Crusade

DVD, Smallville S4 (Crusade)

A new season, a new 'Smallville'. Except, aside from the introduction of a couple of new characters, it relies heavily on the audience remembering every detail of last season's cliffhanger, resulting in a patchy episode which is no good for new viewers and which doesn't have a solid, self-contained story. It's still as bright and colourful as it used to be, and as always with the season opener's, it's fast-paced and introduces some good things, even if there aren't many surprises.

It couldn't be worse than Season Three, let's face it, but it sets up the season to be a 'search for the key' plot - it will be about finding the other two stones to complete the set. They've turned it into Crystal Maze! While the series hasn't got back to 'normal' (and I use the term loosely), with Lana and Chloe back in town, Lionel out of jail, and the Kent family down on the farm, it resolves some of these items on the checklist, even if a little easily. Such as Jonathan waking up because the Kal-El part of Clark has been subdued (Black Kryptonite? Come on! We've had Green, Red and Blue, so do we get a new colour each season? I look forward to the deadly combination of rainbow Kryptonite!).

I'm not complaining too much, because Lois Lane and Jason, the two new characters, are introduced reasonably well, with charm and interest, but there's a lot to take in. You aren't bored as you were with some Season Three episodes, but they don't concentrate on any storyline for very long, and there's a lot to take in. Also, I wasn't really surprised at any point - Lana having a symbol on her and Clark looking into Chloe's coffin and seeing nothing there were both moments I twigged before they happened.

But he flies! And they did the 'Superman III' thing where he fights himself, so the effects were good. And the odd chucklesome line referencing future destinies was welcome (and fun to see original Lois Lane, Margot Kidder, as Dr. Swann's emissary - I think Christopher Reeve must have died by this time or they'd have brought him back), it was just a shame they showed all the dramatic moments in the new credits sequence, which still isn't well matched compared with the excellent pacing of images and theme music of Seasons One and Two.

The job of tidying up the ends of last season, bringing in a new set-up, and keeping you watching, was achieved, but this episode on it's own wasn't particularly good, on aggregate. I'm sure things will improve once they work out where they're going with all this.

**