Episode 6.15: Freak

It's great to see Lana and Chloe just hanging out for Lana's bachelorette party. But, once more, it serves to show just how isolated and cut off Lana is currently feeling as she is about to enter into marriage with a man she cannot trust. It's like she is trying to grasp tight hold of anything in her life that still matters before it is gone for good.

I rolled my eyes when it looked like we were getting yet another episode in which some meteor infected wierdo has a stalker level crush on Lana. But once the "blind" kid comes in, setting up the story of the meteor infected becoming abductees, my interest increased immensely, especially once it is revealed that the abductees in question are being returned afterwards. Within the first five minutes of the episode the story circumvents my expectations of where I think it might be heading. That's always a good thing.

It's very easy to write Lex off at this point as evil. But when he tells the doctor, "I've been victimized by these people just as much as you have", it's easy to understand how Lex might come to the place that he has regarding the meteor infected. I've lost count of the amount of meteor freaks that have made attempts on his life or screwed with him or the people in his life. It stands to reason that a man in his position would channel his resources into learning all he can about them. Of course, it doesn't make his behaviour right, only human.

Only in television shows do people take photographs that give them a smoking gun trail of evidence that leads right to the guilty party. That shot that Chloe took with Tobias in the background pointing at Dan could not feel any more perfectly staged if it was on broadway.

I like that Lana challenges Chloe on not tarring all meteor freaks with the same brush. It does raise the question of how many are out there doing good without anyone knowing. Of course, at this point, Lana must assume that Clark too is a meteor freak so it makes sense that she would come to their defense.

I love the reaction on Clark's face when Tobias reveals that Chloe is meteor infected. He has to be asking himself, "Does she even know? And if she does, what is her power and why hasn't she told him?"

The scene between Lex and the doctor, where the doctor has to tell him that his computer has been "misplaced", is a great scene. Both actors deliver stellar performances here. Adrian Hough is really convincing as a man close to the edge of losing everything, feeling the walls closing in on him, and Rosenbaum is in full-on intimidation power mode.

Speaking of great performances, the scene in which Chloe has to remove the implant from her collar is awesome! Mack looks scared witless as the green dots on her computer screen all start turning red. It's a tense sequence that is brilliantly handled because it shows us death is approaching fast without the need to ever see anyone being killed. It's scarier when you don't know what's coming.

The showdown between Lana, Tobias and doctor Bethany is also nicely handled. As Lana looks at the bullet that went into the cabinet you just know that she's thinking, "Damn Clark, you did it again!" She gives a great reaction to Tobias telling her that Clark is not a meteor freak as well. One more piece of the puzzle towards her finding out the truth. I love that they're doing that with Lana over the course of this season. Just drip feeding her each part of the picture that is Clark Kent.

It's pretty funny how Clark has replaced one billionaire friend who used to get things sorted for him with another billionaire friend who does the same. Oliver Queen makes sure Tobias gets his surgery. If this were an episode from season 1-3 that licence plate would have been a Luthorcorp plate.

We get another nice moment between Clark and Lana at the end. However, I do feel that the issue for Clark shouldn't be a fear of whether or not she would accept him if she knew the truth. He already knows that she would because she already did, during Reckoning, when she accepted his marriage proposal. She just has no memory of it because he went back in time and changed things. The real fear for him should be whether or not his telling her the truth will end up getting her killed, again, as it did in Reckoning. But I'm not sure this scene conveys this latter fear. Instead, it seems to be soothing the former, which makes it feel unnecessary to some degree, like we are treading old ground. Regardless, it's still a nice moment just because of Lana's sentiment.

Lex swears to Lana "on the soul of [his] unborn child" that he didn't have anything to do with what happened. This is a moment that is even more horrifying in retrospect. It's terrible to think that Lex is willing to swear the soul of his child away to protect his lies. But to learn the real reason he is able to say such a thing is equally just as terrible.

I really feel for Chloe at the end when she refers to herself as a ticking time bomb. But I love the tenderness that she is met with from Clark as he comforts her. As the two of these characters grow more accepting of their relationship never being anything more than friends, it's almost as though it allows that friendship itself to become something more beautiful. This is something I can identify with in my own life so I love the way it reflects reality. Sometimes relationships are only strengthened once the promise of any sexual intimacy is removed.

