This man can't talk, move or walk...you find yourself ipnotized by his lips, hips hands...he screams sex and charm with everything he makes!!!!

So, I'll wait for some comments of yours and then add which are my favourite moments.

*feel so happy for this almost flying*

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the thing with pilots is that they have to give you a good sense of the show and make you want to watch. BtVS, which is a much better show overall, doesn't really have as good a pilot. Roswell's works okay but doesn't go all out with the budget. Supernatural's big focus in their pilot is to give you the backstory and set up the world in a few quick strokes. For the purpose of a Superman story, what Smallville did with its pilot was really great.

I feel as though from the very beginning they paralleled how similar Lex and Clark really are, although they have so much about them that appears to be different.

[myfablexy.livejournal.com]

Oh, and ladydreamer, your banners are superlative!!!

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

Hee. Thanks.

[lexalicious70.livejournal.com]

This is a great idea!

So, what makes you squee the most? Favorite moments?

I really like when we first see Lex, and his laconic, "Thanks, dad."

The bridge scene, of course. Lex truly looks terrified just before they go over.

Lex and Clark's scene in the mansion after the fencing. It's already so obvious they're fascinated with each other.

Not so favorite moments?

Since I'm picky, the goof where Whitney obviously breaks the chain on Lana's necklace, but then is able to fasten it around Clark's neck, and it's intact again from then on.

The graveyard scene. Right away, it's Lana's world, and Clark just lives in it.

What did you think the rest of the series would be like given the pilot?

I hoped they would bring in more DC characters, and I looked forward to seeing how they would handle the DC canon and develop the core characters. Sadly, most of them were grossly mishandled by season five or so.

How did the Clex shape what you've seen?

I've always watched the show from the Clexian POV. That's probably why I was so unhappy by season six, LOL! I always thought that Clark and Lex's relationship was the most interesting and well-developed by far. I really miss them.

The banners are awesome! I will pimp this on my LJ for sure!

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

I really like when we first see Lex, and his laconic, "Thanks, dad."

The introduction of Lex was really, really important, and I think Lex nailed it. Because going in at the beginning, most viewers wouldn't be familiar with "Dad" as the big bad yet, so they have to set up Lex's relationship with him, and they do that in two ways, very quickly.

1) Lionel first yells at is nine-year-old for being scared, then sees him without hair and recoils.
2) That scene of Lex the disaffected youth, dressed in black.

There's no sense of decadence in Lex until you get to the scene where he gives Clark a car (notably in the Superman colors). What we first have is the sense of alienation and his dysfunctional relationship with his father.

The graveyard scene. Right away, it's Lana's world, and Clark just lives in it.

I think maybe Nell should have dropped her ass off in a foster home. Then Lana could weep about being all alone. She's never the least bit grateful to Nell, and we never really see Nell laying the smackdown on Lana, even if she is slightly displeased about the cheerleading thing. Gosh, how horrible. Maybe it would have been better for Lana to get a spanking or two.

[tasabian.livejournal.com]

For me, the sexiest moment in the pilot, even more than the Kiss of Life, was the conversation about "apples falling far from the tree." Lex asks Clark: "How far did you fall?" and they just stare at each other with such yearning & curiosity.

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

That whole scene in the castle... If the Kiss of Life didn't get you, Lex practically proposing in the castle really should. We have a future, obviously.

And somehow Clark doesn't look at him like he's grown another head, because they're so drawn to each other he knows that it's true.

[earthseed-fic.livejournal.com]

My favorite thing about the pilot is Lex--how wonderfully ambiguously dangerous he is. That scene in the castle is amazing. He looks at Clark like he's about to catch an especially delicious fly in his web. Jonathan is right to question Lex's motives in giving Clark the truck, but he messes up when sends Clark to return it. Instead of running away when Lex tells him they have a future together, Clark is *fascinated.* IT would be easy to see why Clark might be impressed by Lex's cars or fame or the beautiful women always around him, but he is impressed by none of that. It's Lex he will keep coming back for again and again, and Lex will keep letting him in. And while I think SV goes on to show that Lex lets Clark in because he needs him there, that he comes to depend emotionally on CLark, in the first episodes, his motives aren't clear. You're never quite sure if Lex is merely playing with Clark, if he is plotting something nefarious, if it amuses him to toy with the loclas, if he's interested only in Clark's motives, or if he truly likes the beautiful, awkward teenager who fished him out of the river. I loved that.

SV had me hooked from the beginning because I wanted to see how these two men, so obviously captivated by one another (thanks to brilliant casting and eletric chemistry between TW and MR), would become the iconic Superman and Lex Luthor of DC canon.

