Season 5 Overview

 

 

1. Arrival 9/10
2. Mortal 10/10
3. Hidden 9/10
4. Aqua 7/10
5. Thirst 4/10
6. Exposed 9/10
7. Splinter 10/10
8. Solitude 9/10
9. Lexmas 7/10
10. Fanatic 8/10
11. Lockdown 10/10
12. Reckoning 10/10
13. Vengeance 9/10
14. Tomb 8/10
15. Cyborg 9/10 
16. Hypnotic 9/10 
17. Void 7/10 
18. Fragile 8/10
19. Mercy 9/10
20. Fade 8/10
21. Oracle 9/10
22. Vessel 9/10 

 

Top 5 episodes

1. Reckoning

2. Mortal

3. Lockdown

4. Splinter

5. Hidden

 

Watching this season again I have been very surprised by how good it turned out to be. I always remember season 3 as being my favourite but I may have to re-evaluate things because, other than the blip they have with 'Thirst' (possibly the worst episode of Smallville), the rest of the season is consistently very strong. The tone is a bit darker and they certainly up the sex and violence, but the story threads seem much more well thought out, even giving Lana a pretty strong season. Plus, we get big moments for the show in general, such as Clark and Lex coming to blows, the introduction of League members, Aquaman and Cyborg, the awesome inclusion of James Marsters as Braniac and, or course, the death of Jonathan. Cracking stuff! The best season yet! 

SEASON AVERAGE: 4.25/5

 

Episode 5.22: Vessel

Lex is abducted by Fine. When he returns he has all of the same powers as Clark. When Clark speaks to Jor-El, his kryptonian father tells him that he must kill Lex with a special dagger, to stop him from becoming the vessel of Zod. But can he take the life of his former friend? And will Lana ever want anything to do with him again if he does? Also, Fine unleashes a computer virus onto the internet that sends the world back into a technological dark age.

I love Lana's reaction to Lex being abducted. It's a mix of shock and awe. Kreuk's performance is really good here in the intro. I'm not quite sure why Braniac would feel inclined to tell her anything about what he's doing though, not unless he needed her to be a part of it, which he doesn't.

Clark is such an idiot! He calls out, in this very episode, how he keeps making all the wrong decisions and disobeying Jor-El. And then he goes and does just that by refusing to use the dagger for its correct purpose. I like that Clark really doesn't want to kill. It's one of his great heroic qualities. But how many people will die or suffer as a direct result of him choosing not to kill the vessel?

I like how Lionel is trying to convince Clark that, sometimes, an evil act is the only way to serve the greater good. In many ways this is the very thing that Lex believes in. He doesn't see himself as evil. He justifies his evil acts by convincing himself that they are for the greater good. So hearing Lionel talk to Clark like this once again shows us how Lex adopted his outlook on the world. It's also great to see a change in Lionel's feelings when Clark tells him that Lex is the vessel. It's easy to make the ultimate sacrifice when it's not something or someone you care about.

I'm not quite buying that Lionel is getting up and walking away from that car window that Lex throws him into at superspeed. No way, you're dead bruh! Or at the very least you are in intensive care for the next six weeks.

I know a lot of fans get really sick of hearing Lana banging on about "secrets". Indeed, I'm usually one of them. But, in this case, I can't help but understand where she's coming from. She knows that Clark knows what is going on after overhearing him talk about killing Lex. And yet Clark still refuses to tell her anything when she asks. So I can totally see why she would be as harsh with him as she is this time around. She says Clark doesn't trust her and it's hard to argue with that.

Being a Chloe guy, the first time I saw this episode, I loved the moment where she kisses Clark. With Lana seemingly moving on it felt like this was the perfect time to explore a more intimate relationship between the two. But, of course, watching it in retrospect, knowing where they go in season 6, this moment just seems so wasted now with no satisfying payoff.

I love the final exchange between Lex and Clark as Lex really tells Clark what he thinks of him. Clark asks him, "If that's how you felt then why did you stick around for so long?" This is a really valid point that calls out Lex's true nature. Any self respecting person with integrity and no hidden agenda would ditch someone they could not trust as a friend. But Lex clung on for so long because he wanted something from Clark. He wanted to learn his secrets in case he had something to gain from them.

Once Lex turns into Zod, however, the dialogue becomes a bit heavy handed as Zod begins to talk like Basil Exposition. Except when he meets Lana on the rooftop. Here he decides to say nothing at all, leaving Lana to spew out some wishy washy crap about how she feels for him that, in the face of everything that is going on beneath them, seems somewhat self-indulgent and inappropriate

All the stuff with Martha and Lois seems like it is building to something of great importance for the start of season 6. What is Braniac planning for them? Again, hindsight can be a bitch! More on that at a later date.

The final shot of Clark in the phantom zone prison is awesome! As someone who grew up on the Christopher Reeve Superman films I was really happy to see that visual cue that allowed fans to instantly know what was happening and set us up with the promise of getting our first real look inside the phantom zone come next season.

Not flawless but very fast paced and highly entertaining.

9/10

 

Episode 5.21: Oracle

On his birthday, Clark visits Jonathan's graveside and receives a ghostly visit from the man himself. Jonathan tells Clark that he must kill Lionel to save millions. He visits Martha, telling her the same thing, and that Lionel had something to do with his death. Jonathan is then revealed to be Milton Fine. Chloe confirms through Lionel's cellphone records that he was at the farm the night Jonathan died. Clark confronts Lionel and Jonathan shows up once more to encourage him to kill Luthor senior. But Clark, trusting that his father would never say such a thing, turns on him and he reveals himself to be Fine. This version of Fine is destroyed when Lionel, inhabited by Jor-El, touches him. Lionel tells Clark that Lex has been working with Fine to gather the world's deadliest viruses. Clark sets out to destroy them but the only person who might know where they are being kept is Lana. She tells him, reluctanly, after catching him snooping in her room. Lex, it turns out, has been using the viruses to manufacture a vaccine. Fine injects him with it before destroying the rest and Clark arrives too late to stop him. He talks with Lex afterwards telling him that he should never have been working with Fine. But Lex defends what he was doing then tells Clark he crossed a line and that it was his own fault that he lost Lana. Later, Lionel visits Martha to make a confession and Lex cuts himself on a glass, only to find that he heals in seconds.

I feel that more could have been done to highlight that Fine was unable to touch Lionel. Obviously, once Lionel becomes inhabited by Jor-El, it becomes clear that he has the power to stop Fine. However, it hasn't been entirely clear that Jor-El is always there inside Lionel, but this is the only explanation for why Fine didn't simply kill Lionel himself. I'm not usually one of those people who needs everything explaining to me. I'm fine with a little ambiguity. But I do feel like I had to spend too much time afterward thinking about it rather than having plainly understood it. I think a lot of that is down to how much they are having to fit into this episode. It is pretty crammed.

It also seemed a mistake to me to show that it was Fine just after he had finished talking to Martha disguised as Jonathan. Surely it would have been better to have that reveal made during his fight with Clark in the barn.

Despite these minor flaws it's a highly entertaining episode. One of the great things about Lex in this series is how his villainy often feels justified. When he tells Clark that he crossed a line, he's not wrong, but you can understand the predicament Clark was in and why he didn't want to ask Lana directly for the information.

Since Jonathan died he has appeared in 3 episodes. I wouldn't say it lessens the impact of his death but if he keeps making more appearances it might get that way. It's kind of justified here because it's all about Fine manipulating Clark and Martha through the man they loved and trusted most. I just don't want to see Jonathan keep popping up, when his death was handled in such a great, impactful way.

A lot of the elements of Fine's character feel very reminiscent of stuff that was done in The X Files, as have plenty of other elements of the show, but all the stuff with the vaccine definitely feels cribbed from that show. If you are an X Files fan you know what I'm talking about. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but as an X Files fan myself, I just feel it's worthy of being highlighted.

