Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic Smallville season premiere - SPOILERS!

So -- whaddja think?

I liked the first half... the scenes at the Fortress of Solitude and with Chloe were great.

but then it kinda all went downhill.


Allie

Allie,
How did you manage to see Smallville last night?

Here in Toronto, it's not on until Sunday night at 7:00.. Did I miss something?

gerry

If it was shown last night in the US, Gerry, then Alli could have downloaded it a few hours later from the online websites and watched it on her pc.

It's already available for download on mininova, for instance. Most shows are uploaded to the download websites within hours of being shown on US TV.

Some of us can't wait for our own TV networks outside the US to catch up. I've already seen the first half of the new seasons of Battlestar Galactica and Stargate: SG1, neither of which are due to be shown here in the UK until January 2006 and October, respectively.

Long live the internet.

LabRat (eagerly awaiting Lynn and CC's assessment)

I saw it. In fact, I thought about sitting down and writing up my thoughts immediately after the episode was over, but I decided I needed some gel time.

I was going to go about this in a Great/Good/Bad kind of way, but really, I either loved stuff or absolutely hated it.

Fabulous:
* OMG, James Marsters!!! Can I tell you what a freakish James Marsters fangirl I am? The idea of him on this show has given me thrills all summer. But to actually see him. WooHoo! I'll watch Clark and Lana make out all season just so I can see James Marsters. CC - you can definitely have Evil Lex. I want Evil James.

* Yeah, that Fortress of Solitude was pretty cool even if it was a direct copy from the movie. I guess if it is based on canon, it couldn't deviate too much. I mean, come on, we all know how carefully TPTB at Smallville follow canon. *Snort*

* Loved, loved, loved that conversation between Clark and Chloe. I love that she knows and now he knows she knows. Actually, I would have preferred for that scene to have been extended quite a bit. I'm sure Chloe has a gazillion questions, and it would be fun to watch Clark answer them.

Hated It:
* Please, someone, tell me what was the point of Kryptonian Girl and Kryptonian Boy? I mean, other than the fact that the writers finally got to use the name Zod? So incredibly wasted. They posed a threat for, what, all of ten minutes? They were defeated almost easier than any run of the mill Freak of the Week. So utterly and completely pointless.

* Oh, look, Martha, Jonathan and Lana ended up in the hospital. How clever and unique.

* I don't think I'm going to be able to take an entire season of Clark and Lana. I just don't. I have absolutely no desire for these two to be together. I felt nothing but disgust over their "Lana's bedside confession". Their kiss left me not just cold but queasy. Honestly, I don't think I could care less about these two as a couple. It will be the first time - ever - in my history of watching television that I will fast forward through the show's romance so I can focus on the A-plot.

* I loved Lois in last night's epi, don't get me wrong. I'm ecstatic that they didn't ship her off to Metropolis. But I just can't stand the idea of another season of her being a prop character. Kind of like, she's just there because of her name and to play the comedian to Clark's straight guy. Erica Durance and Tom Welling crackle in their scenes together. And I'm willing to anger the Superman Canon gods by suggesting that the writers have Lois and Clark begin their relationship now, way earlier than it's supposed to, just to take advantage of the actors' chemistry.

* Okay, I wrote the story of Clark losing his virginity to a non-Lois character. Yes, I did it and I'm guilty to the extreme of breaking the sacred commandment of Clark Shalt Sleep With No-One But Lois. So it would seem I have no room at all to complain if the Smallville crew want to get Lana and Clark naked (and this is based on previews for the upcoming season). But...well, okay, vomit. I just can't swallow this.

And it's not because Lana isn't Lois. Really, I've proven that I can handle Clark sleeping with a non-Lois woman if that's where the story goes. But I have to still want him to sleep with this non-Lois person. I have to love her and I have to believe that Clark loves her and that she is the right person for Clark at the time. Smallville has strung this pointless relationship out for so long and has pushed us all so far past the point of caring that Clark might as well have had sex with Alicia. At least then we could have written it off as date-rape and he could have pretended it didn't happen.

