A tragedy of epic porportions

[Doctorj2k]

Let me begin by saying I started out an avid fan of Smallville, and I still watch only to see how it all ends. Is it filled with depth, meaning, suspense, continuity, and with resemblence of anything supermanlike? No, we lost that a while ago. This show has lost it on so many levels.

If anyone thinks this episode was good (at all) it's because the show has gotten so bad overall that any good moment of an episode make it an amazing one. This is really sad. Here are the problems with Smallville that this episode has sealed the lid on.

1. No intriguing theme or contunuity of any sort except the fact that the names of characters have remained the same, and were still having freaks of the week. The only thing worth mentioning is 33.1, but they are certainly gonna blow it with this.

2. Martha has lost all sense with reality, and has to be written in to the show in strange and inconvenient ways.

3. Lex and Lana are seemingly the only characters that have improved acting skills. Clark is reminicent of season 1 acting. His lines are incredibly fake and stupid.

4. Clark has developed into an arrogant kid with superpowers that he uses at the strangest times. He has no itelligence at all. He can't fight at all!! He is freaking indestructable, lightning fast, can shoot heat rays out of his eyes, can x-ray and sneeze a house over alien being and he has trouble landing a punch. I laugh every time he struggles. Why does he spend 3 seconds x-raying the cabinet to see the kid hiding? He can just walk right over there and open it up right away if he thinks he is hiding in there. And yet when it could be very convenient to solve a mystery with x-ray vision he doesn't use it. Clark is incredible stupid, more then ever before.

5. The show really is not about Clark anymore. In fact, I'm not sure what the show is about. The Green Arrow seems light years ahead of Clark, and he told Clark everything he needed to hear. But Clark refuses to listen and thinks he is so much better.

6. I guess it all comes down to the writers. The good writers have left and gone to write other shows that are FAR better. Like the show Heroes. The writers now have not a clue what they are doing and are writing absoulte crap epecially when it comes to lines for Clark.

Clark now wants to harbor illegal aliens from Mexico? What the heck? Clark is truly not even in the same category, Martha was right. Clark has lost sense of anything moral and right. He bases his right and wrong out of emotions and feelings of the momment. This makes his morals and right and wrong merely relative. What about Clark/Superman's truth and justice, not to mention the AMERICAN way. He should want to uphold the law, and do what is right. This is getting so bad.

[Tia]

Despite all its "flaws", I really don't care, I still love the show, in fact its my favourite show and I look forward to watching each and every episode...

[InLove_with_Chloe]

I hate to admit it because I like this show a lot, but he has a few points there...
<sigh.>
;)

[Billy Jor-El]

Yes, indeed, some valid points made. We can only hope TPTB read our posts and take some notice.

With Clark's maintaining actions of that of an overgrown child with weird powers, it still leads one to wonder how he will become Superman, though once he goes back to Jor-El's training, he'll come out a changed man, I suppose....

[MidgardDragon]

If anyone thinks this episode was good (at all) it's because the show has gotten so bad overall that any good moment of an episode make it an amazing one.

I'll thank you to not decide why *I* think this episode was good or not. I think it was a good filer episode because I thought it was just that, not because I thought that the rest of the episodes this season were bad.

[smallvillerocks45]

Doctorj2k
Clark now wants to harbor illegal aliens from Mexico? What the heck? Clark is truly not even in the same category, Martha was right. Clark has lost sense of anything moral and right. He bases his right and wrong out of emotions and feelings of the momment. This makes his morals and right and wrong merely relative. What about Clark/Superman's truth and justice, not to mention the AMERICAN way. He should want to uphold the law, and do what is right. This is getting so bad.

I don't think Clark's wanting to help one kid find his mother warrants the accusation that he has lost his morals. Clark is simply a humanitarian, and in a broad sense, he too is an illegal alien. Of course the context is different, he came from outer space, but if someone from another planet is allowed to stay in the US (and Superman, ultimately is), yet a person from a country that borders the US can't, I would think it reasonable for Clark to want to extend his hand to that person (or group of people) despite the legalities. I'm not trying to get get political - I'm just saying that from Clark's point of view, his actions made sense, and they certainly weren't immoral.

Some rules may have been broken, but they were also broken to keep Clark in Smallville. Moreover, I don't see anyone saying something similar about Luthorcorp's plan. If the rules were to be strictly followed, then everyone on that farm would be sent back to where they came from, but instead, Luthercorp wants to sponsor a program aimed at getting them jobs...they never mentioned how they would make them any less illegal. The big picture, I think, is that it is important for people to help people,(and for "aliens" to help other "aliens"), that can't be wrong, IMO.

...and I agree with MidgardDragon, this was a good filler episode. I liked it too (maybe for different reasons, I don't know...but it was good); and I don't think the rest of this season has been bad either.

[PacManOnCrack]

Yeah the show doesn't compare to what it was in Season1-3, those were great times.

