Tuesday, 11 August 2015

Echo

DVD, Smallville S9 (Echo)

Can you read my mind? I thought this was some superpower that had somehow slipped through the net and the writers had only now, nine seasons in, remembered it, but Clark's sudden ability to read the thoughts of those around him, in a spinoff from his super hearing, turned out to be a mere test from Jor-El. Good timing. Or was it? There wasn't really anything he did that relied completely on this power in order to save the day, it just sort of helped him work things out quicker. The real reason for it was not to be a test at all, but as a fun way of getting him more attuned to Lois. And it was quite fun, for the most part, without getting soppy - I'd even argue that the episode could have remained a whimsical, comedic episode without the need to cram in Oliver Queen's guilt, or Winslow Schott's long-awaited return… Sarcasm, of course. Winslow wasn't one of the villain's that has stood out as being an amazing, sequel-worthy enemy, but he got one anyway. It was only last season, in 'Requiem,' that he was dealt with (though he never saw Clark, as he didn't know who he was when he stops him), but he was tied into Queen's murder of Lex Luthor, so it made a certain degree of sense to involve him again. And because he's mad, none of his schemes that seemingly had no point, matter that they don't have a point. I suppose the point was to damage Queen's company and reputation, and in a roundabout way it did, although Queen himself was doing a perfectly good job of that on his own.

Strangely, I actually thought there was some subtlety at play, forgetting perhaps what series I was watching, because I initially assumed Queen's messing with bad people in a foreign bar was all an act, and he was secretly back to his old ways, trying to get information on something, not being a reckless, suicidal drunk! Even with the scene in the teaser, reminding us that he set fire to his Green Arrow costume, I still felt it would be natural for him to take up the mantle again, perhaps in a slightly different guise, but no, he really was hoping to die. His second attempt was affecting, as he's forced to read out a speech about all his crimes and failings in front of an audience, or the pressure pad he's standing on will set off a bomb. He steps off it once the people have evacuated, and admits to Clark he thought it was active, not on a timer, as was the case. The biggest stretch to credibility to the episode was the lifelike Winslow robot - it would just be impossible for a madman, even if he was a toy genius (they don't call him The Toy Man for nothing), to create something that realistic! It was quite a shock when Clark starts burning into his face with heat vision! What follows was, for me, the best part of the episode, as Clark and Oliver have a frank conversation without any irony, bitterness or reproach, just pure friendship and support, Oliver finally realising he has to turn things around. It took both Tess Mercer's pushing and Clark's understanding, but he's realised at last that moping around until he dies isn't the answer to his guilt. I also liked the reflection in the glass of 'Lex Luthor' (played by Ayron Howey, possibly the same actor that portrayed him last season, I'm not sure), showing the spectre of his act will still haunt him, even if he's started back on the path to life.

While it all came across as another episode that was a mishmash of plots and subplots, without getting deeply into a real story, and there were laughable developments like Jor-El putting Clark through a trial, and it being more like a chance for a fun time with Lois (who, in her usual airheaded way, completely misconstrued Clark's reason for not turning up at the Monster Truck event he'd invited her to, assuming that he was being clever so he could get the story, rather than the real reason of having to save people, but it is the kind of trick she'd play), despite these things, and helpfully, no Kryptonian soldiers waffle to further dilute the story, I enjoyed the lighthearted moments and found Oliver's portrayal one of the more realistic of recent seasons. Could it be that 'Smallville' characters are becoming more dimensional? Let's not get carried away, it was still a bit of a mess, and Winslow's role looks to be continued when Tess wants him, in his captivity, to work out how the Kryptonian heart mechanism from the first episodes, works. How he's supposed to do that from solitary confinement with no gear, I don't know. But it wasn't bad, and even the money-saving of the function in well-used bar, Ace of Clubs, didn't bother me. The season still has a way to go before an episode reaches the heady heights of being more than simply watchable, but if the quality of writing in the Clark/Oliver scene is any indication, there is hope. I just wish Clark could have kept that thought detection ability, it could have been a lot of fun.

**

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