[acampbell.livejournal.com]

I've already done so much blathering, and I'm working on that Clex pic post we talked about this a.m., so I'm gonna be lazy and link to Assorted Pilot posts by me:

Pilot Discussion for Thamiris and Goth Clark's Summer 04 activity (http://acampbell.livejournal.com/188308.html)

Clark and Jonathan in the Pilot (http://acampbell.livejournal.com/747349.html)

Pilot re-view August 2006 (http://acampbell.livejournal.com/316301.html)

Early Pilot Cap Post with Very Few Caps (http://acampbell.livejournal.com/412830.html)

Pilot pic post with more caps (http://acampbell.livejournal.com/428161.html)

Pilot Deleted Scenes pic post (http://acampbell.livejournal.com/426961.html)

Pilot rewatch May 09 (http://acampbell.livejournal.com/807845.html)

Pilot Clex (http://acampbell.livejournal.com/887420.html)

[jlvsclrk.livejournal.com]

The Pilot is one of the great episodes of the series. Us fans like to bash AlMiles, but they sure could write when they had the time for it. I just wish they wouldn't have let other writers off the leash so to speak and maintained better control of the characters. I blame it on their Kristen / Lana obsession, because their comments often take little digs at Tom's acting abilities (which I would characterize at the beginning as limited but promising), but could never see they had a worse problem with Kristen. She did get better over time too, but lord she's painful to watch in the graveyard scene.

Favorite scenes? Just about all the meteor shower sequence is rivetting and really sets up the characters. I'm a Clark fan first and foremost and I love virtually all his subsequent scenes as he absorbs one blow after another. We now know that Clark is only 14 1/2 when he first meets Lex - I account for his unusually mature appearance by pointing out that he is an alien after all! Clark has long known he's fast and strong, but has been constantly told by his parents to lay low. He's desparate though not to be seen as a "total loser", so wants to join the football team. He is hurt by Jonathan's lack of trust in his ability to control his strength. Only after Clark survives being hit by Lex's car does he realize just how unusual he is. Jonathan finally tells him he's an alien and shows him his ship.

Horrified, Clark runs off and has his first detailed conversation ever with Lana, thanks to the fact she isn't wearing her meteor necklace. The next day, he is introduced to Chloe's Wall of Wierd and is told her theory that Smallville's problems all trace to meteor shower. Clark concludes "it's all my fault"; alas, not the first time we'll hear that refrain. Whitney is jealous because of Lana and choses Clark as this year's scarecrow, immobilizing him with her necklace. Lex almost mystically hears Clark's cry for help and cuts him down. Clark speeds off to save the Homecoming Dance from Jeremy, then gets his own share of revenge on the jocks by stacking their trucks on top of each other. He dreams of dancing with Lana, only to watch her return from the dance with the man who strung him up. Poor lad: at least he makes it up with Jonathan.

I'll admit I never fell quite as in love with Lex as many, mainly because I knew where he was going to wind up and was always wary of his motives. Blame that on my comics background. But there's no denying that Smallville's Lex is capable of great heroism, as well as being immensely charming. The look Lex gives Clark at their first meeting is so full of awe with a sprinkling of doubt - he's just experienced a miracle and needs to know what happened. First words exchanged, "I could have sworn I hit you." Clark, shocked by the events, responds with a dumbfounded lie and the tenor of their relationship is set.

To show his gratitude, Lex sends the Kents a wondrous red truck that Jonathan forces Clark to decline. That was probably a mistake, since it just makes Lex more curious. When Clark returns the truck, Lex talks about his near death experience and says he's been given a second chance. Yes Lex, now what are you going to do with it?

[myfablexy.livejournal.com]

Okay, now I read yors, I can put some of my favourite moments down.

As a watcher, I could say that all the stuff with the meteor shower was so well done, and hooked me to watch the "legend" of the big S.
As a comic fan, I found all the charaters of the begining so well constructed.
Obviously, as a Clex fan, my most exciting scene was the Kiss of Life.
The way they look at eachother already sets the strong actraction they will feel.
Clark goes more slow with emotions, he's few more than a kid, but he could feel there some thing with this guy, apart save him as a person.
Maybe he could fell some sort of sparkling as if they already touched (and we'll know they did as children)?
Lex totally fell in love with him at the first sight, it's obvious.
All the caste scene is builded up fot that.
It's full of homoerotic signals (the sword, the undressing from the sport suit, the mirror, the way Lex caress his head)...and most of all, the talking.
Lex flirt with him in a subtle way, but very clear.
The look in his eyes is already full of love, infatuation, lust.
Every single word is chosen to have a double meaning by the writers, and Rosenbaum played so good as take us to others levels of the story.
Clark seems couldn't look away from that young man.
Tom's so stunning beautiful in that scene. His eyes shining with curiosity and a hint of lust, still too innocent, but not naive about his reaction to Lex.
When he saw the card with the truck is marked with LL, he makes the biggest smile and we can almost see his heart speed up.
It was all so wonderful. It made you hope more and more for the guys with the next episodes.

