Okay, I’m bored so I decided to do something. I don’t know how many of you followed Smallville, but Kristen Kreuk has had her share of damn good-looking leading men. I loved her and Tom Welling as Clark and Lana, but as much as I loved that pairing, I have to admit that relationship was written poorly and just begs a comparison with Kristen’s new series and of course, Vincent and Catherine. So…without further blah, blah, blah from me; here we go!
For those who don’t know, Smallville was all about teen-aged Clark Kent’s life and relationships before he became Superman. One of Clark’s biggest passions was Lana Lang. Lana already had a boyfriend when the series started, but she and Clark became friends and soon had the longest unresolved, dissatisfying relationship on television. This was because Clark had to guard his secret abilities from everyone and this kept him and Lana apart because she knew he was hiding something from her. Clark believed that he was protecting Lana by not telling her the truth about himself. So fans had to endure lots of longing gazes and unresolved sexual tension, and when I say long I’m talking 5 friggin’ seasons worth. Of course, there was the obligatory “love triangles.” Although The Vampire Diaries has put a permanent bad taste in my mouth for this particular trope, Smallville got the ball rolling. Now the mere mention of a “love triangle” has the power to send me running from my television set, screaming at the top of my lungs while trying to claw my eyes out.
But I digress. Clark and Lana did try to become an official couple at one point during the unbearable five, but something happened and Clark had to start lying and pushing Lana away. They finally had a short reprieve and became lovers, then all hell broke loose and they were wrenched apart again until season seven. By this time the relationship was so jaded and broken that it was apparent to almost everyone that it was never going to work—not to mention they had to bring in Lois Lane, Clark’s one true and forever love.
In the beginning, Clark and Lana were sweet and anticipation for them getting together was high, but the writers totally ruined the relationship and kept Clark’s secret from Lana well past its shelf life.
It’s hard to believe that Kelly Sounders and Brian Peterson (part of the Smallville brain trust) are now working on Beauty and the Beast, which has thrown down the gauntlet and refused to play a bunch of juvenile games with its power couple. The weaknesses heaped on Clark and Lana are largely missing from Vincent and Catherine.
1. C/L were kids, so there was angst on top of angst in their relationship. There was angst for angst’s sake for crying out loud. Clark told endless lies and Lana cried endless tears. V/C are adults and have tackled every issue between them head-on despite the occasional discomfort total honesty caused.
2. Clark slept with Lana without telling her about his alien nature; when he got his powers back, he concocted a mind-boggling number of ridiculous reasons to keep from being intimate with her. Vincent expressed his intimacy fears to Catherine. He respected her enough to be honest, let her come to terms with what he’d told her and let her decide for herself if she wanted to move forward.
3. Clark was always in the middle of a situation and because he was a one-man first responder; he let Lana down a lot, then covered with a bunch of see-through lies. Vincent unofficially works with Catherine; they share information and they rarely leave the other swinging in the wind without explanation.
4. Clark and Lana fought against their attraction because there was Chloe, Whitney and, later, Lex. Vincent tried to push Catherine away despite his attraction to her, but she made him feel like he could have a shot at life again, so he sucked it up and followed his heart. As for Cat, she is nothing if not tenacious. Catherine would not allow Vincent or JT to chase her away. She didn’t get sidetracked by Evan or firefighters. She proved more than a match for Alex Salter and debunked all of Vincent’s insecurities. In short, he was putty in her hands.
5. Catherine and Vincent have a healthy connection; only she can calm the beast raging within him and he keeps her steady and focused when relationship stresses and keeping secrets causes her to become flustered. Fearing the worst, Clark never let Lana or anyone close enough to help shoulder his burdens or ease his loneliness.
6. Lana was mostly a damsel in distress whereas Catherine is a New York police detective and is more than able to take care of herself.
7. Lana never called Clark on his B.S. Catherine doesn’t let Vincent get away with any of his and vice versa.
8. Vincent and Catherine are willing and determined to fight for their love. Clark and Lana were never on the same page at the same time.
9. Clark (Tom Welling) is tall with near perfect features (luscious lips, anyone?), but while Vincent (Jay Ryan) is not classically handsome, he trumps CK/TW with his husky voice, raw sex appeal and killer abs—not to mention the rest of that body.
10. KK and TW had good chemistry and made Clark and Lana believable, but KK and JR have insane chemistry, so VinCat sizzles.
11. So far the drama in Vincent and Catherine’s relationship comes from the outside, Clark and Lana’s drama was always internal, i.e. caused by the two of them.
12. Vincent and Cat work well together, see AMP or PIC for confirmation. Clark worked well with Chloe (because she stumbled across his secret), but he and Lana never really had the chance. So sad.
13. Smallville had killer music. Beauty and the Beast has stepped up since the early episodes, but they still have a way to go before I have burned my own BATB mix.
Well, that’s my list. Comments? Additions?