It can be hard for family-focused shows to get the balance of their storytelling right. Root yourself too much in the perspective of the kids, and the adults can feel like boring wet blankets. Root yourself too much in the perspective of the parents, and the kids can feel like whiny punks. What’s impressive about the first five episodes of Superman & Lois is how much they’ve gotten me to care about both generations of the Lane-Kent family. I totally sympathize with Clark and Lois’ struggle to raise two very different teenage boys whose moods can swing drastically. But I also totally empathize with Jordan and Jonathan’s ongoing struggles with identity and community in their new hometown too. It’s a tricky balancing act that Superman & Lois makes look easy—even as it adds a whole new generation to the mix with flashbacks to Clark’s own teen years too.
While last week’s episode felt overcrowded with Big Bads and superhero struggles, “The Best Of Smallville” is one of the most tonally cohesive episodes of Superman & Lois yet. There’s forward moment on Chrissy and Lois’ investigation into Morgan Edge, while Captain Luthor ingratiates himself into the main storyline in a surprising and compelling way. But those storylines exist on the margins of an episode that’s first and foremost about family life in Smallville. Beneath the cozy exterior of the town’s annual Harvest Festival lurks all sorts of complex domestic drama—from long-term marital troubles to first high school breakups. And, naturally, it all comes bubbling to the surface at the most inopportune moments.
After plastering on a smile for the first few weeks of the family’s move, Jonathan finally snaps when his girlfriend Eliza dumps him the day she’s supposed to show up for a visit. Frustrated, Jonathan not only gets drunk and ruins Jordan’s first date with Sarah, he also threatens the stability of the Lane-Kent household by suggesting he’d prefer to live with family friends in Metropolis. It’s an emotional explosion that’s been a long time coming, but rather than punish his son or shut down his feelings, Clark approaches Jonathan with empathy. He gives him a one-time “get out of jail free card” for the drinking, and promises that if Jonathan still doesn’t like Smallville after giving the town a second chance, they can revisit the conversation about where he should live.
It’s a forgiving, empathetic parenting style that Clark learned from his own mom. Given how often Superman stories center on Clark trying to live up to his father(s), it’s nice to see Superman & Lois put Martha’s heroic influence front and center for once. It’s only in retrospect that Clark can look back and recognize just how selfless his mom was in supporting his journey of superhero self-discovery, even as it took him away from her at a time when she was still grieving the loss of her husband. Though the teen Clark flashbacks don’t have the same production values or acting confidence as the main storyline, they’re a strong thematic addition to the series. Clark’s surprisingly cruel teenage tantrum proves he wasn’t always a shining beacon of truth, justice, and the American way. That Clark had to grow into his sunny superheroism makes him a more relatably human character.
Though “The Best Of Smallville” isn’t the most conventionally exciting episode of Superman & Lois, it’s filled with wonderfully lived-in character moments that are thrilling in a different kind of way: Clark sweetly putting his head in Lois’ lap as the talk about the troubles of their day. Jordan immediately accepting Jonathan’s genuine apology. A dispirited Kyle suddenly realizing just how quickly his daughter is growing up. Superman & Lois tends to be strongest when it’s at its most personal, which is also why the latest twist with Captain Luthor is so exciting. It turns out that in his universe, Captain Luthor was married to Lois Lane. Which is how he knows exactly how to get on her good side as he continues his mission to track down Superman.
Having deduced that wherever Lois goes, Superman follows, Luthor poses as a Reuters tech reporter named Marcus Bridgewater and offers to team up with Lois to write an exposé on Morgan Edge. It’s a smart way to weave Captain Luthor into the Smallville-side of the series, and his personal connection to Lois makes his storyline way more exciting than it was before. Unfortunately, “The Best Of Smallville” is less successful at adding a more personal touch to the Morgan Edge X-Kryptonite throughline. The reveal that missing miner/misbegotten superhero experiment Derek Powell is dating Edge henchwoman Leslie Larr is a bit random. And Derek’s worried mom Sharon isn’t a particularly compelling character either. Still, at least it’s cool to watch an action scene unfold through the barns and fields of Smallville as Clark chases down Derek before he self-destructs.
