http://www.cwtv.com/shows/smallville

My favorite (guilty-pleasure) TV show is back for yet a ninth season; I really thought last year would be the final chapter. Anyways, I won't try and predict when it finally wraps up, I just want dude to fly---this year. And he doesn't have to don the suit to please me. Just fly, already!

After consecutive seasons of lackluster finales, I hope it finally goes out with a bang...

The saga resumes tomorrow night, 8/7c on The CW network.

I enjoy it too and don't even label it a guilty pleasure. I just enjoy it.

It's had it's down seasons, but last year with the new people taking over it really picked up. From the previews of this season it looks like they're taking some more large leaps forward.

The resolution to Clark vs Doomsday was pretty weak, but I'm not sure what else they could do on a tv budget with that.

With the solid cast they've got lately for the variety of heroes, they could always spin this into a Justice League show and leave Smallville behind.

Been with this from the beginning episode, but don't tell me was NINE years ago!!!!

Not that "canon" has meant too much with this series, but I am really interested to see what they do with Kandor.

Not sure what this means with Kandor either. Will it be shrunk? Does this mean a return of Brainiac? (who was in possession of Kandor at least in some iterations of Supes) Is Kara returning? (Yes, I know she's technically from Argo City, but her parents supposedly lived in Kandor too) This brings up many questions...

They have done a pretty good job with the cgi Metropolis on their limited budget. So I am hopeful they can do something interesting with Kandor, too. It would be fun to see Clark visit Kandor in the bottle!


Duane

Been with this from the beginning episode, but don't tell me was NINE years ago!!!!

Not to nitpick, but since we are just starting Season 9, Smallville debuted only 8 years ago :)

Smallville really has been hit or miss from the get go. I honestly was lukewarm in season 1... but gained interest as it went on... then they had a bunch of goodness right in the middle, followed by a return in recent seasons to the hit or miss form again.

As long as we still get some good to go with the meh, I'll keep watching.

Smallville really has been hit or miss from the get go. I honestly was lukewarm in season 1... but gained interest as it went on... then they had a bunch of goodness right in the middle, followed by a return in recent seasons to the hit or miss form again.I have to agree with that; very strong in the middle seasons (4 & 5), then started to hit/miss later on. Last year started off very strong, then faltered about midway through.

Can we get a freaking pair of glasses on the set? PLEASE? ANYONE?

Well now that they have time traveling rings, I'm sure they could possibly go back in time and give him glasses replacing everyone's memory of him without glasses pretty fast.

Oh, yeah - I forgot how the "Superman" universe works for a second there.

They'd have to make them only forget that one, specific detail, but I'm sure they'd find some inexplicable way to do that (just "glossing over" seems to usually work best for this show).

I made the mistake of trying to inject logic and reality into the situation. That'll learn me. :D

Not sure what this means with Kandor either. Will it be shrunk? Does this mean a return of Brainiac? (who was in possession of Kandor at least in some iterations of Supes) Is Kara returning? (Yes, I know she's technically from Argo City, but her parents supposedly lived in Kandor too) This brings up many questions...

I may be mis-remembering, but didn't Kara say as she was flying off that she was going to look for Kandor? I know some people didn't like Laura Vanervoort, and tastes vary in women, but she was one Super girl for me. Wouldn't mind a re-appearance at all.

Oh, yeah - I forgot how the "Superman" universe works for a second there.

They'd have to make them only forget that one, specific detail, but I'm sure they'd find some inexplicable way to do that (just "glossing over" seems to usually work best for this show).

I made the mistake of trying to inject logic and reality into the situation. That'll learn me. :D

I hope you've learned your lesson! :D No more logic here.

At the end of last season, Clark said that "Clark Kent is dead". Very dramatic, may or may not mean anything. It would be too weird, even for Smallville to try and run with that angle. Yet, without establishing Clark early on as bespectacled, it is going to be a little hard for them to have "Superman" running around without people going "Hey, Clark!"

I think a big part of this season will be him trying to find that balance between his humanity and morals, and what's for the better of all of mankind.

As bad as the doomsday thing played out, the questions it raised for him I think will make for an interesting season.

I know it's probably blasphemy, but I still wish they could remake Supe's costume. The whole, "Hey, I have glasses, I'm Clark Kent! And now, I take off my glasses, and I'm Superman, but no one recognizes me even though I work with a bunch of reporters and I'm the most well-known person on the planet!" is just moronic beyond words. It was stupid when it was first written, and it's even dumber now in the connected world that we live in.

I'd say that last season was probably my favorite, so I'm looking forward to this season. Though I'm still hoping this season in the last.

Can we get a freaking pair of glasses on the set? PLEASE? ANYONE?You must've missed that one fantastic episode (Apocalypse) from an otherwise dismal Season 7, where he did don the specs. Of course, that was an alternate universe...





I may be mis-remembering, but didn't Kara say as she was flying off that she was going to look for Kandor? I know some people didn't like Laura Vanervoort, and tastes vary in women, but she was one Super girl for me. Wouldn't mind a re-appearance at all.I believe I saw a flash of her face on the trailer for the new V TV series; unsure if she's coming back to hicksville.

Aww, come on; I waddunt tryin to go there....

Well now that they have time traveling rings, I'm sure they could possibly go back in time and give him glasses replacing everyone's memory of him without glasses pretty fast.I just tried to quote myself from the post I made prior to this (to correct something I said in it), and I accidently hit "edit", instead of "quote". :rolleyes:

So to anybody that this answer makes no sense to, you'll know why.

I believe I saw a flash of her face on the trailer for the new V TV series; unsure if she's coming back to hicksville.

I don't think this needs spoiler space, but for the sake of not offending anyone:

You did. I just checked IMDB and they list her for 1 episode.

Nice opener. Clark has a hip new look; who needs that red & blue clown suit? I also like the visual style of the sequences with Tess at the mansion. A very busy episode, but I like it.

What's up with the watch?

I hate it when they start the season with everyone scattered, and we have to spend 1/3 of the year reassembling everyone. Just get to the meat, and lets have some fun.

Nice opener. Clark has a hip new look; who needs that red & blue clown suit? I also like the visual style of the sequences with Tess at the mansion. A very busy episode, but I like it.

I would have to agree with the suit and the visual style overall. It had more of a Gotham feel to it.

Also, it looks as though Clark is finally growing a pair.

I would have to agree with the suit and the visual style overall. It had more of a Gotham feel to it.

Also, it looks as though Clark is finally growing a pair.

...and fly (please, just do it already!!!)

Did the entire show seem darker (color not theme) than usual?

...and fly (please, just do it already!!!)

At least they finally directly acknowledged this. Early on he didn't know what powers he would have and just stumbled across them, and once those stopped he pretty much never acknowledged that others could fly and he couldn't.

I think we'll definitely see him get this going this season, especially since he's adopted his first non-Clark look and started wearing the logo.

I like how it's started out, didn't really feel like any filler time in this episode. Everything was either referencing what happened last year, or setting up some of what will be going on this year.

And as a bonus, everything wasn't resolved and back to normal 30 minutes into the debut.

Did the entire show seem darker (color not theme) than usual?

I noticed that as well, especially the scenes with the Kandorians. However, that was contrasted with some very crisp and colorful scenes. Very effective.

I also liked how the Fortress had white and black crystals. Perhaps leftover from Brainiac and Doomsday being in there, but also now matches his attitude and attire.

Pretty big change from the sparkly white version from the movies.

Uncle Reese returns and he's...*gasp* a terminator!

Uncle Reese returns and he's...*gasp* a terminator!

When he introduced himself as John Corben, I thought I should know that name and sure enough, a quick Google search.....

Should be an interesting story arc.

That "Kandor globe" seems to be alot like the blue crystal from season 7 that Kara had.

Consider... Mysterious object that "talks" to someone (Tess/Clark) and convinces them to "let me out"... then we find out the people "let out" are the result of DNA samples having been taken at some point in the past.

Yeah, no spoiler that John Corbin is Metallo.

Anyways, I just watched the episode and thought, aw damn, you mean to tell me this whole season is going to be one long time travel arc? Crap.

Anyways, I just watched the episode and thought, aw damn, you mean to tell me this whole season is going to be one long time travel arc? Crap.

Even if it is the whole season, what's wrong with that? O_o

In any case, I liked it. And I much prefer this "costume" over what he'll eventually wear.

The one thing I didn't like...music throughout the entire episode. They've done it before, and it irritated the hell out of me then as well. Hopefully this was a one-time thing and it won't happen for the rest of the season.

The one thing I didn't like...music throughout the entire episode. They've done it before, and it irritated the hell out of me then as well.True - that, and "Tess".

Wish they'd kill her off or something soon. That manly voice, bulldog face, potato-nose, and those bulging eyes just turn me off, big time. Also, it sucks that she's featured as much as she is, when it's bad enough her character in the show is so totally unnecessary in the first place (wonder just what sort of "pull" the actress has).

If I'm giving anyone the impression that I find her extremely unattractive and can't stand her boring, monotone character, they'd probably be right. And she really stands out that way to me, because of all the other female stars on the show being so attractive and interesting in one way or another.

Also - before anyone posts a "good" picture of her from the internet (like they did in one of the show's former threads after I made some similar remarks), don't even bother - it won't change my feelings one bit. I just want her off the show so I can start fully enjoying it again.

LOL...that's a lot of Tess-hate.

I don't really have a problem with her myself, though, like you, I'm not sure why she's needed. They easily could have killed her off last season (or even this past episode), and I don't think anyone on the show would have noticed. Or even cared for that matter.

As long as they keep Clark, Chloe and Lois, they could swap out the secondary characters every season and I wouldn't mind.

LOL...that's a lot of Tess-hate.

As long as they keep Clark, Chloe and Lois, they could swap out the secondary characters every season and I wouldn't mind.

Gotta include Oliver, the actor does a good job with that character.

Gotta include Oliver, the actor does a good job with that character.Nah, remember this is the CW- it's more like he looks good with his shirt off.

He's alright as a character, though. I just don't like Tess, and I intensely disliked Davis and his whining, also.

But I didn't even find Jimmy as dislikable as some here. Wish they could at least bring back Kara, and give Tess less screen time - a lot less.

He's alright as a character, though. I just don't like Tess, and I intensely disliked Davis and his whining, also.

But I even didn't even find Jimmy as dislikable as some here. Wish they could at least bring back Kara, and give Tess less screen time - a lot less.

If we are voting, from previous posts everyone knows it would be Kara, Kara, Kara!:D

It won't be the Daily Planet without Jimmy; maybe Clark'll go save him afterall. Chloe laid a real 'trip on him....but if it were Lana/Lois instead, he would've gone to hell and back to save her.

I just tried to quote myself from the post I made prior to this (to correct something I said in it), and I accidently hit "edit", instead of "quote". :rolleyes:

So to anybody that this answer makes no sense to, you'll know why.It's cool, but you really didn't have to remove it.

