Smallville review: Luthor
Squee!
You know, you get kinda accustomed to Smallville rarely giving you what you want and then suddenly you get exactly what you want and it stuns you.
Now, I realize what I want isn't always what everyone else wants, but hey, gonna be selfish and enjoy it while it lasts!
This episode began with Clark declaring "Luthor blood is poison", a continuation of the "Lex is evil from birth" theme that's been offered by various characters, especially Jonathan, since the show began. And it’s always rankled with me, particularly when the show seemed to want to absolve Lionel in the latter seasons. I don't think any child is evil from birth. And I don't think any child raised by Lionel could escape being damaged.
Here's what Clark had to say by the episode's end, and this line, beautifully said by Tom, was nectar to my ears: "Lionel's blood doesn't corrupt. It’s the man himself. I was wrong."
Would I have loved to have heard this in an episode when Lex was still around? Yes, but hearing it said at all, is satisfying and surprising enough. This is the way to do a Lex episode, with no body doubles or clones.
Glover! I didn't realize how much I’d missed him until he was there, in full sexy, terrifying glory, even speaking directly to the camera at the end. What style! "Fracture" gave Clark a glimpse of Lionel's parenting style; "Luthor" puts him directly under Lionel's belt, in a harrowing scene. He gets to live Lex's childhood in microcosm.
There were wonderful homages to past "Lionel and Lex" scenes. The scene with Lionel holding an epee to Clark's throat mirrors the same shot with Lex in "Hothead". Lionel clasping Clark's face is another callback. Writer Bryan Miller carefully culled past Lionel-lines and put little tweaks on them.
Tom! I was excited to see him play two roles, but he actually plays three. Clark, Clark Luthor and Clark-pretending-to-be-Clark-Luthor. He's amazing in all three roles. Loved watching Clark figure things out and smartly adapt to his new environment; "Clark Luthor" is outta control sexy, Tom using an entirely different, Luthorian body language and mimicking Michael's speech patterns.
Cassidy! When Clark Luthor kisses Tess - it’s a world of wrong and she resists at first but man oh man, Cassidy somehow manages to show Tess relaxing, against her judgment into his embrace and enjoying the kiss which is just…..wrong, but yeah. Hot. From her panic at the beginning, to the way she assesses and adapts to Clark Luthor, to her lovely final scene - Tess was fabulous to watch tonight.
I loved Erica's scene at the coffeestand, Lois dealing with one unfriendly and one instantly smitten guy. And even Oliver (who we only saw in the AU) was fun tonight. "I know, You’re the good one. Now, leave!"
I don't know where they go from here….a Lex-clone killing AU Lionel would be underwhelming. A Lex-plot with no Michael is a bust. And this ep. would have been even better as a two-parter, but hey, I'll take what I can get and right now I am pleased!
You know, you get kinda accustomed to Smallville rarely giving you what you want and then suddenly you get exactly what you want and it stuns you.
Now, I realize what I want isn't always what everyone else wants, but hey, gonna be selfish and enjoy it while it lasts!
This episode began with Clark declaring "Luthor blood is poison", a continuation of the "Lex is evil from birth" theme that's been offered by various characters, especially Jonathan, since the show began. And it’s always rankled with me, particularly when the show seemed to want to absolve Lionel in the latter seasons. I don't think any child is evil from birth. And I don't think any child raised by Lionel could escape being damaged.
Here's what Clark had to say by the episode's end, and this line, beautifully said by Tom, was nectar to my ears: "Lionel's blood doesn't corrupt. It’s the man himself. I was wrong."
Would I have loved to have heard this in an episode when Lex was still around? Yes, but hearing it said at all, is satisfying and surprising enough. This is the way to do a Lex episode, with no body doubles or clones.
Glover! I didn't realize how much I’d missed him until he was there, in full sexy, terrifying glory, even speaking directly to the camera at the end. What style! "Fracture" gave Clark a glimpse of Lionel's parenting style; "Luthor" puts him directly under Lionel's belt, in a harrowing scene. He gets to live Lex's childhood in microcosm.
There were wonderful homages to past "Lionel and Lex" scenes. The scene with Lionel holding an epee to Clark's throat mirrors the same shot with Lex in "Hothead". Lionel clasping Clark's face is another callback. Writer Bryan Miller carefully culled past Lionel-lines and put little tweaks on them.
Tom! I was excited to see him play two roles, but he actually plays three. Clark, Clark Luthor and Clark-pretending-to-be-Clark-Luthor. He's amazing in all three roles. Loved watching Clark figure things out and smartly adapt to his new environment; "Clark Luthor" is outta control sexy, Tom using an entirely different, Luthorian body language and mimicking Michael's speech patterns.
Cassidy! When Clark Luthor kisses Tess - it’s a world of wrong and she resists at first but man oh man, Cassidy somehow manages to show Tess relaxing, against her judgment into his embrace and enjoying the kiss which is just…..wrong, but yeah. Hot. From her panic at the beginning, to the way she assesses and adapts to Clark Luthor, to her lovely final scene - Tess was fabulous to watch tonight.
I loved Erica's scene at the coffeestand, Lois dealing with one unfriendly and one instantly smitten guy. And even Oliver (who we only saw in the AU) was fun tonight. "I know, You’re the good one. Now, leave!"
I don't know where they go from here….a Lex-clone killing AU Lionel would be underwhelming. A Lex-plot with no Michael is a bust. And this ep. would have been even better as a two-parter, but hey, I'll take what I can get and right now I am pleased!