I have a feeling my eyeballs will be gouged out regularly this season. And I think in order to make up to me what they are going to put me through, they need to work a ratio of two James Marsters and Tom Welling naked torso shots for every public display of affection (as in, we have to see it) between Clark and Lana. In fact, if Clark and Lana go horizontal, I insist on something similar to Season 4's premier episode. You remember. Naked Clark? Perhaps something with James that involves baby oil...

Well, CC, looks like this may be the year for your Lexy. He's really bad now, not just drawn that way.

Lynn

I would watch James Marsters sell insurance. he's an incredible actor. The scene where he reacts to realizing that buffy has come back from the dead is the best piece of "acting without saying anythhing" that i've ever seen.

The way he just communicated his feelings with that one expression. Incredible.

And Tabula Rasa? The funniest thing I'd seen in ages. Tony head along with James Marsters is a wonderful teaming.

So, even though I have never gotten into SmallVille, I will start watching it, because my beloved James is in it.

I agree with Lynn about Clark and Lana..
and there just seems to be too many potential romantic partners hanging around -- Lana, Chloe, Lois...
Someone is bound to get short shrift in the season, just like Pete did in the past.

But you know, Tom is just getting better and better looking -- ahem -- I mean he's such a fine actor, that my patience is holding so far.

BTW -- I managed to catch the episode early here in TO courtesy of Bell Expressvu. I got satellite tv last year and now I can't live without it.

Allie

Wow you guys are here again! And LAbrat is a fan!? Holy cow Batman! Oh Ok wrong show. Anyway, I agree with Lynn on almost everything. But I would like to see Clark do Lana just so they can get past this doomed relationship. Then I'd like to see him do Chloe just so poor Chloe can have a turn, then I'd like him to end up with Lois of course<g> I am all for a naked Clark in any form. I have no idea who James Marsters is but if he is the guy that showed his face at the end of the show, then goodie! Looking forward to more torture. Lex is good, even bad, he is still my favorite character so far. Laura

I'll agree with everything Lynn said except for the naked torso stuff. Chloe and Lois, maybe... okay, so it's a family show.

I would like to add that Lex needs to work on his reaction time. He was far too quick on the brakes. Just another five feet and our Lana troubles would have been over.

Where was Jason? Did they forget to dig the body out from under the house? Or is he going to be haunting them from under the floorboards once they rebuild?

My signal broke up (!~@!@#!~!@! stupid over-the-air HDTV signals) with Clark holding onto that rebar and came back just in time to see these two yo-yo's peeking through the Phantom Zone window. How'd he get them in there?

Er...no. <g> I just love listening to Lynn and CC tear it apart. . But haven't watched more than the pilot, I'm afraid.

Although, I'd completely forgotten James was now in it. So I might have to tune in at least once just for my boy. But before that...details, girls! I need details! What's he playing? Is he a villain? How much screen time does he get? /me bounces up and down in her seat...

LabRat

James Marsters was in Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Didn't watch the show and he does nothing for me. I'm sorry the producers of Smallville are in love with Kristin Kreuk but I can't stand her. She seems to be in a state of perpetual depression and I can't figure out why she hasn't done us all a favor and offed herself yet. She seems like a good candidate for suicide watch.

Then there is her jumping from man to man. When the Whitney character was on the show she ignored Clark. Then when Whitney enlists and Clark saves her life suddenly she's hot for Clark. Then off him and hot for Jason now she's hot for Clark again. For crying out loud Lana make up your damn mind.

I don't know what it is about Kristin but I just don't like her as an actress. I watched Snow White that she did and hated it. Didn't Like her in Earthsea. I just don't like her. So I only watch only enough of her scenes to get the plot idea and then I hit fast forward.

I also wish they had left Pete's character in the show. They have surround Clark with Lex who we all know and see as evil even if Clark can't - big switch from L&C. Then he is always in the middle of all the girls. He needs to have a guy friend who is a real friend. That is why I hated that Pete was off the show.

