UK thoughts on Instinct

[Lex Dance]

I'm setting up this thread to see if we can generate a bit of discussion amongst UK/Eire viewers who will have just seen the episode as it aired on E4. That's not to say that no-one else can post - the more the merrier!

Unfortunately I myself have not seen it yet because my DVD recorder didn't work properly! Guess I'll have to wait for the double bill next week.......

[psycosis]

Although not the greatest episode ever I rather enjoyed this – and it had quite a lot going on, to quote Triplet’s review; “It was exciting, the stakes kept on rising for all the characters as the episode progressed and the dialogue was tight, with hardly a wasted word. And I loved the continuity.

Like how they brought in that letter Chloe had written to Clark in season 2's "Fever" into this episode, as well as bringing Shelby back, mentioning Lois not forgiving Jimmy for lying to her about Lex at the end of last season, and Tess still looking for Lex.” That pretty much sums it up for me.

The thing I also loved was how they used Maxima to the maximum (pun fully intended)
interacting with everyone and anyone who got caught in her path to find her soul mate, it was good to see her angle on every relationship Clark has ever had, forcing him to see that he had grown away from Lana, Chloe was never to be, and Lois was much more to him than just a friend – and probably most importantly an “earth” woman would never able to be his lover!

I was a bit worried when I first heard what the story was going to be, because it reminded me of “Heat” waaay back in season 2 when a woman with pheromone persuasion causes Clark to “erupt”! Though Maxima is much more than a Poison Ivy rip off or just a hot body, she’s a dangerous alien who is a real threat to anyone Clark cares about – that scene when she throws the car with Lois still in it?! That really blew me away not just because it was a kick ass action sequence but it showed that she really was on par with Clark.

And of course I couldn’t forget the final scene with Tess, seems she’s being played as indicated by the mysterious e-mail from X, who could it be? - Well it sure hints strongly to one person in my mind.

So it’s a shame really that there was still an overall feeling that it was treading the water of filler and that the season has yet to fully emerge from that and find it’s direction, though at least this one was trying hard and it was still very enjoyable.

[jobookjunkie]

LexDance this is a great idea, why don't you set up one of these threads for all this season since we're tagging on along behind those lucky Americans. I loved Instinct, I gotta say, even my brother did (though for different reasons...lol...). It was fun and weird and geeky and hot and sad, all at once. Clark is obviously missing Lana but the wee scene at the start with Shelby was magic :) Maxima was amazing looking, her red hair and very pale skin gave her that other-worldy look, plus she could chuck cars like they were nothing which was very cool.

I liked the continuity with the letter from 'Fever', Clark was surprised at how much Chloe felt for him....loved the awkwardness with Lois in the barn at the end. Lois and Clark, here we come! :lol:

[Lex Dance]

Welcome along jobookjunkie! We're kind of testing the water this season - there were no takers last year, I guess because of the big gap between the US finishing and E4 showing it. This year we're the closest we've ever been to the US, plus I've noticed a number of new UK/Eire posters floating about - so hopefully we'll get a bit of movement on these episode threads.

[Pesk]

Great idea bringing back the uk thought threads lex dance. :)

This seemes like an average episode. I'm glad we finally get a jimmy episode, I think he's been in just one scene in the first 3 eps put together. And bringing shelby back was a bonus.

I too thought maxima looked like poison ivy- it was the red hair with green clothes. She also kinda reminded me of april the robot from buffy, especially how she talked. I kept expecting her to say she was looking for warren. :)

At one point maxima picks up a car with lois inside and throws up into the air and it lands upside down... and lois just steps out and practically says 'bring in on'. Did anyone else find that scene a little odd? I can only assume lois hit her head pretty hard.

On the plus side, lois getting upset after walking in on the clarxima was a great moment for a cloiser like me.

[obsessedwithsv]

Go UK!! lol

Okay, I live in England but I'm actually upto date with the US because I just couldn't restrain myself! I'm gonna continue to watch all e4 epis though 'cause i love smallville and i think the producers need every bit of evidence to show them that smallville's still popular, though i don't actually know if/how they consider overseas viewing numbers.

Anyway, 'Instinct' was a good epi IMO, as Pesk pointed out though that car-flipping scene was a bit iffy but only to me because the SFX were a bit cr*p - the car landed as you would expect but when Maxima initially picked it up it and it soared into the air it didn't look right. I don't mind that Lois just walked away from it like nothing happened! :)

I loved Lois' little rant when she caught them in the elevator and Clark was just like, "What the..?"

I'm super-excited for 'Committed' though 'cause it's my favourite epi. ever!! :D It's gonna be brilliant. Trust me!! :) Woah, i like to ramble, soz

[TheANIMAL (marcus)]

W00t, yes it was nice to see it at tv size.

The episode was a bit sappy for my taste.

[Lex Dance]

Welcome along obsessedwithsv. Nice to see the familair faces of Pesk and TheANIMAL (marcus) too!

Still not seen Instinct (Tuesday's only 2 days away), so I've kind of skimmed over your comments. :lol:

[obsessedwithsv]

cheers for the welcome!
Yay, tuesday is gonna be off. the. hook. Can't wait!!

[newbaggy]

This was utterly daft, but enormously entertaining. Oddly enough, the final confrontation between Clark and Maxima made me think about how differently Russell T. Davies might have approached the storyline. For most of the episode, Maxima's story might as well have been a 50's "B" picture entitled "ALIEN SEX-GODDESS FROM BEYOND THE STARS!!!" - it was certainly told in a shallow, sensationalist manner. But when Maxima started talking about hearing childhood stories of "the brave men of Krypton", it did make me wonder what the story would have been like if, instead of making her simply a "maneater" who killed any man she came in contact with, the episode had made clear the desperation behind her actions. She would still have been a multiple-murderer and a danger to mankind, but she could also have been a tragic figure, doing what she did out of desire for love, rather than simply appearing to be a raving nymphomaniac!

