Truth

DVD, Smallville S3 (Truth)

The first impression it left me with was the strange selection of music in the last scene, but maybe if I was plugged into music culture it would mean something?

It's a good idea, done well, something that Season Three was not rife with: Chloe becomes a kind of villain, seeing firsthand the negative impact uncontrolled journalism can have, unable to use her newly-acquired power selectively, she uncovers deep secrets, unearths things that should have stayed buried, and generally causes havoc with people's inner selves. The tension of what she will find out, is coupled with unbridled longing for her to speak to every character she can!

Every time a new opportunity arises we're dreading what will happen, yet also egging her on. But there's something shameful about hearing Lex' core being, or Pete's, because a line has been crossed. Though we may suspect certain things (or know, in Lionel's case), to have characters forced into giving up themselves, is disturbing, in a more intense way than if they had been beaten up or troubled by some other, more physical power. Chloe shows once again, that Clark is the exception that proves the rule: power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. Once again we realise what his upbringing saved himself and the world from.

We keep hearing about Gabe, her Father, but the series has been remiss in it's depiction (or lack of), Chloe's home life. It would have been better to take a more Season Two approach and have scenes with Gabe and Lana, to show both Chloe's changing situation, and Lana's. Instead these things are simply spoken of, and we are expected to accept things like Lana planning to move away. Like much of the season we once again get the impression the writers haven't got a handle on the series. They may have storyboarded where the arcs are going, but generally the plot hasn't fallen neatly into place, but seemed a little forced.

As a single episode there isn't much wrong though. It was so good to hear Chloe given information by Lionel, for example, even though it puts an even heavier burden on her, rather than giving her some footing to fight back. She still doesn't let others in on her plights, despite her contrite speech to Clark, and the events she's just been through! Pete is thankfully a reasonable part of the story, as though he belongs, but this time it's Jonathan who's 'missing presumed unscripted'.

The bridge Chloe almost goes over looked like the very same that Clark saved Lex under, but I'm not sure if it was intentional. Unfortunately it brought back a much more elaborate stunt to mind, and left the heaving of the car back onto the road looking a bit of a weak way out. I was expecting the car to topple over and Clark to pull her out in slow-motion. I enjoyed the teaser, which seemed quite 'BUGS'-like, what with unauthorised entry into high-tech facilities, and dodging guards, etc! I was wondering if Chloe's voice mail would be the evidence to convict Lionel, until he somehow deleted it, but it shows things are coming to a head. Only a few episodes for them to wrap up the season now...

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