Smallville Season 10 Episodes 12 &13
Clark Kent is so pretty and good... and pretty! I love him so! <3
I've given up on the plot of Smallville season 10. I don't know what the writers are focusing on, but I don't think it's Clark's final steps toward becoming Superman and I don't think it's Darkseid.
I've started to think of Season 10 as... the 22 endings. The last 20 minutes of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy - the films - consists of about 12 endings. These things don't really further any sort of plot, the story is essentially over. But after such an epic journey, the hobbits, men, elves and wizards have certainly earned every one of the 12 endings. In truth there are probably more like... 7 or 8 endings.
So, in spite of failings and frustrations... incomprehensible stalling, I'm enjoying season 10 of Smallville as a grab bag of goodbyes - as a bouquet of things it's neat to see before the end. Season 9 is my final season of Smallville. Season 10 is my extended goodbye.
I feel like I'm shopping at the grocery store and picking up the things I like while leaving what I don't.
Collateral Grab Bag of Goodbye Goodies
1. Clark's distrust of Chloe
I really like that Clark was allowed room to distrust her in such an open way. He wanted to believe in her and there wasn't really... accusation or guilt tripping, just Clark honestly being unable to fully trust her. I love that his distrust wasn't resolved at the end, and even though he was unable to take a leap of faith with Chloe, they can still have a friendly hug at the beginning and a friendly exchange at the end.
2. Dinah Lance aka Black Canary
It was so hard to swallow Collateral. From a Plot point of view, the entire episode was ass backwards. Why would you tell the entire story in the first five minutes of the episode through clunky exposition. Chloe literally explains it all to Oliver in the FIRST FIVE MINUTES. I know they want to show how Oliver trusts Chloe with his life but way to diffuse your episode of any and all tension within the FIRST FIVE MINUTES. Maybe it was the first 15 with commercials... but still. So Dinah as the voice of WTF REALLY helped me to swallow the ... matrixception mess - well to choke it down anyways.
3. Lois/Clark dynamic
I love the way Lois and Clark talk about things in this episode. Especially at the end, Lois' manner really diffuses the soap opera drama vibe of everything they are talking about. In the past, they have had lots of emo Lois/Clark incomprehensible conversations, but I like how, in Collateral, the exchanges between Lois and Clark are frank, grounded and interrupted by Lois living her life. "Bye Clark, I've got stuff to do now." Yes please! Thank you!
4. Warm Fuzzies
I loved seeing Chloe happy for Lois and Clark. It was fun to see Chloe and Clark hug and chat about the old days. Chloe is happy with Oliver. I can't board this ship out of confusion mainly but... oh those happy Chloe smiles. Into the grab bag they go.
5. Hero Action
The VRA/JL/SS fight was awesome! It would have been even cooler if Clark were there but... still very cool.
Complaints
I have to say that I love reading posts about the underlying fantastic plotting that's happening on the show right now. I can't see it, but I love reading about it. It's better than fanfiction... it's like analytical essaying or something. LOL! However, like I said, I can't see it. If I can't see it... it's not there IMO. I don't think it's that hard to sell a theme on a Superman show. Especially when they told stories so well on the cartoons. Anyways. They spoiled the episode with Chloe's constant exposition. They had a billion movie references that didn't excite me. I didn't like Chloe's suit or her evening pants suit at the end. I wanted to SEE Chloe do some sort of Checkmate maneuvering and be comrades with the Suicide Squad members. I didn't want to just hear about how it happened in offscreenville because of her hacking. Nothing that happened in this episode seemed equal to putting on the helmet of fate IMO. I'm bored.
Beacon
This episode was better than Collateral but... I didn't like Clark as well as in Collateral. Weird huh?
Grab Bag of Goodbye Goodies
1. Martha Kent is a BAMF. I loved her speech. I love that she was wearing a bullet proof vest! I love the way she ... wants to protect Clark but also realizes that it's time to step aside into a supportive place. I ADORE her trying to mother clone!Lex and her face off with Lionel was DELICIOUS! I love that she can't show up without mentioning Perry White... always! <3 Love her, love her, love her. "You are the light." Yay! Mother/son hugs forever!
2. Lois Lane on the go!
Lois confronts Tess and then has to go. Lois is busy trying to get her articles published in a form she approves of. She's doing her reporter thing and keeping her momentum up... for the most part. I love it! I love that she gives Martha Kent a muffin, a napkin and her latest research on Martha's potential killer. Yum! So, so, PERFECT!