You can tell that Lionel's confession to Martha at the end of the episode is a painful moment for both characters but it really does feel like Lionel is attempting to turn over a new leaf. The crazy thing is that, deep down, I kind of want him to. I love a good redemption story. But whether Lionel is on the level here remains to be seen. Either way, Glover's performance has me rooting for him.

9/10

Episode 5.20: Fade

Clark saves a man from being hit by a bus, not realizing he is on his way to the court house to kill the star witness in a major trial, using an ability to disappear to get him inside. When this Chameleon sends Clark a gift to thank him, without telling him who it is from, Clark assumes it's either from Lionel or Lex trying to buy their way back into his trust. When he goes to see Lex he catches him kissing Lana and leaves undetected. Then when the Chameleon finds out about Clark's predicament he decides that killing Lex would be the best way to pay him back. But Lana catches him in the act and, when she gives his description to Clark, Clark goes to confront him. The Chameleon takes him down with a meteor rock before heading off to kill Lex and Lana. Thankfully, Clark is saved by Chloe and Lois, before heading off to save Lex and Lana. But as he has to do it unseen, Lana is under the impression that she is alive because of Lex. This spurs her on to go and see Clark to tell him that her and Lex are now an item.

This is a really solid episode with a pretty decent villain. The guy is a total whack job, with funny ideas about how to repay someone for saving his life, but his power is pretty cool and I love that they explore the idea that Clark saving someone might not always be the best thing for the world. Chloe's speech to him about not getting to decide who lives or dies, "save lives, ask questions later", is precisely the kind of thinking that is fit for a superhero.

Chloe is great in this episode actually and I really feel for her when Clark rather thoughtlessly tells her that she doesn't know what it's like to see the one you love in the arms of someone who was once your best friend. The fact that she doesn't call him out on it but, instead, decides to be a friend to him, says so much about her character and it's the reason I love her so much. She's more loyal to Clark than he even realizes and sometimes Clark can be a real idiot.

I can still sympathize with Clark, however, in the moment where Lex is getting all the credit for saving Lana, when it was actually Clark who saved them both. It would take an awful lot to stop me from stepping forward with an "Um, actually..." turn of phrase. You are a bigger man than I am Mr Kent, let's just say that.

There is a subplot in this episode where Lois goes on a date with the Chameleon. It feels a bit reminiscent of the subplot she had with Aquaman and seems like something of a waste for Lois' character. I'm sure they could give her more to do than that. But it does allow for a nice heart to heart between Lois and Martha towards the end as Lois struggles with the possibility that she might miss the right guy because she's too busy looking at all the wrong ones. Hardly a Bechdel test qualifier but a nice moment nonetheless.

A small gripe I also have is with the Chameleon burying Clark in the shallowest grave I've ever seen. This seems pretty dumb for someone who is a professional hitman. Other than that it's a decent episode.

8/10

Episode 5.19: Mercy

A man in a mask kidnaps Lionel Luthor and puts him through a series of trials designed to either kill him or make him learn something about himself. But things get more personal for Lionel once Martha becomes part of the masked man's games. When it comes to a choice between killing Martha to save himself, or allowing himself to die, he decides to take a bullet. As it turns out, the gun he is given ends up not being loaded, but that doesn't stop the masked man from trying to kill them anyway, forcing Clark to exhibit his powers in front of Lionel in order to save his mother. Lex, who helped Clark in finding them, hears his father on a video telling Martha that he knows Clark is a special boy, igniting his suspicions about his former friend once more. In the final scene, Clark warns Lionel in no uncertain terms to stay away from his mum, but once he leaves Lionel begins to receive messages again that he then scribbles onto a piece of paper.

So this episode blatantly riffs on the Saw movies, there's no two ways about it, yet it is far better than anything from that franchise. The traps are of course a lot more toned down but, given I'm not into the whole torture porn thing anyway, that's really not a bad thing. Given that we know these characters so well I am far more invested in what is happening here than anything that Jigsaw put people through.

My only real negatives are that, 1. You know right away who the killer is going to be because the actor playing him is too recognizable from other shows to just be playing a bodyguard that randomly pops up in the first act, and 2. It takes Lionel far too long, for a man of his intelligence, to realize that one of the games is just about rearranging letters. If not for these minor quibbles this episode would be perfect.

I love how Clark reaches the most obvious conclusion, that Lionel set all of this up himself to gain Martha's trust, even though the episode, while never giving us a definitive answer on that one, certainly presents Lionel as having nothing to do with this scheme.

There are a few really great character moments. At one point Lex tries to extend an olive branch to Clark, hoping they might patch things up at some point, but Clark just remains silent, which kind of says all that it needs to. There is not an ounce of trust for Lex left in Clark. But this rejection cuts much deeper, once Lex asks Lionel what he meant when he referred to Clark as a "special boy", with Lionel telling him that, "Clark is the kind of son that a father can be proud of". Ouch! That's gotta sting!

I love when Clark threatens Lionel as well. He seems to be channeling more than a little of Jonathan Kent here as he gets super protective of Martha. And he looks like he really means it. It's one of those rare moments where Clark seems truly threatening.

9/10

Episode 5.18: Fragile

When a mute foster child, named Maddie, is made homeless after all the glass in the kitchen spontaneously blows up, killing her foster mum, she is taken in by Martha and Clark until the authorities can find a home for her. Maddie's foster mother was Martha's Chief of Staff. As Clark looks after her he manages to get Maddie to open up after realizing she can talk after all. But pretty soon after, both Lois and Clark discover that Maddie is able to control glass, so suspicion falls upon her for the death of her foster mother. But Clark is not convinced. With the help of Chloe he discovers that the person really responsible is Maddie's blood father, recently released from prison, determined to take his daughter away with him. In a final showdown Maddie exerts more power over the glass than her father but stops short of killing him thanks to the wise counsel of Clark. Meanwhile, Lana and Lex grow closer, and Chloe regrets trying to get between them.

This is the first episode to be directed by Tom Welling and I must say that he does a pretty good job of it. He gets a really good performance out of the child actor who plays Maddie. I wouldn't say that this was one of the best written episodes but in less capable hands it could have been terrible. Welling makes sure to focus on the chemistry and the relationship between Clark and Maddie. As a result I ended up caring about this little girl despite being able to see where the story was heading from a mile off.

Callum Keith Rennie is given the thankless task of playing the nasty father, but he is a very reliable actor and is therefore able to bring enough to the role to make it seem less one-note, which is probably one of the reasons he seems to appear on every show that's ever shot in Canada.

I love Lois in this episode. She could give lessons to a bull on how to charge around in a china shop. She has absolutely no tact whatsoever and it's ammusing to think that she might actually one day be the mother of Clark's children.

I'm surprised by how well Lana is being handled this season. I mean, sure, I didn't particularly enjoy what they did with her in the previous episode but, so far, her character arc and purpose has been much better in this season than it ever has previously. Tying her arc to Lex makes her feel much more integral than usual. I know a lot of people are not sold on the romance between the two but I really don't mind it. It makes sense to me that these two people who have been broken, as a result of knowing Clark, would somehow find their way into each other's arms. It's certainly not a healthy relationship prospect but I understand it.

I love how Chloe just walks into the Luthor mansion. I'm going to assume that Lex has already told security over the radio to let her through, as I assume he must do with Clark every time he bursts in to cast accusations. Chloe of course comes to tell Lex not to get any ideas with Lana. She is trying to protect her friend but she is going about it in the wrong way and she pays for that mistake. Lex comes back at her with a tongue of fire and makes her regret her entrance. Seeing the smile on his face and the glint in his eye as he spits venom is such a far cry from the man who once helped Chloe to fake her death in order to keep her safe from Lionel.

A really solid episode with some surprising direction from its main star.

