Abandoned screentime minutes, and Deep Thoughts

[jeannev]

Eh, so I guess it was too much to hope for 2 touchdown's in a row.

Lets start with the totals:

Abandoned, running time:  41m, 42s

Clark:  17m, 31s
Lois:  17m, 17s
Tess:  15m, 4s (Little Tess: 2m, 24s)*

Granny Goodness:  11m, 18s

I didn't do the screentime for anyone else.

*Doing Tess' screentime was something of a challenge.  Since Tess was, technically,

Comments

[tjw_jaypat]

Same pattern: I agree with everything! lol

At least one thing to add: Two people in love & Clark being the most caring person normally. Yet there was not even a hug when Lois was emoting so badly in the beginning? And Clark even had to go on patrol? Not very believable at all. In particular after we just saw them inseparably lip-locked in the last episode.

Ok, this is mean: but Mrs. Hartley was just as superfluous on this show as her husband has been for quite a while...

Well, and yes, the Jor-El stuff is the most fucked up story ever... :((

What was the point of giving away Clark´s intention to propose by showing that ring? Why would we have to know that now? Just to tease shippers?

[jeannev]

You're right. That first Clois scene did seem oddly chilly.

I think they've just messed up the whole Jor-El stuff so much, that any way they touch on it now turns into a mess. But really, I'm racking my brains here....why would what Clark saw in the FoS have any sigficant impact on what goes on with him and the AI? I don't see how the dots connect, so it ends up being a "Well, thats nice and all" that serves no purpose at all.

I've decided to just not talk about the pending engagement right now. All I'll say is that I don't think the show needs it, but its obvious they're going to do it anyway.

[jeannev]

On my first viewing, I had some issues with Christine Willes, but I think I came to appreciate her a lot more on a 2nd viewing. And she did nail down the creepy factor, so kudos for that!

I think this episode did a far better job of bringing Darkseid and his minions into play then Supergirl did.

Thats definitely the same building. Looks like the same building they used for the insane asylum in Labyrinth too.

I have no issues with Lois watching tapes of her mother. I have a lot of issues with them deciding to link it to Clark and Jor-El. Not everything has to be some heavy-handed parallel.

And Shelby! But I'm puzzled by why they trot Shelby out in this episode, but not in the last episode where most of the action takes place at the Kent farm? Or not in Hostage, when Martha came home? At this point, its like don't use the dog at all, or make it consistent, because its just weird when he/she pops up now.

[serenography]

[miss_tress]

Maybe he's afraid to hide it given his now canon lack of hiding skilz. ;)
*chortles*

[jeannev]

Absolutly nothing worked for me in the Lois/FoS stuff. Not one stinking thing. As you suggest, Lois just dealing with memories of her mother, and the tape? Cool, I'm on board! But why can't they just leave it there. They take something that could've been a poignant B story, and just made it a mess that accomplished nothing.

I don't know why they didn't include some sort of wrap-up scene with the orphanage. Probably because they had to rush Clark off to the FoS. I can't help thinking this would've been a far better episode with some major storyline cuts, and some much needed additions.

I never thought Tess and Lex were lovers. I think Tess admired him. I think she even idolized him (hence the depth of her feelings of betrayal). But I never got a sexual component to it.

As I said above, I'm just not commenting on the engagement stuff this week. I just....No. Don't know what to say.

[wingster55]

I think you mean kiss..not kill.

[shalimarfox80]

I liked this episode, even the Tess stuff, although I'm not a big fan of her. Last year I would have hated this episode but now I've warmed up to Tess after her involvement in JL stuff so it was okay for me that they did a Tess-heavy episode.

I've read similar views to yours, and it seems like most people had the same kind of problems with the episode. I looked at it differently, but I'm not going to elaborate on that, seeing that most people will disagree with me, and your objections are very valid.

Thanks for the review. Always nice reading your thoughts on the episode. I can't wait for Patriot. I hope the action packed Smallville that we saw in Ambush is back in Patriot, plus Tom is directing and that alone is enough to get me very excited for it. :)

[jeannev]

Sometimes people just see episodes differently, and it feels like everyone was watching a different show then you. I get that, and I've been there many, many times.

I don't know what to think about Patriot, but my fingers are crossed for a good episode.

[jeannev]

I know he can do it, is his own process and he's not so weak as the show sometimes make him look.

I totally agree. I've hammered away at that point for a long time. I get so sick to death of people always pushing Clark into things. It just makes it a lot less satisfying to me. If Clark had decided, on his own, to make one last ditch at making peace with the FoS, and then the recorded message showed up, I just know I'd have felt a bit better about the whole thing. But, the way it was done in this episode? It just felt like the whole thing was far more about servicing Lois' character than Clarks.

I don't think a romantic relationship between Lex and Tess was implied, but I can see why people would think that. Really, its just not clear what the nature of their relationship was.

also one thing I don't understand is what Jor El was doing to Lois, and one second the AI wants to kill her and the other is a wonderful parent that loved Clark so much.Yeah, it was a mess