Sorry for the lateness of this week’s column, however due to my sporadic disappearing acts, I wanted to make sure I at least posted something this week, even if it was a little late.
Well, as anticipated, I didn’t end up having the time to do a Smallville review, so I’ll include my brief thoughts on the past four week’s episodes in this column.
I also wanted to comment on this past week’s episode of South Park. Yes, I’ve sided with Family Guy in this little cartoon war, but I’ve found this past season absolutely hilarious. That said, I felt this past week, with Towelie, was a GIGANTIC swing and a miss. I thought that the whole Million Different Pieces thing had a ton of potential, especially with it being relatively recent, and actually fitting in pretty well with the Towelie character. I thought it started off pretty strong as well, but the whole thing with Oprah and her talking vagina and asshole was just….strange and random, and really not very funny. And I think it really hurt the episode as a whole that it became the main story. By the way, what was it that South Park said about Family Guy? That their jokes are easy and simple and irrelevant to the main story? What exactly does Oprah’s vagina and asshole have to do with Towelie writing his memoirs?
SMALLVILLE, BIG REVIEW:
Hypnotic – What I found most enjoyable of this episode was the explicit maliciousness of Lex. I mean, he had blackmailed this girl who had the ability to hypnotize anybody, and what does he choose to do with this powerful resource? Dig up information on Clark. THIS is the Lex I want to see at this point in the game. That said I was a bit taken aback when he almost seemed to come to Clark’s defense (in regards to Lana) at the conclusion of the episode.
Speaking of Clark and Lana, Martha said an absolute gem near the end of the episode (paraphrased): Perhaps the reason Clark is able to hurt Lana like this is because he knows, deep down, that she’s not “the one.” I’ve said it before (constantly)…the show REALLY needs to drift away from the Clark/Lana relationship. Quite simply, the series has outgrown that, and right now I think it’s having a detrimental impact on the show as a whole. Lana was Clark’s boyhood crush/love, Lois is the love of his life. I absolutely love Kristin Kreuk (trust me), but I honestly don’t think she should even be on the series beyond this season.
My one disappointment about this episode was that I felt that it didn’t pick up on the huge momentum of us finding out that Lionel knows Clark’s secret. However, that would pick up, for sure.
Void – The part of this episode that I found most intriguing, actually, was the sinister tone of Lex’s mother. She had always been portrayed as this sweet, loving, caring woman…the only part of Lex that was good. Yet, here, she seemed to have a definite dark side to her, which I found very interesting. And they alluded to Lex’s future glove wearing days, which is always cool.
The reunion between Clark and Jonathan was absolutely touching. Honestly, that was one of the most emotional scenes I’ve seen on any show, all season (it’s currently competing with Seth and Kirsten at AA on The OC). It was a great moment, excellently emphasized by Jonathan revealing that he died protecting Clark’s secret, giving weight to the theory that these aren’t hallucinations, and that they actually are talking to the dead.
I also think they did a great job of having Lex and Clark forcibly see their dead parents, only to be torn away from them (opposed to Lana, who actively sought after the opportunity).
I also want to note the magnificent chemistry between Tom Welling and John Glover. The look these two shared with each other as Lionel escorted Martha to the event they were going to, just moments after Clark was going to tell her that Lionel knows her secret was magnificent. Ever since Transference last season, I’ve loved seeing these two share scenes together.
Fragile – This episode was admittedly the weakest of the lot, but I didn’t hate it as much as some other critics. It’s always nice seeing Clark act fatherly and protective towards young children, and was reminiscent of his relationship with Ryan back in the beginning of the series.
The big story, however (and my big qualm with the episode), was Lex and Lana kissing. As everybody surely knows by now, I’m not a big fan of this relationship. Right now, the thing that really bothers me about it is that, seemingly out of nowhere, Lana went from having real issues with Lex (stemming from last season’s finale), to suddenly having no problem with him whatsoever. Do you remember the finale, where Lana finally realized that Lex ultimately cares more about his ambitions than anybody’s well being? Or how about the beginning of the season, where she couldn’t stand being in the same room as him? Remember that evil eye she’d give him? Or the cold scowl?
Then, out of the blue, Lana suddenly trusts Lex, considers him a close friend, and genuinely cares for him. It almost seemed as if the writers said “hey, let’s start getting Lana and Lex together” and did so without bothering to write a believable reconciliation.