Gotta include Oliver, the actor does a good job with that character.
Ah. I forgot about Oliver. O_o

It won't be the Daily Planet without Jimmy; maybe Clark'll go save him afterall. Chloe laid a real 'trip on him....but if it were Lana/Lois instead, he would've gone to hell and back to save her.

Well, that wasn't really Jimmy. :p

I think the best thing about this season is that Clark finally understands that sometimes it's necesary to kill the bad guys.:cool: I'm also hoping that they'll stop teasing us and finally have Clark learn how to fly, permanently.:rolleyes: I'm just worried that at the end of this season, Clark will change his mind and go back in time to save Jimmy Olsen. This will somehow result in Clark not training at the Fortress of Solitude. And also result in him never having learned how to fly. And Clark will revert back to his lame attitude of not wanting to kill any of the bad guys.:mad: I wish that time travel ring would get destroyed, and soon. The longer it continues to exist, the more worried I'll be, that the writers will use it to erase any progress Clark's character makes this season.:eek:

It's cool, but you really didn't have to remove it.It was best, because I mangled it, and the part I was quoting was what I erased.

I couldn't remember what I erased, so I couldn't type it back in (and it was over half the post). It really didn't make any sense in the context of the other posts, so I figured I'd just wipe it out altogether.

It doesn't bother anyone else that the main character now has the least amount of screen time?

I've watched since the beginning and my memory of the early season is that most episodes had Clark on the screen the most and was the central character. I enjoyed those episodes/seasons but now I must endure everyone's problems and not just Clarks and it gets aggravating.

Now its completely the opposite, he's barely on screen at all!

I guess I was expecting to actually see more young Clark Kent from a show called Smallville described as depicting tales from a young superman but what do I know. Maybe they should change the name to the Daily Planet and focus on Lois Lane because she seems to have most screen time lately.

Anyways thats how I feel when I sit down to watch an episode lately.

ZZ

I'm perfectly happy with that. Welling is by far the weakest link on the show acting-wise, so I'm okay just seeing him do his heroics without much dialogue.

Me too. I'm just glad they ditched the red-n-blue for the "goth"-look (per my request 2 seasons ago). He now needs to fly a bit and I'll be quite content. Actually, I suggested he go silver-n-black, but close enough. :D

It doesn't bother anyone else that the main character now has the least amount of screen time?

He's a "big time" Mr. Hot Shot producer now. Got other things to do! :cool:

I 'll keep watching as long as they keep showing Lois and her ample assets....

Are they taking a week off already??

Are they taking a week off already??

Nope, new episode tonight, they usually don't do any reruns until Thanksgiving. I do think the show will be moved off of Friday nights pretty soon though, maybe getting "The Beautiful Life's" Wednesday night slot.

Nope, new episode tonight, they usually don't do any reruns until Thanksgiving. I do think the show will be moved off of Friday nights pretty soon though, maybe getting "The Beautiful Life's" Wednesday night slot.

Don't see that happening. It's the final season, The CW doesn't have enough programming, and Smallville already has it's following. Smart move to keep it on Fridays.

The only chance of it moving nights is if The Vampire Diaries fails, but so far so good for that show.

I liked the premiere, can't wait for tonight's episode.

Good ep; great score. Best score I've heard since "Hidden" (Season 5).

Yep. Another good episode. And while I agree that the score isn't bad, once again, it played throughout 98% of the episode.

STOP WITH THE MUSIC ALREADY!

:eek:

Is it just me or does it seem like the Lois & Clark relationship is heading in the same annoying direction the Lana & Clark relationship went? I mean we're back to Clark playing games to avoid telling the truth and, of course, the ever convenient 'hit over the head and unconscious at the critical moment' stuff. I'm disappointed!


Duane

That's kind of how the comics and other movies went with the Lois/Lana & Clark relationships though... goes on for a while from "afar" then becomes sorta real BUT with lots of secrets... then the cat gets let out of the bag and everyone wonders why they didn't just go for honesty sooner.

You guys have just pretty much described the average Korean soap opera to a tee (only difference being that the actors are much better on those).

**slaps Ram on the way to the hospital to visit a dying relative but not before running along the beach while crying in the rain**

:p

Ah, stop talking about Lois' magical inflatable chesticles and let's move on to the episode...:p

It was, well...Just, eh. Metallo didn't even get to toss Clark around. An EMP turning off a piece of Kryptonite? Does that even make sense to anyone?

To be fair, it did turn back on (if that makes any sense). He didn't do much to Clark, but tossing Lois should've probably killed her. And it looks like Metallo's not yet done, according to Tess.

... An EMP turning off a piece of Kryptonite? Does that even make sense to anyone?

Well, when you apply the formula, "fragment of fictional planet divided by absurd EMP pulse times writer's overactive imagination equals head scratching plot device", it makes perfect sense. :D

To be fair, it did turn back on (if that makes any sense). He didn't do much to Clark, but tossing Lois should've probably killed her. And it looks like Metallo's not yet done, according to Tess.

Fortunately, characters like Lois, Chloe and Lex (before he got blowed up) are made of vulcanized rubber so they can bounce against any hard surface at incredible velocity and survive (at least when their contract is still in effect).

As established long ago... People on the show are immune to being throw about as well as when Clark super-speed rescues them by whisking them away safely (instead of killing them in the process of the sudden whiplash effect that should happen).

As established long ago... People on the show are immune to being throw about as well as when Clark super-speed rescues them by whisking them away safely (instead of killing them in the process of the sudden whiplash effect that should happen).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WhJBLsA95Y

Ah, stop talking about Lois' magical inflatable chesticles and let's move on to the episode...:p

It was, well...Just, eh. Metallo didn't even get to toss Clark around. An EMP turning off a piece of Kryptonite? Does that even make sense to anyone?

I had just watched Superman/Batman Public enemies and was expecting more, a lot more, out of Metallo. The EMP seemed silly.

Ah, stop talking about Lois' magical inflatable chesticles and let's move on to the episode...:p

It was, well...Just, eh. Metallo didn't even get to toss Clark around. An EMP turning off a piece of Kryptonite? Does that even make sense to anyone?
The EMP makes sense if you realize that is wasn't "just" a piece of Kryptonite bolted to his chest .. It was also a High tech "device", pumping Kry thru him & to the bionics... & it was both the bionics, & the "device", that the EMP actually disrupted.... not the rock itself ... although it's not clear why the green would have turned "off"....

The EMP makes sense if you realize that is wasn't "just" a piece of Kryptonite bolted to his chest .. It was also a High tech "device", pumping Kry thru him & to the bionics... & it was both the bionics, & the "device", that the EMP actually disrupted.... not the rock itself ... although it's not clear why the green would have turned "off"....That's what I'm saying- Metallo's power source has always been a piece of Kryptonite, therefore Supes has never been able to get close to him. Even if an EMP would interrup his electronics, his Kryptonite power source would still be intact, and Supes still wouldn't be able to get anywhere near him (at least in the comics anyways). But then again, this could be just the early version of Metallo, in the comics, Metallo continuously gets upgrades as well...

The other problem... is I would think the EMP should permanently stop the electronics... so while Clark should still be weak from the K exposure, Metallo should just be laying there not doing anything because the electronics were fried.

It seemes like Tess now has Metallo and his power source. So why would Clark have left Metallo and the power source laying around to fall into the wrong hands? Would think he would at least have disposed of the power source after defeating Metallo. I know, writers and logic don't mix:rolleyes:.

Nah, in the comics an EMP never stopped Metallo even a bit because he was properly shielded. If he wasn't, whoever designed such androids would use such technology would drop him in his tracks every time, and we know Lex was smarter than that, and supposedly the Kryptonians developed him, who are even smarter didn't think this one through?

It seemes like Tess now has Metallo and his power source. So why would Clark have left Metallo and the power source laying around to fall into the wrong hands? Would think he would at least have disposed of the power source after defeating Metallo. I know, writers and logic don't mix:rolleyes:.That's a good thought. Clark tends to get sloppy when it comes to Lana/Lois, but he currently doesn't have Oliver to clean up after him; he does have "Dr. Gaeta", though. I guess Metallo's handlers simply have better damage control.

That's a good thought. Clark tends to get sloppy when it comes to Lana/Lois, but he currently doesn't have Oliver to clean up after him; he does have "Dr. Gaeta", though. I guess Metallo's handlers simply have better damage control.Actually, that's exactly the type of task Dr. Emil Hamilton would perform. I'm surprised Clark didn't call him in on this one, after all, he knows his secret identity (as we saw in this episode) already. Later on in years, Dr. Hamilton goes on to help form S.T.A.R. Labs in Metropolis.

I'm surprised Clark didn't call him in on this one,

The EMP probably took out Clark's phone, too.




Duane

The EMP probably took out Clark's phone, too.




DuaneSuper-ventriloquism?:p

I just went to watch last weeks episode on my DVR. It wasn't there! My Time Warner HD-DVR didn't record it for some reason. Was the show on at its
regular scheduled time? I see that it's scheduled to record this Friday's show. Very frustrating! Now I need to find and watch the episode on my computer.

I just went to watch last weeks episode on my DVR. It wasn't there! My Time Warner HD-DVR didn't record it for some reason. Was the show on at its
regular scheduled time? I see that it's scheduled to record this Friday's show. Very frustrating! Now I need to find and watch the episode on my computer.

I don't know about your market, but WPIX in NY pre-empted the show for baseball, and aired it on Saturday night.

I really like the direction that Smallville has taken this season. The atmosphere of the show is a lot darker and is much more tense and exciting than previous seasons. Erica Durance (especially with her black hair) has turned out to be the ideal Lois Lane imo. I'd be happy if Kal-El sticks with the current costume and never dons the traditional comic book tights/cape. Also, if Superman was to remain unseen and anonymous, the whole alter-ego thing will not be as absurd. Smallville has never really adhered strictly to canon anyways, so they might as well make things more plausible for today's audience.

Smallville has never really adhered strictly to canon anyways, so they might as well make things more plausible for today's audience.

I agree Smallville has taken the Superman timeline to a totally different direction. The closes Superman story to the actual comic was the first Christopher Reeves Superman. With Smallville, the writers have painted themselves into a corner. They can never have Clark wearing glasses at the paper to hide his identity. He already works there without them. I can't see how he could wear the Superman red-blue costume. No one would believe he wasn't clark. I guess they are stuck with him being a cross between the Flash and a part time Superman. I love the show. But for someone like me who grew up reading the Superman comics when they were a kid, it definitely takes a lot to adjust to this version of Superman.

I never had any problem adjusting to this version - I welcomed it immediately. I never got into the "Reeve" Superman thing myself. Never was dark enough for me. Much too fluffy, over-commercialized, and geared towards too wide of an audience.

Never really cared for the Cain TV show, either - just did nothing for me (and the Reeves TV show was completely way too corny - I watched it as a very young kid, but I still was aware that it was pretty lame even then).

