Dichotic

DVD, Smallville S2 (Dichotic)

Dichotic or psychotic? How did any of that really work? That was my main takeaway from the episode, how sloppy it all was in terms of explaining who this Ian guy was, his unique power and what it was going to get him. For a start, can you really get away with murdering a teacher in his own machine shop and not get found out? Did Clark and Pete report the death once they'd found Mr. Frankel or did they just leave him to get burned up in the classroom? Did Clark put the fire out (don't think he has super-breath yet, that would have been useful!), and why didn't Clark say, 'then Ian must have a twin!' when he's being quizzed about how it's possible he could be with Chloe and also trying to kill Clark and Pete at the same time? For that matter how come Pete never has any sway with his former best mate Chloe? I say former because we hardly ever see the gang all together any more, it's no wonder Pete would soon be written out because the way the characters had shifted around on the series it excluded him from having much meaningful to contribute. In the past it would've been Clark, Pete and Chloe investigating Ian if there was any suspicion, but instead Pete never even gets a scene with Chloe or Lana in which he could have taken some of the suspicion and ire off Clark. But then that's the reason, isn't it, it's all becoming about this triangle of Clark, Chloe and Lana, something that wasn't there in Season 1, and sadly one of the things that spelt the end of good 'Smallville' in Season 2 and beyond.

At this stage it's very small scale, but it's a microcosm of what the series would become, episodes too often ending as this one did with Chloe and/or Lana being moody or accusatory towards Clark, and it's not a happy thing to watch, it's not dramatic and it's not satisfying! The circular trajectory of these characters would become sickening as so many times Clark would save them or keep some secret from them only for them to be angry about it - case in point here: they summon him at the end, ostensibly to apologise for not trusting him about Ian, and because he doesn't immediately fall at their feet and worship, things get frosty. They were admitting they were wrong, but they don't like Clark's attitude and so things go awry. Sure, Clark could have been more forgiving, but then he doesn't really know where he is with them, even though he seems outwardly clear. It's such a shame because, although the story has so many holes in it, it's actually nicely rounded: you have the main freak-of-the-week part which concludes with dramatic style as Chloe is thrown over the dam outside town, Clark leaping off it to hit the bottom first so he can catch her and break her fall. Then there's the ongoing subplot of Martha's divided loyalties between Lionel and the farm, or specifically Jonathan. And a new character pops up in the form of Dr. Helen Bryce of the Smallville Medical Centre, there as a foil for Lex. So the episode was well packed with things to see and follow.

It's just a shame that the first episode in which Chloe and Lana move in together they become almost an anti-Clark girly clique. I will say it was nice to see Mr. Sullivan, cheerily about the house, and the place they live is lovely. Sad that Gabe is so rarely in the series as he's another character that was given extremely short shrift in the series. It could be fun to have Chloe and Lana permanently joined at the hip, but it already smacks of ganging up on Clark (even though he was the one who helped move her in!), but that was setting up the distance between them that would be exploited by Ian. Back to Ian then, and how did he get away with murder - his own letter opener was used in the stabbing! Is he an expert at crime scene destruction? Did that fire wipe away the evidence, and if so why didn't he do it then when the murder actually happened instead of waiting until later when Clark and Pete show up? How was Ian even going to benefit from having multiples of himself anyway, as they'd be records of everything he'd done and it would show he'd been attending two different schools at the same time! And as for his ability to split himself, that warranted much further explanation. We never even knew if it was from a meteor accident, or like Ryan from the previous episode, some other reason. For that matter we don't even know how many of him there are or have been! Do the duplicates only last a short while which is why he needed a new one to double-date Chloe and Lana at the same time? Does he retain the 'clone' memories? Or are they permanent and there are many more Ians out there?

A bit more exploration was necessary to make it a fully satisfying episode, but it's not the only thing lacking in the story. Lex behaves in an absolutely bizarre manner - smashing up the traffic warden's car like that just because he got a ticket! If the idea was to show that Lex still has the wilder tendencies from his teenage years and that he's still on a path to evil, then it was pretty jarring and felt completely out of character to the facade he's cultivated in Smallville. He was having a bad day, he had a headache, he was on his way to do good and he got rewarded with something bad… yes, these are all reasons why he went crazy, and it was towards a position that many people in society consider to be deserving of ill-treatment because they don't like the job they do, but none of this is reasonable grounds to do what he did. If it was designed so he'd meet up with Bryce and form a connection that's even more out of tune! The whole thing was just strange and uncomfortable, even Clark finding it funny. At the same time I did quite enjoy the scenes where he's intrigued by Bryce and wins her over, though I have a feeling it's all a trick by his Father, I can't actually remember why she was brought into it, other than to marry Lex.

The other side of the episode also had its share of confusion. It seemed to me that it was simply Jonathan Kent's carelessness that landed him with a broken leg - I liked that Lex shows up in concern, an example of his good intentions, even if, again, it was meant to introduce him to Bryce, but he had the sense not to come rushing in and offer his services to Jonathan, while he was also going to make sure he had the best care money could get, at the same time offending Bryce by suggesting she and her staff weren't up to it. Mind you, maybe they weren't if this doctor actually kicked a member of her staff! It seems like violence on employees isn't treated quite as seriously as it would be today as you'd think she'd be sacked, unless she was just joking about the kick (in which case I wonder what really landed her there). It does show that Martha loves her job with Lionel and that there's danger there, knowing the Luthors from of old, as we'd already seen in recent episodes. Jonathan could have been a little more understanding, but at the same time he must sense the vulnerable position he's put his family in, in allowing Martha to work for someone that never had their best interests at heart, even if it was years ago. Typical of him that he doesn't want to sit in the living room and take it easy and would rather go and grease the bearings or whatever, even on crutches because he can't feel helpless. But it's a sensitive area in the Kent household and really no good would come of Martha's role outside of there, as strong a couple as they are and it was good to see her remorse over it.

All that being said I liked what most of the characters did and how they interacted. There was no Lionel and we haven't been inundated with episodes featuring him, which is good, and as it should be, in fact maybe he shouldn't have been a main cast member anyway as they haven't needed him as much as might be imagined. Pete, as noted, seriously needed to step out of Clark's shadow and get back to being a part of stories on his own terms, as friends with others, but already the series was closing in on itself. They were still operating a lot out of the school, but it was a worrying direction that would not help the series as it continued. In the past I've had to give this episode the thumbs down over all, but this time, perhaps because I've seen so much bad 'Smallville' that made this seem better in comparison, I quite enjoyed it, from Clark making the Superman 'S' in his metal class, to sneaking an x-ray vision peek at their grades, lifting the tractor off his Father's leg, or saving both Chloe and Lana (no way could she hold on for so long with one hand while the weight of herself and Ian were dangling below - not with those slender arms!), in spectacular fashion. It's really only the aberrant behaviour of Lex and the awkward and unhappy ending that let the side down, but on this occasion not so badly for me not to accept the qualities of the story.

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