That said, I do like how they had Chloe offer a bit of an explanation, which is that Lana is only falling for Lex because she’s heartbroken over her breakup with Clark. Oh, and asshole Lex comes back in spades, noting that (a) Chloe’s never been in a serious relationship before, and (b) that he can now see why that is. I really think I enjoy Lex sharing scenes with Lois (especially) and Chloe more so than Lana.
Mercy – Yeah, it was a huge Saw rip off, but I really liked Saw so that’s okay. I do have to wonder, though, how a guy who just lost his house could find the monetary resources to put Lionel through what he did. I mean, is that really the most responsible way to spend your money?
I found the Lana/Lex stuff a bit more tolerable this episode, since they did a nice job of portraying Lex as a slimy jerk (having him tell Clark he wants to be friends with him again, then sneaking around to take a phone call from his ex-girlfriend).
The stuff with Lionel was fantastic. I still have to question his motives (as well as if he knew if the gun wasn’t loaded), but I thought his scenes with Martha were great. I especially loved how he said “Lex is no Clark, and…” and then struggled seemingly forever before he could say that he’s not Jonathan. You could really sense how difficult it was for him to admit that, especially to her.
I must, again, make note of the great trade of glances between Lionel and Clark as the two stared at each other through the fenced elevator right as Clark saved them. Another great non-verbal scene between these two.
I also enjoyed Lionel’s straightforwardness with Clark, immediately telling him that he’s known Clark’s secret since the finale. Although I think it would have been a great touch if it turned out he’s known since Transference, when they switched bodies. I also liked his recognition that revealing his secret would interfere with his destiny. A very Jor-El-esque thing to say, which makes me wonder how much of Jor-El is within Lionel, especially considering how often Lionel called Clark “son.”
I also find it interesting how Lionel continues to protect Clark from Lex. At the end of the day, you really need to wonder which of these two are more evil.
You know what’s the best part of these four episodes? That the weekly baddy was only once a meteor freak. Otherwise it was just your average Joe. Hell, I don’t think Kryptonite was even used in Mercy.
LOST:
Yeah, there wasn’t a new episode this week, but I wanted to discuss what I had mentioned last week, with the island curing the “good” people while hurting the “bad.” A couple of my IP brethren wrote me to tell me that the reason Sawyer’s vision has deteriorated was due to all the reading he’s done since getting to the island. That is, of course, a perfectly reasonable and logical explanation….it may even be THE explanation.
My problem with this is that nothing on this show seems to be coincidental. It seems a bit queer that so much attention would be devoted to showing how this island is curing people, only to have a central character experience degeneration. Especially considering that character’s questionable moral base.
It has also been noted that Sawyer’s vision problems are not really comparable to the ailments that have been cured (namely, Locke’s paralysis and Rose’s cancer). This is a fair point, and, admittedly, we have seen that no character is invincible (Boone, Shannon, and several other characters have died, Locke broke his leg, etc.) However, perhaps the extent of one person’s healing or ailing relates to how good or bad they are? While Sawyer can be considered “bad,” we have seen that there is an undeniable good side to him. So maybe his ailment is not as severe. Plus, more than anybody else Locke can be considered the most loyal to the island, and his curing is the most significant out of everybody’s.
Basically, I haven’t given up on this theory yet.
24:
Well, Heller fell into that same trap that seemingly every other character who logically shouldn’t did: He didn’t listen to Jack, and it backfired hugely. I mean, hell, I can even understand his logic, but the way he went about doing it was terrible. Hey, let’s lock up the guy when we know that there’s an army of people trying to kill him! And let’s lock up my daughter with him!
I was really happy to see Buchanan back, but I’ll be really upset if he ends up being killed off as well. I don’t know if I can handle any more characters I like being knocked off. Speaking of which, I’ll be real upset if Aaron got killed off screen. Well, I’ll be upset if he got killed at all.
I also enjoyed the fact that Karen is starting to smarten up to the fact that something is not right within the administration. The hostile take over made her seem like the baddy in this scenario, but her reluctance to devote all the manpower towards Jack and away from Henderson showed that there’s hope for her yet.