True to its title, “The Best Of Smallville” manages to make the Lane-Kents’ new hometown feel more lived-in and expansive than it has before. I like the idea of Superman & Lois adding some Stars Hollow-esque quirk to balance out Smallville’s sepia-toned despondency. (Clark’s giddy excitement about the Harvest Festival is adorable.) It’s also a welcome surprise that the most moving moment of the episode centers on a bench that Lana dedicates to Martha’s memory. Ma Kent embodied the selfless communal values that Lois and Clark are trying to instill in their sons with their move to Smallville. And though Jordan and Jonathan will continue to make mistakes on their road to maturity, they’re well on their way to living up to their grandma’s ideals.
Stray observations
- The episode ends with a cliffhanger that sees a newly suited-up Tag attack Jordan. We’ll have to wait a while to see how it’s resolved though. Due to pandemic-related delays, Superman & Lois is going on hiatus until May 18.
- If you still want a Kryptonian in your life, however, the first chunk of Supergirl’s sixth season will be taking over the Superman & Lois timeslot starting next week. And I’ll be back with weekly reviews of that series as well!
- Lana organizing the donation portion of the Harvest Fest gave me major flashbacks to Cher Horowitz captaining the Pismo Beach Disaster relief drive in Clueless.
- Given that in the post-Crisis reality, Lex Luthor is seen as a heroic philanthropist, it’s a little weird that Lois openly discusses him as a villain.
- I couldn’t quite get a read on Wolé Parks’ vibe as an actor in his first two shadowy appearances, but I really love how he plays Captain Luthor in this episode. There’s a compelling mix of charisma and tragedy to his performance.
- Chrissy is another really fun addition to the series. “WWLLD: What would Lois Lane do?”
- This is the second episode in a row to feature someone in Smallville talking about taking a ride share. I like to imagine there’s just one local guy who does all the town’s driving.
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WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME?!
In the comics, Luthor and Lois were married on Earth-3, where the heroes were villains called the Crime Syndicate, and Lex was the only thing close to a hero in that world. (I think it’s back now, after DC’s Metal events.) Sounds like they might be playing with that idea, with Supes in his world becoming the tyrant Ultraman.
As far as Lois knowing their Luthor is a skunk, I’m assuming Clark got J’onn to re-open her memories, too. That’s a pretty big secret to keep from your wife, even on the CW. Of course, that would require Clark remembering he has a cousin, which he has yet to do on this show. Not even a phone call to say, “Hey, guess who’s developing powers? And, oh, there’s some guy out there with the weaponry to kill us. You might want to keep an eye out for him.”Then again, the Gotham crowd isn’t asking Kryptonians about what Kryptonite actually DOES to human bodies, so those chairs at STAR Labs must be getting dusty.
As far as Lois knowing their Luthor is a skunk, I’m assuming Clark got J’onn to re-open her memories, too. That’s a pretty big secret to keep from your wife, even on the CW. While that would be a good explanation and because Lois was on the crossover, it would make sense for her and all the heroes to be on the same page, but it would not explain Marcus Bridgewater (Captain Luthor’s alias) understanding what she meant. Though, ”yeah, yeah, he definitely has his secrets” does not really convey he does, but if Lex is good in this timeline, she probably would not have said it.Also, instead of a phone call, you’d think the boys would ask if he knows Supergirl.
The bigger question is how is this Lex even a thing if the multiverse was collapsed* in Crisis?(*) yes, yes, even Crisis immediately went out of its way to say “no the Multiverse is still totally a thing”
A variety of doppelgangers were brought to Earth. Guess he’s one of them.
To be fair, though, we haven’t seen any sign of Jessie Quick over on Stargirl’s Earth-2; and a bunch of people from other Earths ended up in National City post-Crisis, as well.
The Flash did help (off screen) Black Lightning give his daughter a new look. Now it looks as if Kate Kane and Ralph Dibny are get getting a make-overs.
In the comics, Luthor and Lois were married on Earth-3, where the heroes were villains called the Crime Syndicate…Comic Book Guy Mode.Earth-3 Lois is married to Ultraman. However, she was busy having affairs with Owl-Man and Alexander Luthor. And she involved them in plots against Ultraman.
Pretty sure that Lois was not Superwoman, who did all those things. Superwoman was the analogue to Diana?
The “original” Crime Syndicate Superwoman was analogue to Diana. But all of that was before the original Crisis of Infinite Earths. After COIE, that Superwoman and her history got completely erased.Post-Crisis, the Crime Syndicate Superwoman has been Lois Lane. It was she, not Diana, who hails from the Amazon island. She also has, for some reason, Heat Vision (writers love giving Lois Lane Heat Vision), along with the bracelets and a Lasso that lowers (or removes) the inhibitions of her captive. And, before this latest reboot, she’s Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Planet.
