Fortune

DVD, Smallville S10 (Fortune)

Daft even by 'Smallville' standards, this bachelor party knockabout screwball comedy is like a last-ditch attempt for the characters to enjoy themselves, youth and other things before, presumably, the bad times come. This week's returning guest is, presumably, Zatanna, the magical mystery woman, though it seemed she only had a tiny cameo, and I didn't remember her well enough to be sure it was her, especially with Clark not recognising her, but it must have been, since she was name-checked as the cause of all the mischief with spell-inflected alcohol causing the gang to all be affected, even Clark, and none to remember the incidents of the night before (which we get a sense of at the end thanks to Emil's video record). This turns into a bonkers splitting up of the team into odd situations, Clark waking up to a raccoon on the bed and Chloe sporting a wedding dress in the cupboard, suggesting they got married. Meanwhile, Oliver and Lois wake up in one of the series' favourite filming spots, the abandoned railway line, and have to get back to town, and Dr. Emil Hamilton becomes an instant hit as an Elvis impersonator. The story is as haphazard and meandering as you'd expect of a drunken misadventure, almost as if the writers were imbibing as they wrote it. It's supposed to be charming and silly, but it leans more in the latter direction, the low point being Oliver having to dress up as a showgirl as part of a plan to get Lois' wedding ring back from Fortune, a casino that gives the episode its title.

Hardly an embarrassment of riches, it is nonetheless an embarrassment, complete with 'Looney Tunes' xylophone music, and doesn't find the series at its best, but I can see why they would choose to be so wacky as they wind down the series for the last third, with so much villainy still at large to deal with. The real story happens after all the craziness involving a stolen security van loaded with money that Clark saved from robbers who were actually perpetuating an insurance scam for the boss of Fortune: Chloe's off again. She's only been back for a few episodes and it was nice to have her along for the ride and in the gang again, even though her role had essentially been filled by Tess as the resident Watchtower tech, but she's decided she has to move on, to seek out new heroes and mentor them into being the best they can be. It's rather out of the blue, but I assume Allison Mack only had a few weeks off from other projects, and was open to returning to the series in the break, then they had to find a new reason for her character to leave. I don't know for sure, but that's about the only reason I can think of to have her leave, come back, then go again, and it is sad, because with all these familiar characters coming and going in this final year I was really hoping we'd get Clark, Chloe and Pete together again for one more adventure, like the old days, and that seems unlikely now. I'm still expecting another reappearance for Pete, but whether Chloe will be there is another matter. Surely she'll be back for the last episode?

The bigger deal could be that Oliver Queen might go with her as she's taken a job in his home town of Star City (I love the veiled references to Batman and Wonder Woman she makes to Clark - shame the series never lasted long enough for us to get to such big names as they). I think their marriage may have been genuine, but I'm not sure, so I'm not sure if he's going to leave the series, too? Perhaps not, because he is Clark's buddy, and though the issue of living alongside the perfection of Clark comes up for Lois and Oliver, it's a good balance of friends. The strangest thing about the episode may have been Tess being relaxed and girly even before the enchanted champagne entered the picture, so something was definitely not right there! I'm not sure Emil has really become one of the gang in the way that Lois, Clark, Chloe, Oliver and Tess are, but it's nice that there has been an occasional episode where they've brought together a few people, whether that's Mrs. Kent or Hawkman, the family larger than just the four or five main stars, and this hasn't been as apparent as in this season, which has generally been a cut above the others, bar the ever highly esteemed Seasons 1 and 2.

Again, they manage the small things well rather than dealing with bigger set-pieces, little details like Clark being slightly dizzy from the aftereffects of the alcohol making him misjudge his speed and direction, knocking off a bit of a building's corner in his lurching, which it would have been fun to see more of (like taking the silver LuthorCorp logo!). Or breaking off the vice being used to crush poor Emil's head (such things were out of place in an episode that was much lighter than the average). Or the sunlit conversation between Clark and Chloe in the barn where they talk about the past once again and she admits she's leaving. It's a nice evocation of the series, where it came from, and another reminder that it won't be 'around' for much longer. I can't say this is one of the highlights of the season, and I'd have preferred something better for Chloe if this was to be her final ever episode, but it is different and you can't expect a good story every time when they were banging out twenty-plus a season (those were the days!). But if this is the end for Chloe Sullivan, I salute her, the Queen of Weird, the tech wizard, and one of Clark's greatest friends. Now go and get Batman and Wonder Woman and bring them back with you, please!

**