Season Seven: Live in Girlfriends, Long Lost Cousins, and Dark Doppelgangers

[BkWurm1]

Season seven:  Too Close for Comfort -  Live in Girlfriends ,  Long Lost Cousins, and Dark Doppelgangers

 

This season is memorable as both the shortened season due to the writer strikes and as the end of Al/Miles helming the show.  They’ve in recent interviews said that the CW pretty much forced them out due too creative and business differences so we’ll never know where the show might have gone.  What they left us in seven were clones.

 

Clark gets Bizarro.  Lana gets a spare that somehow was never alive so it was ok that she blew it up in an SUV.  Lex builds the baby brother he never got to know…and then kills him when like all siblings, they tattle on you to daddy.  Oh and Lois dates him.  Go you cougar go!  Chloe doesn’t get a clone but she does emulate a pod person as she freaks over her meteor freak status.  Kara awakes from suspended animation, gets a stupendous intro, heroically soaring into the sky to the tune of a Kelly Clarkson song (Sober)  and then pretty much goes downhill from there.  Clark almost hits on her.  Awkward!  Also awkward when Clark takes the big blue elongated crystal he got from Kara and shows it to Lana.  Hey!  Keep that in the family!

 

The farmhouse is a burstin’ when Lana and Kara move in with Clark while Martha is away in Washington DC. Pity only Lionel calls.  She’s going to get real lonely by the end of the season.  Clark runs at least once to DC looking for a secret government facility.  Too bad he didn’t know anyone high up in the government (or at least stop in to say hi!)

 

Product Placement Pete swings by to assure you that your Extra gum is now kryptonite free, (phew!) In other news, One Republic got caught while stopping and staring as they broke into an abandoned warehouse full of gum...that clearly wasn't really abandoned. Ok, they didn't get caught, but they should have!

 

Fortunately for all our sanity, Brainiac is also back and in hindsight he had a very good idea: just make it like none of this ever happened.

 

Too late.

Edited August 14, 2014 by BkWurm1

[Athena]

@BkWurm1 As requested, I changed the title. Let us know if you need anything else in the future. 

 

I only watched like two episodes of this season. I couldn't with the Lana/Clark. 

[Whimsy]

I admit it- I watched every episode of every season, even when it felt like a chore. ;)

[BkWurm1]

At this point I've seen everything at least once.  The first half of 9 and all the non-Chloe episodes of 10 took a couple years to get to but in the end I wanted to know if it was as really as bad as I imagined it would be. 

 

At times it was far worse. 

 

I admire both the stalwart hearts that sat through it all and the sensible souls that knew when to leave to reduce the scarring.  In the end, we all have been battered and abused by Smallville. 

 

This is pretty much therapy.  ;p

Edited August 13, 2014 by BkWurm1

[wingster55]

Wait @BkWurm1, you forgot about Pete's return and jumping right into his product placement ways! 

[GHScorpiosRule]

This is how much of a masochist I am, or maybe it's that Tom Welling's gorgeousness and those beautiful, beautiful ever changing eyes from blue to green to bluish green, greenish blue, depending on what he wore, has some magick powers...but other than season 9, which I've watched twice, on air, then dvd, and the last season, only on air, I've watched all seasons, like, four times.

 

As for this season? Kara did NOTHING for me. I will admit, I couldn't understand why Chloe freaked out over her, well, meteor power, this season also showed me how strong the friendship between Clark and Chloe was, and it just went all to smithereens the following season, which I won't even get into, it's so rage inducing.

[BkWurm1]

Wait @BkWurm1, you forgot about Pete's return and jumping right into his product placement ways! 

In your honor this was added to the season seven summary:  :)

 

Product Placement Pete swings by to assure you that your Extra gum is now kryptonite free, (phew!) In other news, One Republic got caught while stopping and staring as they broke into an abandoned warehouse full of gum...that clearly wasn't really abandoned. Ok, they didn't get caught but they should have!

