Ign review of "Siren"

[Theshadow129x]

February 8, 2008 - Smallville has been fairly hit or miss lately and unfortunately, "Siren" is a pretty big miss. It's especially disappointing when this episode features two very special guest appearances by Green Arrow and Black Canary (Alaina Huffman). Justin Hartley's performance as Green Arrow last year was a real treat so it was sad to see him gone for such an extended period of time. Well, this time he's accompanied by his current comic book romantic interest – Black Canary. The problem is that the ingredients for a great episode are present but too much Clark Kent-Lana Lang melodrama gets in the way. If you're a fan of Clark and Lana being miserable for the majority of the episode, you'll love "Siren" with a passion. For the rest of us who'd rather watch a charismatic hero fighting the good fight, well, you should probably send a letter into the CW asking for a Green Arrow spin-off.

For the most part, the Black Canary featured in "Siren" is a fairly good depiction of the comic book version… from the neck down. We're not too sure what they might have been thinking when they decided to take away Canary's beautiful blonde hair and add make-up around her eyes that makes her look a lot like Pris from Blade Runner. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind but at least they managed to get her powers right. Alaina Huffman definitely has a lot of fun with the part and while her acting is a little over-the-top at times, she still fits right in on Smallville.

In the limited screen time Green Arrow/Ollie Queen receives, he completely out shadows the rest of cast. He's fun, charismatic and comes equipped with a wide assortment of arrows. Too bad he spends a portion of the episode tied to a chair with Lois Lane or this episode might have been much better. It was sad to see the Lois and Ollie relationship come to an end but it results in a pretty good scene featuring Lois breaking down after yet another relationship abruptly ends.

The problem with this episode is pretty simple; Clark and Lana's relationship has been completely driven into the ground. Last week, Lana admitted that she had a better time with Bizarro than she did with Clark. Where do you possibly go from here? Every time Clark and Lana are on screen you can feel them sucking the fun out of the episode. Even when Clark shares scenes with Chloe he's just mopes about, acting depressed. It's really a sad state of affairs when your lead character is a sad, lonely shell of himself. It simply doesn't make for good TV.

The final moments of the episode have Clark confessing some of his "less than super moments" to Lana and apparently this is supposed to make things better. What's the point? The writers seem to feed off keeping these two characters angry or depressed so they'll undoubtedly find a new way to do that in a couple of weeks. Either just end the relationship or allow them to be genuinely happy for a few episodes. Nobody wants to see the hero of the show depressed because he won't have sex (Bizarro proves that he can) or that his girlfriend isn't talking to him. Clark doesn't need to be Green Arrow but he needs to be someone you want to watch every week without feeling sorry for him.

Also, Lana's dialogue seems to be getting worse. Who uses "I've been a two-headed hydra lately" in conversation? Kristen Kreuk's a smart woman so give her some intelligent dialogue instead of dialogue that is supposed to make her sound intelligent.

It's unfortunate that an episode, which features Lex Luthor dual-wielding handguns against Green Arrow and Black Canary, is ruined by so much emotional baggage. Also, seeing Clark run in at the last moment, batting bullets and arrows out of the sky, was a reminder of just how boring the character has become.

The show needs some sort of reset and a friend recently suggested that they base the next season five years in the future, cutting away all the baggage. The season can start with a Clark who has just returned from the fortress after his training. This might not be a bad idea.


Final Grade: 6.0

----- Added 1 Minutes later -----

I completely agree with this review. Lana and Clark's relationship is just ruining this show.

[aqgalaxy]

Yup I agree, Clana destroyed this episode, if they didn't have that Last Clana scene I bet it would have had a higher grade.

[Theshadow129x]

The fact that they are still pushing that relationship amazes me. With the season ending at episode 15 though they might just have to end the relationship on a lightswitch

[you_smell_terrific]

I completely agree with the Clana ruining the show thing. It's been ruining the show for seasons and yet Al/Miles keep dragging it along. It amazes me how the show really kicked into gear with the intro to the episode and then was instantly dragged down in the next scene with Clana.