I never really got into anything Supes besides the DC comics until "Smallville" came along (the only thing I never cared for was the CW-style, "teen-angst/love is pain" crap - now, it's "Tess" I wish they would just kill her off already. She comes dangerously close to ruining the whole series for me).

I love the "Adventures of Superman" series with George Reeves. Watched as a kid (in syndicated reruns several decades after their first run) and would still watch it today.

As it happens, I watched the Richard Donner cut of Superman II over the weekend. Even with his version on the screen, I'd forgotten how awfully cheesy those movie were.

If it sounds contradictory to laud the 1950s TV show and slag on the 1970s motion pictures - so be it.

It's mainly the stilted dialogue and bad acting (and corny, dated, stereotypical Hollywood portrayals like Jack Larson's) that makes me say the old show was "lame". But I enjoyed it when I was a kid. I actually have a friend in his 50's that still watches it.

Yes, I remember the 1950's Superman. Loved them. Thanks for the reminder. They were great for a kid. I felt very bad when a relative told me George Reeves (who played Superman) had died. Took me a long time to get over that one.

So I guess you can say I've been through a lot of different versions of Superman. They all have their different takes on the original premise.:D I'll continue to watch the Smallville version. I guess I'm just overly fascinated with how the writers and the producers of the show will end the series since this is suppose to be the last year. They have painted themselves into so many tight corners with the characters. Is Clark suppose to continue being Lois secret red-blur caller while she falls in love with Clark? What will they do with Chloe since she is not suppose to exist in the adult life of Superman? Should they keep him going around town with a big "S" on his chest without some type of disguise? Will they ever let him fly? Questions, Questions..:(

Will they ever let him fly?

Yes. And then Clark, for whatever reason, will have to go back in time. While there, Clark will do something that will prevent himself from ever learning how to fly.

Did anyone else think that this last Zombie themed episode was one of the worst Smallville episodes ever? First off, I should disclose that I love Zombies. I prefer slow moving zombies, but I can tolerate fast zombies. But I can't stand zombies that scream like pterodactyls. They're zombies, not dinosaurs! And the danger of Zombies is their overwhelming numbers. They should not have been equal to Clark in strength.

I also am sick of Tess. Her character feels pointless in the show.

Each year it seems like it is going to be Smallville's last year...until the CW figures out how few of their shows are actually watched.

Still, I have enjoyed this show for all the seasons it has been on and am probably tooi forgiving for plot inconsistencies and variable acting chops...but I have to confess I would be very disappointed if they don't eventually end it with Clark finally donning the red and blue pajamas and flying off into the sunset (with appropriate John Williams music in the background).

I watched the '50s TV servies as well. George Reeves bent a lot pistol barrels.

Yes, but you have to remember; everytime a bad guy emptied his chamber on (George Reeves) our hero, they'd get frustrated and angrily throw their pistol at him. Supe's reaction? He ducked everytime...ha!
:rolleyes::D

Smallville is much much more amazing this season, I am very very pleased!!! :D

Yes, but you have to remember; everytime a bad guy emptied his chamber on (George Reeves) our hero, they'd get frustrated and angrily throw their pistol at him. Supe's reaction? He ducked everytime...ha!Well - at least they carried over the illogicalness to the most recent version. ;)

Zombie episode? Really?

Zombie episode? Really?

To be fair... it was less Zombie and more "28 Days Later" like... including the very opening segment with Clark waking alone in a hospital and walking outside to see a completely abandoned Metropolis. Very much a recreation of the opening sequence from "28 Days Later"...

but, yeah, essentially a riff on the Zombie genre.

All things considered, not as bad as it could have been... though I have to wonder about some of the people who were killed before the cure... and how that would get explained in Smallville world?

One disturbing plot-trend, though... we all used to complain about Kryptonite-freak-of-the-week in the early seasons... but now we've exchanged that for Zod-instigated-freak-of-the-week.

I'm guessing Zod and company are similar to the blue crystal scenario from Kara where genetic material was used to create clones... but with the blue crystal scenario Clark broke it and they all disappeared... these people seem more permanent and for some reason have no powers.

Also curious who was the body in the "S" logo... is there a Jor-El "clone" running around somewhere?

I'm wondering about that S-person too.

Last episode as okay. The CGI plane was just awful though.

And is it just me or are Allison Mack and Erica Durance getting hotter?

It's definitely not just you.

Mack is really cute, but she looks so much like of one of my nieces that it's hard for me to get too hot and bothered.

Like I said before, scenes with Green Arrow have now become just an excuse to get him take his shirt off.

This last episode, for a minute I thought I was watching House of the Dead and was just waiting for Erica to get naked :)

Zombie episode? Really?

What you hate Undead Americans?

Life-ist :)

Out of all the ridiculous things we've seen on this show I think the low point came last Friday when Tess waltzed into the cantina looking like something out of a fashion shoot with her machine gun and sprayed on sweat. Are we supposed to believe anyone would be afraid of her? Why is she still on the show? She's kind of like the new Lana, in that she is grating and useless, but unlike Lana she is not part of the Superman/Superboy cannon and should be dispatched as soon as possible.

Also, unlike Lana, she's not even all that attractive. She either knows someone, or it's the casting couch.

(I know - maybe not a very nice thing to say if it's not true - but what else would explain it? Her character doesn't even fit into the show, IMO, and just takes up time and space that could be used for much more important and/or interesting things.)

Also, unlike Lana, she's not even all that attractive. She either knows someone, or it's the casting couch.

(I know - maybe not a very nice thing to say if it's not true - but what else would explain it? Her character doesn't even fit into the show, IMO, and just takes up time and space that could be used for much more important and/or interesting things.)

She is the replacement for Lex. I thought it she was just plain,not that that is a bad thing, just not my cup of tea is all.

She is the replacement for Lex. I thought it was just plain,not that that is a bad thing, just not my cup of tea is all.Very weak "replacement", though. I would think they could do better.

All I can think of otherwise is that they pay the actors by their amount of screen time, and they're really trying to cheap it - probably got the actress for a song and a dance (same with the writers writing the shows. I think they only bring in the "good" writers once every 3 to 5 shows now).

It's fine to like the actress or not (Tess vs Lana)... but to be fair, ALL the problems with the character on the show Tess/Lana is really a problem with the writing. Lana was always written inconsistently, so I have no way of knowing how good or bad Kreuk was as an actress. I have the same feeling about Tess... she was shoehorned into the show and shoehorned into scenes... and that falls on the shoulders of the writer/producer/director much more than the actress.

Well said!

I thought Cassidy Freeman, aka Tess Mercer, was nicely cast in last week's episode of CSI (Las Vegas) as the rookie cop. She did an excellent job and there was no "Tess" in her performance at all. In fact it took me a while to realize who the actress was.

Lana was always written inconsistently, so I have no way of knowing how good or bad Kreuk was as an actress.

Go watch the SciFi channel's 3 hour "movie", Earthsea. Kristin Kreuk is in it. But it feels more like Lana is in the movie.:rolleyes: I've decided that the character Lana isn't distinguishable from the actor that plays her, because Kristin Kreuk can't act, and is just being herself on camera.

I also agree that the writters don't seem to know what to do with Tess.

Lex (Rosenbaum) will reportedly return. If and when that happens, Freeman will likely be killed off.

Lex (Rosenbaum) will reportedly return. If and when that happens, Freeman will likely be killed off.Wow, they got Rosenbaum to return huh? That's good news anyways as he's clearly the strongest regular actor left in the cast. Part of the reason he quit was supposedly about having to shave his head all the time. He'll probably just appear for a few episodes wearing a bald cap, etc, etc. We know he's not scared later on in life, so the appearance he has now in "Smallville" is only temporary. Time for Lex to don the K-Ring?

I have to defer opinions on the actresses, since I honestly haven't seen them in anything else. I have seen Rosenbaum, for example, and I haven't liked him anywhere else... but can't be sure if that's because he is a bad actor or keeps taking bad roles.

Also haven't seen Tom Welling in anything else that I liked him, but he is likable and believable on Smallville.

I know in the past I have seen actors/actresses that I was certain were horrible, and then suddenly good... and ultimately I decided they just had been making bad decisions about which roles they accepted.

I'm kind of neutral on Kreuk, but I want to like Cassidy Freeman... her character just gets in the way, so I'll have to find her on something else and see if I like her better there.

Go watch the SciFi channel's 3 hour "movie", Earthsea. Kristin Kreuk is in it. But it feels more like Lana is in the movie. I've decided that the character Lana isn't distinguishable from the actor that plays her, because Kristin Kreuk can't act, and is just being herself on camera.


You should rent the movie 'Partition'. Kristin plays a young Muslim woman caught up in the late 1940's conflict when India and Pakistan became independent countries with the end of British rule. I guarantee you will never think of Lana once the movie gets going. I am mostly into renting these days, but if this movie ever gets released in blu-ray rather than just DVD, I would buy it. An excellent movie.

Duane

You should rent the movie 'Partition'. Kristin plays a young Muslim woman caught up in the late 1940's conflict when India and Pakistan became independent countries with the end of British rule.Only if she gets naked.

I have no problem with Cassidy Freeman, it's the character she plays. She is a lame substitute for Lex, and yes I agree the writers really do not know what to do with her which is all the more reason why she should go. I have never seen her in anything else so I don't know if she can indeed act, and I'm pretty sure we are not going to find out on this show. I'm willing to give the writers 95% of the blame but at some point the actors have to shoulder some of the blame. They have to bring the characters to life, no matter how lame the situation may be. Not all bad acting is because of bad writing.

Cassidy Freeman was in CSI: Las Vegas broadcast on October 15th. She played a rookie cop afraid to get involved with a shooting. I had to study her face very closely to realize it was her. Her role was so far from the domineering woman she plays on Smallville. I thought she did a good job on CSI. They keep her in a small range of emotions on Smallville. Always the hot woman with anger problems. CSI was quite a nice surprise.

Her role was so far from the domineering woman she plays on Smallville.Woman?

I always thought that was a man. Or at least a female bulldog.

Hope her popping up elsewhere means she's on to "bigger and better" things soon (things that I don't watch, such as the aforementioned show).

(I hope by "hot woman", you don't mean sexually - she leaves me completely cold in that respect. Also, she doesn't have a "small range of emotions" on Smallville - she has absolutely no range - she's just stuck in one gear. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen such expressionless eyes on an actor.)

Yeah that's not misogynistic or anything.

Looks like it's time for a very special episode of Smallville.

Pete got busted on some pretty heavy drug charges. Let's blame it on his time on E.R.

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-sam-jones,0,693323.story?track=rss

"E.R." actor Sam Jones III is under arrest on charges of possessing with the intent to sell more than 10,000 tablets of oxycodone.

Wow. :eek:

Though let's be honest. He should have been arrested and convicted of terrible acting during the first few seasons of the show anyway. He made Tom Welling look like Bryan Cranston.

Yeah that's not misogynistic or anything.
?

"Sexist", I could see someone saying, but where do you get "misogynistic" from?

