Chloe Sullivan: Let's Be Real, She was the Real Lois Lane!

[amensisterfriend]

I was thinking about why I love and relate to Chloe so much. I actually get the criticism that she could sometimes be written as too much of the 'plucky fan favorite' and all that, but I adore her...and not just because she was the comparatively nerdy and geeky one out of the show's main young female characters (Lana, Chloe, Lois), although, let's be real, I do tend to relate all too well to the nerdy and geeky types :) But unlike Lana (who I swear I WANT to find relatable flaws in but just usually see as a dully perfect princess) and Lois (the classic 'cool girl', super confident, sexually liberated and sassy) I actually feel like Chloe really did have salient human flaws and vulnerabilities: impulsiveness, a tendency to act based on her personal feelings rather than a completely fair notion of right and wrong, a need to know things to the point where she crosses boundaries and disregards people's requests for privacy, and sometimes an inability control her emotions, whether it's jealousy, anger, sadness, passion, etc. So I don't buy into the idea that she was too perfect a character---I actually see her as the most clearly flawed of the show's main characters, other than the ones who are supposed to be villains, of course :)  

I grew to really like Chloe with Oliver but still have a soft spot for her dynamic with Clark. My favorite seasons for Chloe's character are actually S3 and S5---which, not coincidentally, are among my favorite seasons of the show :) 

[BkWurm1]

On 12/1/2016 at 5:39 PM, amensisterfriend said:

I grew to really like Chloe with Oliver but still have a soft spot for her dynamic with Clark. My favorite seasons for Chloe's character are actually S3 and S5---which, not coincidentally, are among my favorite seasons of the show :) 

I'd go through the first half of season 6, basically right until the end of Labyrinth when Clark's take away was that he was still in love with Lana.  After that I have to bop around to good episodes or moments but yeah, the consistent good stuff after that point was, well, not consistent, lol.  

[amensisterfriend]

I'm a Myers Briggs fan and was interested to see that Chloe is often typed as an ENFP. Initially it didn't ring quite true for me, but I actually think it fits---and is consistent with my trend of often loving ENFP fictional characters despite definitely not being an ENFP myself. A lot of people typed as ENFPs tend to just have so much spirit, vibrancy, warmth etc., and I just really find myself drawn to that. 

What do you all see as Chloe's greatest strengths and weaknesses??? Any answers will assist me greatly in the fanfic I'm about to start but will probably never finish ;)

[BkWurm1]

So thanks for that rabbit hole you sent me down, lol.  So many things to click on.  

Quote

 

CAMPAIGNER PERSONALITY (ENFP, -A/-T)

The Campaigner personality is a true free spirit. They are often the life of the party, but unlike types in the Explorer Role group, Campaigners are less interested in the sheer excitement and pleasure of the moment than they are in enjoying the social and emotional connections they make with others. Charming, independent, energetic and compassionate, the 7% of the population that they comprise can certainly be felt in any crowd.

 

I wasn't so sure about this for Chloe but then I read this:

Quote

More than just sociable people-pleasers though, Campaigners, like all their Diplomat cousins, are shaped by their Intuitive (N) quality, allowing them to read between the lines with curiosity and energy. They tend to see life as a big, complex puzzle where everything is connected – but unlike Analyst personality types, who tend to see that puzzle as a series of systemic machinations, Campaigners see it through a prism of emotion, compassion and mysticism, and are always looking for a deeper meaning.

Quote

 Campaigners thrive on the ability to question the status quo and explore the alternatives

Quote

 

People with the Campaigner personality type need to feel like they’re pushing boundaries and exploring ideas, and should focus on interests and careers that encourage that.

Many more career options satisfy these needs, and not just the scientific ones – writing, journalism, acting and TV reporting all give Campaigners a chance to explore something new every day and stir the pot a little while they’re at it. It may come to pass though, that the best way forward for Campaigner personalities is to establish themselves as entrepreneurs and consultants, blazing their own trails and taking on whatever project is most fascinating. So long as they get to use their people skills, identify and achieve their own goals and inspire their colleagues and followers, Campaigners will be happy.

 

And yeah, I can see it.  I don't think though with any of the personality types it's ever so clear cut.  Chloe was a bit of a caretaker too with Clark, not just pushing him to do more but enabling him to do so - even when he was hugely sidetracked. 

The people she loves, she is loyal to, almost to a fault.  It's like her betrayal of Clark (or IMO her almost betrayal since she didn't give him anything new or damaging) pushed her to over compensate and be there for others even when it's not right for her.  