True; I was thinking the Lois that married the hero Luthor, which was wiped out in the comic-book Crisis. (Which they didn’t, nor shouldn’t have, followed word for word.)
I am sorry to say that based on all the evidence, and I have watched and liked every episode of this show, this iteration of Superman seems to have divorced itself from the “arrowverse” and I am not sure anything that occurred on Supergirl or the crossovers are “cannon” anymore. I know they have not said so explicitly, but all the little plot points are lining up that this show considers itself more “Stargirl” than an arrowverse show.
It’s actually not. Diggle is guest starring this season. That’s what makes the lack of references so weird to me.
Really? I do not keep up on casting news and stuff so that is interesting
While there’s no crossover this year, a certain Arrowverse alum is confirmed to be guesting in an episode later on (as well as directing another one), so I assume they’re just they’re just trying to keep this as broad strokes as possible for the time being. Though when Lois talked about childbirth as if it was years ago I thought “No, it was literally last year for you” though Crisis probably rolled that back.
Based on the age of the twins, S&L clearly takes place further in the future than Supergirl (last I checked), so that may explain some of the disconnect. I also have a hunch that they are deliberately staying away from Supergirl to avoid any hinting/spoiler-ing of Supergirl’s final season.
Agreed, I think there is at least a decade between the events of Supergirl and Superman which maybe they could explain with how Supergirl ends this year.
S & L is only about a year further than Supergirl will be when it picks up next week. So Crisis not only turned one baby into twins, but “back-dated” them years ago.
No, it’s not far in the future. The age of the twins is a Crisis change – instead of one infant, they have two teen boys now.
Yeah, this problem is never going away. Supergirl (the show) established that Earth is a refugee camp for aliens in a massive galactic community, and The Flash (and Black Lightning) established that metas can crop up from any number of non-alien sources.You basically can’t have a show with Superman & Lois’s vibe or general plot outlines that exists in the same universe as those. It just doesn’t work.They could have tweaked the military side of things to almost make sense with the post-Crisis world, but again, that would’ve sucked a ton of time away from the vibe they’re trying to establish. General Lane would’ve had to have dropped some mad exposition bombs about the DEO, Argus, Supergirl leaving government service, and how the world is (very poorly) dealing with the rise of powered individuals from all manner of sources.The non-military side? I don’t think it’s salvageable. Supergirl actually came closest to having a reasonable storyline about right-wing faux-populist xenophobia as it relates to metas and literal aliens; trying to do that again, but in a small town in the middle of nowhere, would be an entirely different show. But if you don’t do that, then everything feels wrong, because that is absolutely something that would be happening.You’d have to engage in South Park levels of parody about the insularity of small American towns. Heck, get the military directly involved. Instead of Operation Get Behind The Darkies, you’d have Operation Bury Middle America’s Collective Head In Sand. The military’s been given carte blanche to essentially set up half the country like one of those fake communities for dementia patients.
To add one more example: You’d think Kara would’ve been combing through Gotham looking for her galpal Kate Kane, right?
Especially since her flight was from National City, where she had gone to explicitly discuss the Kryptonite situation with Kara.
Sounds like they might be playing with that idea, with Supes in his world becoming the tyrant Ultraman.I have wondered also if that could be a version of Superman Prime. Granted I’ve only read about him on wikipedia so I’m not sure if it fits but Capt. Luthor noted that this Superman did not seem as fast to him, which makes me think his Supes could have the power of the pre-Crisis Superman.Of course it could be more likely that our Superman is good because of his raising by the Kents and then meeting and eventually marrying Lois Lane which kept him from being the evil bastard in the alternate universe.
I couldn’t agree more about Kara. It makes no sense for the show to have not name-dropped or even just hinted at her all so far when Supergirl was practically bending over backwards to name-drop Superman nearly every episode in its 1st season, and plenty of other times afterwards. And correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure Lex is the 1st Arrowverse character outside this show to have even been mentioned so far, though it’s also the most obvious character who’d be name-dropped. It’s beyond clear that this show just has no real desire to be a part of the connected Arrowverse, despite what the cast and crew have said so far
It’s especially weird because these versions of Superman and Lois were introduced on “Supergirl”. I still laugh thinking about the bit from the “Elseworld” crossover where Barry and Oliver teleport from Earth-1 to the Kent barn on Earth-38 while Lois is in it, and they scare each other, and Kara had to stop Lois from attacking them.
