(no subject)

[meimichi]

Okay, so Kelly and Brian love their meta like Clark wants to have a long and fulfilling relationship with pie.

There are two major meta gimmicks that suddenly became notable, once AlMiles left and Kelly/Brian took over: yellow flowers = death, and coffee being used as a meta commentary on relationships. chiri_chan's theory on both these things being introduced is because both are in Action, in the famous date scene where Warrior Angel stands up Penelope on their date, filmed at the Talon (a coffee shop):




I'm iffy on the yellow flowers reasoning, buuuut it seems as good a logic as any for yellow flowers to = DEATH on SV, since traditionally yellow = friendship, and I don't get why else they'd pick yellow.

Flowers for next time, though. Coffee is more interesting. I'm only dealing with S8 onwards, because it only became a Thing deliberately written into the scripts since Brian and Kelly's reign. And I've seen a lot of people commenting on this (mostly Chloisers, because you know how we love our delusional meta!) but nobody who collected them all in one post. I'll keep updating this throughout the season.

---

8x03: Toxic





Clark walks into the bullpen carrying a coffee with his name on it. Lois takes it out of his hands.

"Hey, thanks, Smallville, you're starting to get the hang of things around here."

Clark starts to comment and then decides it's not worth it. She drinks it throughout the scene.



8x04: Instinct






She has an empty coffee cup when Clark walks in, then gets coffee from the machine at the DP.

Then when Clark reads the report, she grabs it away from him and hands him her coffee cup to hold.



8x06: Prey





Chloe and Davis meet at the coffee shop, but don't have coffee: Chloe doesn't stay long enough to order, and Davis has a beer.



8x12: Bulletproof





Lana enters with two coffee cups: "This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I suggested coffee after work."

She leaves with her coffee and gives Clark his: "Next round's on you?" He never drinks his.






"What's up?"

"I couldn't sleep."

"So you came to a coffee shop? Not your best plan, Mr. Kent."




8x13: Power





Clark meets Chloe at the coffee shop, they do their walk-and-talk about the plot.




8x15: Infamous






"I'm gonna work off my jetlag later on tonight at the cafe.
You wanna come by for a coffee, cool. If not, let's just say I get it."

"Okay."

"Okay. See you there. Or not. Or whatever."


The shot cuts away to Clark paying for a coffee, a clear fakeout shot to pan out and reveal the coffee is for:







"Say that Clark Kent, the unassuming journalist, buttoned up in his starched shirt and tie, but then... When he's playing the hero..."

"...steps out of the shadows into his red and blue, creating two completely separate identities?"







Then he stands up Lois at the coffee shop, Penelope-style.




8x16: Turbulence





"Right, so what, you're gonna pull a quick costume change in the middle of the bullpen?"

"I'm getting really good at it. Watch."




8x17: Hex






Chloe gets coffee from the intern. Clark gets his own from the Planet's machine.







Clark brings Chloe bagels and coffee. They talk, toast each other, and both drink the coffee together.

To date, this is the ONLY TIME someone has bought/brought coffee for both of them and BOTH ended up drinking it.





8x18: Eternal





Chloe still owns the place.






Drinking alone after Davis "dies."





8x19: Stiletto






Lois brings Clark coffee, only one cup for him. He takes it and puts it aside, but we don't see him drink it. She swipes his pastry.



8x20: Beast






"You okay? You usually make capuccinos blindfolded."





9x03: Rabid







"You know, if we're gonna be here all night, I'll get some coffee."

"That's what I love about you, Smallville. I say fire, you say food. I'll take mine black."

"[Clark hands her coffee instantly, using superspeed]"

"That was quick. …do you smell smoke?"

"…no."

"The fire just got put out by the Blur. He is so amazing. Here you and I are just having a coffee,
while he's out squelching five-alarm fires in three seconds flat."

"Two seconds! …not that anyone's counting."

"Yeah…"

"…there's a high-speed motorcycle chase out by the bypass."

"At least somebody's getting a little action tonight."

