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I had to watch this episode twice to fully appreciate it. I'm sure some will dismiss it as "filler" and others will hate the "epiphany" that Chloe reached, but I don't. Sure they covered some familiar territory on Clark's side, but they covered it well, with a lot of humour. I give it yet another A.
This is the 3rd script this season from Bryan Miller. Taken with his other two episodes, Committed and Bulletproof, I think the man has talent although I've noticed he sometimes doesn't properly set up the transition between scenes. This time my quibble was with how ChloLo and Clark got off the Daily Planet roof without using Clark's powers. One scene they're stranded there and the next time we see them its the next day and they're in the hospital. You just need one line of dialogue to explain it Bryan! It could have been funny with Clark grousing about how they might have been stranded for the whole night unless ---- (fill in the blank). What I do really like about Miller is the refreshing absence of any triangles in his relationships. His stories don't break new ground in the seasonal arc (thus perhaps justifying the term "filler") but they do sort of solidify the lessons learned in previous episodes and lead to the future. So I prefer to call them bridging episodes.
A lot of story was packed in the episode - I was trying to take concise notes during my 2nd viewing and left out many of the litle touches but they still covered 5 pages. We start with Chloe all alone at her own birthday party. She's bumbed out about the Jimmy breakup and Clark being too busy and the thankless job at Isis: I don't think its surprising or demeaning to her character that she expresses a bit of jealousy towards Lois. Lois took a long time to find her way but now her career in journalism is starting to skyrocket: she's the Planet's new "it" girl and gets the call to cover a breaking story in Mexico. Lois is a littlle too oblivious to Chloe's hurt at being abandoned, but that's human nature for you. Ollie tries to comfort Chloe but he too is called away, leaving her behind to be entertained by stage magician Zatanna, who unbeknownst to Chloe is the real thing with the ability to grant a wish. So Chloe makes a casual wish and much to her surprise, wakes up the next day in the body of Lois (or more precisely becomes a bit of both, someone I call ChloLo). Let the mayhem begin!
So why did ChloLo dress Lois's body in Chloe's clothes and venture to the Daily Planet, rather than just call Clark and ask him to meet her at the apartment? I think she definitely was curious to see what it would be like and was startled by the deference with which she was greeted by the intern. It does take a bit of suspension of disbelief to see how Lois has achieved such respect in the few years she's been at the job (and especially given the absence of any college education) but I'm prepared to do so in order to enjoy the fun. I think Chloe intended to tell Clark right off but is knocked off balance by his opening banter and the comment about her too tight outfit. So she winds up being caught up in the breaking story and only decides to tell Clark the truth when she realizes that her trouble with Zatanna is more than an isolated incident. She convinces Clark by revealing a bunch of the secrets only she knows (some great lines that Erica delivered wonderfully). They then go off to confront Zatanna, who justifies her actions as only giving people what the want until they don't want it any more. And without even warning Clark, she puts the whammy on him and disappears.
I did find it a little strange to have Clark wondering what it would be like without powers when he's made such tremendous strides over this season adapting to his role as Metropolis's guardian, the Red-Blue Blur. Granted the majority of his saves have happened offscreen, but we do know that he's been busy, and happily so as shown in Turbulence. Too busy perhaps: I don't doubt he was feeling guilty at missing Chloe's party and of course the powers mess up his potential relationship with Lois. But what makes his wish fresh teritory is that for the first time, he's actually interested in exploring a positive aspect of being normal - what if he was able to fully dedicate himself to being a journalist? He's starting to appreciate journalism as a real career and not just as convenient way to hear breaking news so he can switch costumes. That's good to see: one thing we do know from comics is that a powerless Clark makes a great reporter. I absolutely adored this version of reporter!Clark - he's still wet behind the ears and very much interested in acting by the book. He thinks nothing of showing "Lois" his framed copy of the rules (something real Clark would probably never have done.) He reminded me of a younger Lois the way he could rationalize all the strange events going on until something too wierd happens. For Lois, it was a barn door nearly killing her. For Clark, it was hearing the antique store owner's tale of magic and its price. And yet for reporter!Clark to fully make the transformation back to real Clark, it took a literal leap of faith. And in encouraging Clark to take the leap, ChloLo is transformed back to Chloe.
The climax of the episode on the roof of the Daily Planet is the part that took me two watchings to really appreciate. Since we learn right away that Zatanna intends for herself to be the sacrifice to bring back her father, much of the tension dissipates when Chloe is swept up into the spell instead: we kind of know Zatanna wouldn't sacrifice an innocent. But still, the opportunity to bring back a loved one is so tempting that Zatanna hesitates, giving Clark the opportunity to share some of his experience from Hidden and Reckoning. "We don't get to choose," he tells her and my heart breaks just a little for him. He tells Zatanna her father would never want to be brought back at such a cost: all they can do now is go on and do what they can to honour their parents' memory. It's a moving scene, delicately played.
