Episode 6.3: Wither

A phantom zone escapee has designs on turning earth into her new garden of Eden. Can Clark stop this cosmic Poison Ivy before she kills Jimmy Olson? Also, Lex and Lana grow closer, while Lois meets Oliver Queen.

Jimmy really doesn't seem like Chloe's type, when you look at the kind of guys she's gone for in the past, not least of which Clark Kent. He's a bit too wet behind the ears. Their opening scene is mildly amusing but the two of them together just feels slightly off to me. Still, it sets up the main mystery of the episode, leading to the discovery of a body in a tree that looks absolutely brutal and gnarly, with the thick branches penetrating the upper torso. Grim!

The story Lex tells of how he found out about his mother's death is very sad indeed. But it's also very believable in the paparazzi world that we live in. Though I love how, when Lana says, "But they are right about the revolving door of women you've had in your life", Lex answers by telling her that, "I never asked any of them to move in with me". Err, I think you might be forgetting someone by the name of Helen Bryce there Lexie boy. Not to mention Victoria Hardwick and Desiree Atkins.

As first meetings go Lois' introduction to Oliver Queen is a classic. I love how Oliver doesn't bother to knock on the door again to let her know she's in error. He just lets it breathe and trots off, knowing that at some point Lois will have to come and speak to him with her tail tucked between her legs. It seems to be a habit of hers that she can never just be introduced to someone like a normal person.

Another laugh out loud moment for me is when Clark speeds off into the forest, leaving Chloe to walk. Her reaction itself is priceless enough but it's just the way Clark doesn't even think to take her with him. He's not always so bright.

Gloria from park services. All I can say is, if my local park rangers looked like that when I was a kid, I definitely would have taken more of an interest in nature preservation.

I love the scene in Lex's greenhouse. Some great lines from Rosenbaum. The verbal sparring that goes on now between the two men is just as entertaining as the moments of brotherly kinship that once existed between them.

The CGI on Gloria's attacking vines is bloody terrible. It doesn't even look passable for a season one episode. The practical effects of the vines on the body at the hospital are pretty good though. There's some nice production design going on there.

I can't see Oliver with no shirt on now without laughing, just because I know how riduculous it's going to get from here on out, with the number of times he ends up topless throughout the series. There's definitely a drinking game in there somewhere.

Wither features another cringey cameo from a 00's emo band who have to mime to one of their own songs. They've done this a few times on Smallville and I kinda wish they'd stop. Bands always look so uncomfortable when they are not in a real live setting, but instead have to try and manufacture the vibe they would normally have when playing live.

Could Oliver be any more obvious about his alter ego with his choice of fancy dress outfit. This will be one of many clues that will go on to make Lois look somewhat stupid a few episodes from now as she fails to see what's staring her right in the face.

Clark kills Gloria! Suck on that all you Man of Steel haters!

How dumb are the paramedics? They let Chloe in the back of the ambulance alone with Jimmy, despite the fact that moments before this, she was ranting like a crazy lady saying that they needed to defibrilate his ass. Lucky for Jimmy I guess.

There's a real sense of lonliness with Clark at the end that is actually quite sad. While we see the three women in his life, besides Martha, all drawing close to these different men, he just sits there bouncing his ball. He's never seemed so alone.

8/10