Alright let's talk about tonight's ep "Pariah"

[GL-Corps#28]

The conversations Clark had after loosing Alicia I think were some very good and subtle hints at Clark's future as Superman. Also, her death will likely fuel his desire to become Superman down the rode. I think that this could possibly be the best episode of the season.

I thought it was excellent, but better than Transference and Run?

 

[triplet]

I thought it was excellent, but better than Transference and Run?

Good question... Hmmm.

I think not, but for me I'd probably put it in fourth behind them and Crusade.

 

[GL-Corps#28]

Hey Triplet, is the quote in your sig about Routh?

 

[Super_Child]

Yes it is, it's from an article a while back about what various famous people said about Routh's signing on as Superman and thats what Alex Ross had to say.

 

[The Lizard]

For a someone Alicia's size, lets say she weighs like 105 lbs for arguments sake, if there's enough Chloroform on that rag she goes down in about 2-3 seconds. That ****e works pretty quick. Being that the guy snuck up behind her and surprised her, it probbaly take her at least half of that time to figure out what the hell was going on. If he had come at her from the front, I'd agree she had enough time to tp, but I thought the fact she got surprised was beliveable.

Wait-- maybe I wasn't paying enough attention during this part. How did Tim "surprise" Alicia? She catches him stealing some of her stuff to frame her again, then he quickly grabs her and puts the chloroform rag on her face.

How was she surprised? Did I maybe look away and miss a part where he sand-shifted behind her or something?

 

[triplet]

Hey Triplet, is the quote in your sig about Routh?

Why yes it is.

You have a problem with that?

 

[triplet]

Wait-- maybe I wasn't paying enough attention during this part. How did Tim "surprise" Alicia? She catches him stealing some of her stuff to frame her again, then he quickly grabs her and puts the chloroform rag on her face.

How was she surprised? Did I maybe look away and miss a part where he sand-shifted behind her or something?

No, but she clearly didn't expect him to grab her. She had a surprised look on her face.

 

[newbrando]

what did u find at fault with the acting and storyline? Hell even JcDc gave Welling props on his acting, so I'd be interested to hear this...

Hmm, I don't want to bring down the mood of the thread. Please stop reading here if you don't want to hear me ramble about bad writing, acting, etc.

1)I'll start with this. Everybody looked tired. Was that just me seeing that or maybe it was shot that way to make it seem spooky? Even Lana and especially Lois looked haggarded in her scene where she is trying to get Chloe to open up about what's bothering her. I know that certain sets in SMALLVILLE are shot to exaggerate the colors to tell you how Clark feels - for instance the farm and school are bright - but everything was drab. And all their emotional reactions were hostile.

2)Lois seemed out of character. When Lois says into the mic, "First you marry her, and then you date her" I just thought Lois seemed especially harsh. See Allison could actually pull a line like that off without seeming mean, because Allison usually turns Chloe's digs into self-depreciating comments. For example, in Heat when Clark is in jail, Chloe explains that Lex's wife gets her power from pheramones and she adds, "Fortunately Clark is immune to some members of the opposite sex." Hee. See, that was funny because Clark had just dumped her at the dance and you know Chloe's character is more talking about herself than trying to hurt Clark. I didn't understand Lois' motivations when she said that. She just came to town to visit. She's a busy body and she just comes off as a stuck up brat in this episode. Even when the dopey guy asked her for a date, she just looked like, "C'mon I'm too good for this."

3)TW put some much energy and charisma in his performance in Unsafe, but in this episode he just seemed to be going through the motions. There was so much affection and charm with Alicia in Unsafe even before he is on RedK and in this episode Clark and Alicia mind as well be brother and sister. I can understand them being agitated because everyone thinks Alicia killed someone, but they also seemed blazee' about the whole thing. Alicia, when she teleported Chloe into the car was just like, "Hey watch this." When Alicia realized Clark didn't believe her, she was just like, "Ok, I'll go away now." This from a girl who cried her way thru last week?!! I was confused.