A great episode.

10/10

Episode 6.14: Trespass

Lana is stalked by a man who is very adept at hiding. But when she downplays the incident to Lex in order to protect Clark's secret, Lex goes away on a business trip, leaving Lana to face her stalker with nothing but a crap security detail, Mack and Brady, one of whom may be the man they are looking for.

At this point Lana is really caught between a rock and a hard place. She clearly doesn't trust Lex, otherwise she would tell him about the item she is hiding, which in some ways makes her a bit of a hypocrite, but understandably so. Though the argument for allowing such hipocrisy is certainly diminished once she goes snooping around Chloe's laptop. Regardless, she can't just suddenly cut ties with Lex at this point because she believes him to be the father of her child, so I can definitely sympathize.

In the scene between Chloe and Lana, when Lana shows her the phone, you can tell that Kristen Kreuk is really ill. She's really struggling to hide a croaky voice. It has no bearing on the story or the quality of the episode but it is a reminder of just how hard these actors have to work sometimes to bring the show to life, come rain or shine, sickness or health. I wonder if it's no coincidence that we get some lovely looking wintery establishing shots that we've not seen before throughout this episode.

I like how Clark is doing his chores the "normal way", without using his powers, just in case he's being watched. I imagine this would be something he's had to do a few times over the years when people have come sniffing round, but they've never really acknowledged it.

We get to see Lana's necklace again when she does some more rooting through other people's belongings, in this case Clark's bedroom drawers. I can't even remember the last time we saw this now but it's nice to see the look of surprise on Lana's face as she realizes the clear rock is what was once her green kryptonite keepsake.

It's pretty obvious from the get go that the man stalking Lana is one of the security guards. So once we see one of them get his throat slit it's a dead givaway as to whom the culprit is, especially as he is nowhere to be seen while Lana is busy falling down the stairs. They throw the paparazzi reporter in there as a red herring but it's so overplayed that it's instantly dismissible. It would have been better if we'd have found out later that Esposito had been killed after being taken into custody rather than seeing it happen. Again, it just makes the identity of the real villain blatantly obvious, which sucks out the tension.

I do like the little discussion between Clark and Jimmy over the moral implications of supply and demand when it comes to the business of snapping photos of celebrities.

I also think the final showdown is beautifully shot as Lana faces her pursuer on the snow covered roof of the mansion. There's just something incredibly cinematic about snow. It always makes things look better. The scene does owe more than a debt to The Shining however. When Mack bursts through the door with an axe I was half expecting him to say, "Heeeeere's Johnny!"

Lovely moment between Clark and Lana just after he catches her. I love the way they reveal it too, with the pan from the dead security guard to Clark's feet.

Lex goes to see Clark at the end and it's almost like he can feel that Lana is slipping away from him so he is doing everything he can to dig the knife into Clark for as long as he can. The wedding invite he hands to Clark is such a dick move. Rosenbaum plays it beautifully with the perfect amount of venom.

A very good, Lana-centric episode, let down slightly by some obvious plotting. 

8/10

 

 

Episode 6.13: Crimson

When Lois puts on an aphrodeasiac lipstick, laced with red kryptonite, which is designed to make her fall for the first guy she sees, Clark suddenly becomes the object of her affections. When she kisses him the red K gets into his system and he decides to crash Lex and Lana's engagement party to give everyone a piece of his mind.

While moderately amusing, I can't help but roll my eyes when Lois clamps eyes on Clark after taking the love lipstick. It's too much of a nudge nudge, wink wink to the audience. We get it, they are destined to be together some day! Which is why the love potion angle somewhat cheapens what should be a genuine love between the two of them. It also becomes another excuse to get Erica Durance into some sexy clothing. But the bass guitar, soft core porno music, that accompanies that moment just feels icky. However, seeing Clark distract Lois so that he could run away at superspeed absolutely had me in stitches. It was worth the hokey build up just for that moment.

