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”
Tag: Tom Welling
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, “Patriot”
Sorry for the delay folks, with the holidays and the end of the semester coming up, it's going to be something of a crazy time for me. After last week's episode solidified a number of things in the overarching plot, "Patriot" pushes that narrative forward in a very satisfying way, while still dealing with some … Continue reading Smallville, “Patriot”
Smallville, “Abandoned”
This week on Smallville, it's all about family and family histories. And though his issues with Jor-El are certainly present here, "Abandoned" works well in letting the two ladies move to the front and deal with their pasts in emotional resonant and in Tess' case, twisty kind of ways. The result is the second fine … Continue reading Smallville, “Abandoned”
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, “Harvest”
I noted last week that it would be difficult to top the 200th episode, so there was really no reason for "Isis" to attempt to. However, I didn't really expect or want the trend of mediocrity to continue into "Harvest," which is unfortunately what happened. "Harvest" is also similar to "Isis" in that it writes … Continue reading Smallville, “Harvest”
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”
Smallville reaches 200: An ode to the undervalued fans
Tonight, Smallville airs its 200th episode, becoming only the 79th scripted series to reach that milestone in the history of television. This is a massive deal, but for the most part, the industry's biggest and critics are ignoring it. There's no Entertainment Weekly or TV Guide cover. Alan Sepinwall isn't writing about his favorite moments … Continue reading Smallville reaches 200: An ode to the undervalued fans
Smallville, “Supergirl”
The biggest problem with Smallville as a series, dating all the way back to its origins, is that always likes to make Clark the problem, not the solution. He's often wrong, made to look foolish and sheepish and spends more time feeling sorry for himself than actually being proactive and heroic. The last two seasons … Continue reading Smallville, “Supergirl”
Smallville, “Shield”
I am a massive Smallville fan, but I'm also someone with some perspective on the series. I feel fairly confident in my ability to separate my odd die-hard fandom with the process of evaluating the series on an individual level or as a whole. With that said, the first two episodes of season ten haven't … Continue reading Smallville, “Shield”
Season Premiere — Smallville, “Lazarus”
The premiere of Smallville's tenth(!) and final season is in a weird position. On one hand, this is the final season! By that I mean the writers should have no trouble moving towards the end of the story that we've all been waiting since 2001 for, the journey is almost completely. On the other hand, because … Continue reading Season Premiere — Smallville, “Lazarus”
Hellcats, “I Say A Little Prayer”
I can say with absolute certainty that I will not be writing about Hellcats every week or even somewhat regularly, but with this week still being a little light on new episodes, I figured what the heck. And it's always good to check in and see how a series is looking after the pilot that … Continue reading Hellcats, “I Say A Little Prayer”
Series Premiere — Hellcats, “A World Full of Strangers”
If you thought that Hellcats, the new CW series about collegiate competitive cheerleading, would do for that sport what Glee did for high school music programs, you had the same thought process as the creators of this series. Or perhaps I should say the same hopes, as Hellcats follows many of the same beats as the … Continue reading Series Premiere — Hellcats, “A World Full of Strangers”
Fall TV “Preview”: Fridays are back!
The fall television season is just about to begin! To celebrate, I’ll be doing a series of fun features and previews for both returning and brand-new series. I have not seen any of the new pilots or premieres from veteran series, and thus the quotes around preview. No matter, that won’t stop me from doing … Continue reading Fall TV “Preview”: Fridays are back!
