Smallville season 10 (1 Viewer)

[Jason_V]

Oh, for the love of everything holy, just put the dang suit on already. We're inching ever closer to Clark and Oliver outing themselves, at least not operating in shadows. I understand the reasons why they don't, but at this point, they have to know the people they care about (ie. Chloe and Lois) aren't safe if they stay "in the closet" either.


(It was very sad to see Allison Mack out of the opening credits, too.)


Otherwise, I thought it was rather unique to introduce what is going to be a heavy storyline (the anti-hero sentiment) with a light hearted new character. You wouldn't expect this iteration of Cat to be spewing things about "the lifestyle" and such. I'm surprised there was no mention of the big D this time around, but maybe that's not all bad, either, so we don't run into another Doomsday scenario (being bored with the storyline before it can really get off the ground).

 

[Greg_S_H]

I feel bad for Michael Shanks. It was out of his element to be an archaeologist studying Egyptian culture.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Cat Grant brought some much needed new energy to the show. The Egypt scenes were predictably awful, full of the clunky dialog the show's been known for since Millar & Gough left, but that's par for the course.


What I don't get is who made the new Red-Blue blur outfit? The black Blur outfit looked like something that Clark made himself with an off the rack duster and a spray-painted "S" shield on his black shirt. We're told the Superman Returns suit came with him in the spaceship or whatever. But I don't think Clark could make that red pleather jacket with the bad-ass "S" shield on his own. Maybe Queen Industries or Tess's LuthorCorp made it for him?


On another note, it's frustrating to see the "S" shield looking awesome on that jacket in the classic proportions and the rounded nub on the bottom of the S, knowing we're going to get the tiny, maroon and bizarrely proportioned S from Superman Returns when we finally see Welling as Superman.

 

[pitchman]

Originally Posted by Jason_V /forum/thread/301894/smallville-season-10#post_3735162

Cat Grant brought some much needed new energy to the show. The Egypt scenes were predictably awful, full of the clunky dialog the show's been known for since Millar & Gough left, but that's par for the course.

Agreed. Since I don't follow the comic, I have NO idea what the point of this storyline is. Is Michael Shank's role somehow relevant to the greater Darkseid story being rolled out this season?

 

[Greg_S_H]

I don't know much about Darkseid and I never even liked the Kirby New Gods. I hope they don't bring in Granny Goodness and the other really bizarre elements like that. But, I don't read the comics either (except for a few of the most recent issues because of the hype), but I don't think it would help with interpreting the scenes in any case. I guess they wanted someone super for Lois to confide in, and they probably thought it was cute to throw Michael Shanks into semi-Daniel Jackson mode. If I was Lois, I'd be a little pissed. Clark keeps saying he's letting her live her life and not interfering, and then she gets to the end of an 11-hour camel ride and finds one of Clark's buds checking up on her.

Clark's identity is a secret in the comics. I wouldn't be surprised if it had been revealed at some point, but then they put the genie back in the bottle. It's never been possible with Smallville. Unless they bring Lex back with amnesia, how in the world could he not know that was Clark? And, if he has amnesia, that's a lot of years of development down the drain.

 

[Jason_V]

Dang it, I was prepared to not like this one since it featured Laura Vandervoort-one of the worst actresses Smallville has utilized in 10 years. But I really dug the episode. Well paced and moved quite quickly. It was relevant to both the season arc and, really, the series arc. There wasn't really a "bad guy" for Clark to fight shoehorned into the story. And Clark apparently got to fly, even if it was just for a second. (And Kara chided him about not being able to do so...something we've been doing forever. Now he has a reason to learn.) Even Godfrey's anti-hero campaign is socially relevant today.


The only thing I didn't like was a few crappy effects shots, particularly when Kara catches the billboard and when she and Clark are learning how to fly. They looked terribly cheap. Otherwise, I'm enjoying this.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I thought Laura Vandervoort's acting has improved in the past few years she's been away from Smallville.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Originally Posted by Greg_S_H

I don't know much about Darkseid and I never even liked the Kirby New Gods. I hope they don't bring in Granny Goodness and the other really bizarre elements like that.