I just don't like her character for various reasons. I don't "hate all women", or even dislike any other female character on the show.

Woman?

I always thought that was a man. Or at least a female bulldog.

...that's not going to win you any accolades from any feminist studies department. Not that such awards should, necessarily, be a goal.

In the spirit of board harmony consider the phrase withdrawn.

I think Cassidy is pretty, but what do I know.

Her character is poorly written... and I can't vouch for her merits as an actress until I see her elsewhere (and I missed the CSI episode referred to earlier).

...that's not going to win you any accolades from any feminist studies department.I knew a girl who majored in that a few years back. Talk about a warped mind. Probably what's colored my attitudes.

A future appearance of Hawkman on Smallville sounds good especially with who is going to play him (a Stargate SG1 actor): details here (http://scifiwire.com/2009/10/which-sg-1-star-will-play.php)

http://scifiwire.com/assets_c/2009/10/Hawkman1-thumb-330x346-26572.jpg

Sounds like Clark may be getting closer to donning an actual red and blue suit (http://www.tvguidemagazine.com/kecks-exclusives/ask-keck-3048.html)...

The last episode was OK, surprised more people didn't comment on the ending. I hope the show doesn't turn into "Lois & Clark". So does no one else work at the Planet except L&C? Hardly acceptable workplace behavior. You'd expect to get some sort of reaction from the other employees- mainly a big round of applause would have been cute during the kiss... (see? I write better than the writers than the show. Why don't they hire me?)

Hard to get excited about it, when the entire season started on the premise of time travel. Meaning, it's very likely that none of what we see will actually have ever happened when the season wraps up.

I was wondering if anybody knows why when the CW announces the show is in HD at the beginning of the episode, they don't say it's in DD 5.1 sound like other CW shows. Isn't it odd for a show not to have DD 5.1?

I was wondering if anybody knows why when the CW announces the show is in HD at the beginning of the episode, they don't say it's in DD 5.1 sound like other CW shows. Isn't it odd for a show not to have DD 5.1?It's not. It's actually DD2.0 (or 2.1) forced to 5.1.

I didn't like tonight's episode. Now Tess really knows that Clark has powers.

Wow. Talk about a myth re-imagining. Not that I care, it was well done. So, they are alll clones?

What struck me was how this series evolved from one of mere teen angst, to one that is much more adult/mature.

I didn't like tonight's episode. Now Tess really knows that Clark has powers.

She already "really" knew... Clark was just deluding himself that she didn't.

Wow. Talk about a myth re-imagining. Not that I care, it was well done. So, they are alll clones?

What struck me was how this series evolved from one of mere teen angst, to one that is much more adult/mature.

Even without spoiler sites... I thought it was pretty obvious they were all clones. Consider:

1. We already saw that adult Zod was a General and ultimately killed and phantom-imprisoned in the Phantom Zone... and later escaped to earth inhabiting Lex. So this younger Major Zod either had to be from the past OR a clone. Being from the past was unlikely.

2. We already know about the cloning technology because that is what Zor-el used to send himself + Lara along with Kara (Supergirl) in the blue crystal to earth. Only difference was Zor-El did his own experiment and didn't restrict superpowers like Jor-El did with the Kandorians.

As an aside... this story also gives us a glimpse of the origin of Doomsday... since the Zod's wife phantom that inhabited Lois one episode last season talked about Doomsday being their "son"... so this would explain that, with Jor-El refusing him Zod would then seek to clone his son some other way and send him to earth to be there when the Kandorians were eventually released. OR perhaps was in some way instrumental in their release.

You are of course right, yet it was fun to watch it unfold.

I certainly like what they've done with Kandorians, as opposed to an old version I read as a kid where they were (doesn't really require spoiler tags since it doesn't pertain to the current version)

teeny little Supermen complete with the standard "suit" who would pop out of the bottle city of Kandor once in a while to help Supes. Can you imagine that one going over these days??? :D

You are of course right, yet it was fun to watch it unfold.

I certainly like what they've done with Kandorians, as opposed to an old version I read as a kid where they were (doesn't really require spoiler tags since it doesn't pertain to the current version)

teeny little Supermen complete with the standard "suit" who would pop out of the bottle city of Kandor once in a while to help Supes. Can you imagine that one going over these days??? :D

Off-topic, but just wondering if the "bottle city" is still part of the continuity in the comics. Was it ever enlarged? (Something Superman always promised to do someday.) Is Lucy Lane (ie: Chloe on SMALLVILLE) still around?

While I'm at it...who the heck is Earth's GREEN LANTERN nowadays? (I know Hal Jordan died.) And I know the Barry Allen FLASH died. I've even heard that Bruce Wayne is dead. I don't really read comics anymore because I doubt that I'd even recognize any of my favorite characters..."They're all dead, Jim!"

Is Lucy Lane (ie: Chloe on SMALLVILLE) still around?
Sorry, Chloe isn't Lucy! Lucy Lane was on Smallville in season 4, and was played by uber-hottie Peyton List.

"They're all dead, Jim!"

Yeah, one of the main reasons I stopped reading comics is that DC and Marvel decided to kill off many of their main characters. The real kicker was killing off Captain America and then replacing him with Cap's sidekick Bucky. I'm sorry, but Steve Rogers is the only Captain America. Let's not forget that the death of Superman was a bit of failed experiment as well.

I don't claim to understand the reasoning for the Comics companies to do these kind of things other than thinking it will sell more books. The problem is it turns off old time collectors like myself who have a lot of discretionary cash to purchase their products.

This is why I don't have a problem with the reboot of the Superman mythos in Smallville. In fact, I have been pleasantly surprised by this season.

Off-topic, but just wondering if the "bottle city" is still part of the continuity in the comics. Was it ever enlarged? (Something Superman always promised to do someday.) Is Lucy Lane (ie: Chloe on SMALLVILLE) still around?

While I'm at it...who the heck is Earth's GREEN LANTERN nowadays? (I know Hal Jordan died.) And I know the Barry Allen FLASH died. I've even heard that Bruce Wayne is dead. I don't really read comics anymore because I doubt that I'd even recognize any of my favorite characters..."They're all dead, Jim!"As I recall Kandor is no longer shrunk, after a long protracted battle with Braniac, who had possesion of the bottled city for some time.

As for GL, Hal is back and forgiven for the evil deeds he has done, and both he and Kyle are still around (you don't really need to ask these questions here, Wikipedia has all the answers).

I collected the comics from the Doomsday story through the red/blue energy Superman. That's when I had enough. I saw that ridiculous story through then gave up. I seem to remember the show Lois & Clark (my favorite at the time) actually had some leanings on the comics. They married the two on the show so the comic writers were pressured to do it. It would be interesting to see if the rumored reboot of the movies will change the story we know very much. I tend to lean toward being a purist in these things. Which is why it took me so long for my friend to convince me to watch Smallville and why I've fallen out of love with the original movies.

Kara should come back and help Clark take on Zod and the kandorians. Kara was great and incredibly hot. She left too soon imo.

Kara should come back and help Clark take on Zod and the kandorians. Kara was great and incredibly hot. She left too soon imo.

Kara turned into a disguised reptilian on V now! :D

Kara turned into a disguised reptilian on V now! :D

A hot reptilian villian, let us not forget.

The real kicker was killing off Captain America and then replacing him with Cap's sidekick Bucky.

But didn't Bucky die durinmg WWII? What did they do...find a way to clone him? Jeez!!

Hope they bring kara back at least for a guest shot. She said she was going off to look for kandor and now that the kandorians are here she should show up. Was anyone else bothered by how Clark grabbed Tess by the neck and lifted her up, applying a choke hold, and then rudely shoving her a few seconds later? Didn't seem like something Superman would do.

Hope they bring kara back at least for a guest shot. She said she was going off to look for kandor and now that the kandorians are here she should show up. Was anyone else bothered by how Clark grabbed Tess by the neck and lifted her up, applying a choke hold, and then rudely shoving her a few seconds later? Didn't seem like something Superman would do.But he's not Supes, not yet anyways. He does employ force when he needs to. Besides, Tess was toying with one of his family members, and that pissed him off.

In the the new Supes "Mythos" (John Byrne refresh), not until he kills General Zod and his 2 Kryptonian companians for murdering millions of people in a "pocket universe" does he decide never to kill another sentient being again.

Great episode of Smallville tonight. Probably one of the best ever.

Its sucks that we don't get a new episode until January 22nd.

Great episode of Smallville tonight. Probably one of the best ever.

Its sucks that we don't get a new episode until January 22nd.


I concur, on both points.

I do have to pick the nit though...

Apparently the solar tower restored the powers of the bad guys somehow, and the red sun takes away Clark's.. I'm fine there... but turning off the tower and the bad guys still kept their power?

I felt like I missed some kind of explanation there as to why keeping the tower running after they had their powers was necessary?

Actually, I had considered that a bit of a plot hole too. I mean, they could have kept the sun red just to keep Clark powerless, but it's not as if he could have taken on all of them, even with full power. I know that the Kryptonian's cells have been compared to solar panels before, maybe the powers they demonstrated using after the tower was disabled was just stored, and would have eventually faded away.

It feels like they've done more with this show in the past season and a half with the new showrunners compared to the previous 7 seasons.

A hot reptilian villian, let us not forget.Stripped down to bra and panties in latest episode of V. No reptile features in sight.

Liked the episode, but to me this one seems like more of a warm up to the next one when we'll be seeing the JSA show up...

I'm looking forward to seeing how they integrate the JSA into the Smallville continuity, since this earth seems to be one that was surprised to have the krypto-freaks and aliens running around... so I'm wondering why no mention of an older group of past heroes.

I'm still waiting for a young Bruce Wayne to pop up.:p

Best episode ever, and the preview gave me goose bumps.

I managed to miss it completely, but if it's better than "Mortal" & "Hidden" (Season 5) & "Apocalypse" (Season 7), then it must have been off-the-charts-awesome. And yes, the preview gave me goosebumps as well!

Best episode ever, and the preview gave me goose bumps.

Me two especially when they showed the blink and you miss it green ring. I wonder if they are going to have green lantern on.

My favorite part of the show was the preview. JSA?! Can't wait! Yes, if you didn't blink, you saw the original Sandman, Dr. Fate and a Green Lantern ring that would have to be Alan Scott's. This is surprising, considering the heroes slated to appear are: only Dr. Fate, Hawkman and Stargirl.

With the $0 budget they have this year, you'd think they pretty much blew their wad on the last episode. It's going to be interesting to see how they handle dealing with so many superheroes in one episodes, especially GL (if he's indeed there). If they do indeed have Alan Scott, I doubt they will have much more than emerald beams of light for his power- no solid stuff like hands, shields, etc, etc (but I could be wrong).

Well, I've been avoiding even looking for a "Smallville" thread up 'til now, since I figured this show would probably have a long, RABID fanbase, and I only got involved when I finally got HD a few summers ago and started catching re-runs on HDNet (only way to catch it in HD here, and now that I have DISH, I have to pay EXTRA for that, and a handful of other channels, and I AIN'T gonna do it).