Chloe's reaction to Lois' mixed cd, that she made for Clark, is priceless. And the artwork that Lois made for the front cover is adorable. But it's definitely enough to put Chloe on the scent of a story.

I remember when I first saw the scene with Lex showing Lana the room he has decorated for the "baby". I thought it humanized Lex and I feared the inevitable loss of the child would be a major turning point in his further journey to the darkside. Watching it now, with hindsight, it becomes perhaps the most evil moment we ever see from him.

I like that Jimmy challenges Chloe on how she is with Clark. It's the first time it has felt like he has some agency, rather than being the silly, pushover lapdog we've seen thus far. The scene between him and the woman who sold the lipstick to Lois is a bit cringey though, as they make her out to be some kind of psychic love guru with a sixth sense about Lois and Clark, which is absolutely preposterous given the fact that she barely saw the two of them together. The inane, wide-eyed grin that Jimmy gives her in response to her comment doesn't really make much sense. I get that he has a vested interest in Lois and Clark getting together, but he doesn't know this woman, so it's more likely he'd be wierded out by her comment rather than going along with her bizarre flights of fancy.

Clark's crashing of Lex and Lana's engagement party is brutal. He insults everybody. And I mean EVERYBODY! Not even Martha gets to walk away unscathed. But Clark wounds them with the truth. He literally just pours it out in an unfiltered way. It's the wrong way of course but he certainly highlights a lot of the things I've been thinking myself over the course of the season. I love all the different reactions that are going on in this scene. It's like an acting masterclass. Martha and Chloe are both hurt but they know full well what's going on with Clark because they've seen it before. The disdain on Lana's face is totally justified. And Lex plays the hurt pride card well enough to be convincing, but Clark is playing into his hands here by victimizing him in front of a room full of party guests, most of whom we've never seen before and never will again. Seriously, who are there people!

Jimmy gets to play hero as he catches the cure, before it falls on the floor, and sprays Lois with it. But then, in typical Smallville fashion, we get Lois having no memory of what happened. If there is one Smallville trope that annoys me more than any other it's the plague of amnesia that seems to strike each character on multiple occasions.

The final confrontation between Clark, Lex and Lana in the barn is frought with tension, as Lana is put on the spot by Clark. Kreuk's performance throughout this scene is top notch. And finally, she bears witness to one of Clark's powers, as Lex stabs him with a metal implement. Martha's timing with the kryptonite is impeccable, making Lex think that he hurt Clark.

I love the compassion that Martha shows to Clark when she acknowledges that he really did mean what he'd said, whilst being on red K, but recognizes that it comes as a result of bottling things up to protect everyone else around him. It's an admirable trait to keep certain feelings to oneself so as not to risk hurting others. But, eventually, something's got to give, which is why it is important to talk about how you feel in a constructive way. This is clearly a lesson that Clark still needs to learn.

It's easy to understand Jimmy's frustration with Chloe when, after everything that happened, she still defends Clark. If I was him, in this instance, I think I would react the same way. Of course, I understand why Chloe comes to Clark's defense, but she has to look at it from Jimmy's perspective. In this instance, I don't think it would have been a betrayal of Clark to tell Jimmy that, "yeah, he royally screwed up!" But her unwillingness to lie (again, an admirable trait) forces her relationship with Jimmy into becoming the collateral damage of keeping Clark's secret, which is ironic as she has to lie to Jimmy all the time in order to keep it.

Lex's final words to Lana are extremely threatening in a passive aggressive sort of way. He's now talking about her, to her face, as though she were his property. Lana, consequently, has the look of a prisoner on her face.

This is a very good and, actually, quite hard hitting episode. It is let down only slightly by the silly opening set up, which made it seem like it would go somewhere else that was less interesting.

9/10 

 

Episode 6.12: Labyrinth

When Clark is attacked by something in the barn he's knocked unconscious. When he wakes he finds himself in the care of Fairview Psychiatric Hospital. The doctor there tells him that the past 5 years of his life have all been a delusion and that he does not have superpowers. Clark needs to figure out if he's dreaming or if someone is playing mind games with him.