Well, I think your hopes are in vain, because Granny Goodness showed up outside Tess's hospital room in the season nine finale. In true Smallville fashion, however, I think the character will be reinterpreted into something a little less zany.


Clark's identity is a secret in the comics. I wouldn't be surprised if it had been revealed at some point, but then they put the genie back in the bottle. It's never been possible with Smallville. Unless they bring Lex back with amnesia, how in the world could he not know that was Clark? And, if he has amnesia, that's a lot of years of development down the drain.

Clearly in this version of the story, Lois knows Clark is Superman before Clark becomes Superman. As for Lex? My guess is that he comes back with partial memory loss due to the trauma inflicted on him over the last few years. It's a cop out, but a necessary one. That doesn't necessarily mean his whole knowledge of Clark's relationship is wiped out, but that'd almost be more interesting than only having him forget Clark's secret.

Originally Posted by Jason_V

Dang it, I was prepared to not like this one since it featured Laura Vandervoort-one of the worst actresses Smallville has utilized in 10 years. But I really dug the episode. Well paced and moved quite quickly. It was relevant to both the season arc and, really, the series arc. There wasn't really a "bad guy" for Clark to fight shoehorned into the story. And Clark apparently got to fly, even if it was just for a second. (And Kara chided him about not being able to do so...something we've been doing forever. Now he has a reason to learn.)

I thought this was the most solid episode of the season so far. Like you said, it was well-paced and moved quickly. I liked the shifting dynamic between Clark and Kara, with her suddenly top dog but Clark proving that Jor-El didn't have the full picture, either. While Vandervoort won't be winning an Emmy or an Oscar anytime soon, I agree with Patrick that her acting has improved in the last few years. She definitely brought more to the role on Friday than she did her entire run as a series regular.


The only thing that bummed me out a little bit was Supergirl getting her big coming out moment before Superman. That felt wrong to me, somehow. Kara stole a bit of Clark's thunder. As for the windmill scene, did he fly for a moment or did he simply leap tall buildings with a single bound? I did like the use of the butterfly, creating a sense of the momentous for that scene. My guess is that when Clark overcomes his internal doubts, we'll finally see him fly. In the end it's got to be Clark versus Darkseid.

 

[Greg_S_H]

It was pretty bad form for Lois to run with the blackmail photos even after knowing the guy was possessed. I guess it fit the writers' political statement. If they continue with that stuff on a show that has been largely apolitical for nine years, I will drop out early.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I agree with Adam about Kara "coming out" to the world as Supergirl before Clark, it takes something away from when Clark finally does reveal himself to the world as The Man of Steel, people will be saying "this guy Superman is just like that Supergirl.".


Other than that I loved this episode and yes Clark did briefly fly, if it was just another leap he wouldn't have suddenly lost upward thrust and fell back to Earth like he did, and I really liked Kara telling him to concentrate on the butterfly, they could have used a bird or a plane but the use of the butterfly is such a quiet symbol and great way for Clark to gain the inspiration to take off...finally.


I REALLY hope that the show will allow Lois to keep her knowledge that Clark is Superman, I really like her knowing but Clark not knowing that she knows, ya know?

 

[Jason_V]

Originally Posted by Greg_S_H

It was pretty bad form for Lois to run with the blackmail photos even after knowing the guy was possessed. I guess it fit the writers' political statement. If they continue with that stuff on a show that has been largely apolitical for nine years, I will drop out early.

Do we really know Darkseid/the possession was behind the club? It could have been something Godfrey was suppressing for fear someone would find out and Darkseid just brought it out of him.
It would fit with the idea the Darkseid can find your most vulnerable spot and exploit it.


Otherwise, as a journalism major, I'm on the fence about what Lois did. She passed the pictures onto a friend and didn't use her own byline. She essentially tricked someone into a situation to get the story. However, she also did it with the best of intentions (ie. protecting Oliver, Clark and the others). I have to give her credit for being loyal, if not 100% ethical.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I agree with Jason. As another journalism major -- albeit one who hasn't worked in the field since he graduated -- Lois's methods were border-line unethical. Certainly she shouldn't have released the photos if there was an indication that the guy was under duress. But did she know the guy was possessed? Her conversation with Kara on the way out of the bondage club implied that she didn't; even though she knows Clark and Kara's secret, they don't know that she does and therefore wouldn't let her in on the darkness. Even if she did know, I think it's in keeping with Lois's character to do what she did, since she thought it was necessary to protect Oliver. She has always been loyal first and foremost. While Godfrey was clearly a parallel for anti-immigration activists, I don't think the choice to humiliate him on the front page had anything to do with that political parallel.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Oh, I forgot to mention the ending of the episode, looks like Ollie just watched Iron Man recently.

