Smallville 5x03 Review
When I first saw the whole nuclear missile opening, as well as this whole "Torch tech good friend of Chloe we've never seen or heard of before," I thought, "Oh geez, this show is so stupid."
I mean, okay, introducing a new character as a long time resident and friend of Chloe we've never seen is not uncommon on SV and such, but never having mentioned there were 15 nuclear missiles around town? I'm sure some other FotW or LEX or LIONEL would sure as hell have been interested in them before now. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense for them to have been ignored all this time.
And then? It got awesome.
As stupid as I think Clark and Lana are for having sex in Clark's house... I mean, now that I listen to the dialogue more closely, it sounds like Lana was saying they should have gone to her place, but Clark convinced her not to. And, okay, I know it would seem like forever to get across town if he was about to get laid, but weren't his parents home to begin with? I don't image the walls of the house to be particularly thick, and he makes a lot of noise just walking around and stubbing his toe, so I think you know where I'm going with this.
Anyway, speaking of stubbing his toe... one of the things that I thought made this episode so great was the little details like that. I love his, "It hurts so much!" because he's still not used to the pain consequences of his clumsiness. And, you know, he was half naked and he looked incredibly hot in that bit where he bent to kiss her.
Clark and Lana's dialogue was so cute. I really have to commend KK in this episode, because I thought she did a really spectacular job. Her dialogue delivery was great, she teased Clark very cutely and I liked all of their interactions.
I thought Lana was going to sneak through the back window, but alas, she wasn't that smart. I think 6:30 is pretty late for farm people no? I also thought it was silly that she'd say 4 hours was the best night sleep she'd had in weeks, but hey, who am I to judge? I always need 9 before I feel rested.
Though I normally find Papa Kent to be an unsufferable ass who gives bad advice and expects way too much of his kid, I really liked him here. I was hoping to hear all of the 'You think you're not lying, but you are' sex talk, but I think just being able to tell that that's where it was going was also good enough. I do have to wonder if his parents thought he was a virgin though, considering he was married. I can't exactly imagine Clark going, "Well, we got married and got the hotel, and we were just about to do it when she took the Red K away and then that sort of put me out of the mood, and then she died." One's parents might assume that they had gone through with it.
In any case, I loved Chloe's reaction and the way Clark tried to get up but Bo pinned him down. So hilarious!
I loved Lana standing up to Lex when she found him in her apartment at the Talon. And, I loved the continuity of her sketching (at first I thought it was a picture of her and Lex, until I paused it and saw. HA!), and I think it's a very realistic and logical outlet for her to try and 'get it out of her system' or what have you. And I like that she was suspicious of Lex (and don't say that he didn't deserve it, after making her out to be the fool and not helping her off the road the other week) and didn't tell him she'd told Clark about what she'd seen. I like Lex trying to be all smooth and being nice, and Lana just not really buying it.
I love Clark's baby blue t-shirt. Both Chloe and Clark were just so HOT this episode. And I think it's interesting that Chloe was wearing red, because while Clark has lost his powers, they sort of make up Superboy saving the day combined. And that's also what I like, that the show is finally showing them as such a good team and making it one of the forefronts of the story instead of pushing it to the back and ignoring it much as it were.
I really thought Clark getting shot was intense. Seeing him look down in surprise, and spit out blood and collapse. I mean, while I know it's totally cliche to have Superman get shot when he's vulnerable, at the same time, I thought it was really well done and I actually thought that, again, KK was convincing in her acting.
I didn't think they would actually have him die, which was pretty awesome. On the one hand, it was the culmination of the Kents' (and turns out, Lana's) fears of what would happen if Clark lost his powers.
I LOVE that we finally got an explanation as to why Lana is such a bitch, as it were. While I don't buy, AT ALL, that she 'looked at Clark and knew he'd be the love of her life', blah blah, because really? She always thought he was a huge dork until she got to know him, and I don't believe she always harbored a secret crush or what have you.
