Resurrection

DVD, Smallville S3 (Resurrection)

As an exciting action-packed episode of 'Smallville' this doesn't really work. The only excitement we get is the bomb moment, and that feels like a hastily drafted piece of pace to artificially make the surgery a bit more dangerous, as if they realised the story was a little slow and decided to throw in the idea of an otherwise stable teen suddenly turning into a potential suicide bomber. His demand wasn't even logical - if he blew up the bomb, he and his brother would both be killed!

The surgery on Jonathan, a further sign of the degradation his body suffered because of of Jor-El, was always going to work. They weren't going to kill of Mr. Kent in the middle of the season! So we're left with a mainly exposition episode, that moves the story along a bit, just not in a coherent, deft kind of way, but a heavy-handed forcing of things so we get to somewhere before the season ends. The writers should have taken a look at some of DS9's seasons for lessons in how to craft story arcs that play out satisfyingly and believably through other, standalone episodes, because here, you get a sense they don't have a lot of experience.

A high point was Pete's weekly blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance, this time, arriving to keep Martha company during Jonathan's op, along with Lana. Only Chloe or Lex dropping by were missing, to complete the set up. That shows that while they can manipulate the emotions sometimes, often (certainly this season), the boxes you want ticked, aren't.

I wouldn't call it a bad episode, modern TV is too slick and high budget to let many of those get through, but I would call it an average one, solely in place to move us from A to B in the ongoing plots. That's not a crime, but it always is when the characters and potential of an episode aren't realised. See Season One's 'Reaper' for a much better life/death story, with real danger for characters, and more special effects. In fairness they're probably saving money at this point in the season. (Funny to see an actor called James Kirk in the opening post-title credits!).

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