[amensisterfriend]

Quote

So thanks for that rabbit hole you sent me down, lol.

Yay! My work here is done ;) A lot of the ENFPs I know are just incredibly vibrant, spirited, energetic, positive, emotional, resourceful, adventurous, slightly unique people, and that's how I see Chloe. In my experience they also tend to be a bit too impulsive, reckless, and to sometimes make choices based on what they're feeling rather than what they objectively know to be prudent or right, which, again...Chloe, at least IMO! No type will ever fully fit anyone, but overall I agree with what I've read about her being an ENFP. I'm also almost sold on Clark being an ISFJ.

[BkWurm1]

Also, another thing kind of at odds with that personality type is Chloe's excellent organization skills.  Yes, she can research and keep her note and info organized but she moved on to organize and structure the whole team and Campaigners aren't supposed to be good in the admin type positions.  Chloe I don't think loved it, but she was very good at it.  Maybe that's the key, not if you can do it, but if it feeds your passion?  In the end, journalism and finding these new heroes is what got her most excited.  (In addition to solving the mysteries that go with the hero biz)

And for all of Chloe's extroverted ways, she's actually very private personally.  Or maybe private isn't the right word, but reluctant to open up personally.  She's there for all those around her, but doesn't risk sharing too much of her needs or wants.  

When I'm writing Chloe, that's something struggles with, letting herself lean on someone else.  That's how I try to show her getting close, not when she listens, but when she opens up.   

27 minutes ago, amensisterfriend said:

ISFJ.

Back to the rabbit hole! (20 minutes later...)  Well that has Clark to a T.  Chloe is more complicated IMO but Clark is the Defender personality on just about every level.  

Edited December 30, 2016 by BkWurm1

[SueB]

On 12/29/2016 at 9:41 AM, amensisterfriend said:

I'm a Myers Briggs fan and was interested to see that Chloe is often typed as an ENFP. Initially it didn't ring quite true for me, but I actually think it fits---and is consistent with my trend of often loving ENFP fictional characters despite definitely not being an ENFP myself. A lot of people typed as ENFPs tend to just have so much spirit, vibrancy, warmth etc., and I just really find myself drawn to that. 

What do you all see as Chloe's greatest strengths and weaknesses??? Any answers will assist me greatly in the fanfic I'm about to start but will probably never finish ;)

 

 

Hi, I'm an ENFP. Tested multiple times.  Here's what I can tell you from my perspective on personality. I'm going to give more ink to the flaws because most write-ups are like horoscopes -- very positive. I'm putting it in a work context because that's how I can see my personality profile easiest.

E - Man, I can suck up the energy in a room.  I'm like an energy vampire sometimes.  I can go all day and night when I'm with people.  Now, if I have to sit there and be SILENT for 6 hrs while listening to "death by viewgraph" ... OUCH.  I literally have to be multi-tasking (unobtrusively) to stop myself from interjecting while the briefer drones on.  On the other hand, I can work a detailed task by myself (that I'm passionate about), and not realize it's 4 in the morning... and I'm 54 and shouldn't be doing that shit anymore.

N - I see EVERYTHING in terms of people and relationships.  When working a problem, I want to know WHO is working it and what their expertise is.  I make data-based decisions but my opinions are influenced by my faith in the people involved. I often will look at a large pile of raw data and see overarching themes and trends that are not obvious until you've sifted through everything. On the other hand, I sometimes have trouble explaining why I'm certain about something.  And when I try to work through my logic with people, they can follow each step but at the end go "wait... I don't get it".  Which means I'm not always coherent in explaining my thought processes.

F - Toasted marshmallow.  Pretends to be crusty on the outside, absolute GOO on the inside. I can joke around with people and am VERY VERY snarky, but I'm an absolute sucker for feelings.  If someone is getting run-over in a conversation, I'll make sure to give them one-on-one attention later.  And I RESCUE people all the freakin' time.  I once had a very wise woman say to me "stop adopting people".  Because I do.  I love to be needed.  In fact, I need to be needed. I am the mother confessor for many and believe in unconditional love -- unconditionally.  I'm also easily hurt and will withdraw into myself when in conflict with an important personal relationship.

P - I'm the last to turn in my report.  Partially because I'm a perfectionist but also because I want to make sure I have every last scrap of potentially relevant data.  You never know when some late-breaking news could really change my assessments. Pisses off my boss but he loves my results.  