[BkWurm1]

...

but other than season 9, which I've watched twice, on air, then dvd, and the last season, only on air, I've watched all seasons, like, four times.

 

Through season 8 I can probably attest to the same though I stopped buying DVD's at season six I think.  I might still pick up seven and eight if they ever were real cheap but that's it. 

 

Pay no attention to seasons 3-10 currently on my back up hard drive to my DVR - they are there for research purposes only. 

 

There was a time when I loved this show in a pure and unfettered way and sometimes I'll flip the channel and find it on TBS (actually not sure if it is still on it or not) and the magic just starts up again.

 

Even though I know how it ends, it still surprises me every time! LOL ;)

[GHScorpiosRule]

Heh. I have all nine seasons; haven't gotten 10 yet. though I think I need to get 3 again, and...gee, this is better suited to the media thread? Is there a media thread? If not, I'll create one and then maybe a mod can move it there?

 

Anyhoo, Season's 3 episode, where that kid thinks he's an alien? But it's all in his head? That one episode is mucked up and that disc freezes. Sigh...Or was that season 2?

 

And I want to thank you, @BkWurm1 , for not making fun of my Tom Welling lust.

[BkWurm1]

And I want to thank you, @BkWurm1 , for not making fun of my Tom Welling lust.

 

One does not make fun of such a serious topic.  :)

[wingster55]

Anyhoo, Season's 3 episode, where that kid thinks he's an alien? But it's all in his head? That one episode is mucked up and that disc freezes. Sigh...Or was that season 2?

 

Yup...season 2. Visitor.

 

In your honor this was added to the season seven summary:  :)

Product Placement Pete swings by to assure you that your Extra gum is now kryptonite free, (phew!) In other news, One Republic got caught while stopping and staring as they broke into an abandoned warehouse full of gum...that clearly wasn't really abandoned. Ok, they didn't get caught but they should have!

 

I love it. 

Edited August 14, 2014 by wingster55

[DigitalCount]

This was actually the season where I feel like I started to become involved in the online fandom, and this was also the point where Smallville started to become less of a show and more of a thing, if that makes sense. I had already been doing get-togethers with my friends where we would watch Smallville in S6, and I read reviews and such during S5, but S7 was really where I started to make the effort to talk about the episodes, analyze the plot threads, and when I found out that Chlois was an actual thing that other people (other than me!) believed would happen.

 

Kara was a good idea in theory, IMO, but it was kind of weird, with the pseudo-incesty vibes and the Karex, and it was amidst all the clones. Also, she should have been more heavily involved in the finale for realsies, but I understand why we got the ending we did. Except they really should have made the effort to end it this season, they really could have, but no.

 

Still bitter we never got a Flana reveal.

 

Also, Stride Gum.

Edited August 29, 2014 by DigitalCount

[pootlus]

This season started off really well - the first episode was mostly action-y and not at all soapy and yeah, Kara made a great entrance - but after that it's like they didn't know what to do with her at all.

 

Also I seem to remember one of Cracked series on 'weird themes in early comics' where Kara hits on Clark in a major way, so I don't think the sort-of incest-y vibe is unique to Smallville.

 

Mostly I remember this one for the time my 90's crush Dean Cain showed up and reminded me that there's a Superman show that doesn't send me into fits of rage, or regretful what-if rants.

 

Mind you I do have the 10-season box set (and very pretty it is too thanks to a large picture of Mr Welling on the side).

[BkWurm1]

Mostly I remember this one for the time my 90's crush Dean Cain showed up and reminded me that there's a Superman show that doesn't send me into fits of rage, or regretful what-if rants

 

Dean Cain may have made an iffy Superman, but he was still the best Clark Kent ever. 

 

I enjoyed his appearance on Smallville for how he managed to make his character both scary and sympathetic.  He pulled off one of the few episodic bad guys that wasn't just one note.  I really wished he could have been a reoccurring character. 

