Lower Decks

I was really dreading this episode, to be honest.  Usually, at least once in a season, Smallville decides to do an episode based on some kind of cliche.  We’ve seen witches and vampires, and now it’s time for zombies.  And knowing how their previous attempts at the horror genre have gone, I was expecting to hate this one.  After watching it, I was actually pleasantly surprised.

Now don’t get me wrong – the zombie stuff was cliche and stupid.  And actually watching the episode again is not something I’d recommend.  But there’s a lot of stuff in here that’s worth taking a look at, which makes the episode worth existing.  It’s filler, certainly.  But when filler episodes move the story along, it isn’t so bad.

And I think, by the end of the year, we’ll look at this episode as an important bridge to the rest of the season.  Not just something to throw out, like several episodes from the show’s past.

Because there was some important characterization in here.  Despite plenty of evidence in the past, it seems that Lois finally saw Clark Kent’s heroic side in this episode.  I’m guessing Clark’s assumed cowardice is part of the reason why she hasn’t made her feelings for him more well known (Lois Lane has a bad case of Hero Worship Syndrome).  That move will make it easier for Lois and Clark to make it’s long-awaited appearance.

And, on Clark’s side, there’s a bit more of a move towards closure with Lana.  It’s never been mentioned that he was carrying a picture of her in his wallet, but he finally puts it away (in a picture book, sitting out, that is full of her pictures – which, in itself, is a bit creepy) almost a year since their separation.

Then there’s all of the stuff with Oliver.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I wish that Oliver was more “fun” on this show.  If Clark isn’t going to be the hero we all want him to be, I was hoping Green Arrow would fill that void.  It would be cool to see Oliver and the Blur teaming up to save Metropolis, but as soon as Clark embraced the Blur, Oliver distanced from the Arrow.

And, like Lionel was a couple seasons ago, Oliver’s character isn’t making a whole lot of sense.  What’s he upset about?  Jimmy?  Lois?  Is he still mad about his parents’ murder?  He’s been in this alcoholic rut for a long time, and I’d really like some kind of movement.  It seems like we’re getting a bit of that here.  He admits that he’s lonely and depressed, admits some feelings for Lois, and talks about moving on.  I was hoping that would mean a return to the Arrow persona, but that’s obviously not the case.

Hopefully that return is coming, and it’s good to see that the writers remember that he needs some characterization.

Then there’s the Chloe/Hamilton stuff.  Like I said in previous reviews, I love the addition of Dr. Hamilton to the show.  I think he adds a certain dynamic to the show that really hasn’t been there, and it allows Chloe to focus on realistic stuff.  In previous years, Chloe would’ve been expected to make an antidote to an alien virus – Hamilton doing it makes some sense.

I do worry, however, that Hamilton appearing on the show could mean a systematic phasing-out of Chloe.  I could see the writers killing off Chloe, and then replacing her role with Dr. Hamilton.  I hope that doesn’t happen.

Chloe does, however, need a bit of characterization herself.  She’s obviously distressed about Jimmy, but she seems a bit vague in her attitude towards Clark.  Is she still mad at him?  Is she jealous of Lois?  Is she moving closer towards acceptance of the situation, or is she moving further away.

We need a good, solid Clark/Chloe scene in an episode soon.  Or, at least, a solid Chloe scene about Clark.  It would make things a lot more clear so that we can know where she is, emotionally.  Because Allison Mack is now the female lead of the show – I realize that Lois is a bigger character at the moment, but Mack is second in the credits.  Let’s make it look like it.

Then there’s the end.  We learn that the Kandorians (but not necessarily Zod) are behind the virus outbreak.  One of Zod’s soldiers released the virus in an attempt to find Jor-El, who they believe still has his powers.  Clark has been leaving the Superman “S” (the symbol of the House of El) all over Metropolis, and the Kandorian soldier assumes that it’s Jor-El.

This seems to mean that a younger version of Jor-El could appear on the show soon.  There have certainly been indications, with the El symbol showing up in Turkey along with other Kryptonian icons all over the world.  I’m not sure how I feel about that, but we’ll have to see how it’s pulled off.

But we do know one thing – Zod now knows of Clark’s existance (even if he’s wrong about which member of the House of El is saving people in Metropolis) – and that should lead to the first interaction between the two.

And I actually liked the way the episode ended, with Zod killing the soldier in cold blood.  After trying to make Doomsday a human and vulnerable character, I’m glad that they aren’t trying the same thing with Zod.  He’s a villain, and there’s no reason to feel sorry for him.  This way, we don’t have to have episode after episode of Clark debating the choice whether or not to face the villain.  He can just fight Zod and get it over with.

So there you have it.  There’s a lot of crap in there, but it’s at least crap in the right direction.  If you simply look at the episode at it’s cover, it isn’t so bad.  Just remember that Zod unleashed a Kryptonian virus, and Clark’s blood was the cure.  Forget about the zombies, remember the characterization, and you’ll be fine.