As a result of their respective wishes, both Clark and Chloe have an epiphany of sorts, or more accurately have a confirmation that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. For Clark, he learns that a life without responsibility is not enough for him. As for Chloe, I'm so glad they've moved her away from that dead-end filler job at ISIS, one for which she was utterly unsuited. I know some will hate the idea that she's ceded the journalistic field to Lois, but I found it appropriate and in keeping with her actions ever since learning Clark's secret. Sure she dreamed of journalism since she was a kid, but reality doesn't always measure up to dreams. Or in Chloe's case, dreams don't always measure up to reality. When Grant accused her of losing her journalistic spark at the beginning of S6, I could see why - she was so committed to Clark and then Ollie that she stopped REPORTING the news and instead became part of MAKING it. I think she'll ultimately find her role as Watchtower very fulfilling, which is what I want for her.
Some stray thoughts:
This episode had some great dialogue with none of the heavy-fistedness of Infamous. I've already mentioned a few standout lines above but I think my favorite was the exchange between Clark and Lois at the end. She asks him how long it took him to figure it out and he replies he should have known sooner since she wasn't as bossy and Chloe let him drive. ♥♥ She then zings back, "Little sources tell me you don't mind my assertive flair." ♥♥♥♥♥ For me, that's EXACTLY what makes this version of Lois and Clark work - that he loves her for the very part of her nature that others dislike, even fear. In the words of the song Everything, "You see everything / you see every part / you see all my light / and you love my dark." That feels like true love in the making for me. And I for one suport the idea of them going slow: in the comics, they strung out the romance for over 50 years before Clark proposed after all! I do so love the journey that Smallville is taking us on and am in no hurry to get to the destination. Keep up the good work!
A lot of story was packed in the episode - I was trying to take concise notes during my 2nd viewing and left out many of the litle touches but they still covered 5 pages. We start with Chloe all alone at her own birthday party. She's bumbed out about the Jimmy breakup and Clark being too busy and the thankless job at Isis: I don't think its surprising or demeaning to her character that she expresses a bit of jealousy towards Lois. Lois took a long time to find her way but now her career in journalism is starting to skyrocket: she's the Planet's new "it" girl and gets the call to cover a breaking story in Mexico. Lois is a littlle too oblivious to Chloe's hurt at being abandoned, but that's human nature for you. Ollie tries to comfort Chloe but he too is called away, leaving her behind to be entertained by stage magician Zatanna, who unbeknownst to Chloe is the real thing with the ability to grant a wish. So Chloe makes a casual wish and much to her surprise, wakes up the next day in the body of Lois (or more precisely becomes a bit of both, someone I call ChloLo). Let the mayhem begin!
So why did ChloLo dress Lois's body in Chloe's clothes and venture to the Daily Planet, rather than just call Clark and ask him to meet her at the apartment? I think she definitely was curious to see what it would be like and was startled by the deference with which she was greeted by the intern. It does take a bit of suspension of disbelief to see how Lois has achieved such respect in the few years she's been at the job (and especially given the absence of any college education) but I'm prepared to do so in order to enjoy the fun. I think Chloe intended to tell Clark right off but is knocked off balance by his opening banter and the comment about her too tight outfit. So she winds up being caught up in the breaking story and only decides to tell Clark the truth when she realizes that her trouble with Zatanna is more than an isolated incident. She convinces Clark by revealing a bunch of the secrets only she knows (some great lines that Erica delivered wonderfully). They then go off to confront Zatanna, who justifies her actions as only giving people what the want until they don't want it any more. And without even warning Clark, she puts the whammy on him and disappears.
I did find it a little strange to have Clark wondering what it would be like without powers when he's made such tremendous strides over this season adapting to his role as Metropolis's guardian, the Red-Blue Blur. Granted the majority of his saves have happened offscreen, but we do know that he's been busy, and happily so as shown in Turbulence. Too busy perhaps: I don't doubt he was feeling guilty at missing Chloe's party and of course the powers mess up his potential relationship with Lois. But what makes his wish fresh teritory is that for the first time, he's actually interested in exploring a positive aspect of being normal - what if he was able to fully dedicate himself to being a journalist? He's starting to appreciate journalism as a real career and not just as convenient way to hear breaking news so he can switch costumes. That's good to see: one thing we do know from comics is that a powerless Clark makes a great reporter. I absolutely adored this version of reporter!Clark - he's still wet behind the ears and very much interested in acting by the book. He thinks nothing of showing "Lois" his framed copy of the rules (something real Clark would probably never have done.) He reminded me of a younger Lois the way he could rationalize all the strange events going on until something too wierd happens. For Lois, it was a barn door nearly killing her. For Clark, it was hearing the antique store owner's tale of magic and its price. And yet for reporter!Clark to fully make the transformation back to real Clark, it took a literal leap of faith. And in encouraging Clark to take the leap, ChloLo is transformed back to Chloe.