4)The scenes went on too long. Them singing "I Love Rock 'n Roll" in the beginning is case in point. Allison looked bored to death.

5)Lex shows up out of nowhere and seems forced into the episode. At first, when the scene opens in the mansion, I was seriously thinking, "Hey, what's this" and then I remembered Lex is in the series. Seriously, he's underused. And he said "My enemy's enemy" which annoyed me because Jason's mother is not his enemy. Nor is Jason his mother's enemy. If he meant Lionel's enemy is Jason's mother, they could have written that better. Also, now we're just to assume that Lionel and Jason's mom are enemies for some reason and Lex would get involved in their mess by playing both Jason and his mom. It's a tall storyline they are heading into and it came from no where.

6)When the sandman guy finds Alicia didn't it seem like she knew him? She starts talking to him and then she says, "It was you (trying to kill people)." Again, out of the blue.

7)Man, I love Tom. But sometimes when I'm watching him do the tears thing and everything, it makes me uncomfortable because he can't act. He should save that kind of stuff until he's really good at it. I really don't need to see him fake cry. I'm always so aware then that he's acting when he all of a sudden goes from normal low key Keanu acting to yelling and weeping like a bad Mel Gibson scene.

I've got more but I feel horrible critiquing the show. I just like to watch it and space out. I wish they would get back to Clark and Lex though. Hello, you're supposed to be giving Lex another chance Clark. Chloe storyline with Clark is also good. Everything else just seems like padding.

Sorry

 

[GL-Corps#28]

Why yes it is.

You have a problem with that?

No, I think it makes me like Alex Ross a little more.

You may not like me that much though, I would've taken Welling over Routh, but I wanted Caviezel more than anybody.

 

[RakuMon]

A couple points.

I like the twist with having Chloe know the secret while having Clark not know she knows. Very reminiscent of old Superboy comics in which Pete (who secretly discovered Clark was Superboy) would cover for Clark. Clark would just be completely oblivious that his best friend was helping him. Instead, he'd just assume it was luck or coincidence that Pete covered for him.

As far as Lois being out of character. I have to respectfully disagree. I loooooovvvveeeddd her in this episode. The crack at the beginning where she makes fun of Clark and Alicia dating after they marry wasn't meant to be hurtful. She was saying it to Chloe, but it was accidentally picked up by the mic. To me, it was a perfect awkward moment between Lois and Clark and very in character. I've already commented on how much I loved the fact that it was Lois who witnessed Clark's grief, and it was Lois who talked him out of killing sandboy. Really setting the spiritual connection the two will ultimately share.


I think the Lex/Teague family scenese were intentionally cryptic. We don't know what Lex is up to. Is he helping Genivieve or is he playing Jason, or both. I don;t think we can read to much into that yet. All we can do is hope the writers don't forget about that plotline. Also remember, it has been hinted in the past that the Teagues and the Luthors are rivals. They are, after all, two of the richest families in Metropolis. Just be grateful that they've seemingly dropped the Lex/Lana romance. Thank god for that.

The only gripe I had was the FotW. It was obvious from the opening scene that Tim was the bad guy. As soon as Lois pointed to him, I knew he'd be this week's villain. The only thing I thought the writers could've done better was to NOT reveal that the mysterious killer had different abilities from Alicia. As soon as we saw he moved via sand, it was obvious Alicia wasn't the perp. Sometimes dramatic irony works, but I thought, in this case, it may have been more effective if the audience suspected Alicia as much as the characters did.

All in all, though, it was a BRILLIANT episode.

I'm actually of two minds about Smallville now that the show seems to be hitting its stride. It's seriously getting better with each episode. Now, while that is a great thing, it's also melancholy in a way. One of the great appeals of the show is that you get to see Clark literally BECOME Superman with each passing week. But now that I know we will never actually SEE this Clark BECOME Superman, it kind of leaves a hole in my stomach. As if the show's a big 4- (hopefully 5-) year tease with no climax. I will be so deflated if the series finale blows my mind and then have to walk in to see Singerman. Nothing against that movie (seriously) but it won't be the ultimate culmination of five years of storytelling that SV has become.

