(S07E09) This is the last new episode of Smallville to be broadcast this year. Actually, if the writers' strike never ends, it could be the last episode ever. So, let's get to it.When last we left our team of intrepid twenty-somethings, Clark had just defeated his evil uncle (with help from his cousin Kara who ended up in Detroit with amnesia as a result) and then vanished in a white light. Lois had a thing going with her editor Grant Gabriel (as discovered by her cousin Chloe) who ended up being Lex Luthor's brother Julian.
Somebody saaaaaaave meeeee...
Many surprises and twists this episode. You'd think it was an episode of 24. I do hope this strike gets resolved simply because I'd like to learn what happens next. The episode only had a throw-away line on Kara's disappearance. It didn't need any more since itt was busy enough without it.
Overall, the episode felt padded. All the interesting stuff happened within the last twelve minutes and the dangling plotline of the clone Adrian felt longer than it needed to be. But they had to fill the other thirty minutes somehow. The whole bomb storyline felt drawn out and it seemed like a trite method for Adrian to accomplish his goal.
Typical for Smallville, the episode focused on relationships: Clark/Lana. Jimmy/Chloe. Lois/Grant. It was a little like Coupling.
Given the clone theme of the season starting with the "Bizarro" first episode (and obviously continuing this episode), it's not surprising that Julian Luthor/Grant Gabriel was a clone. Obviously, given that Lois eventually ends up with Clark, we knew it would not work out with Grant in the long run (unless the creators change that long-standing piece of continuity too. They've done it before with other stuff).
Being a Superman fan, I like the little nods to comics continuity. The latest one was the line from Lois as Julian Grant was breaking up with her and was about her next relationship: "Whoever he is, we sure aren't going to work together." Uh-huh. Cute.
The whole "evil clone" concept is overdone in sci-fi, but I like how it's being used to rekindle the Clark/Lana relationship and add a twist to it, although I do wish Clark and Lana finally HAD a relationship (that didn't end up being an alternate timeline where the only other choice was having Jonathan Kent die). Bizarro seems to have it out for Lex for similar reasons that Adrian did and is using Lana for those ends. Or, he might have a different motivation altogether.
Had I not watched the episode, I would probably have wondered how Bizarro knew about Brainiac. Fortunately, this episode answered why Bizarro has Clark's memories. I guess we now know what the infecting goo was. I hope this means that James Marsters will be returning. Of course, they don't need him since Brainiac could just get another body.
We finally learn what Chloe's meteor power is! She has the same power as Linderman in Heroes. She can heal people. But, it seems to cost her in terms of health (which partially explains her secrecy). I can see this being a big plot point later where she has to choose to sacrifice herself to save someone else (Lana? Lois? Clark?).
With every season, the "no flights, no tights" rule of the show gets a little less meaningful. Clark was definitely flying in the stairwell. Maybe he'll finally wear the long-johns in the last episode of the series.
Overall, a trite and contrived episode with an good finale. I've said before that Clark has matured to the point where it feels the series should wrap up. However, if it does, I do hope this episode isn't the last one. I'd prefer something more satisfying.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-14-2007 @ 11:44AM
Isabelle Carreau said...
Smallville has 6 more episodes in the can, episode 7.15 being the last. Last I've heard, The CW plans on airing them this winter.
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12-14-2007 @ 12:04PM
Riley Freeman said...
I had been waiting all morning while all the other shows got reviewed and finally someone got to smallville. in canada the a-channel shows smallville episodes on wednesday so a day early. So technically I have been waiting since yesterday for this.
back to business though I have a few issues with the review and the poll. first clark and lana are together and they got together in that episode where lana had his powers and there were earthquakes because of the sex lol which still kills me. also when clarks parents woke up and found lana in the house they got together back then too. so unless u mean married i dont know.
next the no flights no tighs rule hasnt really been broken since clark is frozen and this is bizarro so bizarro was the one flying in the stairwell.
i also want james marsters to come back. I wish they would bring back the flash and maybe a few other characters. smallville unfortuantely drags along. yes they do have a contract for at least one more season but the pace this season has been dragging along u can tell they have no interest of ending the show this season. while i love smallville its time for clark to grow up and become superman. this show is dragging out the adolescent storyline too much. this should be the last season and if it is all 22 episodes should have been some action packed mega battle like how dragonball z was at one point. all to be continued.
