We can make him stronger, faster, better than he was before.
OK, so tonight's episode of Smallville didn't feature the Six Million Dollar Man, but Cyborg's bionic, so it's close enough.
This wasn't a great episode, but there really was a lot of good in it. And once again, kudos to the actors. Tom Welling continues to impress, and John Glover, Annette O'Toole and Michael Rosenbaum were their usual amazing selves. Actually, I think it's only problem was that it just wasn't exciting enough, but overall, I have to say that I liked everything about it except for Lana. But when do I ever like Lana?
For starters, I want to point out that "Cyborg" was immediately recognizable as being written by someone new. Caroline Dries did not use any of the typical shortcuts that have come to be a hallmark of any episode that nods to Clark's future. There wasn't a single heavy handed Teen Titans reference in sight. Also, there was some well done pop culture referencing, which always seems to fall completely flat on this show. I counted 3: Chloe's "on a scale of one to Taye Diggs" line and Lex's 2 Six Million Dollar Man references ("I have the technology" and "it cost a lot more than $6 million.") There were 4 if you count Victor's Sharper Image line. Also, like "Aqua," this was a future superhero team-up episode with Lex Luthor firmly in the bad guy category, but the writing of his character wasn't all over the top and cartoony. But I'll get to Lex later.
"Cyborg" was the first ever Superman episode of Smallville. This was Clark Kent helping someone that he didn't know simply because it was the right thing to do. And his interaction with Victor was very good. And I loved when he told Victor that his thanks wasn't necessary and "Help someone else out when they are in need and we'll call it even." Adulthood looks good on Clark Kent. It's even alleviating my bitterness over the 100th episode. Here's hoping we don't see a return of the whiny, selfish little bitch Clark that was all to pervasive in the first half of the season. And I have to say that it was so nice that Victor Stone was played by a competent actor. Lee Thompson Young was such a breath of fresh air after the likes of Alan Ritchson. And the character was so sympathetic. It was nice to see a future hero that wasn't portrayed as a petty thief or an eco terrorist. And I loved the simultaneous jump out of the building with the dual impressions. I was upset when I first heard that they were using a Teen Titans character on the show, but I have to admit that Cyborg fit in with the whole arc of the show really well. I guess the Smallville Powers That Be do, on occasion, know what they are doing.
OK, so tonight's episode of Smallville didn't feature the Six Million Dollar Man, but Cyborg's bionic, so it's close enough.
This wasn't a great episode, but there really was a lot of good in it. And once again, kudos to the actors. Tom Welling continues to impress, and John Glover, Annette O'Toole and Michael Rosenbaum were their usual amazing selves. Actually, I think it's only problem was that it just wasn't exciting enough, but overall, I have to say that I liked everything about it except for Lana. But when do I ever like Lana?
For starters, I want to point out that "Cyborg" was immediately recognizable as being written by someone new. Caroline Dries did not use any of the typical shortcuts that have come to be a hallmark of any episode that nods to Clark's future. There wasn't a single heavy handed Teen Titans reference in sight. Also, there was some well done pop culture referencing, which always seems to fall completely flat on this show. I counted 3: Chloe's "on a scale of one to Taye Diggs" line and Lex's 2 Six Million Dollar Man references ("I have the technology" and "it cost a lot more than $6 million.") There were 4 if you count Victor's Sharper Image line. Also, like "Aqua," this was a future superhero team-up episode with Lex Luthor firmly in the bad guy category, but the writing of his character wasn't all over the top and cartoony. But I'll get to Lex later.
"Cyborg" was the first ever Superman episode of Smallville. This was Clark Kent helping someone that he didn't know simply because it was the right thing to do. And his interaction with Victor was very good. And I loved when he told Victor that his thanks wasn't necessary and "Help someone else out when they are in need and we'll call it even." Adulthood looks good on Clark Kent. It's even alleviating my bitterness over the 100th episode. Here's hoping we don't see a return of the whiny, selfish little bitch Clark that was all to pervasive in the first half of the season. And I have to say that it was so nice that Victor Stone was played by a competent actor. Lee Thompson Young was such a breath of fresh air after the likes of Alan Ritchson. And the character was so sympathetic. It was nice to see a future hero that wasn't portrayed as a petty thief or an eco terrorist. And I loved the simultaneous jump out of the building with the dual impressions. I was upset when I first heard that they were using a Teen Titans character on the show, but I have to admit that Cyborg fit in with the whole arc of the show really well. I guess the Smallville Powers That Be do, on occasion, know what they are doing.
As for the B-plot, color me intrigued. At this point, I am still not certain whether Lionel is still being inhabited by Jor-El or not, but I'm leaning towards not. I think that after the plotline with the stones last season and his possession earlier this season, not to mention knowing about Professor Fine, the spaceship, and hearing Lex say that the Kryptonians were looking for Kal-El, he's put 2 and 2 together and come up with Clark is and alien name Kal-El. He is a smart guy after all. I also think he's Lionel and not Jor-El because I don't see any reason why Jor-El would be interested in either LuthorCorp or Martha Kent. I have no idea what Martha is thinking, but I'd like to believe that she's smarter than her current actions would indicate.
Again, the low part of this episode was Lana. How many times can you tell a character to shut up? I don't know. I forgot to keep track. I'd like to point out that Lana got into another car accident this week because she was doing something that she shouldn't be doing while driving (this week it was drinking coffee) and yet somehow she can make it seem like it wasn't her fault. Lana, Victor did not come out of nowhere. You just weren't looking. Thank god he was bionic or you'd be responsible for his untimely death. Also, how many times do we have to sit through Clark and Lana breaking up? I really hope she got the message this time. I think when Clark told her "I've always loved you and I always will, no matter what happens" instead of just saying "I love you" he was saying "I'm over you" in the nicest possible way he knew how. She of course will go running to her new back up boyfriend, but I have no idea how they are going to pull off a relationship between Lana and Lex without her coming off as at least a little bit shady herself. But I suppose if she can be so willfully ignorant to the fact that Clark is obviously an alien (she's the one who said there was one living among them since the first meteor shower), than she can be willfully ignorant to the fact that Lex is evil. Meh.
Chloe. I missed her. I didn't feel the episode needed more of her, I just like it better when she's around. And her tops are still inappropriate for the workplace.
Finally we get to Lex Luthor. I was so proud of him this episode. Sure he still needs to get some security, but he's clearly tapping into his inner Magnificent Bastard. This episode had the exact kind of Lex Luthor I wanted to see. A Lex Luthor that has completely crossed the moral line, but has found a way to justify it to himself. I also loved the fact that I had no idea when he was lying. His denial of involvement during his first conversation with Clark was completely plausible, and I'm still not certain if he was outright lying at that point or if he was telling the truth and then conspired with Dr. Krieg after Clark went to him with the information about Victor. And of course this all implicates Lex in Dr. Hong's murder. But would Lex really go kill the guy himself? Isn't that what minions are for? And both scenes between Clark and Lex were great. I know Lex is the bad guy, but he had every right to be pissy with Clark in that first scene. But the second scene was wonderful. It's exactly what I want the rift to be about, and I think this exchange sums it up the best:
Clark: You always think the ends justify the means, don't you Lex?
Lex: What I think is that some miracles have a price, but that doesn't make them any less profound.
THAT is everything I've wanted to see.
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