So for the second Smallville column in a row, I’ll be doing a review of the past two episodes. But this time it’s not completely my fault – for whatever reason my TiVo didn’t record “Upgrade,” and the CW website takes FOREVER to post their episodes online. So, to continue my sorrowful tale, I didn’t see last week’s episode until Thursday, and this week’s episode until Sunday.
I’ll try to do my best to do these weekly, as long as technology cooperates. Friday nights are just tough for me to watch “live,” and it’s not even because I’m necessarily doing something exciting. Friday evenings I tend to take care of a few things I couldn’t do during the week, so I may not even get home from work until close to the episode’s start time. And plus I don’t like beginning the episode unless I know I’ll be able to see the ending.
So there you are. That’s my story.
So let’s get started with last week’s episode, titled “Upgrade,” which featured the return of Iron Man. Oops, I mean Metallo. It’s Metallo, right? Hey wait….on Smallville, Metallo is played by David Austin Green, who played David Silver on Beverly Hills 90210. And silver is…..a metal! Weird. Wow, it’s been a long week. Anyway, despite the return of this character, I’d say the real story was with Clark and Zod, and Chloe and Tess.
I typically enjoy the Red Kryptonite stories, as its fun seeing Clark/Tom Welling let loose a bit. But there was something about his behavior this episode that seemed a little off. They’ve gone out of their way to insist that Red Kryptonite doesn’t make Clark evil, it just lowers his inhibitions. Yet this version of Clark seemed unusually cruel and violent. His sassy comments are one thing, but I have a hard time believing that he would ever be so physically forceful with Chloe. In the past, Clark’s Red Kryptonite self would usually selfishly and irresponsibly use his abilities to his advantage. Here, he was just sorta a prick. And his bitterness at absentee Jor-El made him sound like he was 15.
I’m also not sure I buy into Clark’s anger over Chloe and Oliver coming up with a contingency plan. I suppose I could see him being upset that they’re doing this behind his back, but I have a hard time accepting that he would be so venomously angry that they’d come up with a reasonable back up plan if even a contingent of these Kryptonians go rogue. And, to be fair, I’m not sure I buy into Chloe and Oliver finding a need to keep it secret, either.
That’s not to say I disliked the episode. I certainly enjoyed it. And, actually, seeing Clark and Zod working side by side – both with powers this time – was pretty fun. Actually, Zod and Clark vs. Metallo was pretty cool.
And it seems the lady war has shifted from Tess and Lois to Tess and Chloe, which may be a better fit anyway. Especially since both have become so morally ambiguous. It’s kinda fun pairing Tess up with somebody that she can shoot back at when her actions are called into question.
Now let’s take a look at this week’s episode, “Charade.”
This episode once again referred to the Red Queen. I haven’t a clue who she is, or if she’s an actual comic book character, but much speculation has been made. Right now, a lot of people think she might be Martha Kent, who – as we know – is returning this season. I don’t want any spoilers, but I REALLY hope this doesn’t pan out. One of the things that really made the Kents special was that they were this down to earth, middle class laborers who just so happened to be raising the most powerful person on the planet. The fact that they were your standard, hard working American family made them so identifiable and likable. For some reason, turning Martha into a woman wearing expensive suits while riding around in a limousine and leading an interplanetary organization strips the spirit from her character.
I am curious about who else it might be, though.
The episode, overall, reminded me a great deal of Batman Forever. You had a girl who was dating Bruce Wayne but had a secret crush on Batman. Bruce Wayne couldn’t let her know that they were one in the same, yet he wanted nothing more than for her to love him for him, and to let go of the superhero fantasy. And thus are the shoes that Clark Kent finds himself in. Except, in a weird way, he essentially IS competing with himself, since Zod has been taking the guise of the Blur.
I am thrilled, though, that they explained how Clark hasn’t been using his abilities to spy on Lois, as a sign of respect. For weeks now I’ve wondered why he doesn’t just use his super hearing when Lois takes these secret phone calls, when he clearly wants to know what they’re about. Well done.
And is it me, or is it wildly inappropriate to have a date on the roof of the company you had both just been fired from?
I do have to wonder this, though. Up until this point I’ve excused Clark’s lack of identity disguise. In the past – even during the Red/Blue Blur days – his attempts at rescuing people and saving lives were incidental. He was either in the wrong place at the wrong time, or he felt an obligation to do something. But I never would have considered it his job. As the season began, that stopped, obviously. He became more serious about this duty, but I still wasn’t bothered by the fact that he didn’t cover his face. Remember, at the beginning of the season Clark Kent had basically given up his life as a human, so as far as he was concerned, he didn’t have an identity to hide. But now there’s so much attention on unveiling who he is –both by his enemies, and even by himself – that I have to wonder why he doesn’t throw a mask on or something. Or, ya’ know, wear glasses!
Matt Basilo has been writing for Inside Pulse since April 2005, providing his insight into popular television shows such as Lost, 24, Heroes, and Smallville. Be sure to visit his blog at [a case of the blog] and follow him on Twitter.
