Season 5 Top Ten

[SGuthrie27]

Here's where you may post your Top Ten favorite episodes of Season 5, with as much or little detail/commentary as you choose. Please make sure to pick 10 episodes!!!

1 - Vessel - One of the best season finales Smallville has had -- it doesn't quite eclipse Commencement, but it does come closer than I thought any finale could. Maybe my judgment is a little clouded by the perfect Chlark kiss... Nah!
2 - Reckoning - I don't know why so many people detest this episode. I mean, I know that the "going back in time and changing things" bit has been done on lots of shows before, but I thought it was really well-used in this particular case. The first half of the episode had me freaking out a lot, wondering how in the world they were going to deal with Clark and Lana's sudden engagement, Jonathan's joining the Senate, Lana's death, etc., and then the second half made me even more tense, 'cause I kept wondering who was going to die this time around... Poor Jonathan... I know it was necessary, but it was still really sad.
3 - Lexmas - I must have a thing for Alternate Universe episodes, because I loved this one, too. Seeing Lex enjoying a simple, carefree life with a happy family, a moderate income, a cute little house, and Clark and Chloe together as an item, with Jonathan an accomplished senator... it was all very cool and well-done. Too bad Lex had to wake up from that beautiful dream...
4 - Arrival - Chloe discovered Clark's secret fully and got to have the discussion about his alien origins, Kryptonians came out of the spacecraft to menace Smallville, Lois had some good moments, as did Lana... and BRAINIAC!!! Eeek!
5 - Splinter - Tom Welling did a tremendous job as Clark in this episode. He was really scary in his paranoid state, but I think that's what they were going for once he was exposed to silver kryptonite. The heartfelt conversation he had at the end with Chloe was beautiful, too.
6 - Solitude - This was one of the better Martha-centric episodes, and there really haven't been many. Plus, Chloe saves Clark's life (again!), Braniac's true colors are revealed (shocking to anyone?), and it's just a well-paced episode with great acting by all the cast.
7 - Hidden - Each time I watch this episode, I like it better. Well, I didn't care for the Clana stuff at the beginning, but other than that, there's nothing negative to say about this episode. Clark's "death," all the parts with Chloe, the missile leap, and the reveal that someone Clark loves would die... all of it was really stellar. Good job, Smallville!
8 - Mercy - Sure, this had some dark, really creepy elements to it, and I hear it's pretty much a rip-off of Saw, but it's still a phenomenal episode for Lionel, and John Glover did a really good job of portraying him. Plus, he discovered Clark's powers for real, if he didn't know them subconsciously already due to Jor-El's influence.
9 - Aqua - Sure, Aquaman was kind of a goofy character, but he's another Justice League member, and his banter with Lois was fun to watch.
10 - Cyborg - I couldn't let a JLA member stray from the Top 10 of any season, and that's all there is to it with this one.

Season 5 definitely had some excellent high points, even if I wasn't a fan of certain plot points. It was stronger in some ways, as an overall season arc, than Season 4 was, though, since I didn't really dig all the Stones of Knowledge junk from that...

--SGuthrie ><>' --

[BadToad]

OK

1. Hidden
2. Arrival
3. Mortal
-I put them altogether like that because the order keeps changing for me, but the bottom line is that these are 3 great episodes, that all flow right into each other, and were consistent with their storyline. I don't think the show has ever clicked quite so much.

4. Vengeance - Totally underappreciated, IMO, and a terrific episode that features amazing performances by TW and AOT, and probably the saddest, most poignant moment from the whole series.

5. Splinter - Tom was ON FIRE in this episode. JM was a great Fine/Brainiac.

6. Solitude - I love the scenes between Clark and his mother, as well as the fireside Chlark scene. Its also a great anvil episode for Lois.

7. Mercy - I liked Lionel and Martha getting their chance in the A plot. And I could watch Clark save them in the elevator all day.

8. Cyborg - Great introduction for Victor Stone, and the scenes between Victor and Clark really worked well.

9. Vessel - Lots of chaos.

10. Lexmas - Its not a favorite, but there are nice moments and its nicely filmed.

[Supsfan]

2 - Reckoning - I don't know why so many people detest this episode. I mean, I know that the "going back in time and changing things" bit has been done on lots of shows before, but I thought it was really well-used in this particular case. The first half of the episode had me freaking out a lot, wondering how in the world they were going to deal with Clark and Lana's sudden engagement, Jonathan's joining the Senate, Lana's death, etc., and then the second half made me even more tense, 'cause I kept wondering who was going to die this time around... Poor Jonathan... I know it was necessary, but it was still really sad.

Killing Jonathon wasn't necessary that is the problem, but this show needs it's "drama" and "angst" and the producers found a cheap way to give it to us. Yet another in the long line of "it's my fault" Clark episodes that I wish the show would stray away from.