I think I came in about Season 6 or 7, but that's neither here nor there -- I was hooked from DAY ONE and wondered why I hadn't been watching it on The CW all along, too, which of course I am now.

And I agree. Of all the 3 or 4 seasons I've seen so far, I think this may have been the best episode yet, in many respects, even if there MIGHT be a little bit of a plot hole at the end about the powers, how quickly Zod lost his and Clark got his back -- and why the chick with the freaky eyes still seemed to have HERS.

While I was a big fan of the Saturday morning cartoons of Superman and whatnot as a kid, I never DID get into the comic versions too much... Just wasn't that much into reading them... didn't like a lot of the art and the cliffhangers and ESPECIALLY until I was a teenager, my allowance was WAY too small to buy more than one a week, and that was if I didn't buy ANYTHING else (I mean, I got a quarter a week, so...). Had I known what some of those would be worth today, I may have still spent those quarters on more than candy and gum, lol.

Unfortunately, my DVR is so busy on Friday nights that it cut off the recording just as the upcoming previews were starting, so I missed what some of you saw (just got around to watching the episode, for that matter). Jan. 22?!?!? Man! "Supernatural" just did the same thing! Oh well, the DVR schedule's going to start to "lighten up" a bit, I guess, lol... Just in time for two hours of "Dollhouse" each Friday night in December, so Fox can run all but three of the remaining episodes out before January.

Back to THIS show. I agree it's gotten better. While I enjoyed the "sappy romance" between Clark and Lana a bit more than a lot seemed to, the show seems a lot more "adult" than it used to. The writing seems tighter, and Chloe has become just this side of "a cold biatch" (which is just what she WAS in the future).

At any rate, after tonight's episode, I just couldn't contain myself any more. I finally had to come see what the "Smallville" thread looked like (I read ONLY this one page, so no real "catching up"). Some of "the usual suspects" are here, lol... and Wytchone, you're at the top of the list, with that realllllll Laura Vandervoot obsession you seem to have (he's talked about scantily-clad Lizard-girl several times in the "V" thread). Yeah, OK, so she's HOT! But yaknowhathappens when a Lizard gets too hot??? They have to go swimmin' or hide out in the shade. Hey, I have LOTS of shade AND a garden pond at my house. :cool:
Jeff

At any rate, after tonight's episode, I just couldn't contain myself any more. I finally had to come see what the "Smallville" thread looked like (I read ONLY this one page, so no real "catching up"). Some of "the usual suspects" are here, lol... and Wytchone, you're at the top of the list, with that realllllll Laura Vandervoot obsession you seem to have (he's talked about scantily-clad Lizard-girl several times in the "V" thread). Yeah, OK, so she's HOT! But yaknowhathappens when a Lizard gets too hot??? They have to go swimmin' or hide out in the shade. Hey, I have LOTS of shade AND a garden pond at my house. :cool:
Jeff

You say that like it's a bad thing :p

HDMe2Only reason I can think they had powers for a bit is because Kryptonian's are like power cells. So even if they lost the main source of power they can keep going for bit afterwards.

Well, I've been avoiding even looking for a "Smallville" thread up 'til now, since I figured this show would probably have a long, RABID fanbase...Really, people here aren't anywhere near as rabid, fanatical or overly-serious as others occasionally are in some of the other threads around here. It's actually a relatively easy-going thread.

Anyway, I've been meaning to ask here - have they ever lessened "Tess's" role in these episodes?

I stopped watching the show about 5 episodes ago because I just dislike her character so much, and they were making her too big of a part of every episode so far this season.

They've been building up on my DVR, but I figured I'd ask here first (nobody's really mentioned her much in recent weeks). If she's not, I'll catch up on them during the hiatus or reruns - if she still is, I might just erase them altogether. No matter how much better the show may be otherwise this season, I just can't handle watching the episodes that she's in that much - she literally ruins every episode she's part of the main storyline in for me - and that's a shame, because I really miss the show a lot when I read about all the cool things here that have been going on otherwise.

HDMe2Only reason I can think they had powers for a bit is because Kryptonian's are like power cells. So even if they lost the main source of power they can keep going for bit afterwards.

I was trying to work within the framework of the explanation of why they don't have powers now.

Jor-El infused their DNA with Blue-K so they wouldn't get powers... so, to my thinking the only way they get powers is to use the Solar Tower somehow to clean their DNA of the Blue-K (which would be permanent and then mean they don't need to keep the tower running) OR they use the Solar tower to generate an alternate way of gaining powers (which would be temporary and only good while the tower was up).

I suspect it's just a glitch they didn't think through in the writing room.

I was trying to work within the framework of the explanation of why they don't have powers now.

Jor-El infused their DNA with Blue-K so they wouldn't get powers... so, to my thinking the only way they get powers is to use the Solar Tower somehow to clean their DNA of the Blue-K (which would be permanent and then mean they don't need to keep the tower running) OR they use the Solar tower to generate an alternate way of gaining powers (which would be temporary and only good while the tower was up).

I suspect it's just a glitch they didn't think through in the writing room.

Well the way I thought of it was they had no powers under a Yellow sun. Red however they do but Clark's cells unable to recharge. So once the cells charge up, they are good to go for a bit. Just dont know how long "a bit" is.

But im with you they did think it about it as much as we have.

That is why Clark is shown to be pretty much immortal in many DC future time-lines as he grows older- the older he gets, the more power he stores. He is essentially one big solar battery.

I wish there was some giant omnibus Superman thing I could just read to catch up on everything I've missed since my youth.

Really, people here aren't anywhere near as rabid, fanatical or overly-serious as others occasionally are in some of the other threads around here. We've always had a sense of humor about the show's obvious foibles, and see the show for nothing more than it is - light, sometimes even silly, entertainment. It's actually a relatively easy-going thread.

Anyway, I've been meaning to ask here - have they ever lessened "Tess's" role in these episodes?

I stopped watching the show about 5 episodes ago because I just dislike her character so much, and they were making her too big of a part of every episode so far this season.

They've been building up on my DVR, but I figured I'd ask here first (nobody's really mentioned her much in recent weeks). If she's not, I'll catch up on them during the hiatus or reruns - if she still is, I might just erase them altogether. No matter how much better the show may be otherwise this season, I just can't handle watching the episodes that she's in that much - she literally ruins every episode she's part of the main storyline in for me - and that's a shame, because I really miss the show a lot when I read about all the cool things here that have been going on otherwise.

Rammi, Tess has played a very small part in some recent episodes, yet has been dominant in others, but I really think you need to watch them all, regardless of how you feel about her character, to have a feel for where the story is. The most recent episode showed her character as being PIVOTAL to the future, unless what both she and Clark each saw in separate parts of Lois' unconscious remembrances can help to prevent that future from happening... HOWEVER, it appeared the only thing of importance (to her) Tess got from her part of Lois' vision was who in the present might be a danger to her in the future she might bring about, and I got the impression that rather than trying to avoid bringing about that future, she might just try to get rid of that person (typical Tess behavior). Not saying more than that so I don't spoil it for ya.
Jeff

Ramm just to back up Jeff, there is no getting away from Tess Mercer. She unfortunately has a pivotal role in the Zod storyline, but she is not around much in a couple of episodes that focus more on Clark and Lois. ( I hate the Clois contraction). I didn't get the impression that Zod and Co. lost their powers as soon as the tower went off line and the yellow sun came back. I think it was more of a realization on Zod's part that their powers would now diminish as Clark's came roaring back, and fighting would be a losing battle. Definitely was in to the bad ass, remorseless Chloe. Just wish the break between episodes wasn't so long.

I'm not sure what your issues are with Tess, Rammi, not that I don't have some, myself... I'm just not sure if they're the same.

But I think the writers felt they HAD to find a replacement character to take Lex Luthor's place when Rosenbaum left the show. Like Lex, Tess has some redeeming qualities to her -- much more than Lex did, actually -- but she also seems to have less of a perspective of "the big picture" than did Lex, probably because she had to fight and claw her way into her position, rather than being born into it, and having grown up seeing it and being "groomed" for it. That's a big part of what makes her more dangerous in some ways than Lex, I think. Her intentions, in some cases, are very good; her methods, however, are often as dastardly as Lex's.
Jeff

I'm not sure what your issues are with Tess...
It'd be kind of pointless to get into details. It's just a personal thing.

I'm sure many can relate that there was some character or actor that they came across on some show that they just didn't like at all, for whatever reasons. That's the case here.

Ramm just to back up Jeff, there is no getting away from Tess Mercer.Yeah, that's what I was afraid of - I saw it heading more and more that way, and I stopped just at the point I couldn't take it anymore (actually, I was never that big on the whole "Zod" thing anyway, so I never really got around to getting that engrossed in the storyline).

I'll probably delete the episodes if I don't ever get to them before I need the HDD space, and keep one eye on this thread in case she ever leaves, like I've basically been doing (I only asked because nobody had really said much about her in awhile). Don't really plan on going back until she's gone, though - or at least relegated to a more minor role like before.

What you need to do is just imagine another ex wife's face over the one you apparently keep seeing :D (I kid, I kid).

OK, Rammi, just for you I'm going to post a couple of spoilers from the last episode about Tess that MIGHT make you wanna start watching again, just to get to the point where this happens (note these are NOT spoilers for upcoming episodes, just things that happened in the most recent episode).

1. Tess DIES a violent death via a weapon from one of the other stars in the future she's viewing in Lois' unconscious flashbacks from where she went a year into the future.

2. Shortly thereafter, in present day (after she's been unhooked from a still-unconscious Lois), Clark shows up and VERY un-Clark-like fashion grabs her and SLAMS her across the room into the wall hard enough to knock her out for quite some time.

So at least Tess is getting some payback.
Jeff

I wish there was some giant omnibus Superman thing I could just read to catch up on everything I've missed since my youth.

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Superman_(Clark_Kent)

Here you go.

New episode tonight at 8pm.

Repeat from last year.

Pete, it was a double episode. The first hour, "Disciple", though very Green Arrow-centric, was all new. The second hour, "Legion", was from a year ago..

Surprisingly, I didn't mind the Green Arrow overdose, but the Zod/Clark stuff was excellent. Next week's 2 hour episode should be cool

Last night's episode was good but next week looks amazing. Can't wait. It's 2 hours next week.

And as I stated earlier, every Oliver episode now is just an excuse to get him on camera with his shirt off. They took no time this episode, we came in on him, 'sans apparel'.

Is anyone else excited about this Justice League two-hour episode next week? Looks sweet...if they pull it off correctly.

Dumb question....

I know Lois doesn't remember her future-adventure... but wouldn't she remember the Lex-possessed adventure from a few seasons ago?

I'm just curious that the name "Zod" wouldn't ring a few bells because of that. Or maybe no one outside the super-circle knew it was "Zod" who possessed Lex then.