[BkWurm1]

Just have to get in in now about how much I loved the music montage at the end of this season opener. So much poignant and meaningful imagery (minus the blond wig in the sea of glossy black hair - best place to hide a needle isn't in a haystack, it's with other needles). I had serious issues with the way they had Clark brush aside what happened to Chloe and the dumbass discovery of Kara's space ship. No touch! And don't get me started on Gabriel Grant. Or was that in episode two?

Seven is AlMiles' last season and a shortened one due to the writer's strike that was happening. I have my issues but I also now look back on it rather kindly knowing what's to come. When eight starts, they don't even pretend to care about the show or the characters history anymore, so I should be grateful to have seven. i loved the parallels they seemed to be making and again, I had some great expectations while watching. Sigh.

[GHScorpiosRule]

At this point in the series, the only thing that kept me watching was Tom Welling's gorgeousness/prettiness/and his ever changing eyes, depending on what he was wearing.  And any time he looked mussed up, bloody, bruised, I turned into a pile of mushy goo.

 

What?

[BkWurm1]

Sometimes all you can do is take a lap around the shallow end of the pool.

[farrah]

I liked it! A lot. I can't believe, Lex knows. Wow. I am just in awe of how great this season was for Lex. I loved his friendship with Clark in the first three seasons and to be honest I was sad at its fracturing through seasons 4 and 6. I knew it had to happen but my biggest problem was how Lex was being written, there seemed to be little direction at times. But if you want to escalate him fully towards the dark side, then this is how you do it. All season long it seemed as if we were building to that moment when he kills Lionel and meets Clark in the fortress. He was so focused and had an actual team of people working for him that we saw for several episodes. I don't know why I liked that so much but I did. All his interactions with Clark, throughout the season, I just realized I think, how invested I am in these two. 

 

I found myself a bit frustrated with Clark early on in the season but overall I think it was a good season for him too. For better or worse, Clark has wanted a normal life and he seemed to be getting that briefly but his life comes with such complications and so much baggage I can't help but feel sorry for him. I thought it was nice that the writers allowed him to have some say in his issues with Lana and it wasn't just that Clark was so mistrustful and Lana was completely justified. I think both had some valid issues with each other but I've noticed usually only Lana gets to say what's on her mind. But not this season. That was interesting. Clark was moved by everyone around him this season telling him what he should or shouldn't do, I felt his inner conflict and sometimes probably even frustration. His self doubt bothers me but his heart is always in the right place.

 

I can't say enough good things about Clark and Lex. I loved that Clark said he would always look out for the good side of Lex in Fracture. I think my heart melted. And then in Descent. Descent has to probably me my favorite episode so far. Top three definitely. In Descent it really becomes clear how dangerous Lex is because he believes he's right. And then their confrontation in the last episode. Lex saying he loved Clark like a brother and Clark nodding! Where can they go from here?? Please don't say memory being erased!!

 

I felt sorry for Clark and Lana. They tried so hard but it's just something or the other with them. It seems to me Lana is now definitely off the show because they seemed to be easing her off with her not in any episodes and then she broke up with Clark. I don't mind them moving on but did she have to break up with Clark like that? 

 

I don't like Chloe's power and I still don't like her and Jimmy together. I thought Jimmy had better chemistry with Kara. But Chloe is growing into a hero of her own. I love that. The Clark and Chloe friendship is one of the highlights for me. They're like my safe zone in the show because no matter what I know they have each other's back. So how much did I cheer Chloe on in Traveler! And how much did I love how happy Clark was for her happiness in Apocalypse! So much. What a truly, beautifully written relationship. I'm really curious about what Brainiac said to her about what she was?!

 

I enjoyed the sibling like rivalry between Chloe and Lois this season too. It seemed fairly natural actually. I wish there were more scenes of them together though. I didn't think anyone could have less chemistry than Chloe and Jimmy but Lois and Grant happened. It wasn't a bad storyline, I actually liked Grant, but their scenes together were just too boring. 