My stray observations are that I thought it was neat that Young Clark kind of favors Brandon Routh, and I’m really glad they did not end the show on the cliffhanger I expected when the episode first started.
I quite like Lois’s boss at the newspaper. She’s got a fun energy to her and I hope she doesn’t end up dead.It’s hard to really make anything of that Lex comment when this show hasn’t really done much to acknowledge anything Supergirl related, including Kara herself. You’d think with how prominent she’s been that people would know that Clark wasn’t the only Kryptonian left but I guess not.All I know about the guy playing Captain Luthor is that he was the devil on Vampire Diaries. That’s not as fun as that sounds.
i can’t help shake the feeling that they really wanted to cast Kate Micucci, but couldn’t so they went and found her taller doppelganger.
if so, I approve
I like Chrissy but her surname being Beppo makes me mad she’s not also a supermonkey.
Well, the season’s still young- there’s time to reveal her secret origin.
The Leslie Larr/Derek Powell did help convey that they weren’t going to go with the “wrapping loose ends” thing that they did with other guy.
Leslie may have already known what was going to happen to Derek. If so, she would’ve known no “wrapping up” was necessary. And in the meantime why not get a little more mileage out of him by sending him after Superman?
Seemed to be something… wrong… between Sarah and her father. I don’t think she has the same happy memories of that song as he does, and it makes me wonder why.
My assumption, as someone with an alcoholic father, was that it was no more than him being an alcoholic. Having your usually repressed father get all gushy and affectionate when he’s drunk is nauseating, especially to a teen. I really felt that scene.
I read it as her being generally frustrated by her father’s attitude when drunk and trying to get her on his side with a shared memory. Some hidden, abusive past would likely make the character totally unsympathetic.
I’m legit glad you were moved by the dedication ceremony, but I found it a little anti-climactic: “We’re going to memorialize your mother’s memory! It’s a plaque on a bench on the edge of the sidewalk in a dying town!”
The other thing that left me scratching my head was why Martha and Clark were waiting for the train so far away from the station. Couldn’t Smallville afford to put seating in the depot?
Given the economic situation of the small town I can imagine almost EVERYONE is a ride share driver.Also ooof with that action scene. I get there is a VFX budget but come on don’t make it that dark.Overall the show is hitting home runs every week.
It would be horrible to take ride shares in a small town! I don’t particularly want to talk to my driver, and to be forced to talk to them because we know each other from living in the same small town together would be torture.
Fyi based on timing it looks like this show is set after the events of the current Supergirl storyline, which was set in the spring of last year. I bet earth 1 luthor has been exposed as the villian to the public.
It would have to be, considering how old the twins are, right?? I haven’t watched Supergirl in a bit, but it was not implied that the twins grew up super (ha) fast and Lois was pregnant after Crisis, right?
Nope. Pre crisis Lois and Clark got married later in life and had a newborn last season. (they found out Lois was pregnant before Clark popped the question)
Post crisis, their relationship started earlier as did their marriage and the birth of their sons (now twins).
At the end of crisis, Lois informs Clark about their “boys” to which Clark, who just regained his old memories, is shocked.
Honestly I hope Cryer gets at least a guest run on S&L next season now that we know it’s been renewed. If for no other reason than, as a friend of mine suggested, his Lex would be petty enough to register for diversity-based grants in Capt. Luthor’s name.
oh God YES!
Patriarchal naming conventions are irksome.There’s been at least one version where Martha Clark and Jonathan Kent had Clark Kent, and I wish it’d been more widely embraced.Similarly, why couldn’t the teens be the Lane-Kents, or some other variation? One of ‘em is just a double-down dude legacy name.
Jon and Jordan are another entry into the CWVerse’s collection of Good Siblings (along with Alex and Kara, Anissa and Jen, and to a lesser degree Ollie and Thea), but man, nothing about them reads fourteen to me. I get why the show would have them be fourteen — it gives you more seasons of them at home, but it really is a thing you just kind of have to go with.
yep, the most unrealistic thing on this show is not that superman exists, it is those two are supposed to be 14..c’mon man. If you were going to age them, and they did, at least make it realistic and make them 17 or 18. They are probably even older than that IRL but 14?