The climax of the episode on the roof of the Daily Planet is the part that took me two watchings to really appreciate. Since we learn right away that Zatanna intends for herself to be the sacrifice to bring back her father, much of the tension dissipates when Chloe is swept up into the spell instead: we kind of know Zatanna wouldn't sacrifice an innocent. But still, the opportunity to bring back a loved one is so tempting that Zatanna hesitates, giving Clark the opportunity to share some of his experience from Hidden and Reckoning. "We don't get to choose," he tells her and my heart breaks just a little for him. He tells Zatanna her father would never want to be brought back at such a cost: all they can do now is go on and do what they can to honour their parents' memory. It's a moving scene, delicately played.
As a result of their respective wishes, both Clark and Chloe have an epiphany of sorts, or more accurately have a confirmation that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. For Clark, he learns that a life without responsibility is not enough for him. As for Chloe, I'm so glad they've moved her away from that dead-end filler job at ISIS, one for which she was utterly unsuited. I know some will hate the idea that she's ceded the journalistic field to Lois, but I found it appropriate and in keeping with her actions ever since learning Clark's secret. Sure she dreamed of journalism since she was a kid, but reality doesn't always measure up to dreams. Or in Chloe's case, dreams don't always measure up to reality. When Grant accused her of losing her journalistic spark at the beginning of S6, I could see why - she was so committed to Clark and then Ollie that she stopped REPORTING the news and instead became part of MAKING it. I think she'll ultimately find her role as Watchtower very fulfilling, which is what I want for her.
Some stray thoughts:
- Tom Welling was utterly fantasitc. I don't just mean that in a physical sense - there's something in the energy he brought to this performance that makes me think he really enjoyed exploring these aspects of Clark's character. I loved how the nature of the interaction between "Clark" and ChloLo kept changing throughout the episode. First we saw real!Clark with what he thought was Lois, then real!Clark with "Chloe", then reporter!Clark with what he thought was Lois, then reporter!Clark starting to believe in "Chloe", then back to real Clark with Chloe then Lois. Every scene he was in sparkled.
- Erica Durance was great although she didn't quite nail being Chloe. I think she got some of the physical mannerisms but needed to do more with the voice. But that technical detail aside, I loved her performance, especially in the scenes when she's trying to convince reporter!Clark that he's really got superpowers. That scene on the rooftop where she tries to sneak up and knock him with a steel bar to prove he's invulnerable - too, too funny. And an interesting contrast with Blank I thought, where he so readily follows Chloe's lead. Another standout comes in the later scene on the street below the Daily Planet when she delivers one of Chloe's classic inspirational speeches, "If you won't believe in yourself, let me believe in you." Sniffle.
- Congratulations to Serinda Swan for doing a lovely job with Zatanna. I wasn't impressed by the first scene where she seemed a little tentative, but she later really dug into the role. She's so oblivious to the real havoc wrought by her wishes: has she never read stories about how wishes never turn out the way you want? And I loved how she showed her claws when Ollie tried to burn the spell book by leaving him tied up. And the comic fan in me really appreciated when she delivered her backwards magic spells and delivered the lines so well! Of all the DCU characters Smallville has introduced us too, I honestly can say I'd welcome her back the most.
- And a somewhat tepid welcome back to Ollie, although frankly he felt out of character from where we left him in Requiem. Sure I like the idea that he regretted the decision to kill Lex and even would like to undo it, but in Requiem he was in such a dark, self-justifying place. On the positive side, I did love how he refused to hand over the book to Zatanna when he realized it contained dark magic, and also the way his anger towards her in their final scene gradually dissipated until we got a nice little laugh at the end. I PREFER this Ollie to the one we saw in Requiem, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him yo-yo again.
This episode had some great dialogue with none of the heavy-fistedness of Infamous. I've already mentioned a few standout lines above but I think my favorite was the exchange between Clark and Lois at the end. She asks him how long it took him to figure it out and he replies he should have known sooner since she wasn't as bossy and Chloe let him drive. ♥♥ She then zings back, "Little sources tell me you don't mind my assertive flair." ♥♥♥♥♥ For me, that's EXACTLY what makes this version of Lois and Clark work - that he loves her for the very part of her nature that others dislike, even fear. In the words of the song Everything, "You see everything / you see every part / you see all my light / and you love my dark." That feels like true love in the making for me. And I for one suport the idea of them going slow: in the comics, they strung out the romance for over 50 years before Clark proposed after all! I do so love the journey that Smallville is taking us on and am in no hurry to get to the destination. Keep up the good work!