 

I like where the show seems to be going with Clark and Lois. Their friendship seems to be building consistently and it's a different kind of friendship that I think has snuck up on them. I really loved what Lois said about Clark in Siren and how she was there for him in Apocalypse and Arctic. I noticed this around Crimson last season and this season has just made me think even more, I actually think Lois has developed some real feelings for Clark. As in romantically.

 

I liked Kara but she was really wasted for a lot of the season. But some of her scenes were very good. She had some good chemistry with Jimmy and Lex. 

 

Why did they bring Pete back for that?!

 

Brainiac was used much better in this season than season 5. I can see why he's such a pain in the ass because you just can't seem to get rid of him.

 

I tried to make sense of the Krypton/Lara/Zorel storyline but I failed. I'm just going to zone out certain things I don't understand, I've learnt from the stones storyline in season 4 lol. But it was really interesting that they tried to fill in some holes there in Veritas. That the Teagues were in pursuit of the stones regarding the traveler and how these four families were working together. Great stuff. 

 

My favorites of the season were Cure, Siren, Traveler, Veritas, Descent, Apocalypse, Arctic,

 

Really excited for season 8! Please don't disappoint! 

Edited August 24, 2015 by farrah

[BkWurm1]

He was so focused and had an actual team of people working for him that we saw for several episodes. I don't know why I liked that so much but I did.

 

They finally let him have allies and people he could interact with rather than just keep him isolated or stuck waiting out accusations.  Or Lana.  ;p

 

I don't like Chloe's power and I still don't like her and Jimmy together. I thought Jimmy had better chemistry with Kara. But Chloe is growing into a hero of her own. I love that. The Clark and Chloe friendship is one of the highlights for me. They're like my safe zone in the show because no matter what I know they have each other's back. So how much did I cheer Chloe on in Traveler! And how much did I love how happy Clark was for her happiness in Apocalypse! So much. What a truly, beautifully written relationship. I'm really curious about what Brainiac said to her about what she was?!

 

I'll just co sign this part of your post.  I will break some bad news to you.  NOTHING EVER comes of what Brainiac said to her.  NOTHING.  Grrrr.  It was such a great moment too.  Sadly all I guess he meant to express was surprise that she was able to resist and weaken him. Something to do with Brainiac does happen to Chloe, but the line never comes up again. Also spoiler for next season (which I feel like I owe you since the show runners had to tell the fans in an interview rather than actually filming it), but Chloe loses her meteor ability during the attack.  It's fanon amongst some groups that she retained the ability to self heal and eventually activates that and thus would live a VERY long life.   

 

Really excited for season 8! Please don't disappoint!

 

No spoilers for this but I'd say I enjoyed quite a bit of season 8.  I mean loved really.  I had major cases of whiplash in the beginning from all the what the hell and where did that come from In the first couple episodes (mostly about Lois) and Lana 's return (just for a handful of episodes) were jaw dropping in their eventual stupidity (but that's normal for me to think).  I LOVED the new guy they brought on the show.  I DID NOT love the ending.  I'll save anything more for after you've seen season 8. 

In Descent it really becomes clear how dangerous Lex is because he believes he's right. And then their confrontation in the last episode. Lex saying he loved Clark like a brother and Clark nodding! Where can they go from here?? Please don't say memory being erased!!

 

Tell me if you really want to know. 

OH!  One lovely thing to look forward to in season 8.  Clark looks REALLY hot in the first episode.  Who knew grey could look so good?

Edited August 24, 2015 by BkWurm1

[farrah]

Or Lana.  ;p

 

LOL.

 

I'll just co sign this part of your post.  I will break some bad news to you.  NOTHING EVER comes of what Brainiac said to her.  NOTHING.  Grrrr.  It was such a great moment too.  Sadly all I guess he meant to express was surprise that she was able to resist and weaken him. Something to do with Brainiac does happen to Chloe, but the line never comes up again. Also spoiler for next season (which I feel like I owe you since the show runners had to tell the fans in an interview rather than actually filming it), but Chloe loses her meteor ability during the attack.  It's fanon amongst some groups that she retained the ability to self heal and eventually activates that and thus would live a VERY long life.