3. Clone!Lex
This is the first time I've been giggly giddy about Lex since MR left. Yum, Yum, Yum. This High School Musical kid makes a delicious Lex Luthor. DELICIOUS!
4. Lionel pwns Oliver Queen
What can I say except Hahahahahahahahahaha!!! That was so much fun.
5. Clark and the PEOPLE
I don't understand why Clark was moping around the entire episode, but the people being the ones to break through the fun and bring Clark's hope back was SO PERFECT! Perfect. I got a little teary.
6. Chlo-Lo shenanigans
Yum! Also... Chloe's Zorro hat!
7. Tess!
So happy to see her again. She said some fantastic things to clone!Lex; things about blame that I've wanted SOMEONE to say to Lex for years. I'm such a fan of the little Tess/Alexander family. <3
Complaints
Chlollie. I just can't. They are pretty and happy Chloe is certainly going in my goodbye grab bag but... I just don't buy it. I'm happy for the happy Chlollie fans. Just... no. Also... why does Chloe have to ... I wish they'd played the "don't go outside honey" thing differently. It's just... *sigh*
Why was Clark moping? My sister says that the episode would have made sense if the VRA won the vote at the beginning and then the Clark moping, the Chlo-Lo complaining and then the BLUR supporters save the day... not through the vote, but just in giving Clark hope. I agree with her.
My sister wonders why Lionel and Martha and Chloe had to return just to do NOTHING NEW. I agree with her. They aren't paying off their plot very well. I mean... at this point there was no suspense regarding the VRA vote. It just... the VRA seemed played out. And they really had no presence in this episode. Maybe now the plot can turn back to Darkseid (meh) but they could have paid off the build up better IMO.
I wanna say goodbye to Cat and Emil before the end. Speaking of Emil, his presence would have improved Collateral. They should have given him the clunky exposition. *giggle*
To Conclude
I am really enjoying the show right now... but it's not really ... good. I'm a Clois shipper so that makes me happy. The show is incredibly pretty. That makes me happy. Superficially... I'm having enough fun to keep watching. But it seems that the show is really missing the boat in no-brainer ways. Like... why don't we see that Clark is saving people. Can't he come from or go to a save even if it's offscreen? I get mentioning it, but can we get some momentum. It takes me 15-20 min to get into each episode. They are BORING! Ah well. The long goodbye is halfway over and I'm really going to miss this show. <3
I've given up on the plot of Smallville season 10. I don't know what the writers are focusing on, but I don't think it's Clark's final steps toward becoming Superman and I don't think it's Darkseid.
I've started to think of Season 10 as... the 22 endings. The last 20 minutes of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy - the films - consists of about 12 endings. These things don't really further any sort of plot, the story is essentially over. But after such an epic journey, the hobbits, men, elves and wizards have certainly earned every one of the 12 endings. In truth there are probably more like... 7 or 8 endings.
So, in spite of failings and frustrations... incomprehensible stalling, I'm enjoying season 10 of Smallville as a grab bag of goodbyes - as a bouquet of things it's neat to see before the end. Season 9 is my final season of Smallville. Season 10 is my extended goodbye.
I feel like I'm shopping at the grocery store and picking up the things I like while leaving what I don't.
Collateral Grab Bag of Goodbye Goodies
1. Clark's distrust of Chloe
I really like that Clark was allowed room to distrust her in such an open way. He wanted to believe in her and there wasn't really... accusation or guilt tripping, just Clark honestly being unable to fully trust her. I love that his distrust wasn't resolved at the end, and even though he was unable to take a leap of faith with Chloe, they can still have a friendly hug at the beginning and a friendly exchange at the end.
2. Dinah Lance aka Black Canary
It was so hard to swallow Collateral. From a Plot point of view, the entire episode was ass backwards. Why would you tell the entire story in the first five minutes of the episode through clunky exposition. Chloe literally explains it all to Oliver in the FIRST FIVE MINUTES. I know they want to show how Oliver trusts Chloe with his life but way to diffuse your episode of any and all tension within the FIRST FIVE MINUTES. Maybe it was the first 15 with commercials... but still. So Dinah as the voice of WTF REALLY helped me to swallow the ... matrixception mess - well to choke it down anyways.
3. Lois/Clark dynamic
I love the way Lois and Clark talk about things in this episode. Especially at the end, Lois' manner really diffuses the soap opera drama vibe of everything they are talking about. In the past, they have had lots of emo Lois/Clark incomprehensible conversations, but I like how, in Collateral, the exchanges between Lois and Clark are frank, grounded and interrupted by Lois living her life. "Bye Clark, I've got stuff to do now." Yes please! Thank you!