Edited January 7, 2017 by SueB

[rue721]

56 minutes ago, SueB said:

N - I see EVERYTHING in terms of people and relationships.  When working a problem, I want to know WHO is working it and what their expertise is.  I make data-based decisions but my opinions are influenced by my faith in the people involved.

That's very interesting in terms of how Chloe behaves. I never really thought about it before, but it does seem like she's led by her heart in that way.

I guess that's why she was so happy to be Clark's sidekick for so long, too (and even why she wanted to be in a relationship with him for so long) -- if her way of figuring out a problem was to figure out who should work on it with her, and she had total faith in Clark, I can see why the most obvious solution to her was always going to be to involve Clark.

[SueB]

3 minutes ago, rue721 said:

That's very interesting in terms of how Chloe behaves. I never really thought about it before, but it does seem like she's led by her heart in that way.

I guess that's why she was so happy to be Clark's sidekick for so long, too (and even why she wanted to be in a relationship with him for so long) -- if her way of figuring out a problem was to figure out who should work on it with her, and she had total faith in Clark, I can see why the most obvious solution to her was always going to be to involve Clark.

 

Excellent point.  He IS the ultimate go-to guy for anything dangerous.  OTOH, I'd avoid him like the plague for anything regarding relationships.

[rue721]

By the way, literally EVERY SINGLE TIME I take the Myers Briggs test, I get a different result. To be fair, that happens to me with pretty much every personality test I take. It's weird and makes me wonder if they're all bunk. But then other people seem to get a lot out of them! So who knows.

1 minute ago, SueB said:

Excellent point.  He IS the ultimate go-to guy for anything dangerous.  OTOH, I'd avoid him like the plague for anything regarding relationships.

Hahaha yeah, Clark is not that great with people. But he's dependable, nice, and good looking. Could do worse ;)

[BkWurm1]

1 hour ago, SueB said:

Excellent point.  He IS the ultimate go-to guy for anything dangerous.  OTOH, I'd avoid him like the plague for anything regarding relationships.

I did the Meyer Briggs test on line and it tried to say I was ENFP a few times ( I know I am not.  I absolutely can socialize and be the life of the party but I am happier at home reading a book and I definitely am not universally liked) but some of me must be in there for it to keep showing up.  

One of the things that I found to ring really true for Chloe (based on myself) is that while I'm super ready to be there to be emotionally supportive of others, I have a real hard time letting others support me in that way.  Partially because I'm a self supporter and partially because I don't want to be let down so I find it hard to depend on someone for that kind of support in the first place.  

Chloe found a safe way to channel her feelings for Clark into action but then backed off from depending on him for the more complex emotional stuff.  Once burned, twice shy.  That she put herself out there so many times is a testament to how strong and deep her feelings for Clark were and pulling the friends card IMO doesn't lessen those feelings, she just was able to find another way to connect deeply with him through being supportive.  

I will never blame Chloe for how their relationship got stuck in the friends zone, but I do wish she'd been a bit needier.  Maybe Clark would have been bolder as well if he'd felt like Chloe needed him more.  Instead, I think he took nearly everything about her for granted since she usually came off so capable.  

2 hours ago, SueB said:

I often will look at a large pile of raw data and see overarching themes and trends that are not obvious until you've sifted through everything. On the other hand, I sometimes have trouble explaining why I'm certain about something.  And when I try to work through my logic with people, they can follow each step but at the end go "wait... I don't get it".  Which means I'm not always coherent in explaining my thought processes.

Ding, ding, ding.  Ever point something out, have no one else see it only for them a month later bring up the exact problem you were trying to point out as if it was something no one had seen coming?  

Chloe made some really fantastical intuitive leaps when she was investigating.  Often the data itself shouldn't have been enough to get her to her answers but she also had some bigger picture kind of situational/interpersonal understanding that was more than the sum of the parts.  

Chloe was smart, but I think when Clark said she was the smartest person he knew, what he really meant was that she was one of the most clever and intuitive people he knew.  She made connections that others just wouldn't see. 

Edited January 7, 2017 by BkWurm1

[SueB]

20 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

I did the Meyer Briggs test on line and it tried to say I was ENFP a few times ( I know I am not.  I absolutely can socialize and be the life of the party but I am happier at home reading a book and I definitely am not universally liked) but some of me must be in there for it to keep showing up.  