Anyway, that's my rant.

 

[The Lizard]

No, but she clearly didn't expect him to grab her. She had a surprised look on her face.

Maybe, but if I walked up and found a guy stealing my stuff, and then I realized that this guy had tried to kill a couple people and blame it on me, I'd consider any sudden moves he made to NOT be in my best interest.

At the end of the day I realize the script demanded that Alicia had to die, but I maintain that Tim catching her so easily was sloppy writing and could have been handled much better.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

Hmm, I don't want to bring down the mood of the thread. Please stop reading here if you don't want to hear me ramble about bad writing, acting, etc.

1)I'll start with this. Everybody looked tired. Was that just me seeing that or maybe it was shot that way to make it seem spooky? Even Lana and especially Lois looked haggarded in her scene where she is trying to get Chloe to open up about what's bothering her. I know that certain sets in SMALLVILLE are shot to exaggerate the colors to tell you how Clark feels - for instance the farm and school are bright - but everything was drab. And all their emotional reactions were hostile.

Cant say I noticed that, though a lot of the scenes in the episode seemed to be happening at night (the opening, Clark catching the car, etc.) Maybe that was why?

2)Lois seemed out of character. When Lois says into the mic, "First you marry her, and then you date her" I just thought Lois seemed especially harsh. See Allison could actually pull a line like that off without seeming mean, because Allison usually turns Chloe's digs into self-depreciating comments. For example, in Heat when Clark is in jail, Chloe explains that Lex's wife gets her power from pheramones and she adds, "Fortunately Clark is immune to some members of the opposite sex." Hee. See, that was funny because Clark had just dumped her at the dance and you know Chloe's character is more talking about herself than trying to hurt Clark. I didn't understand Lois' motivations when she said that. She just came to town to visit. She's a busy body and she just comes off as a stuck up brat in this episode. Even when the dopey guy asked her for a date, she just looked like, "C'mon I'm too good for this."

See I didnt think that was out of character for Lois Lane at all. She's always opening up her mouth and saying stupid things at bad times. Thats how she always wound up in trouble so much. I think it was supposed to come across blunt and crude. She basically speaks first and thinks later. It seemed to me she just meant for Chloe to hear that but forgot she was holding a microphone. As for her being stuck up, I thoguht the reaction was normal. She really didnt seem interested in the guy, and most girls in college want nothing to do with guys in high school. Remember her character like Clark and Lex's isnt evolved fully into the ones we know from the comics anyway.

3)TW put some much energy and charisma in his performance in Unsafe, but in this episode he just seemed to be going through the motions. There was so much affection and charm with Alicia in Unsafe even before he is on RedK and in this episode Clark and Alicia mind as well be brother and sister. I can understand them being agitated because everyone thinks Alicia killed someone, but they also seemed blazee' about the whole thing. Alicia, when she teleported Chloe into the car was just like, "Hey watch this." When Alicia realized Clark didn't believe her, she was just like, "Ok, I'll go away now." This from a girl who cried her way thru last week?!! I was confused.

Totally gotta disagree with you there. I thought Welling ran the gamet of emotions in the final 15 minutes of the show and nailed each one of them. The sadness, anger, and then grieving/self-doubt scenes I thought were all really well done. Actually thought it was better than his performance in "Unsafe". I think his feelings toward Alicia were understandably quelled after the Red K last week. I thought he seemed appropriately cautious about her.

5)Lex shows up out of nowhere and seems forced into the episode. At first, when the scene opens in the mansion, I was seriously thinking, "Hey, what's this" and then I remembered Lex is in the series. Seriously, he's underused. And he said "My enemy's enemy" which annoyed me because Jason's mother is not his enemy. Nor is Jason his mother's enemy. If he meant Lionel's enemy is Jason's mother, they could have written that better. Also, now we're just to assume that Lionel and Jason's mom are enemies for some reason and Lex would get involved in their mess by playing both Jason and his mom. It's a tall storyline they are heading into and it came from no where.