 

[Paul D G]

Typical. The one episode I decide to let the kid watch with me is the one where Lois infiltrates a bondage club. Had to skip through most of that. Too many questions being asked...

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

THAT was one hell of an episode!


In one hour I was reminded of what I loved about this show since the beginning and from the moment Clark wound up in the future I was in nerd heaven lol.


I got a little choked up a couple of times during this episode, the going back to High School, saying goodbye to his father and, I can't believe I'm finally saying this, falling madly in love with Lois!


I'm watching that one again, just...wow.

 

[Sean Bryan]

Yep, great episode

 

[Brandon Conway]

Best episode in years. The opening with the counselor and Brainiac had me a bit worried, but the rest was excellent.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Tonight was one of those nights where I'm actually glad Millar & Gough left. While the writing and plotting were much sharper when they ran the show, they loved to linger in the darker places of the mythology, and they avoiding looking forward. This episode was almost a repudiation of that philosophy; it was about hope and love and all of the positive things that the show has denied Clark Kent for most of its run. Seeing 2017 Clark Kent, and how he was a completely different person from 2010 Clark Kent, was neat. But seeing a future that wasn't some Through the Looking Glass version of Superman was revelatory. This episode had a character arc for Clark Kent, and a payoff. It felt like the final season. Hopefully, this means the Clark Kent going forward won't revert back, but will embrace what Brainiac 5.0 taught him.


Most importantly? It left me smiling. That's what Superman should do. If Batman is the pathos, Superman is the ethos. He should inspire our confidence by who he is, not what he does.

 

[Jeffery_H]

Originally Posted by Greg_S_H

It was pretty bad form for Lois to run with the blackmail photos even after knowing the guy was possessed. I guess it fit the writers' political statement. If they continue with that stuff on a show that has been largely apolitical for nine years, I will drop out early.

That's why I stopped watching shows like Supernatural and The Event. Both shows were getting too political for my tastes and trying to use them as a podium. While other sci-fi shows may have had certain leanings to a political stance, such as some Star Trek episodes and such, they never made it seem that way and avoided hitting people over the head with it. When you start drawing upon current hot button topics like The Event or making personal real life references to people that either are or were in a government office like Supernatural has done several times is when I find something else to do with my time.

 

[Greg_S_H]

I don't want to wade too far into a discussion like that, but I'll say a little. I don't require an airing of my political views and, in fact, would prefer that politics are left out unless it is very important to the story at hand. It annoys me when a show basically comes out and says, "If you're on the other side and watching, screw you." Supernatural has done it several times and Castle has done it once. I decided to ignore it with Castle, but there is a little distance between me and the show now that wasn't there before. Oliver's speech kind of marred what was an otherwise outstanding episode, until I factored in the fact that that's who Oliver has been since the '70s Green Lantern and Green Arrow stories. For a show that has almost totally avoided politics, though, that's two in a row.


Anyway, great stuff. I'm glad to be rid of all of the darkness, to be honest. Margot Kidder guest stars! She's a murderer. Marc McClure guest stars! He's murdered. They couldn't do much with Swann after Reeve died, but they didn't have to murder him, too. Any other show, you'd expect these kinds of connections to past iterations to be joyful and uplifting, but never with Smallville. The bit with the guidance counselor almost seems to directly address this shift. In Smallville of old, the episode would have been about this psycho couselor running around the school, hurting Clark and his friends. Instead, she is taken off the table and given some peace. And then, there's not a single villain to be fought or any sinister plot afoot.


I had seen the exact footage of Clark from the first episode in a Superman documentary I watched just moments before watching this episode. I read comments online earlier this week that it's "eerie that Welling hasn't seemed to age." On the contrary, I was kind of amazed to see how much he has. He looked much more like a kid at the start than I had remembered.