Precipice

DVD, Smallville S2 (Precipice)

So I'm going along thinking I'm quite enjoying this, who'd have thought it, a good Dr. Bryce episode, and then it keeps getting better and I'm thinking, goodness me, this is one of the best episodes of the series, let alone the season! I don't remember seeing it before and it's got loads of tension, some really cool bits, and a nice ending. For once I actually liked Helen and wanted her to stay in the programme where usually I find her annoying and unfathomable (is she a nice, caring person, or very ambitious), and a diversion that's surely soon to disappear.

The only downside, and this is being picky, is that Lionel wasn't in it again, and it feels like he was in it more when he wasn't a main character! Earlier in the season it felt like he wasn't in it enough, so maybe they could only come up with so many ideas for his arc? And perhaps the violence was ramped up a bit high. Almost as if all the bad stuff that didn't happen in the last episode was used in this one! The stuff where Helen is thrown around was shocking, as she's so helpless against this crazy guy.

The new Sheriff was nasty and uncomfortable, and it felt good when things went wrong for her; it was terribly exciting knowing Lex was rushing to Helen's aid, while she was confronted by the freak-of-the-week who wasn't Kryptonite enhanced in any way. Indeed, the episode had no sci-fi elements hardly (except Clark's use of powers) and it can be compelling when they pull out all the stops to create a brooding buildup and action-packed climax, while still retaining personal elements. So it was quite special and a standout, because so often these things haven't worked in S2.

Even the fact that a lot of the characters weren't in it much didn't take away from the story. So yes, was very impressed with this one, but I didn't think Lex had quite gone to the dark side yet, to kill that guy in cold blood, but it does reveal how far he would go if Helen were to die... The ending was superb ("So how about it Dr. Bryce? Will you marry me?"), and the music expertly chosen and integrated. If only there were more episodes of this calibre! The episode could have been called 'Vulnerable'.

****