In one single show I saw everything I love and hate about Smallville. Totally cheesy, painful-to-watch plot (sorority vampires) with just enough multi-level cool-bad-guy interaction (Lex and Professor Fine) that I had to watch anyway.
On the plus side, Teres and I started laughing right after the Lex-Fine pool table scene, thinking about the thousands of fan fiction authors lunging for their keyboards Posted by Aeroth (Member # 6269) on :
I hate to say it, but I enjoyed this episode. We had subtle Star Wars references in honor of Carrie Fisher's guest appearance, James Marsters finally stepping out into the spotlight, and a better-than-expected storyline.
That's right. I said it. The plot was actually not so bad. The fact that the sorrority girls were connected to a LuthorCorp experiment definitely stayed consistent with the ongoing storylines this season. It was quite a watchable episode indeed, and if this is what an average installment of the show qualifies as these days, I'll have no problem continuing to watch the series.
Posted by IanO (Member # 186) on :
Exactly right, Chris. I loved the b-plot of this episode, Lex and Fine. But Lana sorority vampire? Please. And are you telling me no one bats an eye that someone was murdered? Not a single mention? That makes twice that Lana has personally killed someone, once under the influence of an ancestor, I'll grant you. But that's a defense that wouldn't hold up in court. Lex's murders I can buy because his money might get him off (doubtful, but not wholely out the realm of possibility.) But Lana? And I guess all Clarks concern about explaining not having a gunshot scar was completely ignored last week as he and Lana cavorted at the lake.
Continuity much?
Next week's looks questionable, like their substituting more cheesecake for plot (though, like Facade, it may be much better than it looks). On the one hand, I understand making the Fine-Lex-Clark plot move slowly (as the b plot in every story) so that it lasts for quite a while as a major story arch. But their A-plots should be as good, if not better.
Side note: Did Carrie Fisher do something to her lips? Man, she has not aged all that well at all, like Margot Kidder. And what was Chloe thinking, turning in a vampire story to the Daily Planet. No matter how much documentation, it could not possibly be the story that a girl trying to get an internship would turn in.
Why do they do this? Are they out of touch with reality and the fans? "Gee, let's put some vampires on Smallville." "Great idea, babe. And Lana will somehow get Clark's heat vision."
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
Did Marsters play a vampire?
I don't watch Smallville. I watched a few episodes at the beginning, but then I stopped.
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
It was pretty neat. I liked how everything is growing and getting connected. Should be neat to see what happens. I know we saw the guy from the space ship before, but I totally missed that he was the professor.
Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :
I liked the episode. I think my review for it (when I was telling my brother about it) was "it's quite good for a crappy Halloween-themed episode."
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
No, Marsters was not a vampire. I did find it very amusing when he told Clark that there is no such thing as vampires. Posted by 0range7Penguin (Member # 7337) on :
I watched the first season of Smallville and then stopped. The whole Lex and Clark knowing eachother thing didn't seem to jive with the old Superman story. And I was a huge Batman/Superman adventures fan when I was in like sixth/seventh grade.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
I thought it stunk from too many pop references.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
I'm kind of dreading watching this episode this weekend...
I mean, Superman vs. Vampires (or even Superboy) is almost no contest. Unless you play up the magic angle.
He'll know they're there before they're aware of him, even though they're vampires. (Super-hearing, x-ray vision = no pulse, no heartbeat, spotted!). They can't suck his blood because it's distilled sunlight.
And...sorority vampires ?! Posted by IanO (Member # 186) on :
The graphic novel, Birthright, had Lex be friends with Clark, briefly, in Smallville. And Supes was worried that Lex would put 2+2 together. But Lex had turned his back on everything that had happened in Smallville, including his friendship with Clark. So he did not make the connection.
But given the Smallville mythology, Lex would have to be the dumbest guy in the history of the universe not to figure it out. I mean, the mysteries around Clark, the stones, the prophecy of Naman and Lex seeing himself as Segeeth, the Doctor who said Clark was the last son, an alien, who is sent to conquer the earth. So I'm guessing that the producers think that secret identities are outmoded and unnecessary (though I don't see agree). I seem to have heard that there are some superman comics with that angle, as well.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Lex did know Clark growing up in Smallville, according to a couple decades of the comics. Then they changed things and he didn't. Then they changed things again and Lex went from being an evil scientist to an evil billionaire financier. DC is about to start changing things again, no telling what everyone will be afterwards.
The history of Smallville can't result in any previously known version of Superman. Just can't. I stopped caring about that in the 2nd season and started treating it as a What If or Elseworlds story.
Posted by IanO (Member # 186) on :
The reason I mentioned Birthright is that I don't recall if Lex knew CLARK, not Superboy. I know that he blamed Superboy for making him bald. But I wasn't sure if any comic incarnation had him actually being friends with Clark. But Birthright did.
Still like the Smallville mythology. Just wish they'd make it more consistant and get rid of the gimmicky plots.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Me, I'm just waiting for the TelevisionWithoutPity recap of this...
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
Check out Elliot S! Maggin's Superman novels. Clark and Lex were friends, and Clark and Superboy were friends for even longer.
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
Was I the only person who sat there watching the episode and couldn't help but think, "This really bites"?
Anyway, the most pointed (sorry) thing in the episode, I thought, was Lana mentioning that she wanted to take courses on Astronomy. She is so on the "I hate aliens" bandwagon, now. Particularly Kryptonians. If she ever finds out Clark's secret, it's going to be worse than he can possibly imagine.
Posted by IanO (Member # 186) on :
Nah, you're not the only one. The A plot pretty muched sucked. The only good part was the B-plot, regarding Fine, Lex, and Clark. That should prove to be quite enjoyable.
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