8/10

Episode 5.17: Void

Lana becomes a junkie for death and resurrection as she continually undergoes a dangerous procedure that allows her to see her parents on the other side. But when Lex and Clark try to help her they both end up being subjected to the same procedure. When Lex dies he sees his mother, who tells him he'd be better staying dead, otherwise he'll be responsible for murder on a mass scale. When Clark dies he sees his father, who tells him that Lionel knows his secret. Clark also tracks Fine in Honduras but, by the time he gets there, Fine is gone and so is the ship. Meanwhile, Lionel continues to smooth talk his way into Martha's life, accompanying her to a govenors ball despite her telling him they will never be more than just friends.

Right from the opening scene of this episode I'm just like, "Uggghh!" It paints Lana as incredibly weak, that she would turn into a junkie so soon after Clark's mistreatment of her, and it undoes so much of the great work they've done with her character this season. That is something I cannot often say. While she has been weaving in and out of the bigger plotlines with Clark and Lex she has been given some pretty decent stuff to do. But once we get a Lana-centric episode, such as Thirst and now this one, it always seems to go down the toilet.

Lana has been many things over the course of this series but, even at her most unlikeable, she's always struck me more as a fighter than as someone who retreats into addiction. Whether it's not letting the death of her parents stop her from succeeding at school, learning self defence to take care of a man who knocked her down, or her ability to keep on moving forward in the face of an alien threat, she's always had a quiet inner strength that just makes this whole episode seem to come from a place of disengenuousness.

The female med student who is helping to put Lana under is also addicted to the same procedure but, as she is further along in the addiction she looks like an absolute mess. It's not even the least bit subtle. It seriously begs the question, how in the hell is she still attending college without raising serious questions with the faculty? One look at this girl just screams "junkie!" Surely there would have been some kind of intervention at this point!

I like that Martha tells Lionel very directly here that the two of them will never be more than just friends. I feel like it should have come sooner but I'm glad she is now at least attempting to lay that position down on the table.

I love Lex's facial expression when Lana tells him what she's been doing. The moment she tells him that she saw her parents he gives a look that tells us he believes her. And he believes her because he has literally gone through a very similar experience in the episode, 'Lexmas', not so long ago. I feel like, when Lana mentions seeing her parents, it takes Lex right back to everything he experienced with his own mother when he momentarily died.

Of course, we do get a more direct callback to that specific episode, when Lex sees his mother once more after being injected with the serum. Her crushing disappointment in the choices he has made, ignoring all of her prior warnings, is a tough deal for Lex. Nobody wants to feel their parents disapproval, especially when it comes with a further warning that you are on the path to killing many people. As usual Rosenbaum sells the moment.

Lance's death is needlessly over the top. In fact, it's needless to have him killed at all. Why write a scene like that when you could so easily just have Lana knock him out then let him get arrested by the police? Instead, they make it much messier by having Lana be responsible for manslaughter, a fact that will never be addressed at any point. It wouldn't be necessary to address it if they just had the guy arrested. It's stupid!

It's nice that Clark gets to see Jonathan again. I like that he gets to say he's sorry for the choice he made in Reckoning. But I like Jonathan's response even more, as he tells Clark he's nothing to be sorry about and that he can do life without him. It's like a final passing of the torch from father to son. But it also keys Clark in to Lionel's involvement in his father's death. The shot of Lionel as he says goodnight to Clark, before leaving with Martha, is filled with a palpable tension that paints Lionel as a possible threat, like a cobra poised to strike at any time. I love how you never know from one episode to the next which side Lionel is playing for. It makes him one of the most consistently interesting characters to watch.

Clark dies after being injected but then he comes back. We are later told by Chloe that, "Apparently dying neutralizes the kryptonite in your system". What. The. Heck!!! I hate this! So, with one line of dialogue the writers have pretty neutralized any threat that kryptonite has towards Clark in the future. It makes no sense at all. 

With all of this stuff going on, as with the previous episode, the stuff concerning Fine in Honduras sort of feels like background noise, though it does seem to be heading somewhere. It's just hard to make it stick in the memory when it isn't part of the A-plot.

The most tragic part of the episode is when Lex tells Lana that his mother told him she was, "very proud of the man I'm becoming", not because he is lying to Lana, but that, with these words, he has all but pushed aside the memory of the woman who had always seemed to be the most important person in his life up until recently.

I like that the final moments of the episode plays without music. It makes it so much more effective in creating distance between Lana and Clark, rather than going the more obvious route of having some soppy emo ballad playing over the top of it.

For the most part this is a very good episode. But junkie Lana and a few other stupid creative decisions really drag it down. A few tweaks here and there and this genuinely could have been a truly classic episode.

7/10

Episode 5.16: Hypnotic

Lex blackmails a woman named Simone to drive a wedge between Clark and Lana. Simone has a special neclace that allows her to hypnotize people into doing whatever she wants. She makes Clark get down and dirty with her so that Lana finds them together. Meanwhile, Lex tracks Fine to Honduras, where he's been gathering blood samples from plague victims. But what is Fine really up to?

The attack on the two hazmat guys by Braniac at the beginning is pretty brutal. I don't know what's worse, getting a T1000 pointy finger through the head or being plunged face first into a rotting, diseased corpse. Either way, you've got to feel sorry for these guys!

A lot of the stuff with Fine in this episode isn't quite as interesting as it usually is, despite some good interactions between Fine and Lex. This is mostly because we are not given any answers to anything that Fine is doing. We are just faced with more questions by the end of it all.

I find it quite amusing that Lana drives the whole way to her dorm room in Metropolis, before Clark calls her to tell her he needs to talk, then instantly turns and heads back to Smallville. She probably doesn't get given enough credit for how understanding she is. Any normal person would have at least said, "Can't you just tell me over the phone?" Or maybe something like, "Can it wait til tomorrow?" But not Lana. That's commitment right there!

I do feel for her in this episode though. The bit where she walks in on Clark and Simone is harsh! How she might ever forgive him for that one is beyond belief. Obviously, we know he's under the influence, but she doesn't. So in that moment, purely from Lana's perspective, Clark has become a truly hateful scumbag. Someone who acts virtuous to the whole world but who in fact lies, cheats, and treats people like dirt. Like I said, it's harsh, but it makes Simone a truly vindictive villain.

But, of course, the real villain of the story is Lex, the man blackmailing Simone to make her do what she is doing. I almost get tired of saying that Rosenbaum is excellent but, what else can I say, it's just fact! I particularly like his exchange with Simone, via video monitor, as he acknowledges how stunningly gorgeous she is whilst having the good sense to keep her at a distance. In true Luthor fashion he deviously moves people round like pieces on a chessboard. He's a master manipulator.

The scene where Clark knocks Lois out is pure gold and not just because he does it by tapping her lightly on the head with his finger. But Lois telling him, "I'm gonna have to take you down", as well as Martha happily waving goodbye to Clark and Simone as they leave for California, are both absolutely priceless moments. I also love Welling's performance in this scene. You can see his thought processes as he thinks about having to kill Lex. A smile dawns on his face and, with conviction, he promises Simone that, "he's a dead man". A great scene from top to bottom.

I have got to say though, I'm shocked by the rather blaisè attitude Lois and Chloe have to Martha being knocked unconscious by a blow to the head from a rolling pin. I mean, sure, Chloe has an initial reaction of shock that she "just knocked out Martha Kent", but it's mostly played for laughs and then the two of them just casually go about their business. A blow to the head like that could potentially kill someone so I'd have much preferred it if Chloe had have just distracted Martha so that Lois could wrestle the gun from her. As it is it seems a bit excessive.

I kind of wish they hadn't killed Simone as well. She would have been a cool character to bring back at a later date and the way she gets taken out stretches credibility a bit. The chances that a wild swing of a gun and an accidental shot would just so happen to hit her right through her necklace has to be a million to one. It's the most convenient way that things could possibly be wrapped up.

