Smallville: Charade
I think this ep sort of broke my brain a bit. When it comes to the Clark/Lois. What just happened? All I know is that I'm highly confused and most of all about the ep itself even - because there are part of it I loved, parts I didn't care for at all, and other parts that, like I said, just left me reeling with confusion.
Because quite frankly, given the trajectory we were on with these Clois - with the mutual decision of keeping things from one another, while it was clear we would be heading towards some sort of conclusion - this was not what I was expecting. I was always bothered by the lack of articulation on Clark' part as to why he wasn't seeing fit to tell Lois his secret and when we finally did get something in the way of that, it was inadvertantly courtesy Lois, with Clark merely silently agreeing to it. Really, this is the reason? Haven't we been there, see that, done that? And had things proven to the contrary? Why is it that even after all those instances he's seen of Lois learning of his secret and taking it remarkably well, that he let what she said sway him away so easily from coming clean with her. I just don't get it.
And speaking of Lois' declarations of realizing the need not to know - what was up with that? On two occasions there, I got the feeling that this is it - Lois knows. At the very least on a subconscious level. The biggest tell tale sign was the almost!reveal after the save with her "I can't know who you are." It felt almost as if it was an instinctive blocking on Lois' part - a defence mechanism of some kind and when Clark touched her shoulder and she held his hand, that reaffirmed my inkling even more - that she knew and moreover could feel this was Clark. But then that inkling is pretty much shot to hell with their final two scenes where once again, it appears as if she hasn't yet put the pieces together.
Another thing about the ep that confused me, to the point of aggravation was Lois' in-overdrive reverance towards the Blur again. While I can completely understand that she'd be broken up over not being allowed in his life anymore, I was at a loss as to how it affected her to the extent it did - especially in that final scene with Clark. I kept waiting, wanting that something from her - and it never came.
And right here we have the first of the things I didn't care for at all: Clark: "Am I enough?", Lois: ::silence:: You've got to be kidding me, right? This is the same woman who just last ep confirmed to a total third party, no less, that Clark is definitively her "it." And moreover who just this ep confirmed to her cousin that she was well on her way to actually declaring her love to him---and then we have---silence--- Really? I think it was a disservice to Lois' character to havethe ep end like that, to be honest, and didn't do her much favors.
And I don't know, but really, by the end of it all, I just wanted to give Clark a hug and tell him everything'd be OK. While I fully admit that I tend to almost always come at things from Clark' perspective anyways, but here more than ever, my heart just broke for him. I don't think this is me being an apologist because I am well aware of Clark' mistakes in the ep and in the build up to this as well, but hearing Lois tell him as the Blur that him, and not Clark were the "most important part" of her life? Couldn't have been easy. Add to that Lois' silence at the end and Ouch.
Again, this is not to say that I think Clark is faultless in the situation here. In fact he has the onus on him most of all because had he come clean with Lois before embarking upon an actual relationship with her - this entire situation could've been avoided. Because yes, I do see how Lois was put in an unenviable position - she's ardently keeping a secret rom her bf, at the behest of her bf, and yet she doesn't know this. And Clark did resort to taking her phone and while I'm not condoning that either since he backtracked twice from his better judgement and sense in the ep to tell all to her, but in a way, he was put in an unenviable position too. Not once, but twice when on the verge of revealing himself as the Blur to Lois, it is she herself who point blank dissuades him from doing so. So, while yes, he's the one that's gotten them in the mess to begin with, how does he go about rectifying it when the person he wants to tell all to, refuses to want to know? It's pretty much a no-win, and possibly the only way it could've been avoided yet again was if Clark had gone ahead and told Lois at the end anyways.
The ep, therefore, ultimately at its core, about the duality of relationships - both failed and succeeded to an extent. When it comes to the triangle for two business, suffice to say, I think it failed rather spectacularly. Not only by being so ambiguously laid out but hurt also by the fact that for the last couple of eps it hasn't even been an authentic triangle for two scenario because we've had frikkin Zod thrown in to the mix.
The theme worked a little better when it came to showing the two halves and juggling nature of the Clois relationship - as romantic partners and competitive rivals. It can't be an easy mix, as it often isn't in the comics either, so an acknowledgement of that wasn't wholly unwelcome to me. There were certain threads throughout that I really liked, for one reason or another. Lois getting Clark a gift, and acknowledging her feelings for him, for one. The elevator scene was charming too - effortlessly amusing and sexy at the same time, right from Clark' "how about a sneak peek" to Lois' "I swear sometimes it seems as if you have more than two hands." And then this, mixed with their professional side of things, with Clark blocking Lois from going after the Editor, to Lois trying to horn in on the computer where Clark sat - was all enjoyable to, because it helped show off the non-schmaltzy aspect of their relationship - a dynamic I've always appreciated.
And I also have to mention here, despite my issues with Clark, Lois and Clois in this ep, TW and ED were both on their A-game. Every scene, whether comedic, romantic or dramatic was portrayed so convincingly.
Letting go of the Clois stuff now - Chloe. I suppose any ep now where she doesn't actively annpy me is a good Chloe ep these days. And to be fair, she didn't. But the writers were once again going out of their way in continuing to justify and validate Chloe. It's not just that Clark leveled the playing field, so to speak. It's the fact that by him coming to her and with dialogue like "I understand the instinct to ptotect the ones you love", it's ever apparent just how much the writers just.don't.get.it. Because for someone like myself, it's never been so much about the actions in and of themselves, but rather the lying and sneaking of it instead. It's not about Chloe distristing the Kryptonians and wanting to counter that - even if one doesn't agree, it's a valid enough POV. It's the fact that she didn't the feel the need to share it until forced, with Clark. It's not so much about the cameras in his house or tapping his phone, because if viewed from Chloe' POV, one could make an argument for it, but the fact that she didn't feel the need to just tell Clark about what she was doing. The writers evidently don't get this though, because it's all about the actions for them. Because actions can still be justified, but the act of lying is more difficult to whitewash, so there you go.
Tess had only a brief appearance but I'm getting a feeling something's about to give wrt her and Chloe - and soon.
The ep certainly felt as if it had a great deal going on, and ina way I can appreciate that because at least it never seemed as if the pace was slacking. Not only did we have Maxwell Lord introduced in to the Checkmate storyline but we also got a glimpse of the Red Queen, with red shoes no less. I still think the CM storyline has the potential to be a really kickass one, whatwith all the players involved but then I remember this is SV - land of missed opportunities. And I weep a little. ::sighs::
It was kinda nice seeing slimy Ray Sachs again too, if only because SV has often dropped the ball in the past by not cultivating recurring secondary, tertiary characters.
Clark and Lois getting fired - I did not see coming. Looks like we're gearing up for Perry' return. Though I quite liked the non-chalantness of this Editor.
So here we go, almost at the end of the season. And I'm as confused as ever. Juuuust terrific.