7. Mercy - I liked Lionel and Martha getting their chance in the A plot. And I could watch Clark save them in the elevator all day.

I never get the love for this episode, it just seemed like a really bad Saw rip off. I also wasn't a fan of Martha & Lionel romantic undertones a couple episodes after Jonathon dies.

[lois346]

1. Arrival
2. Hidden
3. Exposed
4. Splinter
5. Lexmas
6. Lockdown
7. Reckoning
8. Vengence
9. Fade
10. Vessel

[supermandude10]

First of all, this is probably the hardest of all seasons to pick. I loved season 5.

1. Splinter - This, to me, is one of the greatest episodes that Tom Welling has done acting wise. He did a terrific job on this episode, and the storyline was great! A lot of twists and turns.

2. Hidden - Obviously, this is another great episode. It's fun to see that you can take the powers away from the hero, but you can't the hero out of Clark.

3. Vessel - One of the BEST season finales in my opinion. Commencement and this are the top ones. I can't decide which one is better, but this is definitely a tough contender.

4. Reckoning - The saddest episode of all time. Jonathan Kent is still missed, but it was time. Very good episode.

5. Solitude - Brainiac is the coolest villain on Smallville in my opinion. This was just a great episode.

6. Aqua - Aquaman was a nice addition to this show, but not only that; this was a great episode overall.

7. Lexmas - I always like alternate world episodes. It was nice to see what really made Lex tick. Plus, I love when shows do funny things with the titles.

8. Arrival - One of the best season finales. Examples: THE FORTRESS! And the two Kryptonians were a nice addition. Great way to start off the season. Plus, I cannot describe the expression of surprise on my face when I saw Brainiac coming out of the ship!

9. Cyborg - Cyborg is one of the coolest heroes. I just liked this episode.

10. Oracle - This was the perfect set-up episode. It almost seemed like it should've been another two-hour finale with Oracle and Vessel running back to back.

[cloisville]

1 Reckoning. 2 Hidden. 3 Splinter. 4 Solitude. 5 Fade. 6 Vessel. 7 Oracle. 8 Exposed. 9 Mercy. 10 Fragile.

[SGuthrie27]

Yeah, I wish that Clark wouldn't blame himself all the time, Supsfan, but I still agree with supermandude10 that it was the time for Jonathan Kent to be killed. It fits in with several earlier versions of how things happened in comics and the movies, and it forced Clark to approach situations relying more on his own wisdom and common sense.

--SGuthrie ><>' --

[Supsfan]

and it forced Clark to approach situations relying more on his own wisdom and common sense.

After watching S6+7, Clark's use of wisdom and common sense wasn't the greatest though :P

[SGuthrie27]

True, which is kind of sad, isn't it? You'd think he would've learned a lot more by this point, and wouldn't spend most of his time rejecting his destiny, pining after an engaged then married Lana, and ignoring the glaring threats that multiple people warned him were right around the corner.

--SGuthrie ><>' --

[Supsfan]

True, which is kind of sad, isn't it? You'd think he would've learned a lot more by this point, and wouldn't spend most of his time rejecting his destiny, pining after an engaged then married Lana, and ignoring the glaring threats that multiple people warned him were right around the corner.

--SGuthrie ><>' --

I think that's the hardest thing about rewatching some earlier episodes, is you just see Clark making the same mistakes over and over you just want to pull your hair out. I think Exile is a perfect example of an episode I really soured over time. While it wasn't my favorite episode when it first aired I enjoyed it. But watching Clark go into the same depression mode over and over again for 5 seasons after it, I can't bear to watch it now without thinking it's complete crap and a repetative "i hate my life and will do something stupid" storyline

In the case of Reckoning, it just seemed like a stunt death to try create a buzz. Jonathon and Martha could still have been a bigger part of the show but the producers I guess felt they were to old, and somehow thought pairing up Martha with Lionel a couple episodes after Jonathon's death was good TV.

[lana 9]

mortal
splinter
hidden
arrival
cyborg
void
lexmas
soltude
vessel
lockdown

[rockyshadow]

Exposed
Lexmas
Oracle
Fade
Fragile

I know some of my choices are controvercial and I didn't pick ten, but I enjoyed other seasons more than season five.

[JB1986]

1. Reckoning (Really tough to pick between this one and Arrival, but this was such a huge episode. Really well done, and heartbreaking. )
2. Arrival
3. Hidden
4. Splinter
5. Mortal
6. Solitude
7. Lexmas
8. Vessel
9. Void
10. Oracle

[Krypto_marcus]

Splinter
Vessel
Lexmas
Vengeance
Reckoning
Mercy
Arrival
Exposed
Lockdown
Cyborg

Awesome season!

[Anu]

1. Reckoning
2. Lexmas
3. Mortal
4. Vengeance
5. Arrival
6. Vessel
7. Splinter
8. Solitude
9. Cyborg
10. Aqua
8. Splinter