The interaction between Heller and Logan was great, especially the last minute timing and switcheroo power move. It’ll be great seeing Heller try to get Jack to help him, only to have Jack note that Heller was the one who turned on him.
I do have to wonder, though, if Jack made a copy of the recording. I mean, something of that magnitude….it would seem like a bit of a priority. Nevertheless, Henderson is a complete moron if he doesn’t immediately destroy the tape, and if the writers don’t have him do that, it’d be a bit much for suspension of disbelief.
I must also say that this was one of the most exhilarating episodes yet, especially at the end with Henderson, Jack, and Audrey. I was really at the edge of my seat.
SURVIVOR:
A while back I said something along the lines of “poor Casaya, those big bad mean LaMina guys aren’t being nice as they get picked off one by one.” Basically, I find this whole “woe is me” Casaya attitude intolerable. These guys, particularly Aras and Danielle, constantly want to feel victimized, simply because the tribe mates from LaMina are not making their dominance as easy as possible. I really can’t recall a more unlikable group of people than the ones from Casaya.
I’m mostly talking about their treatment of Terry right now. Basically, from what we’ve seen, these guys are just downright mean to the guy, for the sole reason that he’s simply better than them. I mean, I totally understand their desire to vote him off, and I completely sympathize with their plight, but, again, they’re just downright meant to the guy, for no real reason. He seems like a genuinely nice guy, and even when he acts cocky, it’s because they’re being complete assholes to him. I mean, first they eliminate him before anybody else even gets their rope cut in the reward challenge, and then they send him to Exile Island AGAIN.
Honestly, I feel bad for the guy, and seeing him treated this way only makes me want to see him win even more. Actually, you know what I’d love to see? I’d love it if Terry didn’t even need to use the immunity idol, and finding it prevented one of those guys from using it.
What sucks even more for Terry is that Bruce was the only one who treated him nicely, and now he’s gone.
I also need to talk about Shane. Man, the hypocrisy of this guy! First he can’t stop whining and crying about how Cirie cut his ropes, and didn’t take him with her for the reward challenge, and then he goes on and on to Courtney that she shouldn’t take things personally….when the attack on her actually was completely personal.
I also don’t agree with him that anybody could win against Courtney. While I do think that everybody finds her annoying, for the most part I also think people like her. I don’t believe the same is true with Shane. When push comes to shove, I think that all of the LaMina people will vote for Courtney over Shane, as would Danielle and possibly Cirie. The only two people I think would definitely vote for Shane over her, at this point in time, are Aras and Bruce.
Anyway, I continue rooting for Terry at this point. What excites me about this week is that, no matter what, a Casaya person is going home. Either Terry gets immunity and they turn against each other, or somebody else gets immunity and Terry votes off whoever he wants (probably Aras or Shane, depending on whether Aras gets immunity).
THE OC:
The Ryan/Marissa stuff was alright, but once again took a distant backseat to the Seth and Summer story.
I can’t help but feel bad that Seth didn’t get into Brown, but I was really, REALLY pleased that the clichéd last minute TV speech didn’t work. I mean, that would have really been outside the realm of possibility. As it is, they’ve now figured out a way for Seth and Summer to stay together, geographically speaking.
So, we finally found out that Ryan is, in fact, not a father. I didn’t watch first season, so this didn’t impact my day too much.
In regards to next season, may I suggest the Dawson’s Creek methodology? I thought that show did a fantastic job of keeping the characters separated, giving (for the most part) each of them a new life, but still keeping it interesting. I mean, the last season Dawson wasn’t even in half of the episodes! They were able to keep things interesting with him in LA, and Joey, Pacey, and the others in Boston, while still keeping a distant story of what’s happening in Capeside. It was a much better job than 90210, which did a really contrived story of how everybody (from delinquent Steve to super duper smart Andrea) got into the same school.
And under no circumstances should you ever, ever not renew Rachel Bilson’s contract. Ever.
The problems between Sandy and Kirsten have progressed and while I side with Kirsten for the most part, how unprofessional were her comments at that dinner? I mean, geez, talk about airing your dirty laundry in public.
I don’t have much to say on Animation Domination, other than the whole Kool Aid Man stuff was hilarious.
Well, I’m going to cut things off now. I’ll be back next week, and hey, maybe I’ll even have the time to do this week’s Smallville review. Hopefully.
Anyway, until next time!