The same thing happened in Bizarro. I remember feeling like the show felt really fresh and exciting and free of something that I couldn't quite place. Then the show ended with the Clana ******** leaving you with a nasty taste in your mouth. I can't believe they haven't realized by now that Clana is a show killer. What's even more sad is that the longer it drags on, the longer it's going to take to end. A relationship with that much history and heartbreak couldn't end abrubtly or it wouldn't be believable. So even when Clana does end, we're just going to have depressed Clark for a LONNNGG ass time.

The roots are in so deep with them now it's going to be hard to pull out -.-

[MozartRequiem]

I don't think the Clana stuff ruined it. I think it was resolved in a good way, and I had a good feeling that even if the relationship doesn't work (which we know it won't), they'll still have a strong bond as friends. I think the clana stuff was actually well-written, because both Clark AND Lana had good points, and it was cool to see them resolve their differences in a mature manner. I think we really saw how much they've grown in this episode.

That being said, it does need to stop soon. Let Clark focus on his destiny now already!! (but as far as the episode, I liked it a lot!)

[LoisJoanneKent]

Clana is the reason Smallville's rating have plummeted lately. In the beginning, it was all well and good, because Clana was meant to happen. But Clark is no longer in high school, so he should be over Lana by now. They have dragged the Clana thing too far...it needs to end already. Clark needs to be single, and get his ass to the fortress and begin his training to become Superman...and then 10 years from now, get with Lois Lane as he's meant to do!

[lilkoolmaria]

I definitely agree with this review. Clana has got to end, pronto. It's hurting the show. :\

[Kii]

The end scene with Clark and Lana completely ruined the episode for me. I had hopes the relationship was coming to end by the way things were going in the episode, but no they HAD to pull Clana back together.

[Mackdaddy]

What a great review! I couldn't agree more. This was a pretty good episode right up to the end, again. How many freaking times do we need to see Clana at the end of episodes to ruin it!?!?!:\ Thought the rest of the show was solid though.

[minerva73]

I think that the review is right especially about the Clana parts. Sure I might be happy that they finally worked things out, but Clark was acting really boring and mopey. There could have been a much better Chlark scene if he didn't try to abruptly end the topic because Chloe said that Lana isn't the same.

The episode could have turned out a lot better. They should have saved the Clana scenes for another episode... And Lionel's obsession too. :\

[LoisL]

I don't think the Clana stuff ruined it. I think it was resolved in a good way, and I had a good feeling that even if the relationship doesn't work (which we know it won't), they'll still have a strong bond as friends. I think the clana stuff was actually well-written, because both Clark AND Lana had good points, and it was cool to see them resolve their differences in a mature manner. I think we really saw how much they've grown in this episode.

I agree. Clana may have pulled down the ep with moroseness but it was surprisingly well-written and pivotal tonight, IMO. Instead of their typical arguments of Lana complaining about his secrets and Clark trying to evade suspicion by lame deflections, this time they dealt with real deep-seated issues about differences in character and compatibility. Their war of words stung with past ignored truths, poisonous disillusionment, and revelation. Who knew that Lana resented Clark's "standards"? Who knew Clark had ever blamed Lana for falling in love with Lex and assorted others? (I know I thought he gave her a blank check re:behavior) Who else was surprised when Clark shouted out his 'stolen Lamborguini' confession? ('Exile' has always previously been buried in the depths of Clark's soul)

The fight was good to hear because it was real and for once put the strain of their relationship on internal differences vs. outside influences. The breakup-that-must-be finally seems possible in a non-earth shattering, high tragedy, pining forever way. And man but I really, really, appreciated the end admission that Clark was no longer convinced Lana was his soulmate (or the girl he should end up with). And I was glad for the hint of a possible series' saving grace for their relationship when Clark set a simple, more acheivable and canonical goal for them by wanting trust instead of passion or devotion. Maybe they can one day become the classic smalltown friends and confidantes of the comics after all?