Clark is an idiot! He tells Lana at the end that he doesn't love her. He does this because he thinks it's the best thing for her if the two of them are not together. I watch that scene and all I can think is, "You idiot!" But it does lead to a great conversation between Clark and Martha, in which Martha suggests that Clark broke it off with Lana because, deep down, he knows she isn't "the one". This would be the absolute perfect ending to these two as a couple. They should never get back together after this. Unfortunately, I've seen this show many times, so I know what's coming. But, for me, this was the episode where there should have been no going back.

9/10

Episode 5.15: Cyborg

Victor Stone is woken up in a lab in restraints by a doctor. But the doctor releases him and helps him to escape from the lab. During his escape he runs out onto the road where he is hit by Lana's car. However, he walks away without a scratch, but then takes Lana to the emergency room before making a run for it. Lana calls Clark. She tells him what happened and he finds Victor, still in the hospital, just about to leave after having stolen some clothes. They have a scuffle and, realizing he has powers, Clark takes Victor back home to the farm for a chat. Chloe discovers that the company experimenting on Victor is owned by Luthorcorp. But does Lex have any idea what's been going on?

I love that Victor is freed by a scientist with a conscience. We see a lot of scientists on this show, such as Doctor Krieg in this very episode, who are willing to go to any lengths in the name of their work so it's always nice when you get one who is willing to do the right thing.

I suppose one could put her vulnerability down to Jonathan being gone, but I feel Martha plays into Lionel's hands far too easily with the blackmail scheme. Her willingness to trust him without question makes her seem weak compared to the Martha we've seen in the past. She knows all too well just how devious he can be at times.

Despite Lionel's deception his intentions seem to be to get Martha to trust him, not because he wants to betray her, but because he genuinely wants to help protect Clark's secret. Even when Lionel wants to do good he cannot help going about it in a dishonest way. He has spent so much of his life lying and cheating that it is simply second nature for him. He doesn't know how to trust people and risk being hurt so instead manipulates them to remain in control.

Clark, on the other hand, doesn't trust Lana with the truth for fear that she is the one who will get hurt. Let's not forget that when he did tell her his secret in Reckoning it ended up leading to her death. So I think his holding it back now is an indication of a genuine fear that she will get hurt, rather than the fear he once had that it would change how she feels about him.

These previous fears that Clark once had are now the burden that Victor Stone is faced with as he tries to decide whether or not to tell his girlfriend that he is still alive. It is this aspect of the character that allows Clark to relate to Victor and bond with him. It also makes Victor a much more interesting character than the previous future member of the Justice League, Arthur Curry, that made an appearance earlier in the season. Young performs the role well and it makes me sad to hear the tragedy of what happened to the talented actor.

Rosenbaum is typically great as Lex, lying to Clark about being involved. He is most certainly not on the side of the angels here, no matter how much he tries to justify to Clark what he is doing to Victor. It's one of those rare instances where Clark easily has the moral high ground when he goes barging in to the Luthor mansion without the aid of pleasantries.

9/10

Episode 5.14: Tomb

Chloe is taking a shower at The Talon when she sees the ghostly apparition of a young woman. When Lois comes in she finds Chloe with her wrists cut. Chloe is admitted into psychiatric care but she denies trying to commit suicide. Lana goes to see Lex because she knows that he received help at Belle Reve. Clark isn't too happy about that so he breaks Chloe out of the hospital. He takes her back to The Talon where she experiences another vision of the young woman, which leads them to finding her body in the wall. When Chloe touches the kryptonite laced bracelet on the body, the spirit of the dead woman enters into her and goes on a hunt for the killer, an orderly from the hospital who ends up kidnapping Lois.

The visions that Chloe sees of the dead woman are actually quite creepy and this episode makes for a pretty effective little thriller. But there are some moments where characters make fairly poor choices, whether it's Lois turning her back to the door that the creepy-ass man has just gone through, or a possessed Chloe going all the way back to her dorm room to get a weapon when she could have just gone downstairs and got one from The Talon kitchen.

I love that Clark protects Chloe in this episode, breaking her out of hospital, and that he puts his trust in her when all the evidence points to her actually being crazy. He knows that there his a history of mental illness in her family but he keeps it secret when the doctors ask, knowing that Chloe would not want that information getting out. It's just nice to know that he can return the favour when it comes to keeping secrets.

There is a moment near the end, between Lana and Clark, where Lana tells him that she can't talk to him any more. But then she throws in this line, "I guess we all have secrets", which seems to come out of nowhere. It just didn't seem very pertinent to that particular conversation. It's like they have to have her moaning about "secrets" at some point during the episode, even if it is shoehorned into the conversation. I think the reason it seems so out of place is because it comes on the back of a moment where she is actually being very honest about the way she was feeling. She wasn't being secretive and Clark wasn't making any accusations that would warrant that response.

The final scene sees Chloe going to see her mother in a mental institution after Clark convinces her to do so. It's a touching moment that Alison Mack really sells in her performance. She's fantastic throughout this whole episode in fact. Fear of mental illness has been something that  has been explore before with the character and it's nice to see them readdress it here. It gives a lot more depth to Chloe's character, especially to see her confront those fears in those final moments.

8/10

Smallville 5.13: Vengeance

Before Martha goes to drop some of Jonathan's old clothes off at a shelter in Metropolis, she tries to give his old watch to Clark, but he refuses to take it. Once in Metropolis Martha is mugged by two thugs. The thugs are run off by a masked vigilante, whom Chloe later names the "Angel of Vengeance", but not before they take Jonathan's watch. Racked with guilt, Clark goes on the hunt for the thugs, but must first track down the vigilante to help him find them. Meanwhile, Lionel begins to move back into Luther Corp tower, under the complete confidence that, due to some wheeling and dealing as well as the fallout from Lex's costly bid for the senate seat, he will be voted back in as CEO. But Lex threatens to expose the truth about him visiting Jonathan just moments before he died, forcing him to vacate the building and give up his previous expectations of returning.

The scene with Lex threatening Lionel is pure brilliance, with Rosenbaum on top form, giving us a great look at Lex as master manipulator. His delivery of the line, "Hope you enjoyed your short stay", is just perfect.

There are a few moments in this episode that are incredibly moving. The final moments of Clark and Martha holding each other while a video of Jonathan plays in the background literally brought a tear to my eye and got me all choked up. Welling is great in this scene and it really does play, not just as a farewell to Jonathan, but to Schneider as well.

The scene where Lana returns the watch to Clark, having "searched every pawn shop in Metropolis" for it, was also very touching. I really liked Lana in this moment to be honest.

The Angel of Vengeance does take more than a few cues from Batman, not least of which is a piece of the Batman movie score, that plays over the top of one particular scene with her. But it also makes me wish they'd have just used an actual Batman character like Huntress. The actress who plays her is fine in the role but it feels like she spends a lot of time trying to cover up an accent. It would have been nice if they had have worked it into the character in some way.

While this is an episode all about the difference between justice and vengeance, giving way to a lot of heavy emotions in regard to loved ones lost, there are still some moments of humour to keep things light. The scene where Clark pretends to mug Chloe, in order to get the Angel of Vengeance to show up, is hilarious. Chloe's facial expressions as she reluctantly tries to keep it going are particularly amusing.

A great episode that is better than I remembered it being.

9/10

Episode 5.12: Reckoning

When Clark decides to tell Lana his secret, as well as asking her to marry him, it leads to a series of events that end in the tragic death of his true love. Pleading with Jor-El to do something about it, Jor-El gives him a one-time deal to turn back time, but warns that the universe has a way of balancing things out. Not heeding the warning, Clark turns back time, deciding not to tell Lana his secret after all and saving her from her previous fate. But when Lionel comes calling on Jonathan after his election victory over Lex, it sends Jonathan into a rage, causing him to have another heart attack. This time, it's fatal, with nothing that Clark can do about it.