"[Clark uses his superbreath on her coffee]"

"Clark, this is ice cold! Nevermind! I'll get it myself."





9x04: Echo





Chloe and Clark meet at the coffee shop, Chloe already has bought hers when he gets there.






Lois gets her own coffee.





9x05: Roulette





Ollie meets Chloe at the coffee shop, Chloe has already bought hers when he gets there.





9x06: Crossfire





Lois and Clark both have coffee cups for Good Morning Metropolis. Neither drink from them.

Clark drinks from his cup when he's in the control room later.






Cat and Clark meet for their date at the coffee shop, but neither of them have coffee.

They have glasses of water with lemon wedges instead.






Zod has tea out of a humorously tiny cup because he is British, and unlike Giles,
doesn't want to waste a perfectly good cultural stereotype here.

Tess toasts him with her coffee from across the street.





9x08: Idol





Chloe shows Clark her crest mug...





9x09: Pandora





Clark gives Lois a donut. He has his own cup of coffee he is carrying, but she doesn't.

Lois and Clark agree to be a couple and to "do it right."

The first thing on Lois' list for couple activities: "In that case, let's go get a real cup of coffee."

We never see it happen.





9x10: Disciple





"Hey, mister, that was two hours and more than five cups of coffee ago."

Clark says she stole his food but doesn't mention eating or drinking anything himself.





9x12: Legends





Lois makes coffee for two while talking to a guy she thinks is Clark. He turns around and takes the coffee from her.





9x13: Warrior





"And you made sure that my decaf caramel java chip white chocolate mocha has three shots in it, right?"

"Yeah."

"Great!"

"And for you, sir?"

"Uh, a glass of milk would be great. …I mean, coffee! Dark. Black. Please."

Which is two episodes in a row of Chloe and Lois having coffee with stand-ins for Clark.

Lois gets the DP reporter with glasses, and Chloe gets the superhero who can fly.





9x19: Charade



Very similar to Turbulence, with Clark pouring himself coffee instead of Chloe.




Chloe makes herself coffee, Clark makes a mess of it when he superspeeds in.





9x20: Sacrifice



"All I got left is strong and burnt."

"As long as it's hot."




Clark offers Chloe coffee, she ignores it.

---

AAAAND FINISH. To be updated through the season. Conclusion: Chloe and Clark, still the only two people to drink coffee together since this started.

Crazy, delusional? Maybe. But it's still weirdly deliberately written into scripts, we have coffee shop scenes without people drinking coffee there, and I think it's strange that the actors have done so many scenes with coffee the past two years and yet nobody's drinking it.

Next installment: FLOWERS OF DEATH LOL

Comments

[lonelywalker.livejournal.com]

Hee. British!Kryptonians.

The question that comes to me out of all of this is: why the heck does Clark need coffee anyway? He doesn't feel the cold or get tired, so... he likes the taste?

The ultimate coffee scene for me will be Lionel and Martha at the Talon, during which John Glover proved that even though he has a Tony Award, he cannot convincingly pretend to be drinking coffee.

[nyonyo.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't think it should affect him either, but in Slumber he claimed to be drinking tons of it to help himself stay awake. idek.

[angryscientist.livejournal.com]

Coffeeeeee!

Thanks to Sue for first seeing the coffee meta, love how it's still going on in the show. Wonder if the writers do this to fuck with us this season.

Allison is the prettiest girl and so cute *squishes* Looks like Chloe and Clark drink the most coffee and with eachother. Interesting that Ollie doesn't partake in that unless he's with Chloe.

Fake!Clark and EDLois - Clois finally look the same age, bwahahaha.

[nyonyo.livejournal.com]

They've been laying the Action meta on ridic thick this year, there's no way all of this isn't on purpose; it's even more built into the scripts this year than last with dialogue referencing it. And I can safely say the meta fuckery is the only thing that entertained me (except for Lollie being adorable, and the more hilariously over the top moments of Ollie's millionth drunken bender arc) for the first ten episodes.