[Clana4Life]

With all of the Clana haters, I'm amazed this show has any viewers. But since Smallville is still the CW's top show, an awful lot of people must like the show. Clana usually doesn't bother me, I guess because I like Clark and Lana and this is the first season that they've been together with her knowing all about his secret. This year she's actually had some BIG secrets of her own. That's a big treat. I feel like Clana needed this, because a lot of people wanted her to know Clark's secret and the writers made us wait 6 years before she could find out. Now that she's found out, it's been interesting to see the effects on their relationship. I think Lana is an integral part of SV and she's been a big factor in Clark's life. I don't want them to just sweep this relationship under the rug after 11 episodes. Real things are coming out of the relationship now. This is not your high school Clark Kent and Lana Lang, so I don't feel like it is a "been there, done this before." The stakes are different, the risks are high and Clark Kent, the faithful, is having doubts about the relationship for the first time. This is good stuff. Don't be so quick to want Clark to run off to FOS for his training, because that pretty much ends the show. As far as the melodrama, from what I saw at the end of this episode, I think that's over for a while.

[nemrod]

clana represents the cornerstone of the show a continuity after the death of his father and the departure of his mother (gone forever!!!) this show is not about superman nor Clark Kent, DC did not give it enough freedom to be about that, it is about Smallville and a group of people who live there, and the way this life helps form the would be hero, if suddenly Clana stopped for no reason what so ever then it would not be natural, it would make little sense, it happens that often relationships hurt but we stay with them anyway because the alternative would be to admit we were wrong, the episode was good, on the budget of the show, it was nice to see GA and BC, MB disappointed but Lana and Clark seem to have given more depth to their characters as they admit that maybe they are not ultimately going to make the transition from young lovers to husband and wife, this is a sign of the conclusion to the impotence of Clark, remember as a young man each time he tried to seduce Lana he would become jelly and fall to the ground unable to approach the ultimate object of his ultimate adolescent desires, now he has solved that problem by removing the physical aspect from his desires (putting all of his tensions in to more proactive crime fighting) he realises that as the man of steel instead of the boy of corn, he rectifies this but in order to get there he must leave rubber boy behind, in the end with much of his life in smallville and or course us the viewers as we are as much part of the show as he is!!!

[chlark=destiny]

This review was awesome! I tip my hat to you IGN! Glad to see that some REVIEWERS have the BALLS to say how they really feel about the show:lol:

[LoveLiving]

I'm not sure that there are more Clana haters than Clana lovers among the viewers (or even in the online community), more likely the haters are simply more vocal about their opinion. (Love is always more gentle.)

The only 2 things I agree with the IGN review is that:

1) The Clana ANGST (not Clana itself) needs to end - I think most of us can't stand them to be this unhappy anymore, it totally breaks my heart - let them be HAPPY for awhile!!!! Honestly, they hardly had any happy time, meaning CLARK hardly had any happy time being in love EVER, it didn't work out with anybody else either (Kyla, Alicia). I mean, if they end this without him experiencing some true happiness and all the positive aspects of a relationship, how on Earth is he supposed to be happy later on (ask any therapist regarding this :)). Clark saying that he doesn't know the future, and what is gonna happen to them really shows that he is becoming an adult. I read somewhere that part of growing up is when you realize, that such words as "never", "forever", "always", can be striked from the dictionary, because the only thing for certain in life is change.

2) It probably wasn't the best idea to put the GA/BC storyline in the same episode with this milestone in Clana. The relationship issue dominated the episode (whichever way you wanted it to turn out, THAT IS what everybody was concerned about and wanted to know above all.) Check out how many posts are regarding Clark/Lana, and how many regarding GA/BC (much less). The superheros would have deserved an episode where they can take center stage...

Personally I am hoping for a few good/happy episodes and a very gentle, friendly end to the relationship just before the series finale. He can't have Lois (Superman has Lois, and he won't become that on this show, plus Lois made it clear she can't handle the dual identity thing for now), there isn't enough time for him to fall in love with anybody else (and boy, would that make the comic fans angry!), so the only way for him to experience a happy relationship is with Lana. So: FIX CLANA. (including the sex issue - Hm! - could we put Clark on Red K for a minute, he never seemed to have any doubts during those times (Unsafe/Alicia, Crimson/Lois). Maybe after that he wouldn't have any problems...

[MidgardDragon]

Mainstream "website" reviews of Smallville are useless. Bandwagon jumpers, the lot of 'em. If "hit or miss" means "they've had 2 or so bad episodes in an excellent season full of mythology and heroics" then hit or miss might be accurate. I doubt that's what they meant, though.