But, as much as we could have tried to figure out why Lana kept playing games with Clark or herself, it's totally nice to hear her actually say her reason. And I can absolutely get behind that she was scared he'd get hurt, because, as much as we all make fun of Lana's Pancake paranoia, one of her Issues is that people do leave her. Some of it is because she drives them away sometimes, but it really makes a lot of sense overall and I thought it was an extremely poignent scene that made me like Lana a whole, whole lot more right now than I ever, ever thought I would.
The whole Lionel thing kinda confuses me like whoa, mostly because I don't really remember what the hell happened with him in S4 and the stones and how he got to be all glaucoma-eyed. Can anyone help me out?
I totally loved Jor-El laying the smackdown on Clark. While I'm not a fan of Smallville's characterization of Jor-El, and what kind of alien overlord or sorts they've made of him, and I don't think it's nice at all to demand life for life from your son... but? Clark had it coming to him.
As much as I've berated Clark for being stupid, for ignoring Jor-El's threats, or for thinking it would all go away if he was 'human', he IS only 18, and lord knows I was pretty damn stupid when I was 18. So I loved that Clark saw that he really, really cannot get away, from either Jor-EL or his Kryptionian identity or abilities, that he has to accept that they are part of who he is.
I'm not really sure what I think of the superjump, but the whole silly nuclear rescue is pretty much fitting with how ridiculous canon Superman can be in general, so I don't have a whole lot of problem with it, other than I wish Clark had returned naked, but maybe if he's got his powers back, he's got that whole clothes-protecting thing back, too.
I love how Clark could barely talk to anyone after he returned. I like that, although it seems cruel to his family and friends, how deeply absorbed he is in thinking about it, because although Brooding!Clark has become a bit of a cliche, I really think that Clark thought he would be 'normal' the rest of his life and live happily with Lana, and all that was taken away from him in a second. Though I don't approve of him lying to Papa Kent, because hiding things Jor-El has said never has turned out good before, I think he also suspects that Bo is going to be the one taken away from him and maybe he doesn't want to worry him just yet. Probably either him or Lana would be those Jor-El would think Clark cares about most, but I know the show won't kill off Lana, so my bets are on Bo.
I thought the scene with Chloe and Clark at the end perfectly punctuated that. And Clark's, "I think I've made a terrible mistake" was great. Because, while he might have been stupid before, I think now he's learned, and that's one part of the journey that I've been waiting for. I'm eagerly looking to see how that's going to play out.
Finally, Lex playing mind games is great. I like that he spells it out for Lana that Clark simply can't be normal "a normal person doesn't rise from the dead," and I like that Lex hasn't given up his suspicions because his one test failed the previous week. And Lex, pretending to be so glad to see his father back. It's old school Lex and Lionel and I love it.
Although the nuclear missile plot was so stupid, the greatness of this episode stems from the fact that it took a backseat... and the best episodes of Smallville always do that, that they use the FotW plot to teach the characters something about themselves (see more on this below), or cause other things to go into motion that have a huge effect on the characters that aren't directly related to the FotW.
And, this week, the FotW did impart an important lesson to Chloe, and really sums up the whole show: Every FotW wants to be normal, and Chloe (and arguably the rest of us) wants to be something special. That is why that, despite the ridiculousness of nuclear missiles, I loved the FotW plot, because it played into and gave us insight into Clark's mental state of the past few episodes, and arguably the whole series. It was really a quick, throwaway line/scene, but that's also what's nice about it: it was left as much more subtle, and sometimes Smallville is too anvilicious, so that was nicely done.
Though Chloe later says to Clark that being normal is overrated, I think she was mostly trying to reassure him. I think she realizes now, after seeing the lengths that the FotW's and his dad would go to to be normal, or stop the spread of the meteor freaks, how important being normal to Clark really was. I think before she didn't really see why it was such a big deal to him so much, why he would desire to be normal so much, but now she might have a better understanding after coming face to face with such desperation.