Reckoning is such a good episode! Where do I start? It's so dense they probably could have made it into a two-parter. That being said, it certainly doesn't feel overstuffed, but there is definitely a lot going on. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster!

Obviously this episode is primarily known for being the one where we lose Jonathan. That particular moment is so well handled. I love how there are no final words from Mr Kent. He just takes one final look at Martha, one final look at Clark, then dies. It has so much more power behind it than any last word speeches that would normally play out a character's final moments in a typical scene like this. Some great acting from John Schneider.

In fact, the whole cast is on their A game throughout, whether it's Lex drowning his sorrows over his defeat, Chloe reacting to Clark having told Lana his secret, Lana's own reaction to finding out the truth, Lionel getting up to his old tricks, or Clark and Martha consoling each other before the funeral. Every actor just shines to the point where it's impossible to say who gives the best performance.

One of the main strengths of the show, which has always set it apart from anything else on television, is the amazing relationship that Clark has with his parents. It's really the moral core of the show that has kept its heart beating. You rarely see relationships like this on TV between parents and their kids, where they trust each other and are so open and respectful towards each other. So Jonathan's death makes such an impact that it's hard to see where Clark might go from here.

What makes matters worse for Clark is the fact that he now knows that Lana would have been fine with learning his secret and that she would have said yes to marrying him. So not only does he have to give that up but cope with losing his father too. He now has to mourn the loss of both, which is really tragic.

There is one moment at the start of the episode which just felt ridiculously silly to me. It's where Clark crushes a rock into a perfectly shaped diamond for Lana. I know this is a cheeky nod to something that has been seen in the comic books but sometimes certain things should remain on the page and not be brought to the screen. It's such a fleeting moment that it cannot stop this episode from being pretty much perfect in every other aspect. Quite possibly the best episode of the entire show up to this point.

10/10

Episode 5.11: Lockdown

Two former police officers bust into the Luthor mansion and demand to know where Lex is hiding the alien ship. But Lex jumps into a panic room. Clark and Lana are still having trouble because Clark keeps pulling away. They have an argument in which Clark learns that she has been working with Lex on the ship. She storms off and rings Chloe, to complain about him, before being pulled over by the female officer who had broken into the Luthor mansion. The officer takes her back to the mansion and puts a gun to her head to force Lex out of the panic room. Lex manages to get Lana into the panic room with him but is shot in the process. The sheriff finds Lana's abandoned car. At the same time she recieves a call about an alarm at the Luthor mansion. When she goes to the mansion she is shot and killed. Lana takes the two officers to where the ship used to be in order to lead them away from Lex. When they get there they get into a fight, accidentally arming the bomb they had brought, but Clark manages to get there in time to save Lana thanks to some help from Chloe.

The villains in this episode are totally relatable. You can definitely understand why they have been brought to this place and, while never condoning their methods, I sympathize with their reasoning. These are two people whose lives have been destroyed, and who have been made out to be total whack jobs, all because Lex and Lana have not come clean about the truth. The male officer saw all of his friends on the force get taken out by the two kryptonians that came out of the ship. I love that the female officer is his fiance. You could easily tell this story just from their side of things and make them into the protagonists, heroes in their own right, who love each other enough to make you root for them.

I like that Lana has a good go with these guys at the end. It's always better when she isn't merely the damsel in distress. Since the season 2 episode, 'Precipice', she's always been a bit more willing to get stuck in, often prooving herself to be quite the badass. But they make the right move here in having the former police officers overpower her given these are two trained individuals.

Jonathan learns that Martha took money from Lionel and does everything in his power to pay it back, selling some of his land that's been in the family for generations. Normally I would talk about how stubborn he is being but I'm on his side this time around. He's right to not want to be in someone's pocket, especially if he is to hold political office, and it was wrong of Martha to keep something like that from him even if she had the best intentions.

There is a moment in this episode where Clark is talking to Chloe about stuff and he asks her to spy on Lana. I love that she says "no". It just makes me respect her character all the more. Yes, she loves Clark and is totally faithful towards him. But she is not willing to do things for him that cross the line, especially when they are against other people she calls friends. And given how much resentment she could have towards Lana for being the object of Clark's affection, I think she shows a great level of maturity here, instead choosing loyalty towards Lana.

There is actually another moment when Clark is talking to Chloe about Lana and he talks about how much he loves her and how it's something Chloe won't be able to understand. You can literally see how this cuts like a knife through Chloe's heart. But, again, she has the moral fibre to not let any negative emotions get the best of her in that moment. It's beautifully played by Alison Mack.

In the final moments of the episode we can see that it's crunch time for Clark. If he doesn't tell Lana soon then he might lose her forever. Lana getting close to Lex is the thing that is now pushing Clark towards doing something. But if Lex wasn't in the picture then Clark would probably carry on coasting along without telling Lana the truth. So the fact that he is being pushed into telling her, rather than choosing to tell her without any pressure, is quite revealing. It tells us that she isn't 'the one', otherwise he wouldn't need to be pushed into it.

A great episode.

10/10

Episode 5.10: Fanatic

Jonathan Kent is at a political rally where it appears as though Lois Lane is about to assassinate him from the rafters with a rifle. The man that Lex hired in 'Lexmas', to dig up dirt on Jonathan, is killed by Lionel who takes said 'dirt' from him and destroys it. He then offers Martha money to pay for Jonathan's campaign. At first she does not take it but, later has a change of heart, telling Lois to keep it quiet. Lex has a young woman working for him who turns out to be the 'fanatic' of the title, stopping at nothing to help Lex win the senate race, even if it means forcing Lois to pull the trigger on Jonathan. Meanwhile, Clark is pulling away from Lana because he fears that if they get physical, he could end up hurting her.

I'm not a fan of opening an episode with a scene that we then spend the rest of the episode building up to. I've said this before, but if it is going to be done, the rest of the episode needs to keep you guessing how that scene is going to play out. Fanatic does manage to do that but only because they don't show you what is really going on. Once we get to the gun being fired we find that it wasn't Lois who pulled the trigger after all. This kind of feels like they cheated. Even so, it's better than, say, 'Spirit', where there was absolutely no suspense from showing what was to come, because as soon as the freak of the week was revealed you knew exactly how it was going to get there.

When Clark is being grilled by Lana and he somehow manages to make it all about her and her newfound obsession with the meteor shower, I like that she calls him out on it, as he is in fact being a bit douchey here. As annoying as Lana can be, it's mostly because of Clark, as she is merely reacting to his secretive and sketchy behaviour. So, while she can often come off as whiney, it's quite understandable that she has something to whine about. She does come back to him at the end and tell him that he wasn't entirely wrong. She knows a ship came down in the first meteor shower and, given her previous experience with the occupants of the ship from the last meteor shower, this will only serve to fuel Clark's fears of how she might react to finding out he's an alien.

Annie Burgstede, who plays fanatic Samantha Drake, really oversells it in her performance I think. It's like she took every class in psycho 101. I guess it's partly the way it is written but I feel like a better actor could have brought more nuance to the role. There is one nice touch, which truly shows how deranged this woman is, where Lex spots her 'Lex' neclace and she tells him that she used to wear a cross. You can't really put someone on a higher pedestal than that now can you!

I like when Lois steps up to the plate and calls out Jonathan's campaign manager for not really getting who the Kent's are. This does result in her becoming Jonathan's new campaign manager. It's a nice scene because it shows the impact that Jonathan and Martha have on everyone they interact with besides Clark.

There is a bit of a contradiction in Lex's behaviour here as he states that he never would have condoned Samantha's behaviour after she has Jonathan beaten up. Yet, in the previous episode, we saw that he had committed to the decision to dig up dirt on Mr Kent in order to push him out of the race. Make your mind up Lex! You are either a hero or you are the villain of the story!

