Beacon Screentime Totals, and Thoughts

Feb 13, 2011 02:04

 Well now, that was a big improvement over last week.  Of course, I'm not sure how much that says considering what a flaming pile of poop I thought last weeks episode was.

Overall, I'd say Beacon was a solid episode that had some very good moments, and scenes, and performances, but also had a few problems.

Anyway, we'll get to that, first we make ( Read more... )

screentime minutes, beacon, deep thoughts, smallville

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Comments 52

anonymous February 13 2011, 08:21:14 UTC
After last week's disaster in Collateral, Beacon was a huge improvement in terms of how useful Clark was. It may not be perfect, but it was overall better. Clark starts to become proactive as soon as he heard shots, investigates the scene with Oliver, figures out on his own that it was clone Lex, his leadership has returned when he told Oliver and Tess not to do anything until he returned to the Fortress, then also figures out that Tess was looking for the Phantom Zone crystal that sent Slade to the Phantom Zone, got through to clone Lex with Tess' help, and rescued both Martha and alternate Lionel. I've felt this should have been the true start of the second half of the season instead of Collateral ( ... )

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jeannev February 13 2011, 20:01:58 UTC
I wonder if I'd be more critical of this episode if it didn't follow Collateral. I think, after last week, I was just hoping for something, anything, better then that ( ... )

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costas22 February 13 2011, 09:28:37 UTC
Hey Val. I don't know what options there are for these mood kitties, but try "annoyed like hell" for me, lol. Not with your review. Your review, as always, was fun to read and really insightful.

But Lois in perky cheerleader mode to doubting sad sack Clark is a scene I need to STOP seeing on this show.

It's become more than cheerleading. It's Lois telling a stubborn Clark how it is. As if he can't figure it out. That's more like mentoring imo. And while I agree that it wasn't as bad as Collateral, it was still not good to see. Notice how Oliver's faith in the people's vote didn't waver when he was speaking with Lionel? Why did Clark's? As the Blur videos said, his greatest strength is his character and his faith in others, isn't it? Like you say, how could Clark be the beacon for hope, if we see him lose his hope in people?

Clark and Oliver doing some investigating together worked quite well. I'll probably never completely buy into these 2 as good friends, but lately the show has been doing a far better job of writing for them, ( ... )

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jeannev February 13 2011, 20:09:33 UTC
That was a win for me, even though Tess shined more than Clark there. At least, it happens very rarely in their scenes...See, thats where the problem lies for me. I don't think she should've shined more then Clark. And though it is rare for Clark and Tess, it is NOT rare for the show overall. So, I wince whenever I see it, no matter who the character is ( ... )

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costas22 February 13 2011, 21:26:24 UTC
Thanks ( ... )

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jeannev February 13 2011, 21:44:51 UTC
You make a good point about Clark. He did take a more prudent approach there. I agree.

Don't get me wrong, because I don't thing Clark was written as dumb, or anything like that. And on a scale of 1 to 10 of scenes where another character was written at Clark's expense, I'm not sure this would even rate as a 1.

I do understand where you are coming from with the last Tess/Alexander scene. I know that sometimes a scene hits you a certain way, and thats all there is to that.

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part I goodvibe February 13 2011, 11:17:14 UTC
//But Lois in perky cheerleader mode to doubting sad sack Clark is a scene I need to STOP seeing on this show ( ... )

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Re: part I jeannev February 13 2011, 20:13:10 UTC
And you know the absolute worse thing about these type of scenes, is that they aren't favorable to either character - each come off looking like one dimensional caricatures.

Yes! Thank you. Thats what I'm trying to say.

I think with what this show has done over the years, its just tiresome to hear lines like "you inspire him" or "he can't do it without you" or "he needs you as much as the world needs him". ENOUGH! Its beyond DONE now. We get it, Clark can't put his pants on without the support of the people around him. The point has been made, made again, and then made one more time. Now, can we move onto a confident, resilient, determined Clark who believes in his purpose, and has faith in it? Because that would be lovely at this point.

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part II goodvibe February 13 2011, 11:18:34 UTC
//As it was, I'm not really sure who had more of an impact of Alexander, Clark or Tess, and I think the show missed another opportunity to show us, on screen, Clark making that sort of difference ( ... )

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Re: part II jeannev February 13 2011, 20:18:54 UTC
It actually occurred to me last night, while talking to a friend, that 2 of Clark's best moments this season were him showing compassion towards Cat Grant in Shield, and him showing compassion towards Tess in Luthor. Because those moments where we get to see Clark's being that sort of understanding and compassionate friend to others, even when they aren't his inner circle (like Cat) has become a rarity ( ... )

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chatchien February 13 2011, 13:33:55 UTC
Clark's girlfriends have always been obsessives. Lana and her Flat Parents and the "Secrets and Lies", Lois and her "Hip Hip Hooray Clark", and Alicia and her obsession with Clark ( ... )

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jeannev February 13 2011, 20:23:20 UTC
I do see what the writers are attempting to do with all the Clark reassurance though. Clark isn't Superman yet, he is still the Blur and they have to get him to Superman before the end. Superman is supremely confident and that is why the public is confident in him.

I see what they are trying to do too, but I think they are dragging this out too long. Because the longer you keep hitting this beat, the more and more unbelievable its going to be that Clark is just going to hit a switch at the end of the season, and all this dithering, and indecision is going to be gone. The time for turning the corner was Homecoming, I think. Now, it feels repeatative to me.

I think its important for the show to start really writing eps with Clark in mind, which I gotta tell you, I don't think they do all that often. I think there's a certain conceit with the writing that "Well, we know where he ends up", so they don't feel like they really need to take care with him like they should.

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