Well, Ollie usually drinks harder stuff. He's either getting wasted while crying emo tears, drinking champagne at schmancy parties, or playing beer pong, lol.

[cifan70.livejournal.com]

OMG, this is amazing. I never realized how much coffee was in this show. And I never realized that Chloe/Clark were the only 2 to drink coffee together. I love the picspams that make me notice things. Thanks for sharing this.

[nyonyo.livejournal.com]

Hee, I love picspams like that too! Thanks for commenting. :)

[excelaunt.livejournal.com]

There's tons of coffee meta going back to "Cool".

[mekastic.livejournal.com]

And here it is! ::fist pump::

I don't know whether the Action meta is intentional or even if the coffee meta means there's more to Chlark than meets the eye, but gosh I want to believe so bad...

Can't wait for the next installment.

[nyonyo.livejournal.com]

I don't really think there's much room for argument on whether the Action meta's intentional anymore: the writers mentioned in November that they were rewatching Action as research. S9's been crazy blatant in how they kept emphasizing that Clark kept "standing up" Lois, and Tess saying, "Your girlfriend is in way over her head," in Slegends.

So I don't think the question is so much whether they're doing it on purpose, so much as whether they're just doing it to screw with us for the lulz as opposed to it paying off.

[mekastic.livejournal.com]

Screwing with us I think but you've got me convinced on the Action Meta as intentional!

[excelaunt.livejournal.com]

Okay, so let's talk about your examples here under one and two conclusions I have drawn over the course of all seasons. --Go back to "Cool" for Chloe's explanation of coffee date.--

"It's not a date, date. It's a fact finding mission to see if he deserves a date."

My conclusions:

(1) The Coffee Drinker is the third wheel of a live triangle. The coffee server is in control of the triangle (see Lana/Clark/Chloe). Also, in later episodes, the third wheel has been dropped for the most part. So it's one on one.
(2) The Coffee Drinker is the person that can be trusted with knowing about Clark's powers and give advice on to Clark about his real persona.

Toxic - 8.03
Lois drinks Clark's coffee -- Lois tries to force Clark and herself into a "fact finding mission" to see if they should date. Clark brings the coffee and she steals it from him. She gives him the illusion of control over their potential romantic relationship.

When I saw this the first time, I knew that Lois would learn the secret in a future episode. Jonathan and Chloe had been the established coffee drinkers for a long time, they were also Clark's go-to people when it came to the secret.

Instinct - 8.04
Lois fills her cup with coffee when Clark appears. She makes Clark hold her cup (sort of forcing the "fact finding mission" to see if they should date. Could be a coincidence but in an episode that says Lois and Clark should end up together and Clark doesn't know it yet, I think not.

Prey - 8.06
Davis and Chloe met at The Coffee Stop to talk about them. No coffee is drunk so they basically agree that they're not in a relationship even though the fact that they meet would suggest they want to have a "fact finding mission." Translation -- they should date but will not.

Bulletproof - 8.12
Lana serving coffee again to Clark. I didn't need spoilers to know they were headed down a romantic path. At this point Clark is hesitates. He doesn't want to be the drinker and have the unhappy end. Lana as drinker was going to have the bad end. I cheered when Clark didn't drink. But cried when he went to the coffee shop to re-establish his romance with Lana.

Power - 8.13
Jump to (2)--Chloe can be trusted. Clark and Chloe talk about Chloe's ability to keep a secret and Clark's powers. She's holding the cup of coffee.

Clark: This is different, Chloe. I have abilities. I can take care of myself. Lana can't. Look, Chloe, all that matters now is finding her. Please, you have to tell me everything she said to you.

Infamous - 8.15
Lois drinking coffee again tells me she can be trusted with Clark's secret. It also tells me that she will be disappointed romantically. There's a sort of repeat of "Cool" too. In "Cool" Clark takes Lana to a coffee shop but ends up giving Chloe a cup of coffee. Outwardly Clana was the couple, but when it comes down to it, it's Chloe that he's been "having fact finding missions" with. Same principle with Lois. They set up a date, he stands her up, yet enables Chloe coffee drinking.

