Plastique

DVD, Smallville S8 (Plastique)

Kids get away with murder these days! Okay, well Bette, the street kid Chloe takes in after a bus blows up, didn't actually get away with it as she was 'sentenced' to time at old faithful, Belle Reve, home of all the meteor-infected people that have been discovered over the years, but then little miss CEO of LuthorCorp, Tess Mercer, comes along at the end, in a very Lex Luthor way, and offers her the proposition of joining a super team. Could it be escalation, as 'The Dark Knight' theorised - in response to the Justice League (still can't remember if they've actually taken that name yet), she's forming her own team of people with 'unique' skills to combat them? Or could it all be about finding Lex, which continues to be her obsession. She's a tricky one, and no mistake, while having the look of evil and with so much power at her fingertips as head of LutherCorp, she's also done good things so far, such as releasing the inmates or captives of the Montana facility (I thought it was going to be a return of 33.1), and refuses to authorise Bette's hit when her lackey states that that's what Lex would do. All this, and taking over the running of the Daily Planet as well?

She certainly got her due in this episode, only her second, featuring in an iconic rescue diorama for Clark - not iconic as in amazing, because there really wasn't much action, the 'bomb' having gone off before Clark arrived, but it was a good piece of set design, and it's one of few big rescues he's done in Metropolis, carrying her to safety in an old-fashioned hero way, and as far as I can remember the only one in broad daylight right outside the Planet offices! He's certainly being selfless in risking his secret's exposure by ripping the roof off an overturned bus in order to save victims, but he tells Chloe that's why he made the move to Metropolis in the first place as he feels he can help more people, and being at the Planet he'll 'hear every crisis as it happens.' That's all very well, but he could do with a disguise, and since he's not wearing specs as Kent, it could be difficult to come up with something to hide his identity easily (not that the glasses ever worked as a rational means of disguising a dual identity, except in the world of Superman!). Some fun stuff in the episode was Clark experiencing his first day on the job, though I must say it all seems rather lax that he can wander in and out, maybe do nothing all day, with only Lois seemingly overseeing him. Whether she's even officially his mentor or not wasn't clear, but it was fun to have him change in a phone booth, and go from 'Flannel Man' as Lois called him, to blue shirt, obvious and enjoyable references to his past and potential future. Also fun was the chance meeting of Clark with new cast member Davis Bloom, who accidentally gives away Chloe's engagement.

Bloom was heavy-handedly introduced as a member of the city's emergency services, an ambulance man I would guess. He didn't make it into the first episode of the season, but takes the time from Oliver Queen this time, who doesn't appear. I like the days when all the cast members were in the episodes and had something worthwhile to do. Not that Davis is immediately unlikeable, they just lay it on with a trowel that he's instantly smitten with Chloe until he learns of her impending marriage. Jimmy (who also doesn't show up this time), would not approve, I'm sure. But you can see where the story's likely to go already as you can make a reasoned guess that Davis is someone with a meteor power by the way he speaks of them with such concern as needing help, prompting Chloe to reopen the Isis Foundation, (Lana's former base of operations), and giving Chloe pause, as of course she is, or was, a meteor infectee too, so they'll have something in common. The episode relies far too much on interpersonal soapy aspects, touchy-feely scenes of people goggle-eyed or mildly embarrassed, interspersed with Clark and Lois doing some 'serious' investigation (Clark going after the skater dude that Bette secretly executes with her zapping power; breaking into Metropolis General for a file on the guy to see if he was infected), but there's nothing to get the heart pounding, no excitement or action, it's a little bit dreary.

I wouldn't say it was boring, and it did feature just enough to keep me interested, but it was just a series of plot revelations instead of a real story, even halfheartedly trying to appeal to those of us that remember the old freak-of-the-week concept fondly. Also taking me back was when we first see Clark walk down the stairs at the Planet, looking slightly lost and out of place, because it reminded me of his High School days. The only thing is, I can't really see this version of Clark Kent as being a bustling reporter, hurrying around getting facts, then going to the office and typing at a keyboard - chucking bales of hay onto a truck, yes; bashing in fence posts, yes; but typing up a document? I know it's true to the character and even this version came from that background by being involved with the Torch, the school newspaper, but does this mean a complete end to Smallville as a location? I was never that keen on the comparatively cramped Daily Planet offices, or bare, austere modern buildings compared with the rustic charm of farm buildings and bright skies, so I can't see how the series is really going to work unless Smallville, Clark's home town, continues to play a part. But how is that possible now? To be fair the series had long ago become a global stage with various places part of the story, but that's another reason why Seasons 1 and 2 worked better.

On the DVD side of things I have appreciated the option to see a recap of previous story elements at the start of each episode, or turn it off if you want to - it could be a pointer to what's going to happen, thus losing the element of surprise, but it's also useful to keep track of so many bobbing plot details that abound.

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