Jordan’s actor is actually only 16. Jonathan’s is 19 though.
Interesting, but kids grow and age quick in those years. There is a HUGE difference in how a 14 year old looks vs. 16 vs. 18.
I wonder if Superman & Lois will end up having to do what other CW shows The 100 and Riverdale both eventually had to do & do a time jump so the “teen” characters are actually closer to their for real ages
I think only if all the related Arrowverse shows do a time jump together. This is a shared universe that’s not just lock-step in events, but at times also week-by-week.
I guess the ArrowVerse version of a time jump would be aging up the kids by sending them to a parallel earth or the future for a while
I think that happened to the comics version of Jonathan Kent, the current Superboy.
They don’t read 14 but they also don’t read 27 which is a step in the right direction for the CW.
We could just account the looks-older-than-14 to their inherited Kryptonian DNA just as Kal-El still looks very young for his age.
But wouldn’t it work the other way around so that the boys looked 11 or 12?
Not necessarily. They could mature quicker but age slower. Although Clark doesn’t really look that old in the flashbacks but I don’t know if they mentioned his age at that time.
His age wasn’t mentioned. I guessed him maybe senior year, 17 or 18, since I doubt he would’ve dropped out of high school. I mean, a rebellious phase sure but the future Superman having to get a GED? No.
Though I felt like the scene between drunk Jonathan and sober Jordan resolved itself a little too quickly, the rest of the episode continued to weave and intertwine its character arcs. So far we have nearly five hours worth of solid, legit additions to the Superman mythos.I do really like this trend of having Lois drop occasional one-liners on Clark that instantly hits the audience with a dose of common sense. In this one, it was her lovingly teasing Clark for being a “softie” on Jonathan.The writers really seem like they know the ins and outs of Superman / Clark / Kal-El and Lois Lane, and love squeezing in every last ounce of their traits that has made them great for generations. I am loving it. Feeling spoiled and lucky, even.
Yeah your 14 year old getting drunk is a big deal. Sorry, my dad would have killed me. I know it is laughable these kids are “14″ (they look 18 at least), but any good parent would not allow that and would severely punish a 14 year old drinking, especially at an event they were at. Clark letting it slide is way more how a parent would act if your kid was still living at home when 18 or 19, which is showing disapproval but realizing they are sort of adults. (not legal to drink but you know 18 year old do that kind of thing, everyone that age does)
Is that really how it is in the US? I’m British and grew up in a middle class home and from 14 when my friends and I would have parties our parents supplied alcohol. They didn’t buy us a huge amount but we got introduced to drinking fairly moderately in a controlled environment (someone’s parents were normally somewhere in the house). From other British people I know this seems to be fairly common over here.When I went to uni it was fairly obvious who had experiences like that as they tended to be the more sensible ones in freshers week as they knew their limits. I still find it bizarre that you can vote, get married and join the military at 18 but can’t get a legal drink. It just makes it more alluring.
I think you agree that there is a difference between “having a beer” in a controlled environment at home or a glass of wine and finding your 14 year old kid reeking of alcohol at a fair with all your neighbors there.
I really liked her shocked reaction when Clark let him off. I don’t remember the exact wording, either “We do?” or “You do?” but it was pretty perfect. Yes, Clark, talking to your wife about it before deciding not to discipline your kids is a good idea.
Exactly!
Now that Jonathan got dumped I am dreading the probably inevitable teen love triangle that I want this show to avoid
For the most part, the Kent kids have been scrupulously, almost unrealistically mature here. Not completely devoid of outbursts or teenage emotions, but they apologize quickly, they compromise readily, and they are usually willing to listen to reason. It’s one of the most refreshing things about the series because of course Superman’s kids would be ethical and kind.
I don’t really see how a standard TV love triangle plot would work without doing serious damage to that characterization since they almost always revolve around one or more of the parties being an idiot and/or an asshole. It seems like these characters, as written, would settle it with a conversation between the three of them, followed by one or both of the guys gracefully bowing out depending on what Sarah wants.
“There IS no escape from The Love Triangle!” – Terrible Writing Advice.
