Unsafe

DVD, Smallville S4 (Unsafe)

The title is very apt. 'Unsafe' has several connotations, but the most common facing teenagers, the series' main audience, is what the episode is all about. On the one hand, with Jason and Lana's storyline the issue is danced carefully around, and on the other, with the return of psychotic Clark-obsessed Alicia Baker of Season Three's 'Obsession' the subject is rather graphically played out, even without the final act. I had mixed feelings on the episode, because I thought it was a totally soapy, disgusting waste of the series, bringing back one of the worst characters from the worst season, and yes, they did surprise me in that she survives (it might have been better if she hadn't, and I hope she isn't a recurring character!), and she doesn't go crazy as expected, but it doesn't move any of the plots forward.

Lex and Lionel are still carrying on the bizarre charade, or at least Luthor Sr. is, and we're never likely to believe he has benevolent tendencies toward the world. It does put a little of the mystery back into the pair, and it's turned their positions around from a similar situation in the early seasons. Now Lex is the big, bad mogul who controls the empire, while his father has to prove his true intentions before he's going to get anything out of it. He's already got a place to stay thanks to Lex' guilt, so where will it end? Jason finally reveals to Lana why he's changed with regard to her, so no revelation that he's actually a mutant Doomsday as I was faintly suspecting, but again, the story hasn't moved on.

While I don't appreciate the sexual focus of the episode, I also thought that perhaps it was a good thing for teenagers to be watching something which puts such a positive case for marriage (as Martha does at the end, although I suppose she and Mr. Kent have been doing that since the beginning of the series in word and deed), and reveals baldly who has crossed that barrier and who has not, with a bit of lukewarm advice on the subject. You can also look at the red Kryptonite as a warning against drugs, so there are positive messages amongst the flesh and lip-smacking that unfortunately seems to dominate the story. I was surprised such things were laid out clearly as I always assumed these things were going on all the time, but it proves the series is a little more conservative than it's bright and contemporary image suggests, which was interesting.

Something else that struck me, and that might help Clark get a girlfriend, is not hanging out in a youth venue run by his mum! It must be slightly embarrassing to think that he's under surveillance the whole time! Bringing back people who have been in other seasons is usually a great thing, and something the series hasn't embraced enough after the building of a community in Season One, then tearing it down in Two by killing off or writing out most of them. Here it doesn't work. Weighing up the pros and cons I'd say it's a messy waste of time.

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