4. Warm Fuzzies
I loved seeing Chloe happy for Lois and Clark. It was fun to see Chloe and Clark hug and chat about the old days. Chloe is happy with Oliver. I can't board this ship out of confusion mainly but... oh those happy Chloe smiles. Into the grab bag they go.
5. Hero Action
The VRA/JL/SS fight was awesome! It would have been even cooler if Clark were there but... still very cool.
Complaints
I have to say that I love reading posts about the underlying fantastic plotting that's happening on the show right now. I can't see it, but I love reading about it. It's better than fanfiction... it's like analytical essaying or something. LOL! However, like I said, I can't see it. If I can't see it... it's not there IMO. I don't think it's that hard to sell a theme on a Superman show. Especially when they told stories so well on the cartoons. Anyways. They spoiled the episode with Chloe's constant exposition. They had a billion movie references that didn't excite me. I didn't like Chloe's suit or her evening pants suit at the end. I wanted to SEE Chloe do some sort of Checkmate maneuvering and be comrades with the Suicide Squad members. I didn't want to just hear about how it happened in offscreenville because of her hacking. Nothing that happened in this episode seemed equal to putting on the helmet of fate IMO. I'm bored.
Beacon
This episode was better than Collateral but... I didn't like Clark as well as in Collateral. Weird huh?
Grab Bag of Goodbye Goodies
1. Martha Kent is a BAMF. I loved her speech. I love that she was wearing a bullet proof vest! I love the way she ... wants to protect Clark but also realizes that it's time to step aside into a supportive place. I ADORE her trying to mother clone!Lex and her face off with Lionel was DELICIOUS! I love that she can't show up without mentioning Perry White... always! <3 Love her, love her, love her. "You are the light." Yay! Mother/son hugs forever!
2. Lois Lane on the go!
Lois confronts Tess and then has to go. Lois is busy trying to get her articles published in a form she approves of. She's doing her reporter thing and keeping her momentum up... for the most part. I love it! I love that she gives Martha Kent a muffin, a napkin and her latest research on Martha's potential killer. Yum! So, so, PERFECT!
3. Clone!Lex
This is the first time I've been giggly giddy about Lex since MR left. Yum, Yum, Yum. This High School Musical kid makes a delicious Lex Luthor. DELICIOUS!
4. Lionel pwns Oliver Queen
What can I say except Hahahahahahahahahaha!!! That was so much fun.
5. Clark and the PEOPLE
I don't understand why Clark was moping around the entire episode, but the people being the ones to break through the fun and bring Clark's hope back was SO PERFECT! Perfect. I got a little teary.
6. Chlo-Lo shenanigans
Yum! Also... Chloe's Zorro hat!
7. Tess!
So happy to see her again. She said some fantastic things to clone!Lex; things about blame that I've wanted SOMEONE to say to Lex for years. I'm such a fan of the little Tess/Alexander family. <3
Complaints
Chlollie. I just can't. They are pretty and happy Chloe is certainly going in my goodbye grab bag but... I just don't buy it. I'm happy for the happy Chlollie fans. Just... no. Also... why does Chloe have to ... I wish they'd played the "don't go outside honey" thing differently. It's just... *sigh*
Why was Clark moping? My sister says that the episode would have made sense if the VRA won the vote at the beginning and then the Clark moping, the Chlo-Lo complaining and then the BLUR supporters save the day... not through the vote, but just in giving Clark hope. I agree with her.
My sister wonders why Lionel and Martha and Chloe had to return just to do NOTHING NEW. I agree with her. They aren't paying off their plot very well. I mean... at this point there was no suspense regarding the VRA vote. It just... the VRA seemed played out. And they really had no presence in this episode. Maybe now the plot can turn back to Darkseid (meh) but they could have paid off the build up better IMO.
I wanna say goodbye to Cat and Emil before the end. Speaking of Emil, his presence would have improved Collateral. They should have given him the clunky exposition. *giggle*
To Conclude
I am really enjoying the show right now... but it's not really ... good. I'm a Clois shipper so that makes me happy. The show is incredibly pretty. That makes me happy. Superficially... I'm having enough fun to keep watching. But it seems that the show is really missing the boat in no-brainer ways. Like... why don't we see that Clark is saving people. Can't he come from or go to a save even if it's offscreen? I get mentioning it, but can we get some momentum. It takes me 15-20 min to get into each episode. They are BORING! Ah well. The long goodbye is halfway over and I'm really going to miss this show. <3