Turbulence - 8.16
Chloe drinks coffee and can be trusted to give input on Clark's powers.

Hex - 8.17
The intern brings EDChloe coffee tells me that the intern is trying edge a date out of Lois. The Chlark breakfast sharing seems to reaffirm that Clark/Chloe are still exploring the "fact finding mission" to see if they should date, both drink pointing out that they are both experiencing a certain level of heartache. They mention Jimmy and Lois but the sharing of coffee equally makes it feel they should date each other.

Stilleto - 8.19
Lois stupidly decides to entrap the Blur into a story. She brings coffee to Clark. Perhaps to say, "Look at me! I can be trusted with knowing the Blur's identity". Clark's not impressed.

Beast - 8.21
Not sure I have anything for this one. I don't remember it. This could be metaphoric evidence of Chloe being in a bad situation with Clark and Davis. The coffee drinking is an omen for bad stuff to happen.


I'm going to skip S9 bc I really haven't watch it that much and I'm getting a bit wordy here.

[nyonyo.livejournal.com]

You're looking into this way more than I am, lol. I don't really buy into this linking up directly to previous seasons aside from Action; it's such a Brian/Kelly thing. Both 8x03 and 9x03 built the coffee stuff directly into the script like a signpost to introduce it/remind us it's still in play. Like how they started the flowers thing in Plastique by writing it into the script directly with dialogue. Both of those things began with their takeover as showrunners.

I pretty much just see this as in S9, Lois says having a "real cup of coffee" is something "real couples do." Clark and Chloe both have coffee together in Hex; Lois and Clark still haven't. Penelope gets stood up at the coffee shop: Clark stands up Lois there, but he takes Chloe out for coffee instead. I essentially see this as Action meta mixed together with the idea that when two people have "real coffee" together, that means they're for realz. Clark and Chloe have. Clark and Lois haven't, and the show keeps making mention of it since they started dating.

[excelaunt.livejournal.com]

I've add this entry to my memories. Yes, I get a lot of mileage from coffee. You know, it just started off with this idea that when ever Chloe drinks coffee, it ended up as bad news for her.

Thank you for putting this together.

Another example I love about coffee is in "Identity". Clark ask Jimmy for a cup of coffee and had things played out differently, I think Jimmy would have been in the know.

[chiri-chan.livejournal.com]

Good one! Well, Jimmy was in the know. He just died from it.

[llenka.livejournal.com]

this picspam FTW!

9x13: Warrior
the cutest coffee scene ever.

[chiri-chan.livejournal.com]

Yay, I love seeing excelaunt's coffee meta. A few things:

(A) This is so totally awesome!!

(B.1) In 8.09, Abyss Jimmy offers Chloe a special breakfast blend of two coffees - which she never drinks.

(B.2) In 8.06, Chloe actually drinks a soft drink with Clark and has take out with him - American burgers. I don't think we've seen that since (Grant and Nois had hotdogs tho). It's clearly not the Chinese food of breaking up which has been around since s4 (and still growing; Chloe and Emil broke up too).

(C) I'm wondering if there is some booze symbolism going on. If Coffee means love, then I think massena1 is right, that booze means sex/spiral downards. Davis has a beer in Prey, Nois gets plastered in Rabid and Echo (and others included the deleted scene about her downing all of Chloe's tequila), Sexy Lexy and Ollie often have drinks, and the last ep had Chloe going from Coffee to Scotch.

(D) Another thing you bring up that's been in play but has become "A Thing" like M pointed out in s7 is breakfast and whom eats. Lana made her pancakes; Jimmy getting her the extra triple chocolate muffin; Clark brought Chloe bagels; Chloe never ate either of the two breakfasts Jimmy made her; Nois brought and then ate the bear claw; Clark keeps giving (sometimes stealing) those maple donuts this year; Nois got stood up for a 'breakfast date' in the movie and we're going to a Bed & Breakfast in two eps over.