8/10

Episode 5.9: Lexmas

Lex speaks to someone about pushing Jonathan Kent out of the senator race through nefarious means. He decides he needs more time to think about it. But he is then shot by two street thugs. In his coma he dreams of a different life with Lana, having a family with her and spending Christmas with Clark, after separating himself from his father and the Luthor fortune. But when Lana falls ill he is forced to beg Lionel to help her. When Lionel says "no", Lex must watch her die. Back in the real world, Lionel has "the best specialists in Metropolis" perform a risky procedure on Lex to save his life. The procedure works but, when Lex awakens, he is angry with Lionel for gambling with his life. He also decides to push Jonathan out of the race, now believing that the only way to prevent the harsh realities of life is to have the money and the power to stop them from happening.

I like the element of the story which sets Lex onto the path of seeking money and power. It comes from a place of love, but it is love as seen through a fractured mirror, broken and twisted. It's heartbreaking to see Lex and Clark being such good friends again, in Lex's dream state, because it highlights the fact that deep down that's all that Lex wants. It's bittersweet because you know this will never be.

Typically, Rosenbaum gives an excellent performance as Lex, showing a warmer side to him than usual. But the episode does err a little bit too much on the sentimental side of things.

There are two scenes between Lex and Lionel, which are the standout moments of the episode, as is often the case when you get these two on screen together. The first one takes place in the dream, where Lex asks for help to save Lana. Lionel looks like a full-on Ebeneezer Scrooge by this point, all alone in his ivory tower, with only his wealth to keep him company. The second is when Lex chastises Lionel for playing God with him. Lex looks fit to spit bile here.

In the dream world there is a moment where Jonathan tells Lex that  he is proud of him. It's sad to think about how much Lex craves this from someone else's father because he has pretty much given up on the chance that he might ever hear it from his own.

It's a good episode in the sense that it does show us that death is a part of life and, without it, you cannot truly appreciate how much you love those around you.

There is a subplot that takes place in the real world, where Clark helps Chloe to deliver a load of presents to underprivileged kids, then ends up running into Santa. It's really hokey and super cheesy. But it's too much of a stretch, and very hard to swallow, even for Smallville. It's also very flimsily plotted and feels like padding. Clark stops Santa from jumping off a roof by telling him he's delivering presents to kids. Santa has a change of heart and decides not to jump. But it's all just really wooden in the way that it unfolds. It does offer one funny moment where Clark takes the milk and cookies though.

7/10

Episode 5.8: Solitude

Martha is hit by a light from the sky before contracting a strange virus. Clark fears that it is Jor El coming to collect on his promise to take someone close to him. Milton Fine confirms Clark's suspicion, telling him the only way to stop Jor El is to sever his connection to earth, which is the fortress of solitude. Meanwhile, Chloe sees Fine exiting the space craft in liquid form after trying to help Lois dig up some dirt on Lex. Lois wants to bring Lex down after getting into a thing with him at the Talon. Chloe transports herself to the fortress in time to help Clark defeat Fine and stop him from unleashing Zod onto the Earth. When Fine is killed, his spaceship suddenly disappears, leaving Lex frustrated and adamant that Lionel had something to do with it.

My biggest frustration with this episode, that prevents it from getting a perfect score, is Lois' attitude towards Lex. Her only previous interaction with him, from what I can remember, is when he helped get her sister Lucy out of a tight spot. Add to that the fact that it was Lex who helped save Chloe from Lionel at the end of season 3. So, by rights, she has no reason to be so against him beyond the heresay of others. This kind of makes me lose a little respect for her. I could totally buy her being cautious of him given what she may have heard from others. But to go so fully on the offensive against him just feels like a plot device to further Chloe's investigation into Fine, which is totally unnecessary given that she had been following him anyway. They could have had Chloe witness Fine's T1000 schtick without the need for the extra baggage. And the scene where Lois distracts a Luthorcorp security guard is so hokey anyway that they could have afforded to lose that whole Lois subplot, which is something I never thought I'd hear myself saying.

Other than that I love everything else that is going on in this episode. Fine reveals his true motives, something I was always surprised that he did so soon. I'd have expected them to try and drag this out for most of the season. I'm glad they don't. But Fine has still been a very formidable villain. However, it would have been nice to finally be given his true identity in this one, as Braniac, but unfortunately we have to wait a bit longer for that revelation, despite everything we know about him already pointing to it. Either way, the character is a master manipulator, playing on Clark's fears and using them against him.

I love the way Lex grabs his father's head at the end before walking away. No words necessary. Just a look that could kill. Lex also cracks me up when he calls Lois a "muffin peddler". She kinda had it coming.

The final showdown between Clark and Fine is pretty cool, with Chloe once again proving to be Clark's greatest ally.

But the real sting in the tale of this one is the ominous final shot of Jonathan smiling at Clark as the two of them discuss whether or not Jor El will really follow through on his promise. Watching this moment with hindsight, knowing that Reckoning is just a few epidodes away, is a real punch to the gut.

9/10

Episode 5.7: Splinter.

Lana receives a piece of silver kryptonite in the mail supposedly from Lex. But when Clark touches it, the rock cuts him, leaving a splinter inside his finger. From that point on Clark begins to experience extreme paranoia. He thinks Chloe is divulging his secrets to Lionel, his dad is going to sell him out to Luthor senior, and Lana is cheating on him with Lex. Eventually, as the situation escalates and Clark becomes violent, Milton Fine reveals himself to be a kryptonian and "cures" Clark by removing the splinter. But the closing moments reveal that it never was silver kryptonite and it wasn't Lex who sent it. It was Fine who sent the rock and the splinter that entered Clark was actually a piece of Fine himself. This was all a ploy to get Clark to trust him. Meanwhile, Lex shows Lana the space ship, which she then neglects to tell Clark. But did Lex allow Lana to see it for her piece of mind or because he is running out of ideas on how to open it?

This is a really great episode. When I originally watched this, back when it first aired, I missed the fact that the silver kryptonite was actually Fine himself, so the episode never made much sense to me, as Fine's plan hinged on Clark not only getting his hands on the rock, but coincidentally cutting himself on it as well. Obviously, knowing that the splinter is indeed Fine completely changes things, revealing him to be a truly devious little bugger and one of the more intriguing villains of the series, outside of the Luthors.

The various scenes of paranoia are really interesting to watch as they reveal deep rooted fears that Clark has; his best friend turning on him, his father not really thinking of him as his son, and the woman he loves going into the arms of the man he is slowly beginning to view as his enemy. Welling does a great job portraying a man dangerously close to tipping over the edge.

Chloe once again shows herself to be the most loyal of friends. When she tells Clark that she will die before revealing his secret I totally believe her.

Lex on the other hand, when he tells Lana that he just couldn't lie to her anymore, is about as convincing as the world's fattest man promising to give up Krispy Cremes. I think we've seen evidence in the past that Lex truly cares for Lana and he may even try to convince himself that this is still the case. But there is no conviction there any more. Only a desire to chase his obsession of learning all that he can about the ship.

One of the best scenes is when Lionel calls Lex out on why he is running for office. He needs to be seen as being a good man. He needs people to like him. But is that desire for recognition coming from a place of longing for people to see the good that is in him, or is it merely a cover that will protect him from being seen as the man he truly knows himself to be?

Great stuff!

10/10

Episode 5.6: Exposed

Lex decides to run for Senator, going up against the current Senator, who just so happens to be Jonathan's best friend. But when a photo turns up of the Senator in a nightclub, with a girl who is now dead, Jonathan instantly assumes that it is all part of some smear campaign from Lex. Coincidentally, Chloe and Lois are investigating the death of the woman after she called them on the night that she died. With Clark also on the case the three of them end up converging on the nightclub and only realize when Lois takes to the stage for an undercover pole dance "routine". When police raid the club, Lois ends up being taken by the killer, a diplomat that the police cannot touch due to his diplomatic immunity. But that doesn't stop Lois from kicking his ass, with a little help from Clark. The Senator drops out of the race, suggesting Jonathan run in his place, and Chloe gets her first bi-line at the Daily Planet.

