Lionel/Martha would probably have the same as Lex/Lana cause gonna assume that Lex finally does something bad enough that drives Lana away
I also love the potential and the hint plus the chemistry/Lionel's feelings but I feel it would never have actually worked
humans are creatures of habit which feel is what happens and is true - so Lionel may be good right now where we are in the watch but he would go back to his ways where I feel by end of series something happens that will cause him to be evil
Come on, he went along with Lex's "test" of Lana
that alone shows questionable