Leech

DVD, Smallville S1 (Leech)

There's such good symmetry and parallels in the way they tell stories, and this episode shows up some things about family, identity and trust that make you feel good to be alive, unlike so many dolorous, morbid or miserable TV shows out there, this series truly represents the Superman spirit. The main story concerns Eric, christened the Super Boy by Chloe in her first official piece of real journalism. The episode deals with two ripe topics for dissection: what if Clark could be normal, and what would someone else do with Clark's powers? Both are deep enough questions to be a whole episode alone, but here we get them both, yet nothing is rushed, it's all organically worked through, and though there might be a few holes in the story, they never loom large or cause any problems - did Clark really need to be so final when he wished Lana farewell before he went off to deal with Eric? Wouldn't the accident above the dam be exactly the sort of thing to confirm Lex' suspicions that something was special about Clark? Why couldn't Clark just come clean with his friend now that they are so close? I know he has to abide by his parents' wishes to keep things secret, but maybe things would have worked out differently for Lex if someone as down to earth and good had believed in him enough to trust him with such a personal secret, because he never seems like someone to take advantage of others who are his friends.

It's a different story with his enemies as he ably demonstrates by turning the tables on Victoria and Pa Hardwick. Though we don't want to see Lex turn to the dark side, we can get onboard with him defeating bad people and using his ways and means in what is essentially a negative way if it's against those acting worse. We find out the user was being used and the information Victoria dug up from his computer on Cadmus Labs was all fake, intended to draw the pair into a trap. It seems Lex was even working with his Father on this one, and no doubt that's how his Dad would explain the extracurricular activity he had with his own son's girlfriend - it was all part of the ruse. I wasn't sure how to react to the sordid photos of the pair. Was it meant to further jam a wedge between the Luthors even after they'd taken out a business rival together? Was Lex ever really trying to take down his own Father or was that the bait to ensnare the Hardwicks? There are a lot of unanswered questions, but it's not a big part of the episode, it's a nice little package within the main thrust of the story, that ties up a running plot and also sets Lex' mind at rest about Clark. The way they interweave these various stories together is very well done, once again rounded out by beautiful scenery and bright, healthy outdoor life on the Kent Farm (love seeing the cows!), or beautifully lit internal locations, particularly when there's an important conversation going on.

If working together as part of a family is one theme, somewhat distorted by the Luthor aptitude for deception, another theme is leaving the past behind. Nell, out of the blue, has decided to sell her little flower shop and the adjoining film theatre, without even talking it over with Lana who has deep sentimental attachment to it. You'd think she'd want to get away from the street where her parents were struck down so cruelly in front of her toddler's eyes, but no, the theatre is where her parents met and it's a tangible reminder of their existence. It's so true that certain places in our lives mean so much, and to see those things or places torn down, modernised, changed, is to lose a part of our history and a part of ourselves, so it's very hard to let such things go. In this episode Lana's all for moving on, not for any particular reason except that Clark is behaving less Clark-like than normal and so she takes notice of what he says. Of course he's really meaning the necklace and all it means - Whitney, Kryptonite, his own experience being tied up as a scarecrow. I like that they don't keep on about the necklace every episode, but that it is an issue from time to time - perhaps now Lana will keep it locked away in the lead box and Clark can breathe a sigh of relief? Soon things would change and Lana would be campaigning to save the cinema, but for now she sees the wisdom of letting go of the past.

Everyone seems to be in a good mood this time, even Whitney, who invites Pete and Clark to play basketball at break time. Whitney doesn't feature much in the episode, but I sense a lot going on with that tiny subplot: his Dad appears to be on the mend because although he's still in hospital he demands to see the family store's accounts. This, coupled with Lana being so understanding and supportive of Whitney helps, and adds to him feeling a lot better than he has been, and that's good. I don't think we're supposed to wish anything bad on the lad, otherwise it would make Lana's judgement look poor if she was with this nasty bullying type of guy. He's just a normal teenager who's been going through rough times, but he's not the only one. As Jonathan said, everyone's life is tough. Even Lex doesn't have it perfect despite all his money, so it just shows that neither money nor powers can prevent difficulties coming your way, and I like that Clark doesn't shirk from his feeling of responsibility. He clearly isn't sure about his chances going up against Eric having already been thrown about as he's done to so many bad guys, but because they're his powers he goes to confront him anyway, and that's real heroism and courage. In a way there would have been no trouble in the first place if he hadn't got involved and gone to search for Eric, because the young man would probably have fallen to his death above the dam at worst, or noticed the lightning and got down in time at best. But Clark has his gifts and wants to use them to be helpful - it's not always so, but it's the sentiment that counts.