For a man who is constantly painted as a person of the highest moral integrity, Jonathan certainly comes across as one heck of a sanctimonius douchebag in this episode. The scene where he full on railroads Lex for something he hasn't done, without a shred of proof, highlights just how judgemental he can be with his prejudice against the Luthors. It's definitely his biggest character flaw. An apology would have been quite appropriate too, given that Lex actually goes out of his way to help the Senator, almost as if he's trying to show Jonathan that he wants to win by playing fairly.

I was never really a fan of Dukes of Hazzard but I am old enough to remember that show and so I can really appreciate all the references and injokes about it. They were enough to put a smile on my face at any rate.

While I most definitely appreciate the stunning good looks of Erica Durance as much as the next guy (or gal for that matter), I can't help but feel that this particular season has really upped the ante when it comes to pushing the boundaries of sexuality on the show. For the third episode in a row we've been given some rather raunchy material to feast our eyes upon, with two out of those three featuring a bikini clad Lois. I will admit to being somewhat amused by the difficult situation Chloe puts Lois into, especially once Lois spots Clark in the audience, but I cannot help but think that this stuff wouldn't fly so well in a post #metoo world.

It's still great, as always, to see Lois kicking the crap out of the scumbag who tries to abduct her. And it's always refreshing to have a villain of the week who isn't a meteor freak, though still a freak nonetheless.

One more thing about this season that seems to have been ramped up a bit is the level of violence. The scene where the woman in the red dress is hit by the car is pretty brutal in its depiction and still has the power to shock. But I think you need to make this kind of impact when you are doing a story that deals with human trafficking. It is a very real-world problem when compared to the meteor freak style threats that our heroes usually have to deal with. I think the episode does a good job of showing that it is often people in power that allow such crimes to continue. You need look no further than the recent Jeffrey Epstein case to see just how accurate that is.

This is quite a dark episode but it is perfectly balanced with moments of humour to stop it from becoming too depressing. On the contrary, it ends up being highly entertaining.

9/10

Episode 5.5: Thirst

Lana joins a sorority at Met U in the hopes that it will put a roof over her head as she goes through college. The problem is that the sorority is made up of hot bimbo vampires who think she fits the bill. When they turn Lana, she starts acting wild and careless. Eventually, she bites Chloe. When Clark takes her to the hospital he discovers, thanks to Milton Fine, that the virus she's been struck with has something to do with a Luthorcorp project. When Clark bursts into the mansion to confront Lex about it, Lex is very upfront with what happened, providing the antidote. Clark uses it to cure Lana but not before she toasts the leader of the sorority, with the heat vision she acquires, after biting Clark.

Oh dear lord, what is this episode?!! Where do I start? After my criticisms of the previous episode's sleaziness, with regard to the flesh it had on show, this one decides to turn it way up to eleven. A sexed up Lana in a sexed up sorority house are just the tip of the iceberg in an episode that includes a lesbian vampire kiss and plenty of tight fighting pvc costumes. This definitely feels like a bunch of 14 year old boys broke into the writer's room and edited the script to include all their teenage fantasies. I feel quite embarrassed for Kristen Kreuk throughout the majority of it. She looks terribly uncomfortable, and not just because of the awkward looking fangs she has to wear, that make her talk with a lisp.

There are some unintentionally funny moments too. Not least of which the aforementioned moment of Clark bursting into the mansion on Lex. This happens so often now this it's practically a running joke. But I literally cracked up with laughter when it happened. Another moment that almost had me in stitches was when Lana first uses heat vision. When Clark first erupted fire from his eyes it was because the sight of his teacher made him horny. Then Lionel experienced the same thing when he swapped bodies with Clark in season 4's "Transference". It was a hug from Martha that got him all excited. When Lana first shoots fire from her eyes she is looking into a mirror at... herself??? I laughed out loud at this moment but I don't think it was intended. Either way, it doesn't say much for Lana's character.

Speaking of which, she is totally inconsistent in her behaviour throughout. One minute she's a changed woman who doesn't care about Clark anymore because the vampire inside her has taken control. The next minute she's having doubts and acting affectionately towards him like she does still have control. If it is indeed the latter then she's responsible for some very questionable behaviour that really highlights some major defects in her character.

I also don't like the way that Clark's attention lingers on one of the sorority girls, like a horny teenager, given that he's so devoted to Lana. Again, it comes across as sleazy and, more importantly, it cheapens the relationship between Clark and Lana and makes Lana's words to him later on feel unearned. The fact of the matter is that this episode really does do a disservice to both characters.

As for the sorority girls themselves? They are a bunch of stereotypical Mean Girls wannabees that are so over the top, without being ammusing, they just seriously irritate the crap out of me.

Once again, it is Lex who shines, particularly in his scenes with Milton Fine, as he goes to Fine's classroom to challenge the accusations he's been making about him to Clark. Rosenbaum is great in these scenes, as is James Marsters as Fine. Carrie Fisher is also great in her guest role as editor of the Daily Planet. I only wish there was more of this stuff instead of all the really annoying vampire stuff!

4/10

Episode 5.4: Aqua

Arthur Currie arrives in town and, after saving Lois from drowning, attempts to hit on her multiple times. What he doesn't tell her is that he has the power to breathe and move super fast under water and that he's in Smallville to sabotage a piece of experimental equipment, owned by Luthorcorp, that is destroying ocean wildlife. Clark is very suspicious of him after witnessing his powers. He also has a new teacher, in the shape of Milton Fine, a man who looks remarkably like the entity that crawled out of the alien ship that landed during the last meteor shower.

This episode is incredibly sleazy at times. We get multiple shots of Lois in her bikini getting soaking wet and looking like she belongs in an American Pie movie. The camera fixes its gaze in slow-mo for far too long for it to be referred to as anything but titillation. And just so the ladies aren't left out they do something very similar with Arthur.

In fact, there are times when it gets down right homoerotic. At one point Clark asks Arthur if he's okay, when he refreshes himself under a sprinkler, after Lex kept him out of the water for too long. His response? "Wet and ready bro!" It's a line worthy of a 70's Carry On movie.

Alan Ritchson, while perfectly adequate in the role of Arthur, doesn't exactly do anything here to make me think he was the best actor for the role. I feel like he was mainly cast for his physique, which is probably why they milk it for all it's worth, rather than his ability to emote. He's not terrible, like I say, just a little bland. I hear he has made a decent impression on the more recent Teen Titans show but, having not seen that, I only have his performance here to go on.

The subplot between Lois and Arthur doesn't really strike much of a chord with me. It's amusing for a little while, but it's a bit light weight and feels pointless by the time we reach the end, as nothing really comes of it.

The standout in this episode is Rosenbaum as Lex. The scene where he torments Arthur with the glass of water is brilliantly played and Lex's meglomaniacal side really comes out. I also love the scenes between him and Clark, where he tells Clark that, "the days of [him] barging in to offer sage advice are over!" Though, given their physical altercation in "Mortal", it's surprising he even agreed to let him into the mansion.

It's also surprising to see Clark defending Lex in the classroom when Milton Fine goes into a full on tirade about the evils of Clark's former friend. Clearly Clark hasn't totally given up on him yet, but his forgiving nature is one of his most admirable traits. However, he does quickly backslide on that after seeing the way Lex conducts business with Arthur, agreeing to help Fine write an expose on the Luthor Corp billionaire.

Overall, a fun episode that gives us the first serious live-action take on the man who will become Aquaman.