I really love Lana, as character and adore Kristin, but in this episode, I find her so dull. All the attention is focused on Clark and Lex, and that's a fact, not a Clex POV.

Newbie to Smallville

[fruitbat00.livejournal.com]

I have only (2 months or so) become hooked on this show.

I know I am WAY late to get a clue... My excuse, I was never a Superman fan. Batman was my hero of choice (what can I say I like them angst ridden, brooding and sexy..)

Can you tell who my favorite character in Smallville is yet.*g*

Few weeks back I caught a repeat of Nemesis here in the UK and I was pulled in.

So what finally hooked me?

Well it wasnt the Clark Kent Superman angel, although Mr Welling is VERY nice to look at. It wasn't the meteor mutant/mystery of the week nor the high school drama angle.

So what finally hooked me....a certain bald billionaire....*shocked aren't you...*g*

I was hooked by Lex. Michael's performance just sucked me in.

So I got a hold of all the eps, and over the next few weeks I watched them all.

Watched Clark trying to blend in, to be normal, becoming ever more the hero. Watched the whole decent of Lex in awe. Michael's and John Glover's performances just blew me away.

The disintegration of the friendship between Lex and Clark, was amazing and painful to watch.

As was the decent of Lex. Every manipulation by his father every lie Clark and others told him, every time someone thought the worst of him for no reason other than who he was, every time someone betrayed him. All these actions pushed Lex further towards who he became. And I enjoyed every moment.

I'm not saying Lex is a saint *g* but when you watch the hurt/pain on Lex's face every time he is lied to, manipulated, pushed. Michael brought all that pain to the surface and showed us a character that was more than just the two dimensional bad guy of the movies and comics. Michael showed us someone that wanted to fit in, to be liked, loved, trusted. (Just as Clark did.) And he forced us to care, to feel for Lex.

And when it was all thrown back in his face, time and time again. He snapped, and who can blame him, all his defenses came up and the decent into evil Lex began. And god is Michael good at being scarily evil.

I know the show is ultimately about Clark Kent Superman. But with Tom and Michael's performances it became FAR more than that. They brought their characters friendship to life.

Watching the friendship and betrayal and how Clark's actions, affected all of those around him especially Lex kept me hooked.

I regret not having been involved at the same time as everyone else. I feel I've missed out. So I would love to re watch/visit episodes with you all if you don't mind a newbie..

Edit:- Answering the questions...

So, what makes you squee the most?

The whole Clark meets Lex scene, the highlight, Clark kissing Lex....*thud* Lovely moment.

Favorite moments?

Lex's first appearance. The whole Rescue. Chloe and Pete betting on Clark the klutz. The argument over the truck with Clark and his dad. Jonathan's reaction to Lex...*pets Lex* Lex saving Clark in the corn field. The whole "Do you believe a man can fly speech." Loved Clark stacking the trucks.


Not so favorite moments?

Not a great Lana fan. Most of her scenes in the pilot did NOTHING for me. She was a bit wooden compared to Chloe.

What did you think the rest of the series would be like given the pilot?

Watching the pilot I hoped that we would get more of the Clark/Lex friendship in the season, because it was the part that hooked me. I immediately liked Chloe, Jonathan and Martha. It showed promise as more the than just the two dimensional teen drama I had thought it was when it first aired. Its kinda hard answering this as I have watched later episodes first.

How did the Clex shape what you've seen?

Now the chemistry between the boys hit me right away. Even in the episode Nemesis, before I had seen the rest of the seasons. There is something in the way they interact that just intrigued me. Watching Nemesis, and then going back, I wanted to know how the two tentative friends got to where they were in that show.

They both want so much to fit in, to be normal, to belong, and some how in the first season they both seem to find a chance for that in each other and their friendship. As for the Clex well you would have to be blind to not see the chemistry between the two. And god do they look amazing together.

Well I have babbled enough. *g*

Re: Newbie to Smallville

[myfablexy.livejournal.com]

I think we all love the newbie!! (Personally I love the thought someone could join the show now, and be hooked by the Clex!!)
So, don't be shy or worried, just babble more about our favourite show.
Because SV is Love, but Clex is FOREVER!!