There was no guarantee he could stop Eric, he didn't really have a plan other than to use some meteor rock (which, as we've seen is prevalent all over Smallville so he didn't really need to involve Lana's necklace except for dramatic purposes). I'm not sure what Eric was about to do with the electric cable, either - he might have been about to kill Clark with it, or may have turned it upon himself, though the former seems more likely as he had given in to criminal tendencies. It showed how much Clark's upbringing had to do with making him who he is, and that his abilities are just secondary to his true character, which was a tremendously important lesson to be teaching to an audience of young people. I wonder if you still get that kind of morality in TV series' now? I certainly haven't seen much recently. To be fair to Eric he didn't have the happiest home life, his Mother was supportive, but his Father was very unsympathetic and bad-tempered, and it must have been tough to deal with someone like that also being your teacher and coming down harder on you as a result. Eric was a meek, mild sort, but the powers gave him a vision of what he could be, and power tends to bring out the worst in people. He sets his sights on his nemesis' girl, but ruins his chances by showing how inhumane he could be rather than appealing to her femininity. He foils a purse-snatcher and it goes to his head. I thought this was going to be another time Chloe swoons after a bad guy, but she wasn't in it that much after all.

It's quite sad the way Clark jumps to the conclusion that now he doesn't have his abilities his parents might think less of him, as if his value is based on what he can do, and wisely his Mum gets him to look on the loss as a positive, that he can have fun and enjoy being normal. It's also telling that Jonathan is so relieved, the concern over every new power a challenge to be dealt with. And it reminds us of the hard work farming actually is. We're so used to everything being easy for Clark, sunshine and green grass, flowers and farmers markets, that it's hard to remember this is supposed to be real life! I love it when the series is so grounded because it makes everything else much more real than later seasons. The stakes may be 'merely' personal, but they mean so much more than global catastrophe, which is far harder to relate to. That's why this season continues to impress and please. It knows its focus and it goes for it. It makes me wish Gough and Millar had stayed with the series for a few more years as I have to believe it was their influence that made things work. I wonder if the first 'Spider-Man' film in 2002 took the idea of Peter Parker having to remove his glasses because he can't see so well any more, as that's exactly what happened to Eric? It's so good seeing Clark enjoying being normal, but it doesn't change his sense of responsibility - he could have acted just like Eric and say it's not his problem any more, but it shows him what could happen if his secret got out. At first it's all good, he's practically jealous of the accolades heaped on Eric, but then the truth of the situation hits home as the people around him want to control and study him.

I would have liked a little on the eventual reveal of Clark to the world, and how he envisions that day after this experience, or whether it makes him want to clamp down and always remain hidden? That's one aspect that could have done with a little exploration, but there's so much going on as it is that you can't complain. A couple of actors are noteworthy - the guy who played Eric I believe came back as the character in Season 3, one of the inmates of Belle Reve that work together, I think. His brother was later cast as Jimmy Olsen in Season 4 or 5, whenever it was. And the guy who played his Dad, Kevin McNulty, also played other roles, usually doctors or scientists, maybe on 'Stargate,' too? I wish we could have seen more of Clark being exhausted, because I suppose his muscles wouldn't have been used to being taxed, relying on his superior in-built strength, and his metabolism was probably up the creek, too, so they could have included more comedy moments along those lines. But yes, another really well put together production - Lana's put the necklace away, Victoria has egg on her face, Lex has moved on from the wireframe simulation of his car crash on the bridge. But wait, he was standing right outside the door as Clark and Martha discuss the loss of powers, so couldn't he have heard? I suppose not, otherwise he wouldn't have behaved so penitently to his friend. Good to see Roger Nixon still running errands for Lex, not to mention a police car through the roof of Eric's parents' house! Sheriff Ethan was credited, but I didn't notice him.

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