This was really the 1st ep this year he hasnt had a bigger story. His scenes were more there to build things up for coming eps. They'll seem more poignant in the coming weeks. Thats the deal with a weekly show is it's almost impossible to judge every scene as some are meant only to build things, not to be clear right away. Realistically, he would've seemed forced into the episode if he had been into the plot more, especially since they had 5 or 6 other characters heavily involved.
I didnt get it all that Jason's Mom and Lionel were "enemies". I think Jason's Mom is a lot like Lionel in that she was using any leverage she had to get Lex to do something for her. Honestly, I think she's the one that got him out of prison to begin with. Then again, everyone seems to be enemies with Lionel, Understaneably so... Then Lex will of course work it to his advantage someway that will screw her over in turn. Basically I just think it's all too incomplete now to judge.

6)When the sandman guy finds Alicia didn't it seem like she knew him? She starts talking to him and then she says, "It was you (trying to kill people)." Again, out of the blue.

They went to the same high school and grew up in the same small town. I didnt find that, that unrealistic.

7)Man, I love Tom. But sometimes when I'm watching him do the tears thing and everything, it makes me uncomfortable because he can't act. He should save that kind of stuff until he's really good at it. I really don't need to see him fake cry. I'm always so aware then that he's acting when he all of a sudden goes from normal low key Keanu acting to yelling and weeping like a bad Mel Gibson scene.

Again I disagree. I thought his scenes of sadness and remorse were well played by him.

 

[triplet]

No, I think it makes me like Alex Ross a little more.

You may not like me that much though, I would've taken Welling over Routh, but I wanted Caviezel more than anybody.

LOL!

Sorry for being testy, but I've gotten a lot of flack over my sig and now I'm keeping mostly outta spite. Once I see just how "ginormous" Whathisname has gotten, I may change it.

But it was HWSNBN chief cheerleader and Prez of the BJR fanclub, IT is Batgirl, who said that he's looking huge. So I'll take that with a major grain of salt.

And I won't hold you wanting Cavs against you...

My first choice was Welling, my second was a talented and accomplished unknown.

http://www.mckinney.to/emoticons/images/emoticons/Sigh.gif

I guess you can't get everything!

 

[newbrando]

As far as Lois being out of character. I have to respectfully disagree. I loooooovvvveeeddd her in this episode. The crack at the beginning where she makes fun of Clark and Alicia dating after they marry wasn't meant to be hurtful. She was saying it to Chloe, but it was accidentally picked up by the mic.

Yeah but is it okay for Lois to make rude cracks about Clark behind his back? It just seems so unLois. Lois was always so self-absorbed. I don't think she would care who was dating who. That's sooo high school cheerleader trite. Also why did Lois point at that guy while she was singing her song and then act shocked and miffed that he would ask her out? Lois - back away from the high school boys. I'm losing respect.

I think the Lex/Teague family scenese were intentionally cryptic. We don't know what Lex is up to. Is he helping Genivieve or is he playing Jason, or both. I don;t think we can read to much into that yet. All we can do is hope the writers don't forget about that plotline.

Er, I kind of hope they drop that plotline. They haven't tied up the "who is Jason's mother and what does she want with Lana" plotline. To tie Lex AND Lionel into it is a bit much. Baby step, writers, baby steps.

Also remember, it has been hinted in the past that the Teagues and the Luthors are rivals.

When was this exactly? I'm sorry I missed it. Was it in Spell? Because I never saw that episode.

I agree with a lot of the other stuff you said though.

 

[newbrando]

a lot of the scenes in the episode seemed to be happening at night (the opening, Clark catching the car, etc.) Maybe that was why?