One of the things that I found to ring really true for Chloe (based on myself) is that while I'm super ready to be there to be emotionally supportive of others, I have a real hard time letting others support me in that way.  Partially because I'm a self supporter and partially because I don't want to be let down so I find it hard to depend on someone for that kind of support in the first place.  

Chloe found a safe way to channel her feelings for Clark into action but then backed off from depending on him for the more complex emotional stuff.  Once burned, twice shy.  That she put herself out there so many times is a testament to how strong and deep her feelings for Clark were and pulling the friends card IMO doesn't lessen those feelings, she just was able to find another way to connect deeply with him through being supportive.  

I will never blame Chloe for how their relationship got stuck in the friends zone, but I do wish she'd been a bit needier.  Maybe Clark would have been bolder as well if he'd felt like Chloe needed him more.  Instead, I think he took nearly everything about her for granted since she usually came off so capable.  

Ding, ding, ding.  Ever point something out, have no one else see it only for them a month later bring up the exact problem you were trying to point out as if it was something no one had seen coming?  

Chloe made some really fantastical intuitive leaps when she was investigating.  Often the data itself shouldn't have been enough to get her to her answers but she also had some bigger picture kind of situational/interpersonal understanding that was more than the sum of the parts.  

Chloe was smart, but I think when Clark said she was the smartest person he knew, what he really meant was that she was one of the most clever and intuitive people he knew.  She made connections that others just wouldn't see. 

 

Yo... if universally liked is an ENFP thing... well, I know I piss people off ALL the time.

I agree about being there for others and not letting other support me.  Also agree about Chloe making connections no one else would see.

And yes, ALL THE DAMN TIME. I harp on something and then it's "discovered" by everyone else much later.  Actually, I have a friend I work with who is often quick to give me a wink cause he picks up on it all the time.  That doesn't mean I'm not wrong, I definitely can be wrong.  But I'm often out in left field screaming "hey, over HERE!" on many topics.  

[BkWurm1]

10 minutes ago, SueB said:

And yes, ALL THE DAMN TIME. I harp on something and then it's "discovered" by everyone else much later.  Actually, I have a friend I work with who is often quick to give me a wink cause he picks up on it all the time.  That doesn't mean I'm not wrong, I definitely can be wrong.  But I'm often out in left field screaming "hey, over HERE!" on many topics

Sending you an electronic and very empathetic hug.  I can't figure out if I'm not clear enough in explaining myself or if it's just a timing issue and nobody is ready to hear it.  

Quote

o... if universally liked is an ENFP thing... well, I know I piss people off ALL the time.

I may have extrapolated that idea, but this is where I got it from:

https://www.16personalities.com/enfp-strengths-and-weaknesses

Very Popular and Friendly – All this adaptability and spontaneity comes together to form a person who is approachable, interesting and exciting, with a cooperative and altruistic spirit and friendly, empathetic disposition. Campaigners get along with pretty much everyone, and their circles of friends stretch far and wide.

Personally I think I have a good chunk of the Debater personality in me as well since this part fits me to a T:
 

The Debater personality type is the ultimate devil’s advocate, thriving on the process of shredding arguments and beliefs and letting the ribbons drift in the wind for all to see. Debaters don’t do this because they are trying to achieve some deeper purpose or strategic goal, but for the simple reason that it’s fun. No one loves the process of mental sparring more than Debaters, as it gives them a chance to exercise their effortlessly quick wit, broad accumulated knowledge base, and capacity for connecting disparate ideas to prove their points.

An odd juxtaposition arises with Debaters, as they are uncompromisingly honest, but will argue tirelessly for something they don’t actually believe in, stepping into another’s shoes to argue a truth from another perspective.

I frustrate my friends and family like crazy since I always seem to pick the opposite side of an argument just to explore the possibilities - even if I totally agree with them, lol.  Also just me being on this board proves my love of debate.  It's why I used to go visit boards where I knew I'd get a fight and why I can't just ignore it if someone says something I completely disagree with. 

[rue721]

22 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

I will never blame Chloe for how their relationship got stuck in the friends zone, but I do wish she'd been a bit needier.  Maybe Clark would have been bolder as well if he'd felt like Chloe needed him more.  Instead, I think he took nearly everything about her for granted since she usually came off so capable.

I actually think she came on too strong. IMO Clark took her for granted. He also wanted more privacy and space than she was comfortable giving him, even within their friendship. I think that if she had backed off and let him come to her, she would have had more of a shot.

