Notes on Smallville

From seat 16F, 30,000 feet.

I don’t watch a lot of TV. In fact, now that Enterprise is cancelled and The Amazing Race is over, I have nothing to watch but the 10:00 news. I don’t have cable, so don’t go on about what great stuff there is on Bravo and A&E or the History Channel. I fear cable. When I am in a hotel, cable can completely hypnotize me. I will often find myself channel surfing well past midnight just for the curious sensation of seeing all those channels go by. I don’t need that at home.

Anyway, I had read that Smallville is a good series and recently became the bailee of the complete collection of the first three seasons on DVDs. I am now about half way through season two. It is, in fact, a good series if you have even the slightest fondness for comic-book superheroes.

I write to make a few observations:

First, if I were in high school, I would be deeply infatuated with Lana Lang. This may be good timing as I am now deprived of Science Officer T’Pol, my previous infatuation.

Second, why isn’t Lex Luthor evil? I keep waiting for some Anakin Skywalker-like conversion to the dark side. There have been hints, but nothing happens.

Third, isn’t Center City, which is apparently relatively near Metropolis, the comic book home of Flash?

Every time they hint at the existence of Lois Lane, the Daily Planet, or other Superman-iana, I chuckle.

Finally, don’t anyone tell me what happens. But please, if anyone knows, tell me that there are no future appearances of Krypto the super dog, Beppo the super monkey, Supergirl, or anything having to do with Kandor the Krypton city trapped in a bottle by the evil Brainiac. I am willing to believe a man can fly, but I can only take so much.

Wasn’t I supposed to finish up on customs valuation? OK, coming soon:

Middleman pricing (AKA “first sale” valuation)
Computed Value
Deductive Value
Reconciliation

That should be enough to exhaust me on customs valuation. Maybe NAFTA after that.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The thing is, you don't get the "hotel cable" effect when you have it home. That is actually a *good* reason to have it at home. It lets you get sleep in hotels.
May 27, 2005, 5:01:00 PM
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