I mean, okay, introducing a new character as a long time resident and friend of Chloe we've never seen is not uncommon on SV and such, but never having mentioned there were 15 nuclear missiles around town? I'm sure some other FotW or LEX or LIONEL would sure as hell have been interested in them before now. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense for them to have been ignored all this time.
And then? It got awesome.
As stupid as I think Clark and Lana are for having sex in Clark's house... I mean, now that I listen to the dialogue more closely, it sounds like Lana was saying they should have gone to her place, but Clark convinced her not to. And, okay, I know it would seem like forever to get across town if he was about to get laid, but weren't his parents home to begin with? I don't image the walls of the house to be particularly thick, and he makes a lot of noise just walking around and stubbing his toe, so I think you know where I'm going with this.
Anyway, speaking of stubbing his toe... one of the things that I thought made this episode so great was the little details like that. I love his, "It hurts so much!" because he's still not used to the pain consequences of his clumsiness. And, you know, he was half naked and he looked incredibly hot in that bit where he bent to kiss her.
Clark and Lana's dialogue was so cute. I really have to commend KK in this episode, because I thought she did a really spectacular job. Her dialogue delivery was great, she teased Clark very cutely and I liked all of their interactions.
I thought Lana was going to sneak through the back window, but alas, she wasn't that smart. I think 6:30 is pretty late for farm people no? I also thought it was silly that she'd say 4 hours was the best night sleep she'd had in weeks, but hey, who am I to judge? I always need 9 before I feel rested.
Though I normally find Papa Kent to be an unsufferable ass who gives bad advice and expects way too much of his kid, I really liked him here. I was hoping to hear all of the 'You think you're not lying, but you are' sex talk, but I think just being able to tell that that's where it was going was also good enough. I do have to wonder if his parents thought he was a virgin though, considering he was married. I can't exactly imagine Clark going, "Well, we got married and got the hotel, and we were just about to do it when she took the Red K away and then that sort of put me out of the mood, and then she died." One's parents might assume that they had gone through with it.
In any case, I loved Chloe's reaction and the way Clark tried to get up but Bo pinned him down. So hilarious!
I loved Lana standing up to Lex when she found him in her apartment at the Talon. And, I loved the continuity of her sketching (at first I thought it was a picture of her and Lex, until I paused it and saw. HA!), and I think it's a very realistic and logical outlet for her to try and 'get it out of her system' or what have you. And I like that she was suspicious of Lex (and don't say that he didn't deserve it, after making her out to be the fool and not helping her off the road the other week) and didn't tell him she'd told Clark about what she'd seen. I like Lex trying to be all smooth and being nice, and Lana just not really buying it.
I love Clark's baby blue t-shirt. Both Chloe and Clark were just so HOT this episode. And I think it's interesting that Chloe was wearing red, because while Clark has lost his powers, they sort of make up Superboy saving the day combined. And that's also what I like, that the show is finally showing them as such a good team and making it one of the forefronts of the story instead of pushing it to the back and ignoring it much as it were.
I really thought Clark getting shot was intense. Seeing him look down in surprise, and spit out blood and collapse. I mean, while I know it's totally cliche to have Superman get shot when he's vulnerable, at the same time, I thought it was really well done and I actually thought that, again, KK was convincing in her acting.
I didn't think they would actually have him die, which was pretty awesome. On the one hand, it was the culmination of the Kents' (and turns out, Lana's) fears of what would happen if Clark lost his powers.
I LOVE that we finally got an explanation as to why Lana is such a bitch, as it were. While I don't buy, AT ALL, that she 'looked at Clark and knew he'd be the love of her life', blah blah, because really? She always thought he was a huge dork until she got to know him, and I don't believe she always harbored a secret crush or what have you.