I guess what I'm saying is that if she had been a worse friend, she might have had more of a shot at being his girlfriend ;)

2 hours ago, SueB said:

I harp on something and then it's "discovered" by everyone else much later.

1 hour ago, BkWurm1 said:

 I can't figure out if I'm not clear enough in explaining myself or if it's just a timing issue and nobody is ready to hear it.

IME a lot of the time the issue is that your role within the org is not where the idea is supposed to be coming from. Or at least it's not to anyone else's benefit (career-wise) for you to be the one to come up with it. It's frustrating and demoralizing to be ignored...but IMO it's probably not personal.

In grad school, they told us to prioritize your ideas/projects based on how much buy-in each one has from your bosses. If you don't have enough buy-in from the top, an idea isn't going to go anywhere anyway, so it's best not to waste any more time or energy on it than you have to. And vice versa, if there's lots of buy-in from the top, it's probably going to happen (regardless of its merit), so better make the best of it. That was the professors' advice, anyway!

[marina to]

As an ENFP myself, I'm finding this discussion fascinating. @BkWurm1, you're probably right on the edge of E/I. I know I'm on the edge of F/T and at first I was an ENTP but it didn't quite fit. So maybe that's why I identified with Chloe so much. Also to another one of your points, I too am great at admin and have spent many years making a living at it but I utterly hate it. I got that sense from Chloe as well. 

She was also the best written/most consistently written character, at least for the 8 seasons that I watched.

Edited April 3, 2017 by marina to

[Whodunnit]

At the time when they created Chloe as a character I believe that they never had had any interest in bringing in Lois to the show. There's two reasons for this belief:

One, in Canon Clark does not meet Lois until he starts working at the Daily Planet, and he is the Rookie reporter to her seasoned 'Pullitzer Prize' winning self. This is why she gave him the 'pet' names. (By introducing her when she was still a nobody in high school who can't even spell it changes the dynamic and just makes her seem foolish and arrogant.)

Two, I don't think they were given permission to use Lois at the time, and Chloe was clearly created to fill the 'Lois' niche while still remaining different enough to be her own character. What traits they did borrow from canon Lois were positive ones, and this further convinces me that they did not think that they would later get to use Lois. (So when they did get permission to use the character this left them with only negative canon traits to use with Lois to avoid being redundant.)

Edited July 15, 2017 by Whodunnit

[BkWurm1]

It's my understanding that Lois was brought in on a mandate from WB who were being sued at the time by the people that had the right to Superboy (who pointed out Smallville fell under the time period and had many characters from the Superboy Comics).  Adding Lois was a late hour attempt to prove Smallville should be viewed as just a different take on Superman.  WB lost.  And I suspect so did we, the viewing audience.    

Edited July 16, 2017 by BkWurm1

[bettername2come]

I love Chloe. She was my favorite Smallville character and is third favorite female character ever (behind Veronica Mars and Lois Lane, so I clearly have a type). I loved Chlark and wanted to see them together, although I didn't want them to be end game. But when they introduced the idea in late season 1 that it was a possibility, I was really excited by that. And then in season 5, after a season of honesty and communication between her and Clark, I got so excited when, for the first time when they were both in their right minds, she kissed him and he kissed her back. But after that didn't go anywhere I always felt like it was too late. I thought the Chlois theory was fun, but better left to fanfiction than canon (and am majorly pissed off that they actually went there with regard to Jimmy Olsen, but that's a complaint for another thread). I did like her relationship with Oliver and I liked that ultimately she ended up in a good stable place - reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper, married and has a kid with Oliver, still continuing her behind the scenes superhero work. Seeing the speculation upthread about Chloe being ENFP makes me smile because I'm INFP, so I'm probably seeing some little piece of who I am/who I want to be in Chloe. 

[BkWurm1]

On 9/24/2017 at 3:03 PM, bettername2come said:

And then in season 5, after a season of honesty and communication between her and Clark, I got so excited when, for the first time when they were both in their right minds, she kissed him and he kissed her back. But after that didn't go anywhere I always felt like it was too late.