Is anyone else excited about this Justice League two-hour episode next week? Looks sweet...if they pull it off correctly."Justice League?":confused: I think we're all fairly certain it's the Justice Society. (Dr. Fate is there, so that pretty much cements it).

Dumb question....

I know Lois doesn't remember her future-adventure... but wouldn't she remember the Lex-possessed adventure from a few seasons ago?

I'm just curious that the name "Zod" wouldn't ring a few bells because of that. Or maybe no one outside the super-circle knew it was "Zod" who possessed Lex then.
If that's a dumb question, I'm dumb as well because it's the same thing I was thinking about. Was that the same storyline where Martha Kent and Lois ended up in the north pole? If it was, I don't think Lois knew much about what really happened.

"Justice League?":confused: I think we're all fairly certain it's the Justice Society. (Dr. Fate is there, so that pretty much cements it).
I have no idea what the difference is between the JLA and the JSA. All I know comes from the JL/JLU cartoons from a few years back (Fate was in JLU so I have no clue how that fits), and just based on those, I'm looking forward to it. ;)

I have no idea what the difference is between the JLA and the JSA. All I know comes from the JL/JLU cartoons from a few years back (Fate was in JLU so I have no clue how that fits), and just based on those, I'm looking forward to it. ;)

The JSA were featured in ALL-STAR COMICS back in the 1940s. Members included the original FLASH, GREEN LANTERN, ATOM, SPECTRE, WONDER WOMAN, HAWKMAN, etc. The JLA was created in the 1960s and featrured the Silver Age versions. Occasionally, the two groups would meet every year, as they were on parallel Earths (EARTH 1 and EARTH 2). But that was back "in the day"...things have probably changed by now. Not sure how DR FATE fits into current chronology...perhaps because he (and SPECTRE) were "supernatural" characters? Either way, I'm really looking forward to this episode.

If that's a dumb question, I'm dumb as well because it's the same thing I was thinking about. Was that the same storyline where Martha Kent and Lois ended up in the north pole? If it was, I don't think Lois knew much about what really happened.

Yep... Maybe Lois did miss all the action by being up at the Arctic... I hadn't thought about that.

I have no idea what the difference is between the JLA and the JSA. All I know comes from the JL/JLU cartoons from a few years back (Fate was in JLU so I have no clue how that fits), and just based on those, I'm looking forward to it. ;)

Justice Society was in the "Golden Age" roughly 1940s or so... there were heroes like Superman/Batman around then... but recent comic continuity has changed it so those guys were not in the JSA, just the JLA.

The JSA were featured in ALL-STAR COMICS back in the 1940s. Members included the original FLASH, GREEN LANTERN, ATOM, SPECTRE, WONDER WOMAN, HAWKMAN, etc. The JLA was created in the 1960s and featrured the Silver Age versions. Occasionally, the two groups would meet every year, as they were on parallel Earths (EARTH 1 and EARTH 2). But that was back "in the day"...things have probably changed by now. Not sure how DR FATE fits into current chronology...perhaps because he (and SPECTRE) were "supernatural" characters? Either way, I'm really looking forward to this episode.

Justice Society was in the "Golden Age" roughly 1940s or so... there were heroes like Superman/Batman around then... but recent comic continuity has changed it so those guys were not in the JSA, just the JLA.
Ah. Thanks. I always forget how old some of these characters really are. O_o

The JSA were featured in ALL-STAR COMICS back in the 1940s. Members included the original FLASH, GREEN LANTERN, ATOM, SPECTRE, WONDER WOMAN, HAWKMAN, etc. The JLA was created in the 1960s and featrured the Silver Age versions. Occasionally, the two groups would meet every year, as they were on parallel Earths (EARTH 1 and EARTH 2). But that was back "in the day"...things have probably changed by now. Not sure how DR FATE fits into current chronology...perhaps because he (and SPECTRE) were "supernatural" characters? Either way, I'm really looking forward to this episode.A lot of DC's characters have links to the "supernatural". Even Hawkman's origin story at one point had was "supernatural" (Thanagarians battle-maces are made of N'th metal which are magic (of a sort) unto themselves). It's all long and complicated in the DCU.

The first Green Lantern was mystical, too. His ring was supposedly magical. They retconned it later, so that he sort of fits into the whole Green Lantern Corp thing, but that wasn't the original idea.

A lot of DC's characters have links to the "supernatural". Even Hawkman's origin story at one point had was "supernatural" (Thanagarians battle-maces are made of N'th metal which are magic (of a sort) unto themselves). It's all long and complicated in the DCU.

Very! It's why I gave up comics. The HAKMAN/GIRL, FLASH.GL, etc., are not the guys I remember. (Who the frell is BART Allen?). They die, come back, or are replaced. (Wasn't Hal Jordan THE SPECTRE at one point?). Power Girl is one thing, then another. Hell, I've heard that Bruce Wayne is dead (right) and there's a new Batwoman?? I'm all for updating continuity, but it got to be ridiculous. Maybe one of these days I'll stick a toe back in the water. But at $5.00 (for a comic book???), it won't be the big toe!

If you want a quick primer on who people are in the DCU, I suggest you search Wiki, it's really thorough. Bart is not who he is in the comics, he's actually a relative of the Barry's from the distant future who came back in time. I guess we'll find out next week who the "JSA" Smallville Flash is. Is it Jay? Is it Barry? Wally West? Who?

Speaking of Bruce Wayne (since we're WAY off topic, anyway), I saw a commercial yesterday (I can't recall exactly what it was for right now), but the narrator was CLEARLY (by recognizing his voice, and also by the fact that the commercial had a sort masked, superhero theme) Adam West! I was pretty sure he was still alive, but surprised to even hear his voice on a commercial (didn't think he was working at all -- he's pretty old -- well, I just checked IMDB, and he turned 81 in September, so he's not "ancient," lol), and his voice sounded JUST LIKE when he was Batman!
Jeff

If you want a quick primer on who people are in the DCU, I suggest you search Wiki, it's really thorough. Bart is not who he is in the comics, he's actually a relative of the Barry's from the distant future who came back in time. I guess we'll find out next week who the "JSA" Smallville Flash is. Is it Jay? Is it Barry? Wally West? Who?

I just hope they have lots of hot chicks! ;)

Speaking of Bruce Wayne (since we're WAY off topic, anyway), I saw a commercial yesterday (I can't recall exactly what it was for right now), but the narrator was CLEARLY (by recognizing his voice, and also by the fact that the commercial had a sort masked, superhero theme) Adam West! I was pretty sure he was still alive, but surprised to even hear his voice on a commercial (didn't think he was working at all -- he's pretty old -- well, I just checked IMDB, and he turned 81 in September, so he's not "ancient," lol), and his voice sounded JUST LIKE when he was Batman!
JeffAdam West played the mayor of Gotham in the last Batman series on Cartoon Network and has been the voice of (big stretch) the mayor of Quahog for Family Guy's entire run.

I didn't know that... don't watch "Family Guy" (or "The Simpsons" or the other cartoons Fox has had on Sunday nights) -- not because they're not good, or funny -- they're generally hilarious, and often FULL of juicy satire and biting social commentary -- I just have only so many TV hours I can fit in, lol. (I'm saving my "Simpsons" moments for when there's just no OTHER good TV left, and then maybe I'll catch 'em ALL on reruns or disc)... Maybe the same with "Family Guy" (I've seen enough episodes of that to know I'd like it). I also enjoyed the few episodes of "King of the Hill" I watched, but I think it's in "Cartoon Heaven" now.

I just checked at IMDB and it looks like its run just finished last year, and for most of that run, the late Brittany Murphy voiced one of the main characters. I didn't know that. She was so sweet. I was sort of crushed when she died. I checked on her cause of death the other day and they STILL don't have all the toxicology -- seems the coroner thinks it was drugs, but based on the way she looked in her latter months, I suspect anorexia or bulemia. I caught one of her last movies, released just two weeks shy of her death, "Across the Hall," recently, and her face looked practically GAUNT in it. And as so often happened in her movies, her character was murdered. Her death seemed to be a recurring theme in her flicks. So sad.
Jeff

Not a complaint, but... much of the first hour felt a LOT like the plot of Watchmen.

I only saw a tiny bit of the show tonight. I did recognize Pam Grier and thought she looked pretty good for her age.

I did recognize Pam Grier instantly, but I couldn't think of her name -- so thanks for that, rezzy.

Pretty big reveal at the end there, with Tess. And just WHAT IS this "Checkmate" organization? Now we have yet another mystery organization -- from what Grier's character said, it appears they're on the side of good, but it's a little hard to say, considering some of the things she did, and had that ugly "Icicle" kid do during the episode... And Tess... well, it's almost always a mystery which side she's on -- good, bad, only hers or some weird combination... And now there are even hints Lex Luthor is still alive? Geesh!

I gather we're in for one wild ride ahead.
Jeff

Really enjoyed tonight's show.

This show has stayed strong for most of the past 2 or 3 seasons. At this point I'd welcome a 10th season. A few years back I thought they should hang it up, but it's improved dramatically recently. Sure, there are the fillers, but even those have been passable.

Tonight's show certainly wasn't "a filler." When I was reading the opening credits and saw that Tom Welling was the director of the second half, I wondered how good it would be, but was pleasantly surprised that it was probably even better than the first half.

Oh, and I also agree it reminded me somewhat of "Watchmen." Probably similar origins.
Jeff

Checkmate, the organization, would be hard to describe. It's straight from the DC comics... but it has a "checkered" history (pun intended).

Briefly... Checkmate usually seems to think it is the good guy, and has the best interests of all at heart... but tends to operate more like the Illuminati in that it thinks it is right and any dissenters are wrong.

In the comics, I don't remember Waller being part of Checkmate... but rather the Suicide Squad initiative... which, again briefly, is a group that allows convicted "supers" to operate as secret agents and perform super-secret assignments that usually are quite risky and borderline illegal. Assuming they survive, they might eventually earn their freedom, but generally speaking the worst of the bad guys tend to find death at the end of their missions.

It would appear that in Smallville, the Suicide Squad is ran by Checkmate. Also unclear about Tess' involvement since she is a "made up" character for Smallville and seems to change allegiances at least twice each show now!

Checkmate (DC Comics) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkmate_%28comics%29) (come on people, remember what I said about searching Wiki!!! :p)

Awesome episode. For someone who was a long time reader of DC Comics, they touched on virtually every aspect of the "Golden Age". Notice how they had the "Star Spangled Kid" too, a little known member of the JSA (and holder of the famed Cosmic Rod) instead of using just Starman? Really nice touch there.

I knew as soon as Fate and J'onn teamed up that Fate was going to give him his powers back. Also, Fate said that Chloe's fate will be the same as his, not Clark's, hmm, an early death? And we have a straight up case of Fate calling Clark "The Savior" (ie: Jesus).