Oh don't get me started on the fact that now they have taken his powers from him. We all knew when he promised Jor-El he would be back before sun set that it wasn't going to happen. What are the chances of all the property damange in Smallville that his parent's house would be shown on TV for him to see. The show is just so predictable and cliche ridden that I almost can't watch it. I guess I don't really considering how much I fast forward through in some episodes. I mainly watch him with his parents, Chloe, Lois and Lex.

Okay, somewhat to my own surprise, I found myself watching the season premiere (my hubby watches it so I've been catching bits of the first four seasons). I missed some of it while putting kids into bed, but I think I got the gist of things.

I enjoyed watching Chloe tell Clark to switch to "superClark" mode And their conversation was really interesting, too. But I was really frustrated that Clark didn't seem to be working very hard at making it back to the FoS by sundown. (Did Jor-El specify a timezone and latitude, btw? If the fortress was at the North Pole, Clark might have had another few months to make it back )

Barbie the Barbarian (lol) and sidekick were pretty uninteresting. I liked Lana's attempt to trick them toward the kryptonite, but how did she know the vault was there, or what it would do to them? And it was pretty funny for Clark to knock them into their own trap, but that was *way* too easy. "We'll huff and we'll puff, and we'll kill tons of people, and... oops, gotta go" The only redeeming plot point I can see is that now Clark might think there's no further threat from the spaceship, when of course there is. Another instance of obscuring the truth (spaceship) by flashy misdirection (meteor storm).

Clark and Lana, yuck. I like Lois but she has very little to do, from what I can see. Although she does get snappy dialog.

(Does anyone else think it's kinda strange for Lois to call him "Smallville" when they're actually *in* Smallville?) (or should I not try to apply logic too much?)

PJ

Good point, Pam. If it was during the summer, the sun doesn't set until really late, if it sets at all up near the North Pole. Now if it was September, it would have set right after he left to take Chloe to the hospital.

Yes, and definitely yes. It's cute, albiet a little odd. But Pam, please don't try to apply logic to the Smallville writers. You'll hurt yourself.

I pretty much agree with what everyone's been saying, especially regarding the vomit inducing relationship that is Clark and Lana. On the other hand, as odd as this sounds, I'm a little bit glad that they're going to sleep together. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to have the trash can close for when my insides react violently to the impending visual, but I'm hoping that this will mean that they're finally over. For good. If watching an unhealthy amount of television has taught me anything, it's that WB teens don't stay together for long, especially after sleeping together. They have to keep the drama up, and they don't know how to do that while the characters are blissfully happy. It's the highest (or lowest and most sickening, in the case of Clark and Lana) place they can go with the story, so after this they'll move on for good. At least, I can hope so.

~Anna

Hmm, I just watched the season premiere after downloading it this afternoon. Well, the previous season 4 was a no-go for me, so all I know was through spoilers and ep summaries. Maybe there's much I lost out on but SV seems to be a show where even a whole season doesn't matter in the grand scale of events.

I was actually pretty impressed with their idea of the fortress of solitude, though that scenes were subdued by Chloe nearly freezing to death.

Plot-wise it's interesting how Clark can so easily accept his normalness. This feeling rose while he was watching the sunset and in the end I was confirmed by their whole conversation.
By the way, you're right about Super-Barbie and Super-Ken, they were a mere distraction and imho nothing more than servants of this strange black-liquid-whatever(-brainiac?)-being.

At the moment I'd also be quite happy without any shipper-content as I'm probably going to be catching up on the plots and subplots for a few episodes.

I posted this on a Lois Yahoo group I belong to:

I really enjoyed the season premiere...it kept my attention and I've been watching Smallville since Season 1. I'm actually glad I taped Alias and watched Smallville instead! Now that they're both on at the same time, I have to sacrifice one of them to tape for later viewing. :p

I'm very glad that Chloe knows Clark's secret. Her reaction to him finally knowing, sort of reminded me OUR Lois...although she found out from a simple hand gesture and she got awfully mad at Clark keeping that secret from her. Poor Chloe...still holding a torch for Clark...I bet she won't be any happier when Lois and Clark end up together eventually.