I think that after season six, really up until the very end of Labyrinth they could have easily gone Chlark (just not have Clark fall back into the Lana trap) but then their window temporarily closed. They had to play out Clana but I ended up finding the seventh season very positive for the Chlark ship since it seemed to compare and contrast Clana against Chlark with Clana constantly being found lacking.  So they could have IMO very easily gone Chlark at the start of season 8 only instead, they went CHIMMY!  But we also got a bit of Chavis that served as a reminder that Chimmy wasn't were it was at.  And we had Brainiac messing with Chloe's mind to explain why her choosing Jimmy made no sense and by the end of season 8 we had Clark just losing his mind over Chloe being gone not to mention Brainiac saying he chose Chloe because he knew she was the one he could never harm and then he risked space and time to save her and memories of their kiss in season 5 was her best-guarded memory, so again, they COULD have easily gone Chlark at the end of season 8  rather than have Clark renounce his humanity and abandon her.

I HATED season 9 Clark to the point where I was really waiting for a reveal that he was under someone elses' control or wasn't him.   So had they gone that way, yep, Chlark could have happened.  Sticking with the show canon, Clark started to come to his senses as the season went on, to the point where he admitted Chloe had been right and apologized.  And there was a beat at the final episode where Chloe is freaking out over him leaving and he's broken up with Lois and even though he's leaving forever, he decides not to tell her the truth.  So a possible way back at the end of the season had they wanted to.  

Even when Lois returns the following season, Clark still decides not to get back together with her or tell her his secret.  And Chloe is off with some unknown plan after wearing Fate's Helmet while Oliver is back home claiming she ran away because keeping his secret was too hard for her to handle (proving to me that dude SOOOOO didn't know her) so again, there was an opening where I could have seen Chlark starting up even after all that had came before. 

And then Chloe saves everyone from the virtual world and we find out Clark has been secretly agonizing over her being gone so they could have built on that or during the engagement party with the hexed champagne they could have built on the fact that even though Clark's engaged they had Chloe and Clark go one way and Lois and Oliver go the other.  And Lois gambled away her ring.   And Chloe reporting from the chapel that there was a mock wedding with the groom marrying the best friend which is different from Chloe marrying Oliver.  There is a ton of stuff to work with in that episode.  But then skipping ahead Lois has a day to see what Clark's life is like and decides that he needs to be SuperClark full time and it takes Chloe to explain that Clark is more than his powers and what he really needs so again, they wrote a way back to Chlark.  Then they literally had Chloe stop the wedding in order to save Clark, lol.  And that hug back at the farmhouse was not just a normal hug.  Oliver looked upset.  Really, I felt like the ending of the show was super shippy, lol.  And seven years later he and Lois STILL hadn't gotten married?  

Yeah, Smallville couldn't help itself.  It was begging for Chlark to still happen, lol.  

Edited October 9, 2017 by BkWurm1

[GHScorpiosRule]

9 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

I HATED season 9 Clark to the point where I was really waiting for a reveal that he was under someone elses' control or wasn't him.   

ERADICATOR!!! I kept saying that over and over on TWoP, but it ended being BDA.??

And WORD! to your entire post!!!

[greenbean]

I take it people know of Allison's involvement in this cult. I've been shocked since the story broke. I mean I knew she and Kristin were involved in this shady group, but had no idea things were so bad.

It's crazy. I remember when this first came to light. It was like a Ted Talk, women empowerment etc. then they set up that Girls By Design project and Kristin dated that Mark guy, who was always suspect to me. I'm glad she dumped him and managed to get out. Apparently, there's been attempts to rescue Allison, but she's too far gone. This is so terrible.

Also Grace Park had dealings with them, likely recruited by the actress who played Cally in BSG!! Apparently she's also in deep like Allison. The whole thing is crazy.

Here's a good post from 2008 about the cult's MO. And there are some videos on youtube of Allison interviewing the leader. 

I don't know why, but this has really got to me. Maybe because Smallville was such a huge part of my life at one point. We watched these actors grow up. Allison was so talented and always seemed so together, it's a shock to see how her life has taken this ugly turn.

[Actualized Peggy]

Quote

I take it people know of Allison's involvement in this cult. I've been shocked since the story broke. I mean I knew she and Kristin were involved in this shady group, but had no idea things were so bad.

(...)

I don't know why, but this has really got to me. Maybe because Smallville was such a huge part of my life at one point. We watched these actors grow up. Allison was so talented and always seemed so together, it's a shock to see how her life has taken this ugly turn.

Oh my god, I feel you so much. I heard about all this 2 or 3 weeks ago, and the news has gutted me in a way I'm still struggling to understand. I'm truly, deeply disappointed and saddened.

I always loved Chloe, and in no small part due to Allison's performance. She seemed like such a sweet, earnest young woman, and it seems like everyone she worked with had nothing but good things to say about her. Goes to show you should never confuse a character with an actor, because no way would Chloe ever have fallen in with such a toxic person as that Raniere creep. 