[BadToad]

I agree with some parts of the review, but not others. I very much disagree with him about Clark in general (and personally, I didn't think there was anything boring about him about batting bullets and arrows away from killing people). I do believe he's got a point about the Clana angst. Its my belief that they've run that relationship too far into the ground to do a "Happy Clana" at this point. Perhaps if they hadn't done Lexana, or maybe if they had refrained from their dark Lana arc at the beginning of this season. I'm not sure where they hit the point of no return. But I think the show would be much better served to allow this relationship to take that turn towards friendship now.

I do think the reviewer makes an excellent point about the dour nature of the show. I can't blame Clark for being a morose character when the show doesn't give him a lot of reasons to be anything but that. Clark is rarely allowed to have fun, so he doesn't get to be fun. I think the show could certainly benefit from lightening up a bit.

[smallvillefreak24]

It really pisses me off how Clana used to be. I absolutley loved them together when I first started watching the show.. they were DEFINATLEY meant for eachother, and the chemistry was undeniable. All we needed was lana to know the secret and they could be happy-that's what the show leaded up to. It actually killed it. Now it is completley dead. Lana is INSANE for 1. Clark and her never even had any happy episodes like mortal and hidden. Its not fair that they had to ruin it. So ya i think that it hindered the episode. Especially since oliver queen is so great

[LovelyLoisLane]

I agree with some parts of the review, but not others. I very much disagree with him about Clark in general (and personally, I didn't think there was anything boring about him about batting bullets and arrows away from killing people). I do believe he's got a point about the Clana angst. Its my belief that they've run that relationship too far into the ground to do a "Happy Clana" at this point. Perhaps if they hadn't done Lexana, or maybe if they had refrained from their dark Lana arc at the beginning of this season. I'm not sure where they hit the point of no return. But I think the show would be much better served to allow this relationship to take that turn towards friendship now.

I do think the reviewer makes an excellent point about the dour nature of the show. I can't blame Clark for being a morose character when the show doesn't give him a lot of reasons to be anything but that. Clark is rarely allowed to have fun, so he doesn't get to be fun. I think the show could certainly benefit from lightening up a bit.

I agree with you completely. :)

I really liked Clark in this episode, as well as Real!Clark in 'Persona' I had a huge smile on my face when he was free from his ice prison. Usually the Clana relationship brings his character down, but in both "Persona" and "Siren" I saw starting to grow up (in regards to his relationship to Lana) and start to wake up, if you will, from the 'dream' that is that relationship.

I don't think the last scene took away from the awesomeness of him FINALLY unloading on Lana that sh*t actually IS her fault, and not blaming himself again. It would have made Clark look like a jerk if, after that heartfelt moment with Lois before, he didn't soften up to Lana and in the end I don't think he had changed his mind that Lana had messed up. More I think it was that he didn't want the years he had invested in Lana to end on such a bitter note, but he certainly didn't just let her whip him into submission. He admitted that he was unsure about his and therefore 'their' future, but he wasn't ready for it to end.

This was a very good episode. I think the Black Canary might have been PMS'ing a little bit, but other than that I liked the episode a lot. I wouldn't call 'Siren' a miss at all. The biggest 'miss' this season was the episode 'Fierce' that episode was a little lame. So I don't really agree with the IGN review. Though I do agree with them that Green Arrow is a very enjoyable character, but I liked Clark in "Siren" as well. He was looking out for Chloe's back, finally told Lana off, and was there for Lois as a friend when she really needed one. He certainly wasn't boring in "Siren"

[blackcelebration]

Actually I personally felt it was one of the best episodes of this season & gave it 9/10 but 1 mark was swiped of because of the ending. No way should they after SEVEN YEARS be presenting Clark as a small & weak person. He should have said nothing or something more sensible her staying with him or Clark just rebuking what he said really took the episode another step back because before that it was really interesting & for once all the characters were moving forward.

Now the biggest fear is that by next episode all will be forgotten & forgiven & everything will be back to square one & if that is the case then the positives of this episode would have been a waste & therefore I'd also have to agree with this reviewers criticisms.