Also, having Tess be a member of Checkmate is sort of a shock. She was always Lex's lackey and nothing more than that in the comics as far as I can remember (but I haven't kept up with them recently).

Also, having Tess be a member of Checkmate is sort of a shock. She was always Lex's lackey and nothing more than that in the comics as far as I can remember (but I haven't kept up with them recently).

Tess was in the comics??

I really enjoyed this episode, although it did seem a little bit too 'familiar' at parts with some Watchmen similarities. Although I haven't been a Tess hater in the past, I must admit I am getting very tired of her character. I am not sure if it is the actress or the way the character is written, but all she seems to do is stand around with a blank stare on her face. Very tiresome.

Watching an episode like last night's make me glad I invested the time to stick with this through all of the seasons.

Outstanding tribute to the past super heroes, with the addition of them willing to be mentors to the next generation.

Was quite surprised at how well this was executed.

Tess was in the comics??Yes, she was based on the Mercy Graves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Graves)character who started in the DC animated cartoon and moved into comics afterward.

took me a while before I realised that was Daniel from SG1 lol

took me a while before I realised that was Daniel from SG1 lolMichael Shanks trying really, really hard to sound Batman. It didn't work. I bet the director told him to do that.:(

Oh, I thought he did OK. He's really beefed up, too. I know when SG1 first started, Daniel Jackson was such a weak, nerdy looking guy, but Shanks' arms last night looked like they belong to a prizefighter, and I don't think that was special effects... It's possible he got a lot of that during his time on SG1, of course, since the story called for so much rough-and-tumble it would almost require the primary cast members to get in really good shape.

As for his character, there was so much anger and angst I really hope it's not a recurring one on "Smallville." I really don't want to get used to seeing Shanks have to be "that person." Looks... tiresome.
Jeff

As for his character, there was so much anger and angst I really hope it's not a recurring one on "Smallville." I really don't want to get used to seeing Shanks have to be "that person." Looks... tiresome.I doubt we'll see any of the JSA in Smallville again. It was nice to see J'onn again though, (as his full martian self if you were quick enough).

Funny thing is, I was pretty certain he not only lost his powers, but was actually killed off a season or two ago... Maybe I just remember wrong, or did they retcon that?
Jeff

Awesome episode.

I would have to agree. This season altogether has been excellent.

Funny thing is, I was pretty certain he not only lost his powers, but was actually killed off a season or two ago... Maybe I just remember wrong, or did they retcon that?
Jeff

Naah... he (Martian) has been in a few episodes, actually, since losing his powers. He has helped out a couple of times as a police officer in Metropolis.

I doubt we'll see any of the JSA in Smallville again. It was nice to see J'onn again though, (as his full martian self if you were quick enough).

Well, Zatanna's back, so never say never. (unless they make JSA a series!!)

(unless they make JSA a series!!)That'd be a great idea.

And as long as they keep Cassidy Freeman out of it, I'll probably end up preferring it to Smallville.

What if she's "nekkid," Rammi??? :p

Actually, I kinda liked the character she played on the flashback sequence on the desert island, but the "modern" Tess Mercer is really a sort of icy biotch who always thinks she's more than she is... However, I gather it's her acting to which you object. I have to admit, she doesn't appear to be heading for any awards in that regard, either.
Jeff

What if she's "nekkid," Rammi??? :pWell, as long as she keeps her mouth shut, I'll watch it at least one time to check her out. But from what I've seen of her clothed, I doubt if I'll be so impressed anyway that I'll want to keep watching it for that.

I know some people find her "reasonably hot", but I ain't one of 'em (like I've said in the past, she comes across to me as some sort of "bar room floozie"-type - with the red, glassy eyes, and the heavy cigarette-smoking voice and flattened, lower lip). It's her acting and her character to some degree, yeah - but she pretty much turns me off otherwise, too. In about twenty years, I can see her being like Kathleen Turner or something like that. If she's this bulldoggish now, wait 'till she gets older.

IMO, the only thing she's got going at all for her right now is her youth. The heavy cigarette smoking alone ought to speed up that pretty good, though - just like it's going to hit Kate Beckinsale and Jennifer Aniston one of these days with a big whammo (they're going to look like an aged Bette Davis all of a sudden one day). You see, it's hard for me to even fantasize about someone like that when I can just taste that breath - because I am already experienced with how disgusting that can be. I utterly abhor smoking.

IMO, the only thing she's got going at all for her right now is her youth. The heavy cigarette smoking alone ought to speed up that pretty good, though - just like it's going to hit Kate Beckinsale and Jennifer Aniston one of these days with a big whammo (they're going to look like an aged Bette Davis all of a sudden one day). You see, it's hard for me to even fantasize about someone like that when I can just taste that breath - because I am already experienced with how disgusting that can be. I utterly abhor smoking.

Oh pshaw! That "smoking ages you" tripe is an old wives tale. I smoke occasionally(cause I love it!) and most people peg me at least 10 years younger than I actually am. But then, I'm not a hot babe. (My lungs are clear too, according to my last x-ray.) Maybe if Kathleen Turner smoked more, she might be slimmer! Beckinsale can shove a cigar (which I DON'T smoke) down my throat anytime. (That goes for you too, Jennifer and Cassidy.) And 10 years from now, she'll still look great...unless she has more kids or eats too much.

I think we'll be seeing J'onn on a regular basis again now that he's gotten his powers back.

I think we'll be seeing J'onn on a regular basis again now that he's gotten his powers back.

They also hinted at Dr. Fate being around too...maybe with Chloe wearing the helmet? Personally, I'd like to see Jay Garrick. Then Metropolis will have TWO blurs!

Oh pshaw! That "smoking ages you" tripe is an old wives tale. I smoke occasionally(cause I love it!) and most people peg me at least 10 years younger than I actually am. But then, I'm not a hot babe. (My lungs are clear too, according to my last x-ray.) Maybe if Kathleen Turner smoked more, she might be slimmer! Beckinsale can shove a cigar (which I DON'T smoke) down my throat anytime. (That goes for you too, Jennifer and Cassidy.) And 10 years from now, she'll still look great...unless she has more kids or eats too much.

Joel, I'm an ex-smoker who probably smoked several years longer than he would have had it not been for my fear that I'd turn into one of those nasty Tony Randall type of anti-smokers after I quit (and I really can't stand the hypocrites who used to smoke, then quit and become like big nasties about it to everyone else)...

That said, anything you do to your body on a daily basis that's bad for you will catch up to you and age you faster than someone of comparable age and genetic makeup. It can take 25, 30, 40 years even, but eventually all that smoking (or drinking) does things not only to the lungs or liver, but also to the skin, making it tough and leathery, and in the case of smokers -- particularly often with women -- they'll have certain wrinkles in their face caused from the continual slight (in some cases much more than slight) "grimace," for lack of a better word, that's part of the act of inhaling a cigarette... On top of that, all that smoke coming in and going out and swirling around their faces continually, day in and day out, year after year, damages the skin on their face more than any other part of their body.

If they also happen to be heavy drinkers, the effect is even more profound.

If you look at Kathleen Turner back when she made "Body Heat" with William Hurt, she had NONE of those looks. She showed absolutely NO sign of any sort of "smoker's malady." But I agree at least part of how she sounds and looks today is quite likely the result of her smoking. I haven't taken a single puff in 5.5 years now, yet I still hack up gunky stuff every day, which NEVER happened for the first 15 or 20 years I smoked, and I had to develop ASTHMA before I quit (I always said I'd quit when "my body told me to.") GEESH! And I'm STILL addicted to nicotine, because I actually "QUIT" in 1998, but the addiction is so insidious that I flip-flopped at least half a dozen times -- ESPECIALLY after 911 -- and had to actually change much of my social group and get away from all the smokers to STAY quit -- and by THEN I was no longer able to wean myself off the gum any more... My doctors say the gum is fine -- that it's all the tar and carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide and 2,000 OTHER poisons in the smoke that kill ya -- and I can keep chewing as long as I want. So I am.

And I FINALLY think cigarettes stink -- for a long time they still smelled good. BUT I'm not going to turn into a "Tony Randall." That said. I have to agree with Rammi, at least partly.
Jeff

Yes, she was based on the Mercy Graves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Graves)character who started in the DC animated cartoon and moved into comics afterward.

I've never read any comics, but I've seen the Superman movies. Wouldn't Tess be Mercy + Ms Tessmacher from the movies?

I, too, was wondering about Miss Tessmacher... almost asked about it, but I didn't want to enhance the appearance of my comic ingnorance any more than I have already, lol.

Wasn't that Beverly D'Angelo? Rrrrrrrrrrr! Talk about a woman who really held her looks! She STILL ain't bad!

I've never read any comics, but I've seen the Superman movies. Wouldn't Tess be Mercy + Ms Tessmacher from the movies?Not exactly. She is more based on the Mercy Graves character even though the name is more similar to the "Tessmacher" name from the Supes movies. If you watched the animated series she was the character who was Lex's bodyguard/chauffeur. In the movies she was just sort of Lex's bimbo girlfriend.

Yeah... bimbo girlfriend -- NOW yer talkin'! Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! :p

Where do I go to sign up for one of those?!? :D

I, too, was wondering about Miss Tessmacher... almost asked about it, but I didn't want to enhance the appearance of my comic ingnorance any more than I have already, lol.

Wasn't that Beverly D'Angelo? Rrrrrrrrrrr! Talk about a woman who really held her looks! She STILL ain't bad!

Better watch it...someone might think its because she never smoked or something. :-) But it's not Beverly D'Angelo...it was Valerie Perrine (Oscar-nominated for LENNY). Yeah, she smoked too, is older than Kathleen Turner and still looks great for her age. By the way, the smell of cigarettes never changed...just your perception of it.

For the record, I never smoked myself - and I'm not one of those persnickety "Tony Randall" types, either. I just don't like kissing women with that on their breath. Yucko. It's just a major turn-off.

I wouldn't go by Perrine or any other Hollywood actor, though - they have access to and can afford the best dermatologists, cosmetologists and plastic surgeons there is (I guess Bette Davis didn't believe in that kind of stuff).

I only remember seeing Perrine smoke in an old movie a long time ago when she was pretty young, so who even knows how long she did it for, or if she even did it in real life, or how much if so.

If you want to see a good example of the ravages of smoking, check out Margot Kidder.

You're right, it was Perrine -- not as hot as D'Angelo, but OK.

As for Margot Kidder, I wondered what happened to her looks so quickly.
Jeff

If you want to see a good example of the ravages of smoking, check out Margot Kidder.

Oh come on guys. Be real. Next you (and the government) will be saying it causes impotance and ingrown toenails! Kidder's appearance isn't due to smoking...she's had MANY other problems, including a pretty serious car crash, bipolar disorders, alcoholism, and other issues. I believe she was institutionalized as well. Or was that due to smoking too??? With all of her personal, mental, and physical issues, to simplify her appearance as being due to the "ravages" of smoking is positively ludicrous. After all, look how wretched Sigourney Weaver looks! (Yes, she does it outside of movies.)