But, as much as we could have tried to figure out why Lana kept playing games with Clark or herself, it's totally nice to hear her actually say her reason. And I can absolutely get behind that she was scared he'd get hurt, because, as much as we all make fun of Lana's Pancake paranoia, one of her Issues is that people do leave her. Some of it is because she drives them away sometimes, but it really makes a lot of sense overall and I thought it was an extremely poignent scene that made me like Lana a whole, whole lot more right now than I ever, ever thought I would.
The whole Lionel thing kinda confuses me like whoa, mostly because I don't really remember what the hell happened with him in S4 and the stones and how he got to be all glaucoma-eyed. Can anyone help me out?
I totally loved Jor-El laying the smackdown on Clark. While I'm not a fan of Smallville's characterization of Jor-El, and what kind of alien overlord or sorts they've made of him, and I don't think it's nice at all to demand life for life from your son... but? Clark had it coming to him.
As much as I've berated Clark for being stupid, for ignoring Jor-El's threats, or for thinking it would all go away if he was 'human', he IS only 18, and lord knows I was pretty damn stupid when I was 18. So I loved that Clark saw that he really, really cannot get away, from either Jor-EL or his Kryptionian identity or abilities, that he has to accept that they are part of who he is.
I'm not really sure what I think of the superjump, but the whole silly nuclear rescue is pretty much fitting with how ridiculous canon Superman can be in general, so I don't have a whole lot of problem with it, other than I wish Clark had returned naked, but maybe if he's got his powers back, he's got that whole clothes-protecting thing back, too.
I love how Clark could barely talk to anyone after he returned. I like that, although it seems cruel to his family and friends, how deeply absorbed he is in thinking about it, because although Brooding!Clark has become a bit of a cliche, I really think that Clark thought he would be 'normal' the rest of his life and live happily with Lana, and all that was taken away from him in a second. Though I don't approve of him lying to Papa Kent, because hiding things Jor-El has said never has turned out good before, I think he also suspects that Bo is going to be the one taken away from him and maybe he doesn't want to worry him just yet. Probably either him or Lana would be those Jor-El would think Clark cares about most, but I know the show won't kill off Lana, so my bets are on Bo.
I thought the scene with Chloe and Clark at the end perfectly punctuated that. And Clark's, "I think I've made a terrible mistake" was great. Because, while he might have been stupid before, I think now he's learned, and that's one part of the journey that I've been waiting for. I'm eagerly looking to see how that's going to play out.
Finally, Lex playing mind games is great. I like that he spells it out for Lana that Clark simply can't be normal "a normal person doesn't rise from the dead," and I like that Lex hasn't given up his suspicions because his one test failed the previous week. And Lex, pretending to be so glad to see his father back. It's old school Lex and Lionel and I love it.
Although the nuclear missile plot was so stupid, the greatness of this episode stems from the fact that it took a backseat... and the best episodes of Smallville always do that, that they use the FotW plot to teach the characters something about themselves (see more on this below), or cause other things to go into motion that have a huge effect on the characters that aren't directly related to the FotW.
And, this week, the FotW did impart an important lesson to Chloe, and really sums up the whole show: Every FotW wants to be normal, and Chloe (and arguably the rest of us) wants to be something special. That is why that, despite the ridiculousness of nuclear missiles, I loved the FotW plot, because it played into and gave us insight into Clark's mental state of the past few episodes, and arguably the whole series. It was really a quick, throwaway line/scene, but that's also what's nice about it: it was left as much more subtle, and sometimes Smallville is too anvilicious, so that was nicely done.
Though Chloe later says to Clark that being normal is overrated, I think she was mostly trying to reassure him. I think she realizes now, after seeing the lengths that the FotW's and his dad would go to to be normal, or stop the spread of the meteor freaks, how important being normal to Clark really was. I think before she didn't really see why it was such a big deal to him so much, why he would desire to be normal so much, but now she might have a better understanding after coming face to face with such desperation.