This was an interesting episode, which as former episodes, showed us Clark's relationships with those around him.
It in many ways was a Lois vs. Chloe test.
The acting was all over the place, was a strange, campy and vampy Tori Spelling, bland acting by Welling and Durance, and some great stuff from Mack and Witwer. Mack and Witwer, in their scenes with each other, and with the other cast, really were outstanding.
Durance seems to playing her scenes with Welling's Clark as if Lois is totally in love with Clark, while by choice or not, Welling seems to be playing his as if he is constantly looking at his watch, waiting for the scene to be over. I don't know if this is by the director's instructions or not.
It doesn't help that, as has been discussed at many media outlets', Durance and Welling just don't have any on screen chemistry, and it really does slow down any and all pacing with their scenes, making them too long, and grating. Durance does/did have chemistry with Green Arrow dude, but they don't seem to be together any more. Durance's poor acting choices throughout the episode didn't help either. She can be an ok actress at best, but this episode did not show any of it.
Welling with Mack was better, and their chemistry was as usual, of the charts, as was Mack's and Witwers. The season is so much better with the whole storyline involving Mack, Welling and Witwer, that was originally planned with Durance in the Mack role.
In the comparison between Lois and Chloe, well, the story opens with a selfish and self-centered Lois, and just continues on through. Lois, either wait inside and don't get wet, or call a cab, it is not difficult.
Clark's secret and Lois being surprised she wasn't the first to know, really dear, are you that stupid, really. Lois believed she was entitled to know the secret, and that really is her worst trait, a huge sense of entitlement, in eveythihg that really hurts the character.
We saw Lois badly throughout, especially in the "special" dialogue and scene. She felt entitled to know, and was trying to guilt Clark in to telling her after the time change.
Chloe on the other hand worried about Clark, and his safety. She endangered herselft tryingn to destroy any evidence and info about Clark she could. Quite Courageous.
The scene with Clark and Chloe in the end, in which she couldn't or wouldn't say goodbye, and Clark saying after everything that he would find her, were romantic and heroic. They have a bond unlike all others on this show, and it has worked for 8 seasons. Quite nice.
So we have selfish and self-centered Lois, and a Chloe who is self-aware and thinking of others. We have a stupid Lois, outsmarted and outplayed by Linda Lake vs a smart and resilient Chloe who has outsmarted and outplayed Linda in the past.
The last scene where Clark does find and regroup with Chloe is so different with him not doing anything with Lois, is also telling. Lois he stood you up, he just isn't that into you.
The ratings finals from Nielson's are out, the show did 3.56 million, not that well. Most Lois/Erica episodes don't, it wasn't a suprise.
No wonder Allison Mack is the show lead actress. We saw it all over the screen in this ep.
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