Don't get me wrong...I am NOT trying to say that smoking is good for you. Certainly there are health risks...but the key word is "risk." Many people who've indulged live well into their 90s and over. But there is a small percentage that are harmed by it. (Approx 400 out of every 100,000, according to the last statistics I saw). And remember, lung cancer can affect anyone including non-smokers (just ask Dana Reeve). Coincidental note, I know of 2 physicians (younger than me) who advised me to stop (and I'm not a heavy or chain smoker) or "It'll kill me." Both of them have now passed away, and I'm still here. Look, ANYTHING done in excess can be harmful, from Big Macs to sex! (I still find it mind-boggling that there are such things as sexual rehab centers for the "addicts.") Yes, cigarettes CAN be detrimental...but then, so is breathing the New Jersey air.

Anyway, don't want to remain off-topic so I'm just going to leave it at that. I understand that those who don't like smoking will overly demonize it and blame it for everything under the sun. So be it. I'm not averse to those who'd love the DEMOLITION MAN society. Me, I'll stick to the final shots of ESCAPE FROM LA.

Now, back to Metropolis! (The world where NO ONE on the entire planet smokes!)

As for Le Kidder, heavy smoking is very prevalent among the mentally ill. But I can't see how it helps the health of her brain all that much, either, because it's a medical fact, whether you want to accept it or not, that it constricts blood vessels. Anyway, I'm talking about her face - look up some recent, closeup photos of her (like on Yahoo) if you want to see what I'm talking about. She looks like a dried up prune.

Anyway, who the heck here is demonizing smoking and blaming it for everything under the sun? I couldn't care less if you choose to smoke - as long as myself, my loved ones, and anyone else who doesn't want to breath or smell it aren't subjected to it in any way.

Speaking as a non-smoker who doesn't have anyone close in my life that smokes right now that I have to worry about, it's really the inconsideration and ignorance of a lot of smokers that bothers me more than anything else.

Watching an episode like last night's make me glad I invested the time to stick with this through all of the seasons.

Outstanding tribute to the past super heroes, with the addition of them willing to be mentors to the next generation.

Was quite surprised at how well this was executed.

Ditto. I was surprised at how menacing Hawkman was played, well down.

Nicotine stains fingers, teeth, but of course not faces. And everybody knows the secret to beauty is sticking your face over a smoldering pile of ash for 20 years.

Come on.

My father has smoked unfiltered Camels since...hell I guess the end of the '50s. Even though he coughs up portions of his lungs every morning he'll never quit or admit they're bad for him.

But hey, what a fun Smallville episode.

Back when I was still hanging out with that group of friends who smoked (a group of over 40s in SC who chatted online and then met for parties and stuff), there was this one guy in his 50s who was on a nebulizer and still smoking. I once saw him at a party with the nebulizer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

Not long before I quit with them for good (was trying to get away from cigarettes for good) he died of emphysema or something similar -- I got this group email about it and how it was soooo sad and he was such a great guy (he was also a jerk, I thought)... At any rate, I thought anybody who was on a nebulizer and still smoking was sort of asking for it.
Jeff

Nicotine stains fingers, teeth, but of course not faces. And everybody knows the secret to beauty is sticking your face over a smoldering pile of ash for 20 years.

Come on.



Riiiiiiiiiight. Come on indeed.

This thread has become officially as bad as the Heroes thread.

Heroes has often been so bad that we spent a week talking about discontinuities instead of what actually happened in an episode a few weeks back...

Now we're talking about how people look when they get older and how smoking might factor into that... instead of the actual episode?

Smallville is hitting a low note if we didn't like the episode better than that!

And for the record... I like Cassidy Freeman. I don't so much care for the Tess character on Smallville.

I usually LIKE smart women. Tess is the exception who proves the rule, the one smart woman I think could benefit from a lobotomy, lol.
Jeff

Slightly off topic but is anyone else having audio dropouts watching Smallville with DirecTV and their HD DVR's? For the past few weeks now I get all kinds of dropsouts with Smallville and Supernatural.

Slightly off topic but is anyone else having audio dropouts watching Smallville with DirecTV and their HD DVR's? For the past few weeks now I get all kinds of dropsouts with Smallville and Supernatural.

Yeah, there were a couple. Have FiOS here, so I guess it's the network's fault.

Heck, I can't even get that network in HD here... NOBODY carries it in HD -- I'd have to use an antenna, and I get CRAP antenna reception here. I have no idea why neither the local cable provider nor DISH nor DirecTV offer it in HD, but none of them do. I don't think I recall any dropouts, but I'm so used to stuff like that perhaps I just glossed it over, lol.
Jeff

Well that was definitely a fun mini-movie for Smallville. I do wish "our" JLA folks had entered the scene (i.e. Aquaman, Flash, etc). Now THAT would have been EPIC! I'm sure there were cost considerations though.

Okay, so now we have a new organization in the latter half of the season? I'm guessing this isn't the last season of Smallville....

To any other DC fans like myself, did we get hint of what may be coming if season 10 were to be green-lighted? In her final conversation with Icicle (awful villain name, BTW), she mentions the coming "apocalypse" with a subtle pause before it. Could we be seeing the Fourth World, or more specifically Darkseid, coming to Smallville? Given all of Clark's foes over the course of the series, Darkseid would make for an excellent final foe: the most powerful one he could ever face.

Then again, I doubt they'd have the budget to properly handle such an extended story and battle with that level of villain.

To any other DC fans like myself, did we get hint of what may be coming if season 10 were to be green-lighted? In her final conversation with Icicle (awful villain name, BTW), she mentions the coming "apocalypse" with a subtle pause before it. Could we be seeing the Fourth World, or more specifically Darkseid, coming to Smallville? Given all of Clark's foes over the course of the series, Darkseid would make for an excellent final foe: the most powerful one he could ever face.

Then again, I doubt they'd have the budget to properly handle such an extended story and battle with that level of villain.

Yes, it was pretty obvious they were referring to Apokolips. Can't imagine it with the limited budget on the show,

Yes, it was pretty obvious they were referring to Apokolips. Can't imagine it with the limited budget on the show,Considering what they showed of Doomsday, Apokolips will never happen. What might happen is more allusions to it, as we've already seen some, like Bruno Mannheim, or maybe even a visitor from Apokalips or two would be a good way to end the show (Darkseid would wipe the map with Clark). It would be cool to see a New God like Mister Miracle though...

Considering what they showed of Doomsday, Apokolips will never happen. What might happen is more allusions to it, as we've already seen some, like Bruno Mannheim, or maybe even a visitor from Apokalips or two would be a good way to end the show (Darkseid would wipe the map with Clark). It would be cool to see a New God like Mister Miracle though...

I'd settle for Big Barda!

I'd settle for Big Barda!Big Barda would make little sense, as she'd have to look like a professional wrestler, but then again we had an appearance from Maxima who was also supposed to be huge, who wanted to marry Clark and she turned out to be this little petite thing.

Scott Free (Mister Miracle) would be perfect because he has no powers, and we could have him show up with Oberon and his touring escape show.

I FINALLY did a Google on one of these OTHER characters (Darkseid) and you folks really AREN'T kidding about the Wikis on this stuff -- first TWO links were for a Wikipedia reference. I clicked the first one and it was a VERY LONG PAGE on the character, pretty much told me more than enough to get me totally cornfusled, lol.

Sounds like depending on "where he is" in his life, Darkseid may, or may not "wipe the map with Clark," but if he were to appear in one of the true Apokolips story lines I garnered from the Wiki I gather he'd have some help (but there'd also be some "good guys" from his home world here, too -- plus more than enough exposition to fill another season).
Jeff

Big Barda would make little sense, as she'd have to look like a professional wrestler, but then again we had an appearance from Maxima who was also supposed to be huge, who wanted to marry Clark and she turned out to be this little petite thing.

Well, there are some lovely female wrestlers out there. But they probably can't act! (And would probably ask for more money than the show is willing to pay. Hence all the stars-in-their-eyes petite young things (who, for the most part, can't act either).

Be careful, Joel, Laura Vandervoort might just read this thread and you could risk hurting her little feelings -- so use bigger words the next time -- at least three syllables. :p That should stump her. :D

Well, there are some lovely female wrestlers out there. But they probably can't act!

That was probably way funnier than you meant it to be...

Wrestlers that can't act? Would that mean they accidentally wrestle for real? :D

That was probably way funnier than you meant it to be...

Wrestlers that can't act? Would that mean they accidentally wrestle for real? :D

Perish the thought!

I certainly wouldn't call it "acting." And the ONLY "science" justification I see in running "wrasslin'" on the SyFy Channel is the science that went into making the steroids that made all those gawfugly looking muscles on those dudes and dudettes that are gonna cause 'em to stroke out like a strobe light at 55! :rolleyes:
Jeff

I've always seen Wrestling more as a soap opera... and most of the people I knew who liked to watch (including one of my grandmothers) also were soap fans, so that tended to backup my theory.

Meanwhile... I never got the impression in the comics that Maxima was necessarily huge. She seemed taller than the actress on Smallville for that episode... but not so much so that it was a bother to me.

So, for Big Barda... I'm not sure she has to be super-big.... just bigger than whomever they would cast to play Mr Miracle.

Nobody who saw the stunning Stacy Kiebler waltzing away on DWTS could make the claim that lady wrestlers can't be as hot as Georgia asphalt, or that they're not graceful, charming, and sweet. I expected big things from her after that, but she seems to have disappeared from public view.

I've always seen Wrestling more as a soap opera...

It's fills the niche of those that like the plot depth of a soap opera but are disappointed with the lack of baby-oiled muscle-bound men on the daytime offerings.

It's not the 1980's wrestling has changed!

Grow up!

Wrestling has better actors then most of these shows!

lol

It's not the 1980's wrestling has changed!

I know, skimpier speedos and more physical contact.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Wrestling has better actors then most of these shows!

lol

I don't know about that... I was once at a friend's house and one of those shows with "Mr. McMahon" came on, where the wrestler goes out in the ring before the match and talks about how his wife or girlfriend was insulted, and they show closeups of her with a tissue to her eyes, etc. -- it was supposed to be some sort of "grudge match," or something, and I wasn't there to watch it, was on my way OUT. At any rate, I stood there and watched a couple minutes of their supposed argument, or dispute, or whatever it was, and if you want to call that acting, then I'm built like Superman! And this was only a few years ago.

I also let a friend talk me into going to a LIVE show here in Spartanburg once in the '80s -- Rick Flair and Roddy Piper -- and we sat in the second row. It wasn't bad, but it was still obviously fake -- not that they don't still have to be athletic and like to hurt each other to fake that stuff... Not my cup of tea, but I've seen Roddy in a couple movies since, and I think he's a halfway decent actor -- especially the SciFi thriller "They Live," which I think is a classic (except for one, obligatory-looking, stretched-out fight scene I think was in there just for the wrestling fans).
Jeff