“The writers really seem like they know the ins and outs of Superman / Clark / Kal-El and Lois Lane, and love squeezing in every last ounce of their traits that has made them great for generations. I am loving it”Same here. Superman is my favorite character. This has been the best iteration of Superman since Christopher Reeve’s first two films in live action (Animated Supes has been pretty great too) . They captured his heart and what the idea of a Superman can be. Also, loved they sorta acknowledged that Mr. Cushing is Mexican-American. They touched on it briefly when he called his daughter Sarah, “mija” a few episodes back but that little song he sang while drunk after his friend was in the hospital was a nice touch. Who knew Smallville, Kansas was so diverse? I’m really enjoying this show and hope they continue to do justice to comics book’s first superhero.
At the BBQ 1-2 episodes ago, Lana tells Clark that the two of them are “OG” Smallville residents, but most of the adults in town (or just at that BBQ) were not born there. I think she included her husband in that group. So it makes sense that the diverseness we see in current Smallville are from people moving there, and not from being born and growing up there.
Was that a checkmate emblem on Jordan’s attacker ?
Came here to ask the same thing! I couldn’t tell if it was an eagle or horse head, but I hope it’s the latter. Checkmate would be cool to use, which I suspect they might since this show does seem to be rejigging the Smallville formula.
What I really like is how this is actually way more of a drama than any other of the CW superheroes shows. They have made the conscious choice to put the actual superman thing as the b-plot in every episode. I do think they are overdoing it a bit with Jonathan yelling how much he hates it there. Yeah, he had a girlfriend in Metropolis, but they are supposed to be what? 14 (haha sure). You get over that pretty quickly at that age. he has friends and is on the football team, it isn’t like he is being bullied or having something horrible happen to him.One big change that I do not think people will like here, but it is seeming more and more obvious each week, is that this show seems to be actively downplaying its connection to any of the arrowverse to the point where I do not even know if they consider what happened on Supergirl and the crossovers “cannon” anymore. They never explicitly said it, but from the Lex Luthor comment to their completely erasing any mention of the Flash or Supergirl from this, this could be in Stargirl’s world for all the show seems to care about what happened before. I do not know if this is a product of this being an HBO funded show where they want it to have its own identity.Morgan Edge is totally trying to make supermen. When it comes to “Captain Luthor”, yes this was “better”, but I am thinking more and more that this was a crutch that they did not need and really adds nothing to what they are doing. The family drama and the Edge stuff is compelling enough.
Juliet was 14. Maybe you do get over break-ups quickly, but are horribly miserable and dramatic until you do. Also, he’s on the bench on the football team where he was the star quarterback in Metropolis. That’s a huge blow to the ego right there. Plus he’s clearly been eating it and putting on a show for the family for weeks. He had to blow sometime.
I did not say not be upset at all, but his situation is not that bad. And being the backup quaterback at age 14 for a varsity football program is actually pretty good
But it’s still a downgrade from where he was.
If the school year had just started he wouldn’t have had much playing time anyway. Hardly “star quarterback.” And he and his girlfriend must have gotten together over the summer or in middle school.
Personally, I prefer that the show keep their distance from the other shows. I initially liked the first couple of seasons of Flash, and the occasional Supergirl episode, but I had a… let’s just say… low tolerance for all of those other CW shows. I’m glad this show is doing what it’s doing. I just hope they can maintain the momentum.
I agree. I know everyone raves about crossovers, but for as many people who geek out over them, there seem to be just as much that are annoyed because the only watch the Flash and do not want to be bothered figuring out what some other characters beef or plot is.
“Yeah, he had a girlfriend in Metropolis, but they are supposed to be what? 14 (haha sure). You get over that pretty quickly at that age. he has friends and is on the football team, it isn’t like he is being bullied or having something horrible happen to him.”As someone who broke up with their first girlfriend around 14, I can confirm that at that age a breakup feels like the end of the world and you think that you will never find love again.As far as Jonathan having friends, the only real friend he had made in Smallville was Sarah. The guys on the football team didn’t like him because Sarah’s boyfriend was made at Jordan, so Jonathan was guilty by association. So he wasn’t making any friends there. And by the time Jordan had made peace with the boyfriend, Jordan had joined the team and Jonathan was getting benched. Tag (?) – the guy that got powers – seems to be the only one on the team that is friendly with Jonathan, and he got powers and got taken away.I’m not even sure who the 2 guys who got Jonathan drunk were, but they didn’t seem like friends – just guys looking for someone their age who would get drunk with them.Up until this point, Jonathan’s life in Smallville has been pretty miserable. The only saving grace was that Eliza and he were still together, and now he doesn’t have that. Once he lost that relationship he realized that nothing in his life was good now that they’ve moved to Smallville.