Maybe, but I’m also talking about how everyone looked kind of downy. I’ll have to go back and see what they were wearing. Also, they just looked like they had bags under their eyes. You know what, maybe I should watch the tape with my glasses on, that might help.

I thought Welling ran the gamet of emotions in the final 15 minutes of the show and nailed each one of them.

I think maybe this is what I have a problem with. I can understand him running the gamete of emotions in 15 minutes on a soap opera, but it just seemed forced and unnecessary in this script. I don’t think yelling, “Nooooo” is something that TW would do in every day life. Maybe that’s why he seemed uncomfortable and strange doing it.

Actually thought it was better than his performance in "Unsafe". I think his feelings toward Alicia were understandably quelled after the Red K last week. I thought he seemed appropriately cautious about her.

This is true. Although they were all crying and hugging each other at the end of Unsafe after the RedK incident.

This was really the 1st ep this year he hasnt had a bigger story.

No, not really. He wasn’t really in Unsafe either. He had 2 scenes in that with his father. He’s closed off from Clark’s storylines right now. That could be purposeful on the part of the writers but then they need to make it appear that what Lex is doing is still an integral part of SMALLVILLE. I mean, he could be living in Metropolis already for all we see of him.

Thats the deal with a weekly show is it's almost impossible to judge every scene as some are meant only to build things, not to be clear right away.

He has enough things to already clear away, but I’m afraid the writers have dropped those. Maybe this is a swift turn to the dark side. If it is, at least he’s going somewhere. If it’s not, he’s being shoehorned.

I didnt get it all that Jason's Mom and Lionel were "enemies".

I’m talking about the wording used by Lex. Jason asked Lex why Lex would want to work with him. Lex said, “Well, you know, my enemy’s enemy.” Playing on the saying, “Your enemy’s enemy is your friend.” It would have made sense if Lex said, “We’re the sons of two enemies” but otherwise, the saying didn’t fit there.

They went to the same high school and grew up in the same small town. I didnt find that, that unrealistic.

I think the Lizard articulated this better than I did. That scene was awkward. She walked up like, “Hey friend” meanwhile he was stealing her stuff.

Again I disagree. I thought his scenes of sadness and remorse were well played by him.

Yeah we just disagree on the acting. And I hate being hard on Tom because I think he’s great. But I do hope he gets better.

 

[Maelstrom]

I’m talking about the wording used by Lex. Jason asked Lex why Lex would want to work with him. Lex said, “Well, you know, my enemy’s enemy.” Playing on the saying, “Your enemy’s enemy is your friend.” It would have made sense if Lex said, “We’re the sons of two enemies” but otherwise, the saying didn’t fit there.

Honestly, i didn't getthat at all...I just thought it was obvious to Lex that Genevieve was trying in some way to manipulate him, and Lex HATES being manipulated...thus he considers Genevieve somebody to watch out for, hence his "enemy"....I didn't get the feeling that Lionel had much of anything to do with it.


As for the ep itself, I thought itwas good, but predicatable. My wife hates it when I do that, but as soon as I saw Alicia, I said, "they'll probably kill her off tonight"....check.

I also predeicted it would be Chloe that found out, but that she wouldn't tell anyone she knew, including Clark.

Not that that is a bad thing, as it's actually what I would do if I was writing it, but it was predictable.

The Tim Sandman villain was Sccoby-Doo predicatble, even worse...hey here's some guy we've never seen before everyone seems to know...guess he must be the FOTW.


The whole Jason thing is just annoying. It's really about time for him to do something hat really moves the plot in any way at all....


I enjoyed the episode, really, but it seems like this season is dragging, and very uncohesive...and after Season 3, that's a letdown.


I just hope Clark actually deals with Alicia's death, and doesn't just forget her after two episodes, her name never to be mentioned again.


