OW Metaphor: The Players
KalElFan
until I saw Zoomway's piece on the possibility that Simkins was
really using it as a metaphor for the arc, the series itself, the
process, and so on. When you look at it in that context, OW is a
classic and Simkins should win an Emmy. Of course all this is
yours truly talking, spurred on by Zoomway's original insight and
material, and like Zoomway I'm not crediting/accusing Simkins of
intending it this way. But it all fits so nicely that a FoLC like
myself can't resist *deeming* this episode to be a metaphor, even if
we have to (heh heh) call Oedipus Wrecks one big Freudian slip on
Simkins' part.
Again, credit to Zoomway for most of this (unless she'd rather disown it,
in which case I'll take the blame <g>).
The Players
SUPERMAN = The WRITERS
CLARK KENT = The PRODUCERS
Most often these are indeed one and the same. Most of the episodes
have been written by people who also have a producer title of some
sort. This includes Grant Rosenberg, Chris Ruppenthal, John
McNamara, Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner. Together
they wrote or co-wrote about 15 of season three's 22 episodes, for
example. The metaphor makes sense because, like Superman/CK,
they're being pulled in two directions at once, asked to do two
different jobs, and so on. The creative side of them (Superman)
wants to fly off and get the marriage done, but the real-world side
of them (Clark) needs to work within the constraints that the doctor
(ABC) has imposed on them.
DR. MAX = ABC
LOIS LANE = THE SHOW/FoLC (The Show and the Fans of Lois
& Clark)
Dr. Max (ABC) is competing with Superman/CK
(Writers/Producers) for control over Lois (the Show and its Fans).
Dr. Max's (ABC's) motivation is ostensibly a concern for Lois (the
Show and its fans), but he really couldn't care less about her. What
he really wants is to use her for his own gratification (ratings).
Moral: All ABC is really after is ratings and they won't think twice
about - how shall I say it - having their way with us FoLC. <g>
The true Dr. Max (ABC) emerges in this episode. Instead of
viewing him as the serious threat it appeared he might be in the
previous episode FMN, FoLC now get to view him in a much more
fun way: an unethical, condescending, self-important, meddling,
bumbling, clueless, low-life, hedonistic buffoon deserving of the
good punch in the nose that he eventually gets from the show and
us FoLC, through Lois.
HERKIMER = SIMKINS the non-producer/writer/creative
consultant
HERKIMER'S MOM = SIMKINS' ID (maybe with a little bit of his
conscience or subconscious mixed in.)
Simkins isn't a named producer although he's apparently a creative
consultant. This is his episode, and he titled it Oedipus Wrecks.
Maybe it's Simkins way of making a statement about this arc and
the process generally. Perhaps it's his "vibro-whammy" message to
ABC. Maybe it's really Simkins the writer and creative consultant
acting and talking to us through Herkimer (see part 2 of this post,
where a lot of what Herkimer does and experiences fits this theory
very well.) Likewise, Herkimer's mom fits as the voice of Simkins'
id/conscience/subconscious, telling us about his real concerns,
darker thoughts, and so on.
PERRY WHITE = the chief executive, Robert SINGER
LEX LUTHOR = the villain (for purpose of one passing reference
only, by Dr. Max/ABC)
Again, these all just seem to fit. Part 2 of this post, which will
follow shortly, has some of the actual OW script, based on a review
of the tape, but with the players' names substituted based on the
above and the script amended accordingly. Standard script format is
also changed for this medium. There's more of the script that fits
nicely; what's in the next file are just most of the tidbits.
KalE...@aol.com