MHA? >:7O
This episode started to veer a bit too much into the old Smallville formula for me, ironic given the title is “The Best of Smallville.” Loved the family drama and Captain Luthor stuff, but the fact that they need to give Superman another “meteor freak” to fight I think is a warning sign that the series will continually lean on this crutch (a previous episode got the action quota out of the way by having Superman perform some random heroic act in the intro). This also raises questions as to why they can’t drop the hammer on Edge sooner now. This isn’t teenaged Clark trying to keep his powers and identity secret, grown-up Superman has the general trust of the populace and allies in the military. Shouldn’t he be able to tell someone “I saw Morgan Edge’s assistant doing some shady experiments that led to someone’s death” and get traction that way? Did they even revisit the lab to see if there was evidence left there?
It’s not truly the Best of “Smallville” unless a pickup truck explodes.
Somebody Save me!
As for revisiting the lab, when the episode ended it was still the same night. There hasn’t been time.
True they could always touch on it in a future episode. I just expected after that guy exploded maybe there should’ve been a quick tag of Clark doubling back to the lab to find it cleared out or something. Or have Chrissy check it out. No one brings it up again like it’s a dead end.
We haven’t heard from Chrissy and I don’t remember if Clark knows about the lab at this point. And Jordan’s situation might be a distraction. I don’t know if they dropped it or not.
Okay, no. I rewatched the last part of the episode and it was the following day. Clark and Lois talked about what happened at the mine but the lab wasn’t mentioned.
This is the second episode in a row to feature someone in Smallville talking about taking a ride share. I like to imagine there’s just one local guy who does all the town’s driving. Yes, please, show us Smallville’s Kirk! This is something I need to see.When Clark was fighting with his mother, something hit me that I don’t remember noticing before. Everyone knows about the Moses story background in Superman, but there are also elements of folk tales like Thumbelina, where an aged couple who can’t have children are rewarded by finding one in their garden. Something about him saying his purpose wasn’t to be her son was what made me realize it. It’s funny how you can know a story your whole life and never notice little details like that.
#MakeSmallvilleStarsHollow
I w0nder if Captain Luthor’s relationship with Lois is going to get as messed up and creepy as Juliette and Renard on Grimm. I hope soSuddenly I am less thinking Lana and Kyle are going to work things out I like Sarah but she maybe could be a little more consistent
What was up with Kyle and Sarah and that Spanish song?
that scene puzzled me but obviously for all that she has been defending her dad, Sarah has some issues with him too
Cynically, I’ve assumed that Leslie is dating Derek only to the extent necessary to use him to further her boss’s project.
Decent episode. Good stuff with the twins, and I actually like the Edge investigation so far. Jury’s still out on Luthor. I’ll need to see more, but for his first major episode with something to do, he felt a little generic. My main thing was the young Clark flashbacks didn’t resonate for me. I don’t know if it was the Martha they cast, (who gave off tacky beautician vibes) or the fact that Clark left Smallville so young and never (never?) returned. Leaving when he was still a relative nobody, and being gone as long as they say, doesn’t square with how they’ve presented his relationship with the town and its people.
I don’t think we’ve been told the definitive timeline for young Clark yet, but I don’t think he “never” returned. He would obviously come back and visit his mom all the time. He’s Superman – it would take seconds for him to get there.Lana told Lois in the last (?) episode that Clark left Smallville and moved to Metropolis (we learn in this episode that he actually went to find/build the Fortress first, but as far as she knows, he went straight to Metropolis) and that when he came back he was a different person (which she assumed was all because of Lois). So Clark did return to Smallville, but by this point he lived in Metropolis, so he was just visiting.