Season4 was the downhill point for me because I found that Lana/Witch thing really lame, season 5 was okay but I don't know thats when I realized this isn't the highschool days anymore with Clark running around saving the day.

Well I don't know what really is there to say, just doesn't have that feel anymore like it did when it started out.

I still love this show, not as much and sort of following Heroes more now, but if I get let into the studio again here in Vancouver, I'll post insights again.
I live only 3 blocks away from the warehouse they record at

[j-kent]

all validity, but you when you decide to commit to watching a show like this (or any show at the least!) you have to remain optimistic. I find things to nit-pick at once in a while, but it doesn't stop me from watching Smallville! :) Mostly because I am a Superman fanatic. Writing can usually get choppy, but if I can still see where the writers are trying to go I'm okay.

[Kyogre]

Smallville has diminished in quality of episodes ever since season4
which is a shame because season 3 was an awesome season almost hardly any filler

[STFanatic]

Any series after more than three or four years begins to get stale in the writing.
I used to be a diehard ER fan, never ever missed an episode, I even joined a message board for that one.
I haven't watched ER in years, it became so repetitive and more about things other than the main subject that made it popular, the ER. When there were episode after episode with nothing to do with an ER, I gave up.
Smallville may have some filler episodes, boring episodes or deals with a character or subject not everyone cares about, but even those are about the main subject which the series is about.
Even if Clark is not the main subject of an episode, there are subjects in that story that effect him or his future.
Have I been thrilled with every episode? A resounding NO.
Have I made sure to be there each Thursday at 7 PM (Central time) Darn right I have (and logged into Kryptonsite as well, even way before I joined up)!

Smallville is a long way from losing my interest, and I will remain a faithful viewer.

[wraith808]

Originally posted by Doctorj2k
Clark now wants to harbor illegal aliens from Mexico? What the heck? Clark is truly not even in the same category, Martha was right. Clark has lost sense of anything moral and right. He bases his right and wrong out of emotions and feelings of the momment. This makes his morals and right and wrong merely relative. What about Clark/Superman's truth and justice, not to mention the AMERICAN way. He should want to uphold the law, and do what is right. This is getting so bad.

Ok, I'm going on what I *think* you were trying to write in the statement above (it's kind of hard to follow), but Superman has always stood for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. He has never stood for railroading immigrant children for no reason, nor forced labour laws. I think his actions in this episode were very superman-like, and leading in the heroic direction. He didn't take the easy way out, and he teamed up with Chloe instead of merely using her. The only things I didn't like were his harassment of Lex... though thinking about it, that was pretty superman-like, and the fact that he lied about the kid to his mom.

And as far as the ripping the door off instead of using x-ray vision... huh? Why would he tear up his own barn just to find out where the kid was when he has x-ray vision? That would have been pretty stupid...

[fatheroflies]

I want to say that I have read your posts and I see what people are struggling with, but you have to look at this season as a whole...

The writers are isolating Clark. Those of you who have noticed that he is less whiny are correct. He is basically being forced by circumstance to step up. The authors of the stories know where he needs to end up...he needs to be alright with the fact that he is the only one who can do what he does. In order for him to get to this point, he must be isolated for a while.

If anything, this season is the msot effective since season 3 in moving the big-picture plot along. The presence of Lois and what they are eventually gonna do with Chloe are troublesome, but nothing that can't be solved in a classy way. Everything that is happening this season has a purpose. Clark is learning about his lonely role in social justice and discovering the world beyond smallville.

Stick with it...they are going to deliver big time ;)

[gameface25]

Originally posted by fatheroflies
I want to say that I have read your posts and I see what people are struggling with, but you have to look at this season as a whole...

The writers are isolating Clark. Those of you who have noticed that he is less whiny are correct. He is basically being forced by circumstance to step up. The authors of the stories know where he needs to end up...he needs to be alright with the fact that he is the only one who can do what he does. In order for him to get to this point, he must be isolated for a while.

If anything, this season is the msot effective since season 3 in moving the big-picture plot along. The presence of Lois and what they are eventually gonna do with Chloe are troublesome, but nothing that can't be solved in a classy way. Everything that is happening this season has a purpose. Clark is learning about his lonely role in social justice and discovering the world beyond smallville.

Stick with it...they are going to deliver big time ;)

Best point in this thread.

Yes this was a slow episode, and didn't have a huge impact overall. But you have to keep in mind it was a filler episode, and it did that pretty well.

We had Clark kinda defying his Mom somewhat to protect an innocent boy. (Although not really sure why they had him just showing off his powers like that, they may be setting it up to come back and hurt him later on) . Which set up....

Introducing a new freak, and in doing so did 2 things. First, they made it a point to show that Clark had known this man all his life, and the man was really good friends with his dad. The 2nd meteor shower changed him 2 ways, by giving him an ability and by making him desperate enough to use it in a harmful way. Im sure on some level Clark feels guilty for that, (meteor shower was his fault, etc) in turning a good man into a freak.