I cheered when I saw Erica's name in the credits! I said YAY Lois!!!!

Saw lots of things that reminded me of the Superman movies and at first I was worried that they were going to kill off Martha. I'm not real happy with how they're portraying Jor-El or how they had him "take away" Clark's powers for not coming back. I look at this as an alternate version of Superman's past...so to each his own!

The "Clana" pairing was bound to happen. I read something somewhere that they would never go all the way...but looking at those promos, I'm not so sure. :p Again, if they do that...I'll have to keep reminding myself that it's just an alternate world. lol I'd rather see Clark hook up with Lois
first and only! Frankly, she could teach him a few things.

If I gave this episode a grade, I'd give it an A-.

This is James Marsters:



Um...did I mention that I'm a big fan?

Lynn

Oh.

Well.

I’m late. It took me until today to see the whole thing. And now I’m just staring at this screen trying to calm my Inner Superman Fangirl enough to be somewhat coherent and thoughtful. But all she really wants to do is.... SING! And frolic through meadows of dewy flowers! And count aloud the number of times the Superman theme tootled in the background while TW was being especially Supermanish, which was pretty much throughout....

Oh.

People.

The love. Do you feel it?

Favorite things:

The Fortress (oh, yay!).

That Jor-el is instructing Clark in all he’ll need to know and Clark stops because Chloe is there and needs his help. This theme was as prevalent as the musical Superman one. Clark will save, just as Jor-el tells him he must, but he’ll never do it How and When and as Unemotionally as Jor-el would have him do. I like Kal-el and Jor-el’s on-going tug-of-war over who Clark is. That being the son of Bo and Martha Kent has had so much influence on him that he drives Daddy-El crazy.

That Chloe is there! (more on this later) Their conversation afterwards and the way she said just the exact. right. thing. when he told her he wasn’t from around here. Also, liked how neither one of them used the word ‘alien.’ Chloe started to and stopped herself. (more on this later)

Lana’s first words of the season: “Please don’t hurt me.” Because I could swear I heard a million frustrated viewers mutter, “No, please do. I beg you.” I’ve decided the writers have a twisted sense of humor. Consider how we were teased. She crashes in a helicopter during a meteor shower. Then another helicopter crashes down right beside her. Burning wreckage, flying heat vision, bullets a plenty, stepping in front of Lex’s car annnnnd.... she’s not hurt. Ok, she has a limp and some strategically attractive cuts on her face. But... gah! Has anyone checked? Is Lana invulnerable??

Bo Kent lives. I adore his seething, nostril-flaring, angry-protective Father to a Superhero. Since Smallville occasionally breaks-out into fits of canon, I worry that he’ll be killed off. Who does weary, tough-loving concern as well? No. Not Martha. She does anguished, long suffering. It’s easy to confuse the two.

Clark lying to Lex. And actually, it wasn’t an entire lie. Lex asked if he was in the cave when the meteors hit and he wasn’t. He was hanging out at the North Pole with the crystal. But all the stuff on the edges of that conversation- Chloe’s whereabouts, the bright light- Clark denied knowledge of. And he did it in these very formal, very flat tones that clearly said “I am lying.” Which Lex clearly heard. They look like who they’ll become in this scene.

Other things:

I went blind and deaf when Clark walked into Lana’s room at the end. I’m assuming he talked her into going abroad for college...? Seems a shame to waste her life sitting around one small, meteor-riddled town.

I do think our Twin Kryptonians served a (limited) purpose. One, focus on them and forget the ship and the Liquid Spike contained within. Defeat them and get this sense of false security. Two, they’re so horrible, right down to the icy stares and matching outfits, thus in keeping with Clark’s every experience with any and all things Kryptonian being negative. All the more reason for him to be relieved and more than ready to accept his loss of powers and the idea that Jor-el is done with him. Why would he want any part of being K? When all he really, truly wants is to be Clark Kent, Kansas farmboy, lover to.... never mind.