My usual random thoughts: 1. “All of you are gonna love it!” Which means they’re all going to hate it. 2. I knew Eliza was going to dump Jonathan but I was surprised it happened so early. And of course now Jordan has everything Jonathan used to have. 3. There’s more to missing son’s return. And sure enough. He must have been one of Edge’s earlier experiments before the bugs were worked out. 4. Clark’s Earth dad Jonathan died much earlier in this version. I guess he has to be absent so the focus can be on Martha. How did she run the farm, even with Clark’s help? And especially after he left? 5. Capt. Luthor is back. Crap. At least the fake reporter thing is different but would Lois know someone at Rueters and be able to check his story if necessary? 6. This week it’s Jonathan’s turn to be a brat. Based on the flashback it runs in the family. 7. More underage drinking. At least there were consequences. 8. Chrissy is on the trail. Lois is rubbing off on her. But why do secret labs never have alarm systems? 9. Were Derek and Leslie an item or was she simply manipulating him?10. Oh boy! Poorly lit action sequences! My favorite!11. Another reference to being “resurrected.” And “I’m already dead.” I wonder if they’re picking up cues from Metallo?12. Capt. Luthor’s weapon created a red flash? Red sun energy or was that Derek? If it was Capt. Luthor’s weapon, why would it affect Derek? His powers didn’t come from a yellow sun.13. I doubt Clark dropped out of high school so he was what, 18 when he left home? He said he was “a couple of years older” than the twins. 14. Capt. Luthor was married to his version of Lois? There’s some precedent in the comics.
And if that one ride share driver’s name isn’t Kirk, I will file an official protest.
Really like where this show is heading, and hate to lose it for ~6 weeks. Looking forward to its return, especially the Diggle plotline.
Morgan Edge’s assistant, Leslie Larr, is actually Lesla-Lar the Kandorian science criminal? She’s resurrecting Kryptonians in human bodies with X-Kryptonite? This would be much more meaningful if Supergirl, Argo, hologram Jor-El, & Phantom Zone of criminals weren’t still around.
X-Kryptonite empowered Streaky the Super Cat! Is Streaky alive again Post-Crisis?
The colorful X-ray vision looks nifty.Clark is super excited about chocolate-covered bacon on a stick!
I think it’s more Leslie & Co. are resurrecting normal humans by exposing them to X-kryptonite and giving them powers in the process. I suspect Leslie is similarly reanimated but a later experiment.And heck, I’m excited about chocolate covered bacon on a stick too. I grew up in a small Midwestern town and it sounds very much par for the course.
It does sound yummy!
On that note, the weirdest county fair food I found in the town next to mine (which has the Fairgrounds) was caramel-covered bananas and deep-fried Twinkies. I could be misremembering the details, because I needed some liquid courage to try those.
She’s resurrecting Kryptonians in human bodies with X-Kryptonite?This is where I’m leaning, too.
Are the Kents ever going to do farming?
We’ve seen Clark picking up the tractor and looking at it and that’s about it. He could probably tend the farm by himself at super speed. OTOH, Martha was there alone for maybe 20 years (assume Clark left at 18 and he’s in his 40’s now); I wonder how she operated the farm?
I’m assuming she had some farmhands from town working for her. No way she could run the whole place herself.
We literally see in this episode Clark plowing the crops (or whatever it’s called) while flying to gather all of the corn they use for the harvest festival.
Leslie Larr.I can’t believe it took me this long to get it.
Apparently in this universe, Lana was Clark’s friend since childhood and did NOT find out he has superpowers, and the town of Smallville has only been around since (if I heard right) 1949? I thought it was much older than that, with the Kents having been farmers for 5 generations. And I think the Kent Farm, if not the whole town, was a stop on the Underground Railroad.Pretty cool of young, masked vigilante Clark (where’s he get THAT idea) to swat away a bullet mid flight. He could have let it bounced off his chest of dodged it and let it hit the burglar behind him, so that tells us something else about him. He would prefer to end fights quickly with minimum pain.Given that in the post-Crisis reality, Lex Luthor is seen as a heroic philanthropist, it’s a little weird that Lois openly discusses him as a villain.Lois Lane, investigative journalist, would always know that Lex Luthor is a douchebag, no matter what he tells the public.
Having Malina Weissman or Izabela Vidovic show up in the teen Clark flashbacks would do a lot to solidify this show’s connection to the other Berlanti shows without having to get Melissa Benoist involved if her contract is ending.
I really don’t understand why Clark couldn’t have shown up to put out the fire *as Superman,* especially since they showed news stories earlier in the episode talking about how there’s been an uptick in global Superman activity recently. Superman has always been known for flying all around the world and showing up in random spots where he’s needed.
I also thought it was weird that they were discussing Lex as a villain in the new Post-Crisis universe.
Also weird, not having mentioned cousin Kara a single time all season long.