Aqua

DVD, Smallville S5 (Aqua)

In the vein of last season's 'Run', this is another showcase for a superhero-to-be, this time Aquaman. At least, I think that's who Arthur Curry was supposed to be - not being a follower of comics I hadn't heard of him before his publicity on 'Smallville' and I seem to remember hearing at the time that this either was, or led to, a pilot for an 'Aquaman' TV series, though it never materialised. Like 'Run' before it, it's somehow less 'Smallville' and yet more 'Smallville' than a lot of the heavy mythology episodes. It gets the balance of in-jokes right (I had to smile at AC's suggestion he and Clark start up a Junior Lifeguard's Association, to which Clark replies he's not ready for the JLA yet - the initials of the Justice League of America to which Superman belongs in some comics), and the plots and dialogue, so that it begins to be like a holiday for the series, a chance to breathe and have some fun with its unique status of being able to use the background of other superheroes.

Beginning as a Lois story, of which we haven't really had focusing directly on her, since almost every episode is Clark-centric to the detriment of the series sometimes, it doesn't stay that way for long. Fans of Lois would have been disappointed that her involvement was limited to looking good and making some cutting putdowns in embarassment at having been rescued. Lex' plans to equip the country's navy with a new, all-powerful undersea weapon to make lots of money at the expense of sea-life, takes over, and probably for the better. I prefer some action and meaningful scenes much more than soapy stuff. I don't know what's happened to Clark's desire not to let anyone know about his powers - he doesn't mind too much that this stranger is able to see them. It was a choice between AC knowing and the lab being blown up so it can be put down to Clark's need to stop the bomb. Plus he already knew about AC's ability in the water, and he might have sensed he was a good guy deep down.

I don't know whether the AC character would have worked on a weekly series, especially with the amount of underwater shots that would be needed. He was fine for a guest shot, zipping through Smallville, but I would have liked a bit more on his background as I know next to nothing about most of these 'minor' superheroes. I have the feeling I'd seen the bit where Clark stumbles late into class at university, sorry, 'college', with the prof played by James Marsters. He was good in the few scenes he was in and his offer to Clark to expose the Luthors makes for an interesting proposition. But what about Zod? He appears for a few seconds at the end of the first episode and now apparently the same guy is a college professor interested in looking into the Luthors?! A plot worth following.

It further drives a wedge between Clark and Lex, or to be more accurate is the result of the distance between them, exacerbated by Lex' uncaring attitude that borders on evil. Only he's still not quite fully the nasty villain. This time it isn't a secret experiment for LuthorCorp's pleasure, but purely business and in the national security's interest. But you can see the friendship that once existed has been slowly wittled away through both of their lies and cover-ups, that Clark's line about perhaps being more naive than he realised when he defended Lex, works, and seems to strike a chord with Lex. For his part he doesn't even bother asking Clark if he was part of the sabotage on the weapon - he saw two shapes speeding away in the water and it's almost a certainty he suspects Clark was one of them - it doesn't take a genius to work out that Clark and AC were actively against it, so therefore they are the two most logical protagonists. You can see in Lex' face that he just accepts it.

Good old Crater Lake is back for more fun, seeing familiar locales reused helps to make the town real and such continuity isn't seen enough. The adults aren't in it, except for Annette O'Toole who appears at the end to make a direct appeal for Christopher Reeve's foundation just before the credits. I can't complain that other characters didn't get enough focus because there were enough well-written scenes (Lois wondering if she'll ever again meet someone heroic who wants to save the world, and Clark standing by her saying she's sure to!) with those that are in it that it makes for a worthwhile episode and a pleasant antidote to the last couple of stories.

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