The score in this episode is very unsettling. It's mostly just a low hum but it's very effective at keying us in to Clark's disorientation and possible fractured mind. It does start to really  get under the skin after a while though as it runs through almost the entire episode.

Of course, we know right away that Clark is not crazy, so the episode has an uphill battle when it comes to creating tension through doubt. It succeeds instead by presenting us with the question and mystery of what is actually going on. If Clark's not crazy then what is really happening?

I love how they introduce Martian Manhunter here. We saw him previously in shadows so when we first see him here, and he tells Clark why he believes his story ("I too am not from Earth. I'm from Mars"), he understandably comes off like a crazy person.

Tom Welling's performance is pretty great throughout, particularly the scene with the doctor, where he's looking around the room and seeing all the bits and pieces that he has apparently used to shape his "fantasy world". When he accepts that Chloe is really dead and falls to the floor he truly looks like a broken man.

Never one to be upstaged of course, Rosenbaum gets to chew up the scenery in one particular scene where Clark finds out that Lex is in a wheelchair, thanks to Clark causing the accident on the bridge 5 years ago. It must be hard for an actor to suddenly have to revise their character's entire history and convey it convincingly within just one scene. But Rosenbaum pulls it off with ease.

Clark tells Chloe that she means more to him than she'll ever know. This is because in his dream world she was, typically, the only one who believed in him. She also happened to be a crazy person so it's nice of Clark to shield her from that information as he knows what it would do to her. But does this also mean that, on some level, her future mental health is a genuine fear or concern for Clark? Either way, it's good to see his affection towards her, even if it is the kind of affection that is reserved only for those in the "friend zone".

Clark admitting that he still loves Lana is hardly breaking news but I do enjoy their final moment together.

10/10

Episode 6.11: Justice.

Oliver recruits a team of supers to infiltrate Luthor Corp and destroy Lex's 33.1 experiments for good. The team is made up of Bart Allen, Victor Stone and Arthur Currie. But when Bart, codenamed Impulse, is captured by Lex, Clark gets involved to help mount a rescue mission, little realizing that, along with rescuing Bart, Oliver plans on destroying the multi-million dollar installation where he is being held. Clark must make a choice. Is he on team or is he going to sit this one out? Someone else who has a choice to make is Lois. Will she stay with Oliver, despite his constant disappearances, or choose to part ways?

This episode is an absolute blast. For those too young to remember a pre-Arrowverse world, it's pretty easy to underestimate just how special it was to see a live action TV show bringing all of these characters together for the first time. The moment where the team come walking out of the installation as it explodes behind them is definitely what you call the "money shot". So cool!

Lex delivers one of my favourite comebacks in the show's history when Bart says, "I want a lawyer", to which Lex responds, "And I want a ponytail; disappointment abounds!" Classic Lex!

I love the trap that Lex puts Bart into. It feels just like something we would have seen in the Justice League Unlimited animated series. Elaborate and devious.

Chloe gets to be part of the team in her first outing (unnofficially) as Watchtower, though given everything Clark has done over the years to keep his secret, I find it quite shameful that he so willingly gives up Bart's secret to Chloe. He gets a free pass due to the fact that divulging this information leads to Bart's rescue. But at the time that he tells her he is unaware that Bart has been captured. Come on Clark!

The weakest point of the episode for me is just how needy Lois comes across. I get it though. I understand why she would give Oliver an ultimatum at this point. But I feel like she would have been a bit more "in your face" about it. She's never struck me as the kind of person who would be willing to show weakness or vulnerability. I think it's more the fact that they've not given the character much to do so far in this season beyond chasing Oliver and Green Arrow, without having the intelligence to realize they are both the same man. This doesn't feel like the same person we were introduced to in season 4.

The Lois stuff really only takes place in 2 scenes though and I recognize it's necessary to break up her relationship with Oliver. Beyond that the episode is just a cracking action adventure that brings comic book fans something they've waited a lifetime to see.

10/10

 

Episode 6.10: Hydro

I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed this one as my memory of it was not that great. But it really is both tonnes of fun whilst giving us a few really nice dramatic beats. I love the way Clark and Lana's final conversation plays with no music to underscore it at all. The performances and the dialogue alone are enough, which is the mark of a truly great written scene. There's so much angst between them for things that Clark just cannot say that it practically bursts forth from the screen.

