Escape

DVD, Smallville S9 (Escape)

My concern was what had happened to Lois! She gets taken over (in yet another possession story), and the creature becomes itself when Clark turns up, but I thought it just changed her appearance, that was the impression I had, yet Clark burns it up in his fiery heat vision and we see there's nothing left of it. Hence my concern for poor Lois (I couldn't even tell if was played by Erica Durance or someone else, the makeup was so good), and it doesn't help that she isn't seen again until the last scene when they arrive at the Talon apartment. I must have missed her falling away and being replaced with the creature, that's my only explanation. Not that it made much sense to fight sound waves with fire… Aside from the opening where Chloe's on the phone to Clark, relaying crime hotspots to him so he can whizz round and stop them, I was quickly disappointed by the prospect of another super-soap episode, dedicated to romantic weekends away when we see that Chloe and Queen have gone to the same McDougal Inn Clark and Lois are heading for (although the explanation of how they both chose that destination was conceivable - Clark had seen Chloe's brochure and assumed it was Lois' and she wanted to go there), but then I hoped that at least it would turn into some old-fashioned comedy with the two couples trying to avoid each other, so I had to concede there was potential for levity - there was a bit of fun in the awkward breakfast conversation between Clark and Oliver, trying to make small talk about superhero matters in a half-embarrassed way, but it turns into a more traditional horror story for the series.

Still, at least the lovey-dovey stuff wasn't the focus after all, even if I hate it when magic is brought in as Clark's only other vulnerability apart from Kryptonite. It's such a weak angle to take, as magic can be anything, and maybe that's why it was brought into the Superman mythology, because he was practically invulnerable, but I can believe in Kryptonite based danger, not the magical, and they don't even attempt to link it to that when it's witchcraft and wizardry, so it was in the style of the older episodes, but without any interest. I assume this Silver Banshee was another of those characters from the comics that was pre-existing, otherwise why give it a name like that, and there were probably viewers in the know squealing with delight, having never thought such a character would ever show up on the series. But, as usual, not having any comics knowledge, I have no idea whatsoever. I liked her design, with the black and white look and homespun outfit that you could imagine had roots in Scottish culture of the distant centuries, but there was no character there, it was a simple case of possession, hopping from one female to the next. And it did present some amusing situations, but it's all stuff we've seen so many times before on this series and others (even 'Voyager' did an episode, 'Favourite Son,' about a race of women that lured men to their world only to drain the life out of them), so there wasn't anything new to recommend this version.

One scene that did appeal, at first, was Tess and Zod's meeting in Clark's barn. Not only does he look at a picture of Jonathan Kent (something he repeats in the house in the final scene, which makes me wonder if they're setting us up for a cameo from Mr. Kent at some point - or is my wishful thinking reading too much into it?), but his enmity with Tess turns into some sort of alliance. I thought she was in deadly opposition to him and his people, seeing them as the threat to the world that Clark exists to combat? She's either playing a dangerous game of luring Zod to his own destruction, or she's got some other motive we don't know. She's not an easy character to follow because she seems hellbent on one thing at one time, then acts differently another, so you're kept off-balance. Maybe that's the point, and I did at least like her cleverness in discovering if Zod's power really had returned, and her preparedness in having some Kryptonite handy with which to stop him from having the upper hand. Like Lex, she always plans ahead. The episode turned out quite differently to what I expected from the Zod story - from the way Clark was doing so much good in the city at the start, and the way Zod was hearing the people championing The Blur, I thought he was going to rush round sabotaging his rival's reputation while he was out of town (perhaps coming into conflict with John Jones who'd been left to patrol in Clark's absence), especially as he was dressed the same, so who could say he wasn't The Blur? Instead, Tess tries to convince him that Clark is one of his own.

As often happens, the episode had a basketful of inconsistencies and oddnesses: a storm is the reason Clark and Lois' booked room is unavailable, not because of a leak in the roof, but a leaky pipe. Not sure what could cause an internal pipe to leak because of an external storm, but I'm not a plumber, so maybe… Then there's things like Chloe going out for a calming walk in the woods, the next night on from hearing a weird cry and the host saying it could be from wolves! Okay, so the host (whom I assumed was going to be the murdered woman who came back from the dead in her family's legend, but wasn't), told Clark, not Chloe, but I'm sure it would have gotten around the whole inn. What about that painting? They say that a new portrait has been painted over it, but in fact an extra canvas has been pasted over it, which is quite different and less believable! Then there's Chloe's insistence on venturing further into the wood once she's seen a person with glowing eyes! Why would she do that, she should have turned tail and gone for backup, but her curiosity was too strong. It's sad to see her further descent, as we've already seen her appetite for surveillance, even of her friends, and now she's become a bit of a playgirl, wanting only fun without obligation or responsibility. Some might see her as growing up, but I would say it's like she's become more juvenile this season. At least she got in a good 'Star Wars' reference when talking about how she used to love Clark, "A long time ago, in a Smallville far, far away." Another low point of the season, is my ultimate opinion, maybe not as low as it could be.

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