Smallville "Isis" Review (Airdate 10/22/10)

I get it.  People out surfing the blogosphere don't give a crap when some random guy decides to review some random TV show on a regular basis.  But sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

Spoilers by the way.

This past Friday's episode of Smallville (entitled "Isis") was a combination of the things I like about the show and the things I loath.  I like it when they move relationships forward in positive ways rather than just leaving them in limbo for episode after episode.  Usually the viewer has no idea what the actual status of any given relationship is.  But, every once in a while the show gives us just a touch of clarity.  The development of Lois and Clark's relationship this season has been great so far, and now that Clark has told her about his powers, they can move on to the creation of the Superman persona and get rid of the horribly named "Blur" persona.

I do not like when they dress Lois up in skimpy outfits for no good reason.  It is cheap.  I didn't mind the Wonder Woman-ish amazon outfit at Halloween time last season, but this season has been too much too often for my tastes.  I don't care if she is possessed by Isis, there was no real reason to get her all dressed up.  It would have been more real if she was in street clothes.

I do not like when they make lame-ish attempts to discuss the nature of heady topics like love and sacrifice and what it means to be a hero who also is in love, blah.  They need better writers before they can do that kind of thing, and they don't have them.  The best they've done so far this season is Hawkman's explanation of "ubermensch" in episode 2, which I found good enough, if a little shallow and rosy.  But when we have Isis getting ready to release hell on earth for love, and Clark being willing to sacrifice even love for a greater good, the dialogue gets all stupid, unnatural, and convoluted.

I do not like Cat Grant.  At all.  I don't like how the character is written, acted, or plotted.  Put her on assignment in Gotham and leave her there.

I do like it when a team comes together to get something done.  Tess, Green Arrow, and Clark all worked together to take down Isis, save the world and free Lois.  Good stuff.

I do like that Lex Luthor is making his presence felt, even if it is just through the rapidly-aging clone, Alexander.

I'm not a huge fan of Tess, but bringing her into the League is bold at this stage in the game.  Can she be trusted? "We'll see."

I do like Lois and Clark.  From the moment Lois Lane first appeared on Smallville way back in season 4, we fans have been waiting for the past two episodes with great anticipation.  We were thrilled when Lana Lang finally made her exit so Lois and Clark could finally be the focus of the show and the characters themselves. 


The final words on "Isis" are "meh" and "'bout time!"