Last thing (it's later):

Chloe is Lois. No. She is. Maybe she doesn’t have the name, but in every way that counts, in every way that matters, she *is* Lois. She knows who Clark is. She told him to “Go.” And when he used his powers in front of her, she gave that nice, “Whoa.”

She’s as Lois as Lois can be.

CC

(Lab, you've seen the second season of BG? Did you feel the love??)

I have read the K-site forum,the Zoomway board and now this feedback thread. Mostly, everyone loved the premiere (the ratings were good enough for the WB to post a press release about it!)

I, too, felt that the two K=ers were too easy to defeat. However, it did lull Clark into that false sense of security, and maybe there is a master plan that we're not aware of yet.

I don't like Lex and Clark lying to each other. In the Superman movies, Clark as Superman tells Lois is in her big interview that he never lies. Now I guess he's not S-man yet, but I don't like Clark out and out lying to Lex. It's OK for Lex to lie, because hs IS Lex Luthor, and that's what he does, but Clark should have found a way to avoid the questions.

Perhaps this is why Lex and Clark part ways, and maybe in part, we can understand Lex's future hatred of Clark AKA Superman. He thought they were friends, he did a lot for the Kents (bought their farm back from bankruptcy a few times in fact), and they didn't trust him with Clark's secret.

Obviously Lex always knows that Clark is Superman. Perhaps he never revealed it to the world because of that small part of him that remembers and loves the Kents.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Lois' transition to the world of reporting and her "stripper" eppy, only because it looks like her and Clark have some very close-up conversations and I'm also looking forward to seeing him get jealous with the Aquaman eppy.

I really really hope that TPTB can keep the excitement going this year. Last year they very nearly jumped the shark!

@ CC Aiken : Oh yeah, you're totally right with Chloe being Lois and I've said that months and years before as well. I haven't seen much of the Lois Lane of Smallville but to me that's more and more a convenient support character than the 'future Mrs. Superman'!
You're unfortunately also right about Lana being somewhat invulnerable but I do see this fact lightly as Bruce Willis gets hurt twice as much in each of his action-movies and still lives In the beginning of Smallville, Lana was a great and at first sight a bit shallow character, for a show with teenage audience. (Unfortunately?) SV's not at the beginning anymore and Lana ... doesn't fit.

@ ChaaBreh : Sorry to disappoint you but you're about 4 years too late if you want to start about Clark lying to Lex. As long as they've known each other, Clark was conceiling the truth from him by changing topics, not answering or playing dumb=lying. In most cases it's probably only semantics but I cannot imagine that in 4 years of Smallville he never openly lied to Lex or another character.
But the important thing is the difference between LnC (how I know Clark's past) versus Smallville, where he's out there playing superhero in his teen years and having several close friends on the brink of telling them about his alien'ness. Therefore I can surely understand the need for his actions and lies.


.. another thing I noticed after watching the episode a second time. Don't you think it's strange that there were exactly 2 images of Smallville on national TV (the scene with Chloe & Clark in some hospital) and then Clark immediately knows that his parents "didn't get out"? The second question might be explainable as I didn't see the previous episode but the first one .. that's just too simple

When Lana awoke in the Luthor mansion (after Lex picked her up off the road), she saw Lionel scratching something into the floor (the tatoo on Krypto-Barbie's back). Then he stands up all trance-like and says that their home is their only poison or something like that. And he's looking into the vault (that Clark tore open the episode before hand) and the meteor rocks inside are glowing and casting their light over both of them.

One of the clips that the TV showed was of the Kent's house (1/2 way destroyed by a meteor), with the Kents packed truck still next to the house... Clark assumes (correctly) that if their car is still there, then they are as well. They could have walked away of course... but they obviouisly didn't drive, and so chances are they weren't far away if not at the house when it was struck.

I couldn't have put that better. In fact I was saying that as the scene was going on!