And (E) THIS IS STILL REALLY AWESOME THANK YOU. I love that they fit in Chloe's varying coffee orders over the years (straight black if she has to in Hothead; a no-fat, no-foam latte in crush; an extra-shotted almond mocha, extra whip in prodigal, et cet)

[nyonyo.livejournal.com]

Ah, you're right on Abyss, I'll add that in later.

Yeah, I agree with the alcohol stuff; drinking has never been portrayed as a good thing on the show. Lex and Lionel drank, Ollie's spirals have always involved alcoholism, Davis with the beer, and the closeup on the drink seemed to be very THIS IS NOT GOING TO END WELL.

I know the food is a thing but I don't wanna deal with that too because it's too much at once. The flowers and the coffee are the two things that specifically interest me, just because Brian and Kelly underlined them so much when they took over right from their beginning episodes in 8x02 and 8x03 and have kept both going ever since.

I don't think Chinese food has always been breaking up; IIRC Lana and Lex had empty takeout boxes on the table when they were cuddling in Vessel. And Chloe and Emil seemed chill in Slegends.

[chiri-chan.livejournal.com]

Though one could argue for Vessel that it was the end of honeymoon period for Lexana; Lexana as a happy, innocent type thing was done the minute Lex got powered up. Plus the minute Chloe offered Emil chinese, was the same night emil emotionally blackmailed her about spying so IDK.

Oh I know it's a lot. I just think it's weird that's going on too. I wish I got the donuts more, basically, cause I don't.

The booze is totally "THIS IS NOT GOOD" - and I got that hard core in the end Chlollie scene with the close-up on her glass.

I think Jimmy has some coffee stuff too, beyond that, but I'm not remembering at the moment. There is Talon Meta itself (IE living in the talon = livin' in Clark's heart and being in control, that's why Nois is suddenly moved back in there). But Abyss sticks out cause it's the second breakfast Jimmy goes for that just gets a total shut down.

[summerstar882.livejournal.com]

"Clark brings Chloe bagels and coffee. They talk, toast each other, and both drink the coffee together.

To date, this is the ONLY TIME someone has bought/brought coffee for both of them and BOTH ended up drinking it."

Does Shimmer count? ;)

[chiri-chan.livejournal.com]

Oh also Nois gets herself coffe in Warrior when she's bitching to Clark on the phone (about 20 minutes in).

[lacylaces.livejournal.com]

Awesome picspam. Interesting observations.

"Chloe and Clark, still the only two people to drink coffee together since this started."

Very cool!

[cheerful-earl.livejournal.com]

I really think paying attention to the meta (like the coffee meta, which I love Sue for thinking of) is the most accurate way to watch this show. The meta almost always substantiates what we learn through showing, whereas if you pay attention to what the show tells us, it makes no sense and is all gobbly-gook of epic proportions.

Thanks for the picspam! I haven't been watching as much this season, so fun catch up. Also... pretty.

[spatulagirl.livejournal.com]

;___; Dr. Gaeta no drinkses teh coffees.

[fishmoon.livejournal.com]

Noting a comment about a 'Grant' up a ways, why is it that 'Grant' in DCU is always like, genetically modified and/or a clone?

(Entirely random observation brought on by it being 1AM)

[vivamexico.livejournal.com]

I have no real comment on the coffee stuff, so I'll stick to fashion:

Chloe's heels in the Roulette pics are fierce! I also like Lois's hair much better down. When they put it up, they put like, cooking oil or something in her hair. It's too slick-looking.

[mojotastic.livejournal.com]

I just realized I forgot to comment on this post! This is so awesome. The coffee meta sort of makes my brain hurt. I'm wondering if it's going anywhere. But I feel like they've included SO much of it that it has to mean *something*. I'm also cheered that Chloe/Clark are the only ones who've had coffee together. Even if it WAS in Hex after I was yelling at him to choke on his bagel.