I hope this isnt the last episode ever the cw would be stupid to send off smallville without a proper ending it would a shame and i think the final episode would have some really huge ratings number and would be a perfect lead in to tom welling playing superman in a movie.
lets face it while brandon routh was good and the superman returns was a decent movie. it really did nothing for the series. it was subpar and i think as tiem goes on more and more people will look back at it as a waste of time. had tom welling the cape brandon go back to soaps and lets reboot this franchise a la batman begins except the series is the begins part and start over the superman with lois not knowing that clark is superman.
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12-14-2007 @ 12:13PM
Oreo said...
If this is / was the last episode it was a few seasons too late.
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12-14-2007 @ 12:47PM
eugene said...
it's time for this show to go. They should have had the balls to do what BSG is doing and just tell the story and end it.
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12-14-2007 @ 12:48PM
Bob said...
I'm getting so tired of these idiot reviewers who don't know the show. The no flights/no tights has not been broken. Bizarro flew last night. This will not be the last episode of the season/series either. There are 15 episodes written for this season. Al Gough has said they have a cliffhanger for episode 15 in preparation for season 8. It's still the most popular show on The CW. It's not going anywhere but for these reviewers to not even know what's going on with the strike, that's ridiculous. If you writing on a TV review site, at least know what's happening in the industry.
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12-14-2007 @ 1:32PM
Jacob said...
"She can heal people. But, it seems to cost her in terms of health (which partially explains her secrecy)."
They didn't expressly show it, but I'm pretty sure Chloe "gains" whatever injury she heals. If you watched in the episode, she was being protective of her index finger -- the same one that she healed for Jimmy.
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12-14-2007 @ 3:39PM
Tim said...
Yes, I believe that is the case. Remember when she shed a tear when Lois was stabbed (and dead/near dead), she healed Lois but was then given the wound herself.
I've heard that James Marsters will be returning for 4 episodes (via spoilerfix.com and a few other sites).
12-14-2007 @ 1:42PM
David said...
It wasn't Clark that was flying in the stairwell it was Bizarro.
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12-14-2007 @ 3:33PM
ac said...
Also instead of flying, Smallville likes to have Clark super jump." It looks like flying but its really just him jumping with alot of force. So until the end thats what I thought the stairwell scene was. It was a cool sequence though. The entire episode I had a feeling Clark wasn't Clark but I didnt expect Bizzaro, I thought Jor-el took over his body. The last couple episodes weren't great but its not as bad as people are making it. There are worse TV shows on.
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12-14-2007 @ 5:41PM
Joey Geraci said...
They explained why Bizarro had Clark's powers? Someone refresh my memory please?!
Also, why is he being so nice? It seems like he could get what he wants, I don't know why he's working with Lana.
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12-14-2007 @ 5:55PM
Adam said...
I second the super jump thing, but I would also like to point out that we already knew Chloe's power and she already used it in a life-or-death thing. Remember her saving Lois after she was stabbed in the last episode of last year?
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12-14-2007 @ 9:37PM
Derek said...
People have already said this before, but I just thought I'd summarize what was off in this review:
(MINOR SPOILERS BELOW)
1) It was Bizzaro who "flew", and even if it WAS Clark he would do a "super jump", not fly.
2) Chloe's ability has always been known to be healing, just with the side-effect of draining her life-force (or taking on the wounds), this is just the first time she really showed total control over it and did it without crying.
3) James Marsters IS returning as braininc, in the next episode, broadcasting around January 31, possibly the week after. It's already been filmed, you can find promotional photos from the CW, which brings me to...
4) There are going to be 15 episodes this season, unless the writer's strike is resolved by January, in which case a few more will be written to wrap up the season better. However, judging from he spoilers I've read, the next few episodes will be REALLY REALLY GOOD....honestly, you will be happy.
5) The plan is that Smallville will run to Season 8 and end there.
Look it all up on Kryptonsite or Smallville wikia, it's not a mystery.
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12-15-2007 @ 2:12AM
sk said...
what happened to clark's mom??? she seems to have suddenly completely disappeared for this season? i noticed she isn't in the beginning show credits either? is she gone for good? and was there a plot line to describe where she went off too?
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1-18-2008 @ 4:33PM
Phelan said...
It's been already explained on last season's finale. Ma' Kent is in DC serving as a Senator, which means she is no longer on the show.
12-18-2007 @ 6:12PM
bkwurm1 said...
Lionel was shown to be chatting with her on the phone in one episode, but beyond that there appears to be no plans to have Martha back in the near future.