Introducing this freak also opened the door to show off the new Level 33.1, show Lex "adding" this man to his team, and all the locked up inmates therin. It was a nice segway episode for the main arc this season. And set up that killer ending that has us all anxiously awaiting the new episodes, weither you liked this episdoe or not.

[kickarse]

It also showed the normal FoTW's really are nothing now to Clark.

Setting up the fact that he's going to have to fight bigger foes. Perhaps, with the help of the Justice League.

It gives the opportunity to separate Clark more externally from the "normal" people. Even more so internally.

[don johns]

Smallville was my favorite show, but I don't watch it now. I watched the series briefly but get a little too frustrated to continue. Clark comes across as a simpleton. Lois is too old and too grating and she is always playing a different scene from a different page than the rest of the cast. There is no continuity from the past. It is as if the writers trashed all the past scripts and the new writers never look at past episodes. All the characters have changed so much that the only thing that wasn't changed was the names of the characters. Lana and Lex kissing may have something to do with the loss of another 25% of the viewership. Season 5 had episodes like Hidden, Splinter. Most avid fans left after the Hypnotic episode and more and more viewers checked out. What is the point of watching Smallville now? There is no real emotional unpinning to the stories. They feel fake and the lines have no real emotional life to it. Watching Lana being victimized week after week turned off most of the female viewers. It is hard to identify with Clark. The previous seasons have so much more depth to the stories and the character development kept the show fresh. That isn't so now!!!

[thedarknight]

Its not like the show is completely bad. It has some good themes and story arcs going for it. They just keep using the same FOTW formula over and over. And the fight scenes are terrible, Clark is just a beating bag for a while, a toss -- problem solved. I just don't see why the don't bring in real superman villans more often, seeing as pretty much all the good guys(superman cast, that is) in the comics are now in the show. I mean its not like clark will ever put on the suit and duel these villian. One more season and its done, use all the resources you can TPTB!

[Lexuous Luthor]

Originally posted by Doctorj2k
Let me begin by saying I started out an avid fan of Smallville, and I still watch only to see how it all ends. Is it filled with depth, meaning, suspense, continuity, and with resemblence of anything supermanlike? No, we lost that a while ago. This show has lost it on so many levels.

If anyone thinks this episode was good (at all) it's because the show has gotten so bad overall that any good moment of an episode make it an amazing one. This is really sad. Here are the problems with Smallville that this episode has sealed the lid on.

1. No intriguing theme or contunuity of any sort except the fact that the names of characters have remained the same, and were still having freaks of the week. The only thing worth mentioning is 33.1, but they are certainly gonna blow it with this.

2. Martha has lost all sense with reality, and has to be written in to the show in strange and inconvenient ways.

3. Lex and Lana are seemingly the only characters that have improved acting skills. Clark is reminicent of season 1 acting. His lines are incredibly fake and stupid.

4. Clark has developed into an arrogant kid with superpowers that he uses at the strangest times. He has no itelligence at all. He can't fight at all!! He is freaking indestructable, lightning fast, can shoot heat rays out of his eyes, can x-ray and sneeze a house over alien being and he has trouble landing a punch. I laugh every time he struggles. Why does he spend 3 seconds x-raying the cabinet to see the kid hiding? He can just walk right over there and open it up right away if he thinks he is hiding in there. And yet when it could be very convenient to solve a mystery with x-ray vision he doesn't use it. Clark is incredible stupid, more then ever before.

5. The show really is not about Clark anymore. In fact, I'm not sure what the show is about. The Green Arrow seems light years ahead of Clark, and he told Clark everything he needed to hear. But Clark refuses to listen and thinks he is so much better.

6. I guess it all comes down to the writers. The good writers have left and gone to write other shows that are FAR better. Like the show Heroes. The writers now have not a clue what they are doing and are writing absoulte crap epecially when it comes to lines for Clark.

Clark now wants to harbor illegal aliens from Mexico? What the heck? Clark is truly not even in the same category, Martha was right. Clark has lost sense of anything moral and right. He bases his right and wrong out of emotions and feelings of the momment. This makes his morals and right and wrong merely relative. What about Clark/Superman's truth and justice, not to mention the AMERICAN way. He should want to uphold the law, and do what is right. This is getting so bad.

I find it funny that you mispelled "intelligence" when making fun of someone else's intelligence.

[Kryptonian-Ronin]

One word:

Context.

Learn what it means and get on with your life.

[ERIC524892]

Even though I still watch the show (mainly out of curiosity), I agree with you completely, Doctorj2k. Though the problem I have with this show lies with Clark having met all of his future friends in Smallville. C'mon, Perry, Lois, and even Jimmy? And let's not forget future superheroes. This show's supposed to be how about how Superman matured. Villians like Brainiac and Zod should be a challenge for a fully matured Superman. I don't even know where to begin with how they botched Mxyzptlk. Or kryptonite weakening the kid in Leech (though otherwise that episode was good).

[j-kent]

definitely the place in the forum to find nit-picks lol