Lake is a fun character, or should I say charicature, that paints a foul picture of tabloid journalism. Though I find it totally unbelievable that the Daily Planet would make her stories front page news. The Inquisitor maybe! Tori Spelling is perfect casting really because, just like tabloid journalists, I've never been able to take her seriously.

It took her long enough to catch on but I was happy to see Lois finally closing in on Oliver being the Green Arrow. It was pretty obvious where that plot was heading but, even so, it was nice to see Clark teaming up with Oliver to throw her off the scent. The really amusing part is hearing Lois unwittingly talk about what a great kisser Clark is. Even more amusing is the priceless reaction on Chloe's face at this piece of news.

Chloe is great throughout this whole episode really. This one belongs to her I think. Not only does she get to take the freak of the week down but she also gets to unload on Clark with all of her frustration at being expected to keep his secret all the time but not afford her other friends the same courtesy. It's a great moment for Chloe that's been a long time coming. Mack's performance is wonderful and so is Tom Welling's response, as he looks at her with a deep sense of understanding and compassion, knowing that he has crossed a line.

Even Jimmy ain't half bad in this episode, getting physical with some thugs to help out Lois, then comparing war wounds later with Chloe.

Lex is actually the one with the least to do in this episode, though the moment when he vindictively tells Clark that Lana is pregnant is certainly a memorable one. Even so, it makes a change that Rosenbaum isn't the highlight of the show for once.

9/10

 

Episode 6.9: Subterreanean

There's so many really great aspects to this episode that, in the end, are undone by some seriously lazy writing. When Javier tells Clark to stop the car, after finding out his friend is dead, the one place they just happen to stop right outside is the one place Javier has been trying to get away from. And then he's stupid enough to go running straight back onto the farmer's land.

Clark takes out the farmer but then what?! The next time we see him, Lex has him, but surely Clark would have handed the guy over to the sheriff? Are we to assume that the police handed him over to Lex? Or did Clark just leave him there to be found by Lex's men? It's a very untidy ending. I do love that final shot though, of Lex walking through Level 33.1, with all the imates stretching out their arms to try and grab him.

Another great Lex moment is when Clark goes to the mansion once more to throw a typically wild accusation at him and Lex retorts with, "what is it this time Clark, did I swat a fly with too much force?" That one made me laugh. It's not precisely clear what Lex was guilty of. From what I can gather, he knew of the farmer's abilities and was paying him to work the land, but he was unaware of the migrant workers and the murders that were being committed.

Lana has the realization that Lex's money doesn't just offer comfort but power. I struggle to believe that this is something she has only just considered. If so she is either very naive or very stupid. And while her statement made me roll my eyes I did enjoy the little twist in her thinking that circumvented Lex's expectations. To her, power means helping those who need it, so she has Lex put his resources towards helping all the migrant workers that were on the farm. It's a nice touch that shows us where her heart is at and how she looks at her responsibilities to the world differently than Lex. But Clark fails to see this because he's so blinded by his distrust of his former friend. As a result he disrespects Lana. Her reaction is quite justified.

The freak of the week in this one is a nice idea and I like that the writers are not afraid to tackle the issue of migrant workers. They get to put a human face to those who are considered "lawbreakers", whilst still commenting on the value of doing things properly, according to the law. Unfortunately, the freak in question is really poorly developed. It's not exactly clear how he moves under the ground in the way that he does. I could buy it if he was naked, so that his body was somehow propelling him through the earth, but the scene where he burrows under ground with his shoes and his dungeries on just looks ridiculous!

Last episode I mentioned that, for some reason, I found Jimmy annoying. That hasn't really changed here. I feel like they just make him a little too silly. I think his childlike enthusiasm is meant to be endearing or charming, but I just find it to be a little over the top.

A bit more time and effort spent on ironing out some of the narrative kinks in this one could have made it quite special. As it stands, it's a fairly disappointing episode, that has a few nice flourishes.

5/10