The accused: Smallville, “Reckoning” (Season 5, Episode 12) The crime: Sending its lead character on an aimless, never-ending path of self-loathing How much impact, both positive and negative, can one bad episode have on an entire series? How do long-running series continue onward in the aftermath of an episodic failure? Is it possible that individual, … Continue reading #TVFail Entry 19: Smallville, “Reckoning”
Tag: Allison Mack
Waiting for Superman: Week five part two: Ranking the episodes of Smallville (again)
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first five pieces here, here, here, here and here if you missed them. And now we come … Continue reading Waiting for Superman: Week five part two: Ranking the episodes of Smallville (again)
Waiting for Superman, week five part one: Ranking the seasons of Smallville
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first four pieces here, here, here and here if you missed them. This week, I decided … Continue reading Waiting for Superman, week five part one: Ranking the seasons of Smallville
Waiting for Superman, week four: How important is the ending?
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first three pieces here, here and here if you missed them. You … Continue reading Waiting for Superman, week four: How important is the ending?
Waiting for Superman, week three: What’s the legacy of Smallville?
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first two pieces here and here if you missed them. As we get … Continue reading Waiting for Superman, week three: What’s the legacy of Smallville?
Waiting for Superman, week two: The best comic book character guest stars
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can see last week's piece here if you missed it. Last week, I promised … Continue reading Waiting for Superman, week two: The best comic book character guest stars
Waiting for Superman, week one: How Smallville can stick the landing
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I'll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. This is the first one, obviously. Smallville's tenth and final season has been a bit … Continue reading Waiting for Superman, week one: How Smallville can stick the landing
Smallville, “Fortune”
UGH. Ever since I read a few spoilers about "Fortune," I prepared myself for a terrible episode. But I don't think anything could have prepared me for the giant suck-fest I watched unravel on my screen this evening. It's been well-established that the Smallville writers have no qualms about ripping entire plots from other texts … Continue reading Smallville, “Fortune”
Smallville, “Masquerade”
Up to this point, neither Chloe's return or the development of Darksied's crew have been handled quite well. The budget strongly impacts the latter while before this episode, I wasn't convinced the writers had any plan for the former. Allison Mack was willing to come back, and thus she did. Thankfully, "Masquerade" figures out a … Continue reading Smallville, “Masquerade”
Smallville, “Beacon”
Apologies yet again for the delay. Busy Valentine's Day weekend. Such is life. After last week's "Collateral," I was legitimately concerned about the final run of Smallville. That episode was so tepid, uninspired and generally stupid that it set a dangerous precedent for the rest of the season. I don't want to say I had … Continue reading Smallville, “Beacon”
Smallville, “Collateral”
Apologies for the delay in this review, hectic weekend. When it was announced that Smallville's 2011 return would be pushed back a week, I wasn't really upset. For the most part, this final season has been more scatter-brained and problematic than the last two seasons, despite some very, very great moments. Usually the series is … Continue reading Smallville, “Collateral”
Smallville, “Luthor”
Time travel, alternate universes, these storytelling techniques are such gimmicks -- gimmicks Smallville uses on a fairly regular basis. However, because the series is so good when they do employ this gimmicks, I'm willing to give them a reprieve for dipping into an elseworlds-type tale in "Luthor." Plus, the series is based on a comic … Continue reading Smallville, “Luthor”
Smallville, “Ambush”
Sorry for the delay folks, I had to take a few days off to restore some sanity, and not the Jon Stewart variety. That decision is kind of unfortunate, at least in relationship to Smallville, which turned in one of its better episodes of the season. After a few goofy and gimmicky episodes, "Ambush" felt … Continue reading Smallville, “Ambush”
Smallville, “Isis”
After a glorious 200th episode, there was no way Smallville could really top that episode's events, so the best thing to do is continue the plotlines of "Homecoming" in a natural, but less epic way. "Isis"...kind of does that. In one sense, "Isis" has a number of the season's best emotional and quiet moments. In … Continue reading Smallville, “Isis”
Smallville, “Homecoming”
Though it certainly has had its high points, Smallville has never been the same since its 100th episode. Travel back to 2006 with me if you will. At that point, the series was right in the middle of its fifth season and arguably was hitting an unmatched creative stride. The opening 11 episodes of season five … Continue reading Smallville, “Homecoming”