Incidentally, Charlotte Sullivan's performance as Maxima reminded me of a Clive James review of the 1970's ITV drama "Edward and Mrs Simpson". James wondered if the woman playing Wallis Simpson was merely a bad actress, or actually giving a brilliant portrayal of the sort of woman who in real-life behaves like a bad actress. Whatever the case, I have to admit that I was fascinated by another aspect of Ms Sullivan's performance - her habit of leaving her mouth permanently half-open. I imagine that it was supposed to look sexy, though it did leave me thinking that she might have had a cold, and needed to breathe through her mouth due to bunged-up nostrils.

As far as the regulars went, no complaints about their performances. However, I wish that tptb didn't seem so keen on making Jimmy seem like a lousy boyfriend. Aaron Ashmore played the part well, but having Jimmy get upset over the "Fever" letter and end-up kissing Maxima following on from his betrayal of Chloe to the DDS/Lex at the back-end of season 7 doesn't make him look ideal husband material. I can't share the feelings of Chlarkers who regard the "Fever" letter as some sort of holy-writ prophecy that cannot be tampered with - I think that PS3 had a perfect right to make it clear that the letter represented Chloe's feelings when she was 15, and that those feelings had changed. However, I can understand the outrage when Chloe goes on to point out that her perfect man is now Jimmy, if Jimmy is portrayed as an idiot who will betray Chloe at the drop of a hat.

Oddly enough, one thing that I haven't seen pointed out about bringing back the "Fever" letter was how it related to Chloe's "Brainiac infection". After being rebuffed (in her eyes) by Clark, Chloe's hurt feelings caused her to accept Lionel's offer of a column on the Daily Planet in return for reporting to him about Clark. Though she later realised the error of her ways, it showed how Chloe is corruptible in the right circumstances. With the "Brainiac infection", Chloe is once again allowing herself to be corrupted: she seems reluctant to lose the knowledge and abilities she has gained, preferring to see them as a gift rather than a potential threat. When she tells Clark that he can't do anything, it is pretty clear that she doesn't want him to do anything.

However, at the centre of the episode was the Clark and Lois relationship. Tom Welling is clearly thriving on being to play Clark as a young man in his early-twenties trying to make a success of his first full-time job, rather than stuck as the perpetual, stay-at-home teenager. And teamed with Erica Durance, he gets to show something of a flair for light comedy - he's hardly the new Cary Grant, but he's a lot more fun to know than the dour season 7 Clark. Durance, meanwhile, has taken advantage of being in the "A" rather than "C" plots to show just what she can do. We knew that she had good comic timing and delivery - the "rhythmic motion...builds to a climax" line is a joy - but Lois' realisation that she may have romantic feelings for Clark is beautifully done, whilst showing how things are different this time. When Clark talks about the idea of a soulmate - but doesn't mention Lois - the refusal to disclose Maxima's comments about Lois and Clark having a "deep connection" makes her feelings clear: she is only prepared to love Clark if he loves her. To borrow a line from the old Nat King Cole song "When I Fall in Love": "And the moment that I feel that you feel that way too, is when I fall in love with you". She isn't interested in unrequited love, and what Clark does about it will dictate how this plays out over the course of the season. Whatever happens, the playfulness and banter underpinned by genuine emotion certainly seems like a better bet for an entertaining love story than the drab Clana angst of recent years.

[obsessedwithsv]

woah, you wrote an awful lot. My brain's having difficulty comprehending that one person has so much to say about one epi! I agree with most of what you say, though. I do feel a little ignorant due to the fact that I don't get a lot of your references to the films of years gone by but cut me some slack, I'm only 18!


Durance, meanwhile, has taken advantage of being in the "A" rather than "C" plots to show just what she can do. We knew that she had good comic timing and delivery - the "rhythmic motion...builds to a climax" line is a joy - but Lois' realisation that she may have romantic feelings for Clark is beautifully done, whilst showing how things are different this time.

Can't agree more. I've shown a lot of ED appreciation in a lot of other threads and feel guaranteed by current performances that she will only continue to flourish and impress us beyond expectation with her acting capabilies given brilliant storylines. :)

[Lex Dance]

Good to see you back along for the ride, newbaggy.
Well I finally got to see the episode as part of the double bill with Committed, and what a double bill! I really enjoyed Instinct - the best of the first four for me. But like you say, psycosis - something a bit fillerish about the A plot - but to be honest that didn't bother me. There were too many good signs in this episode about the way this season could go: humour! TW/ED chemistry! Lex's faceless presence! Out of those 3 things I'd put the humour first because it instantly refreshes everything that was getting a bit stale about S7. The repartee between Clark and Lois is genuinely witty and had me laughing out loud. As you said, newbaggy, it seems that ED is going to grasp this opportunity with both hands and not let go (I'm talking about this with Committed in mind too ;)). I love the grown-up look they've given both TW and ED - Lois just looks so classical with that hairstyle, and those pencil skirts! And Clark is definitely more Supermanly. I tolerated the moping years more than most, but like I said before - this is all so refreshing!
Only thing I'm not buying at the moment is the "Jimmy is my perfect man" angle from Chloe. With all that she knows about Clark, how could she ever see Jimmy as her soulmate? (again, I'm saying this with the knowledge of Committed.) Fair enough, give up on Clark - but he'd still always be the one, surely?