7/10

Episode 5.3: Hidden

Gabriel Duncan is a clever young man who breaks into a missile silo, kills the guards, and begins the countdown sequence for a nuclear strike on Smallville. He believes that he is doing the world a favour by ridding it of all the super powered meteor freaks that exist there. But when he calls Chloe, someone he cares for, to tell her to get out of town, it sets her on the path of investigation to find out what he's up to. Meanwhile, Clark and Lana wake up in bed, having slept together. Lana tries to sneak out of the house but is caught by Jonathan and Martha. When Chloe discovers what Gabriel is up to she tells Clark, so Clark sets a trap for him, using Chloe as bait. But the trap backfires and Clark is shot. When he dies in hospital, Lionel awakes from his catatonic state inhabited by Jor-El, and takes Clark back to the fortress. Once there Clark is resurrected, with Jor-El essentially telling him, "I told you so". With his powers returned to him, Clark stops the missile, but is once again faced with the dilemma of lying to Lana. Also, Lex discovers that another alien entity has been coming in and out of the ship.

Assuming for one moment that you can accept the ridiculousness of a teenager not only being able to break into such a lightly guarded missile silo, but being able to operate it as well, then this is a really great episode. Smallville always requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. Some episodes more than others. This is definitely one of those. But I think if you can get over that hurdle then there is much to love here.

The scene with Lana trying to sneak off is pretty amusing, but it does remind us that Clark still lives under his parents roof, so he needs to repect their wishes.

The climax where Clark rides a missile is brilliantly executed and the special effects hold up pretty well even now. It's one of those iconic action sequences that the series was so good at producing.

When Clark gets shot I love both his and Chloe's reaction to it. Clark is so used to just rocking up to troublesome situations knowing that he has his powers. He learns the hard way here that he can no longer do that. It's easy to be reckless when you are made of steel.

I like seeing episodes where the villain is not a meteor freak but has a vendetta against the meteor infected. It reminds me of the third season episode, "Extinction", with Van MacNulty. We're so used to seeing those infected by the meteor rock going insane that it's nice to acknowledge how that would affect the prejudices of people who have had to live with the fallout of that insanity.

My main gripe with the character of Gabriel is that, given we are five seasons in, you'd think we would have heard of this guy at some point before now given how much he seems to care for Chloe. This is one of those Smallville tropes that you kind of just have to accept and move on with. It's definitely not the first time it's happened and it certainly won't be the last. But it's still jarring everytime it occurs.

Once again, Jor-El comes off as a bit douchey but, rather annoyingly, you can't really argue with the fact that Clark has gone without his powers for just a couple of episodes before getting himself killed.

9/10

Episode 5.2: Mortal

As the citizens of Smallville pull together to rebuild after the meteor shower, Clark begins to settle into life as a regular Joe, feeling tired from a hard day's work and enjoying life with Lana. That is until three superpowered meteor freaks, recently escaped from Belle Reve, show up at the Kent farm looking for him. They've heard what he can do and now they want him to use his powers to break in to Level 3 and steal a serum that is vital to them. But as things spiral out of control a hostage situation ensues. Clark must use his wits alone to defeat the three men. When he does so, he learns that it was Lex who let them escape, hoping to learn Clark's secret by testing him. When Clark confronts him they come to blows, showing that their friendship is truly over. Meanwhile, Lionel stands where Lex once stood, in a straight jacket behind the two way mirror of a cell in Belle Reve.

I friggin' love this episode. Clark and Lana are properly together and, most importantly, seem to be very happy together. Makes a change from the usual pining and melancholy that comes from one or the other as a result of them not being able to be together.

I love episodes based around hostage situations, whether it's season 2's Insurgence, or episodes from other TV shows altogether, such as The X Files episode, 'Duane Barry'. They have become a staple of movies and television when it comes to creating tension and drama and they usually work pretty well. Maybe it's because they are mostly tied to one location that can get quite claustrophobic once you have opposing agendas going head to head. And there is often a sense of empathy that can be produced in relation towards the hostage takers. Even here, where the villains remain utter douchebags right up to the end, you can still empathize with their predicament of needing medication that they are not being provided.

The standout scene though has to be the moment where Clark has finally had it with Lex, after finding out he is responsible for freeing the three meteor freaks from Belle Reve, and the two of them exchange punches. This isn't like Onyx, or any other episode where one of the two men is not quite themselves. No, this is actual Clark and actual Lex trading blows, which makes it all the more electrifying and, ultimately, tragic. It's been a long time coming but, for now at any rate, the two former friends are absolutely enemies. Though as a side note I do have to say that, even without his powers, it's hard to imagine Lex being able to get back up again after taking two hits like that from Clark.

This episode does of course put Clark into the position of being able to show Lex, or Lana for that matter, that he is "just human" after all. You could say it is very convenient that Lex decided to set up this test for Clark at this particular time. But convenient or not it makes damn good television.

The sheriff, a character I've always liked, also makes an appearance here. She has a funny moment where Jonathan is desperately trying to get her to leave but, like Columbo, she keeps finding reasons to stay. I like that she acknowledges the wierdness of Smallville too because sometimes I wonder if the only people aware of it are Clark and friends.

Another part of this episode I really like is when Clark breaks into Luthor Corp with help from Chloe. When Chloe opens the boot of her car it makes for a rather amusing discovery that would make the Hardy Boys proud.

A truly great episode. 

10/10

Episode 5.1: Arrival

Clark throws the stone and moments later a large Kryptonian fortress bursts forth from the earth. When he enters Jor-El begins his training. But Clark stops him in order to save Chloe from freezing to death. Jor-El allows it but only on the condition that Clark return before sundown. Back in Smallville, two Kryptonians come out of the alien space craft and start tearing up the town, looking for Kal-El. Martha recovers in hospital thanks to help from Lois. Lex covers up the circumstances surrounding the death of Genevieve Teague and takes the alien space craft back to Luthercorp. When Clark confronts the two Kryptonians they try to trap him inside the phantom zone. But Clark turns the tables, trapping them instead, saving Lana from them in the process. He holds onto Lana as the sun goes down, quickly discovering that his powers are gone. As the episode closes, another lifeform comes out from the alien space craft.

This is a really fast paced episode with lots going on, as is customary for a season opener. But despite all the big action set pieces and crazy goings on, my favourite scene is the one in the Ukranian hospital where Chloe finally gets to talk to Clark about what she knows. I almost feel as relieved as she does, that he finally has someone to confide in, especially as that someone is her. I love the way she admires him for having all these abilities and constantly saving lives without ever asking for something in return. She, in effect, gets to be the voice of the audience watching the show.

Of all the stuff going on back in Smallville the most interesting or compelling thing to watch is the way in which Lex begins to spiral out of control. His obsession with finding out what's going on with Clark and the stones brings out his darkest side and it's troubling to see the ways he tries to manipulate Lana and push Chloe around in order to get the answers he seeks.

Having 2 Kryptonians show up promises a really great showdown in the final act. Unfortunately, the 2 aliens in question don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the box and so they rather foolishly turn their backs on Clark at the precise moment they should be delivering the deciding blow. This is a bit of an anticlamatic battle given the damage we've seen these two cause in the lead up to this moment. While this final battle ends up being unsatisfying it does give us an awesome callback to Superman the Movie in its depiction of the Phantom Zone prison that wisks away the two villains.

Add to that the Kryptonian symbol that Lionel scribbles furiously into the floor and it can mean only one thing: Zod is on the horizon, which is an enticing prospect.

Jor-El taking away Clark's powers has much more meaning to it upon a repeat viewing, knowing where the season is heading. It puts a heavy burden of responsibility onto Clark's shoulders. This isn't just one of those times where Clark loses his power only to get it back in the next episode. He will indeed get it back, but doing so will pay a price, and we all know what that price is in hindsight, which is what makes the events of this episode carry more weight second time around. Doesn't do much to make me think of Jor-El as anything less than a douche bag though.

A cracking start to the season.

9/10