I really didn't like where they'd been going with the series since around the middle of last season, but I really liked this episode. I liked how they are attempting to enrich the mythos with more background (ie, Jor-El chose the Kents) without desicrating the characters (ie Jonathan and Perry).
As for Lex and Lionel, I may be the only Smallville fan alive who absolutely does not see the appeal in Lionel Luthor/John Glover. I don't know if it is that I think John Glover is a bad actor, but I don't know why Lex would ever believe the bag of lies Lionel shovels out every episode. He has to be the most insincere character I've ever seen.
Ditto. Completely.
The thing I got the most kick out of in the ep, however, was The Flamingos. The same song that was played during LnC's almost first date was played during one of the Joe/Louise scenes. My roommmate couldn't hear the tv, so she thought I was nuts when she heard me yelling "The Flamingos!!" at the tv.
~Anna