I'm assuming this is also not easy on Kristin, who managed to get away, to know she introduced Allison to this group (that's what I heard anyway). To be clear, I don't blame KK one bit, she got out of the cult once she realised how shady the whole movement was... Not her fault that Allison happened to drink the Cool-Aid to a much higher degree... But I'm sure it can't be easy to feel like you unknowingly introduced your friend to the people who would be her downfall, so to speak.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I haven't read too much into this, as this was very shocking to me and I was hoping it was some very bad hoax. That said, I've heard that Allison was ripe for the picking as she'd just gone through a very bad break up. It's very sad. And I hope she gets out soon. 

Very, very sad, all the way around.

[Writing Wrongs]

Chloe was referenced on Supergirl. 

[greenbean]

Yeah, it must be hard for Kristin, I've seen others blame her, which is unfair. Back then it was believed Allison first brought Kristin along to the seminars, now people are saying Kristin brought Allison into it. But I don't think it matters who introduced who, neither should hold any guilt, Raniere and his cohorts are the ones responsible. Kristin and Allison thought NXIVM was a legitimate self-improvement group. Kristin is just lucky she got out, like Grace. And we don't know what is going on with Allison to make her more susceptible; what her life is like, her mental health, where her family is etc. It's unfair to put all of that on Kristin.

 

8 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I've heard that Allison was ripe for the picking as she'd just gone through a very bad break up. It's very sad. And I hope she gets out soon. 

Allison talks about this in her testimony for the jness program. She's looking very thin, and apparently this is a requirement for DOS members because Raniere likes skinny women. It's just so crazy to see her involved in this stuff. I really hope this cult is brought down.

[marina to]

On 11/14/2017 at 8:05 PM, greenbean said:

Allison talks about this in her testimony for the jness program. She's looking very thin, and apparently this is a requirement for DOS members because Raniere likes skinny women. It's just so crazy to see her involved in this stuff. I really hope this cult is brought down.

I didn't recognize her. She looks much aged. The interesting thing about her testimony is that it sounds like a testimony for every personal development program I've ever watched/seen. Nothing sinister about it at all.

[Actualized Peggy]

6 hours ago, marina to said:

The interesting thing about her testimony is that it sounds like a testimony for every personal development program I've ever watched/seen. Nothing sinister about it at all.

Well, I'm sure that is exactly how they operate, to reel people in. Then the most vulnerable and impressionable slowly get dragged into the full on craziness of the cult. Cults rarely present themselves as what they are.

I've been listening to Michael Rosenbaum's podcast off and on, and kept hoping he would eventually have Allison on, but now, that seems... unlikely, for some reason. His interviews can get personal, but they are not at all hard hitting (he is not a journalist, after all, just a guy who likes to talk about life with friends of his) but I guess it would be hard to skirt this issue altogether.

[Dovega]

Well, at least she actually wasn’t Lois Lane.

[VCRTracking]

Holy crap, she even tried to recruit Hermione!

[SueB]

1 hour ago, VCRTracking said:

Holy crap, she even tried to recruit Hermione!

Taking response to Media thread.  

[VCRTracking]

[mxc90]

I picked the wrong time to do a Smallville binge on Hulu (never watched original airings). I have reached season 5 and now it feels weird when Mack appears on the screen. A part of me don't feel like continuing.

[BkWurm1]

On 4/23/2018 at 2:05 AM, Dovega said:

Well, at least she actually wasn’t Lois Lane.

I still stand behind the character and the narrative I think would have better served the show.  So I still wish Chlois could have happened but I bet DC is happy it didn't.   

[VCRTracking]

3 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

I still stand behind the character and the narrative I think would have better served the show.  So I still wish Chlois could have happened but I bet DC is happy it didn't.   

I liked Chloe(and it saddens me that the character is ruined, possibly forever) but I think Lois should always be someone Clark meets in Metropolis when he's an adult. Clark meeting Lex Luthor when he was a teenager was okay. That happened in the Silver Age:

[DisneyBoy]

I stumbled upon the guidebook for the fifth season of Smallville, and on page 51 there's some interesting comments by a writer for the show named Holly Harold regarding how the writers handled the Chlois theory in Season five, specifically by not having characters say Chloe's name explicitly:

 

Holly Harold explains how the choice to avoid saying Chloe's name was indeed intentional, and was a ploy to tantalize observant fans. "It was a little bit of, 'You know, you may think you know everything that's going to happen on the show, but you may not,'" she laughs. "She's used Lois's name in the past. Who knows what she'll do in the future?"