I loved the Reeve tribute...personally I think the ultimate ending to this series would end Clark going to the Daily Planet, meeting up with Lois again there, etc, etc... until finally something terrible happens, and you see Clark dash out, rip open his shirt and display the 'S' emblem prominently ...freezeframe...zoom in until nothing but the 'S' appears on screen..classic Superman theme plays, fade to black, credits role..series over.

He doesn't even need to show up in the full outfit, just that would make the whole series worth it for me.

 

[Doobie88]

I loved every moment they showed a dumbfounded Chloe after she found out.

 

[Maelstrom]

Yeah, i'm just not sure if Chloe is more dumbfounded that Clark has powers, or that she didn't figure it out for herself...

she really should have had an "it all makes sense" moment similar to the one Lionel had when he was in Clark's body.

 

[Asr]

But can she do that kind of face and be convincing?

John Glover's acting > 10 * Allison Mack's

 

[AgentPat]

Once I see just how "ginormous" Whathisname has gotten, I may change it. But it was HWSNBN chief cheerleader and Prez of the BJR fanclub, IT is Batgirl, who said that he's looking huge. So I'll take that with a major grain of salt....

[Pause]
[Stops breathing for a minute]
[Starts to turn blue]
[BUSTS OUT LAUGHING!!!]

Oh, that just made my day. Thanks, Trip. Too damn funny!

"Ginormous," huh? Hee! Righto. Okie dokey.

 

[RakuMon]

I loved the Reeve tribute...personally I think the ultimate ending to this series would end Clark going to the Daily Planet, meeting up with Lois again there, etc, etc... until finally something terrible happens, and you see Clark dash out, rip open his shirt and display the 'S' emblem prominently ...freezeframe...zoom in until nothing but the 'S' appears on screen..classic Superman theme plays, fade to black, credits role..series over.

He doesn't even need to show up in the full outfit, just that would make the whole series worth it for me.

Ya know, it that's how they end Smallville...
I don't need to see Singerman AT ALL. That's it. That's Superman. Good Night!!!

 

[WallCrawl]

Maybe, but if I walked up and found a guy stealing my stuff, and then I realized that this guy had tried to kill a couple people and blame it on me, I'd consider any sudden moves he made to NOT be in my best interest.

At the end of the day I realize the script demanded that Alicia had to die, but I maintain that Tim catching her so easily was sloppy writing and could have been handled much better.

I feel the same way you do. I was really surprised that she didn't just teleport away, and I felt that she had enough time to do so. I had enough time to yell, "Oh come on! Teleport!" before she stopped struggling and went unconscious.

 

[AgentPat]

Ya know, it that's how they end Smallville...
I don't need to see Singerman AT ALL. That's it. That's Superman. Good Night!!!

Hey, btw, regarding why Alicia didn't teleport out while she was being Chloroformed - She was being HELD. Remember, when she teleports, anything she's touching goes with her, so that wouldn't have helped the situation any. If she passed out in mid transport... well, you guys have seen enough transporter malfunctions on Star Trek, right? LOL

 

[RakuMon]

Smallville finally overtook NBC in the ratings!!!!!
If there was no American Idol, SV would actually place THIRD! How 'bout them apples, naysayers!

per K-site:

"Pariah" Overnight Ratings!

NBC's Top Model rip-off series fell below Smallville's ratings levels last night, although the hour was still dominated by American Idol.

Here's the overnight ratings breakdown:
Rank Show Network Overnight Rating (Last week's ranking in parentheses)
#1 American Idol FOX 17.9/26 (#1)
#2 Lost ABC 7.5/11 (R) (#2 (R))
#3 60 Minutes CBS 5.2/8 (#3)
#4 Smallville WB 4.4/6 (#5)
#5 SI Swimsuit Model Search NBC 3.5/5 (#4)
#6 Road to Stardom w/Missy Elliot UPN 1.8/3 (#6)

(R) denotes repeat airing

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

why do so many people watch American Idol? What am I missing? Lost, I can understand but AI is just pure pop crap. What is the attraction?
Oh well, good to see Smallville taking down one of the Big Nets shows...