It looks as if Clana will survive this season which most likely means that this episode will most likely turn out to be useless anyhow.

So 9 or 10 if Clana breakup (unlikely) or 5-6 if they do not (Al Miles are u watching cos Clana is slowly sorry is already making this show nearly impossible to watch:\

[LoveLiving]

Where is the spoiler from?

[blackcelebration]

Where is the spoiler from?

Even though Clark and Lana have some bumps after the whole Bizarro thing, it sounds like they will still be in a relationship by season's end.
- Kristin Kreuk has implied in a CW interview that the season ends on a cliffhanger, should things end with episode #15. The big cliffhangers, and the episode itself, deal more with the mythology of the series than the romantic relationships. There's a lot of big stuff on the way though...


Check out This sites spoiler page.

[boingo]

I'm not sure that there are more Clana haters than Clana lovers among the viewers (or even in the online community), more likely the haters are simply more vocal about their opinion. (Love is always more gentle.)

The only 2 things I agree with the IGN review is that:

1) The Clana ANGST (not Clana itself) needs to end - I think most of us can't stand them to be this unhappy anymore, it totally breaks my heart - let them be HAPPY for awhile!!!! Honestly, they hardly had any happy time, meaning CLARK hardly had any happy time being in love EVER, it didn't work out with anybody else either (Kyla, Alicia). I mean, if they end this without him experiencing some true happiness and all the positive aspects of a relationship, how on Earth is he supposed to be happy later on (ask any therapist regarding this :)). Clark saying that he doesn't know the future, and what is gonna happen to them really shows that he is becoming an adult. I read somewhere that part of growing up is when you realize, that such words as "never", "forever", "always", can be striked from the dictionary, because the only thing for certain in life is change.

2) It probably wasn't the best idea to put the GA/BC storyline in the same episode with this milestone in Clana. The relationship issue dominated the episode (whichever way you wanted it to turn out, THAT IS what everybody was concerned about and wanted to know above all.) Check out how many posts are regarding Clark/Lana, and how many regarding GA/BC (much less). The superheros would have deserved an episode where they can take center stage...

Personally I am hoping for a few good/happy episodes and a very gentle, friendly end to the relationship just before the series finale. He can't have Lois (Superman has Lois, and he won't become that on this show, plus Lois made it clear she can't handle the dual identity thing for now), there isn't enough time for him to fall in love with anybody else (and boy, would that make the comic fans angry!), so the only way for him to experience a happy relationship is with Lana. So: FIX CLANA. (including the sex issue - Hm! - could we put Clark on Red K for a minute, he never seemed to have any doubts during those times (Unsafe/Alicia, Crimson/Lois). Maybe after that he wouldn't have any problems...

This is exactly how I feel. I am a Clark and Lana fan and I enjoy watching these characters on this show, but why o' why must TPTB persist with the angst?! I have no problem with a little angst here or there in order to create drama, but these writers go way overboard sometimes imo...to the point that it becomes really depressing and frustrating for me to watch. One of the reasons I really enjoyed the start of season 5 was because of its levity, Clark and Lana were together and doing fine for a while so the source of the drama wasn't so much on the Clana relationship, but on other aspects of the show and it was great. I thought the same was going to occur this season when I read that Clark and Lana were going to get a real shot...A real shot of what? Misery? There has been more drama in the Clark and Lana front than ever before...I am not saying, that I haven't been enjoying this season overall because I have...I love this show...I love the actors...I love the cast and crew...etc. BUT why not let up a little especially when it comes to Clark and Lana... it would be nice to see Clark and Lana's characters happy for a change; individually and relationship-wise...

[msleggie]

Originally Posted by MozartRequiem
I don't think the Clana stuff ruined it. I think it was resolved in a good way, and I had a good feeling that even if the relationship doesn't work (which we know it won't), they'll still have a strong bond as friends. I think the clana stuff was actually well-written, because both Clark AND Lana had good points, and it was cool to see them resolve their differences in a mature manner. I think we really saw how much they've grown in this episode.


I'm not a Clana fan, but I don't think that the Clana stuff ruins the show either. And I also don't think that those two are over, those two aren't willing 2 give their relationship up