 

Herold adds that providing excitement and food for thought for fans is something she always has in mind when writing for the show. "That is very important to me. I would say that, on Smallville, we are really attentive to what the fans say, whether or not you believe it," she says. "The characters aren't always going to do what you want them to do, just like your friends and people in real life aren't always going to behave the right way. But we do understand the fans' feelings about that, and that's part of the process. We keep an eye on what the fans are saying. We all want to be loved too!"

 

As for whether or not Harold herself subscribes to the Chlois theory, the writer seems torn. "I don't know, because I love both of those characters separately so I don't know where I would want to see that go in the future. There are a lot of roads we still want to go down with both of those characters, so I don't know yet, but I like that we are keeping it open. Despite Lois Lane's appearance, we haven't totally quelled that theory."

 

I honestly never noticed that characters stopped saying the name "Chloe" for a while. Did any of you?

I can appreciate her position as a writer on the show trying not to piss off fans or reveal future plans, but her comments here suggests that the show really didn't have any to spoil. They were, as we always suspected, playing both sides of every possible situation, more happy to tantalize and tease various ideas then choose the most compelling one and follow through to a satisfying conclusion. Annoying, isn't it?

Here's a question - are you guys happy that the show teased things like Clark's feelings for Chloe possibly being romantic, or Chloe possibly taking over as Lois someday...or would you have preferred that the show just squash those ideas outright rather than never delivering on them?

[Chaos Theory]

On 4/24/2018 at 11:15 PM, BkWurm1 said:

I still stand behind the character and the narrative I think would have better served the show.  So I still wish Chlois could have happened but I bet DC is happy it didn't.   

In all honesty I kinda wish they did a better job with the Chloe Davis story now.  There was a time I thought they were going the other way with Chloe and making her the girl Clark couldn’t save kinda like Lex.  Now I kinda wish they went like that.  

[BkWurm1]

Quote

Here's a question - are you guys happy that the show teased things like Clark's feelings for Chloe possibly being romantic, or Chloe possibly taking over as Lois someday...or would you have preferred that the show just squash those ideas outright rather than never delivering on them?

I would very much rather have had a show that knew what it wanted to do and then work to go there.  There is such a thing as realizing a different storyline works better along the way, I accept that, but I don't feel that's what happened with Smallville. 

I feel instead they were pitting fans against each trying to have it both ways in the sense of not closing doors for either but at the same time, when it came to the objectively better-written character and relationship with Clark--especially in the early seasons when both Lois and Chloe were on the show-- Chloe IMO was the better character and storyline hands down by a mile.  Chloe was the one they put the most work into and connected best to Clark and kept positioning her in Clark's life in more and more vital ways. 

There were SOOO many seasons that maybe early on it seemed like they were going to veer away from investing more in Clark and Chloe's relationship (relationship both platonic and romantic) only for just the natural trajectory of the writing to seem to call for instead strengthening it and bringing them closer.  Even in the last two season were they practically were writing a different show, by the end, once again, they relied on Chloe to make the story work.  And I feel that while the early seasons under AlMiles were all about the stall, the ones from 8-10 it was them trying to make it work without her only to give up and use her like they needed to by the end of the season in a way that once again made their relationship a highlight to the show.  

What I'll never understand is how season five could be built up to a climactic moment of a pretty epic send off between Clark and Chloe IN the Daily Planet after a season that got great ratings and then come season 6 they just tried to pretend non of it ever happened.  I don't get how a show could so purposely ignore what it had promised to the audience.  Again and again Smallville refused to deliver the payoff.  No other show behaves like that in it's writing except when there are major behind the scenes issues.  And maybe that's the problem SV had. Maybe too many outside voices kept making decisions for them that they had to follow and then further into the season they wrestled more control back and the time after time, leaning into Chloe and Clark team ups made more sense.  But as a viewer, it left me with whiplash and made me feel more than a bit crazy.  

All my instincts, again and again, kept telling me what direction with Chloe and Clark they wanted to go but then poof, no payoff.  I really started questioning my ability to read the room so to speak but the very next show where I started getting those vibes, yep, they dumped the original love interest and it was Oliver and Felicity on Arrow all the way.  

I guess I'm saying that whatever the reason behind SV's writing choices, they were not normal.