 

Wow, ok. That's interesting. I somehow find that fanon idea incredibly organic. Like I could see that happening. 

 

Tell me if you really want to know.

 

Please, if you don't mind. I won't start season 8 till tomorrow night of day!

[BkWurm1]

I'm going to give you a bit more info before I tell you. First, the actor playing Lex does not appear again on Smallville until the finale episodes in season ten. Lex is presumed dead or missing at first and then later his presence and influence is felt and seen (shadowy figure) and they use a stand in to do something to him (spoilers) that does not involve him losing his memory in season eight. If you still want to be spoiled about the season ten I can send you a private message.

[wingster55]

I have to say, Descent had perhaps the most epic Clark-Lex scenes that season even including the finale. That beginning when Clark is at LuthorCorp post Lionel murder, and that walk and stare was awesome. 

 

Descent was the right title? 

 

Also the actress who played, I think, Dr. Swann's daughter? was really hot. Just sayin

Edited September 1, 2015 by wingster55

[BkWurm1]

I had some high expectations come out of that episode. I really thought after Lex unjustly fired Chloe she would fight to take down Lex and get the DP out of his clutches. Instead the new show runners used it to get her out of the way so Lois could be elevated and when Clark suddenly joined be his "superior" and partner, impossibilities if Chloe was still there.

Why was Smallville always so much better in my head than on screen?

[DigitalCount]

I have to say, Descent had perhaps the most epic Clark-Lex scenes that season even including the finale. That beginning when Clark is at LuthorCorp post Lionel murder, and that walk and stare was awesome.

Descent was the right title?

Also the actress who played, I think, Dr. Swann's daughter? was really hot. Just sayin

Both of these points make me wish I could like this post more than once.

[Gilmorefan]

I just finished the second episode of this season. It's not bad, but it's nothing impressive yet. But I did think the scene between Lex and Lana was very powerful, the one where she couldn't kill him.

[Gilmorefan]

Just finished this season. Overall, not bad. Not very good either, but it ended on a high note. The Clark/Lex scene at the very end was great. Lana's final scene almost had me tearing up (and I hate Clana) and I'm happy that Chimmy got engaged (or are about to).

[BkWurm1]

Just finished this season. Overall, not bad. Not very good either, but it ended on a high note. The Clark/Lex scene at the very end was great. Lana's final scene almost had me tearing up (and I hate Clana) and I'm happy that Chimmy got engaged (or are about to).

You mean after Jimmy colluded with her enemy and worked against her behind her back and then felt so guilty when she was in the hospital that he bought a fake ring in some desperate attempt to save their relationship, all the while Chloe is barely paying him any attention because she has the fate of the world to deal with? 

 

Sorry, not a fan of Chimmy. 

 

The final show down between Lex and Clark was great.  Lana's video at the time made me crack up since that is also how she broke up with Whitney in season two.  Also enraged me since Clark is the one that needed IMO to realize she was never going to work and their love was based on a mutual fantasy.  They came so close to that happening.  If she hadn't fallen into a coma (aka got a part in a movie) organically, a break up should have been the next step.  They were so just fooling themselves at the end.  But alas, like the best things on Smallville, nothing came of it. 

[Gilmorefan]

You mean after Jimmy colluded with her enemy and worked against her behind her back and then felt so guilty when she was in the hospital that he bought a fake ring in some desperate attempt to save their relationship, all the while Chloe is barely paying him any attention because she has the fate of the world to deal with?

Sorry, not a fan of Chimmy.

The final show down between Lex and Clark was great. Lana's video at the time made me crack up since that is also how she broke up with Whitney in season two. Also enraged me since Clark is the one that needed IMO to realize she was never going to work and their love was based on a mutual fantasy. They came so close to that happening. If she hadn't fallen into a coma (aka got a part in a movie) organically, a break up should have been the next step. They were so just fooling themselves at the end. But alas, like the best things on Smallville, nothing came of it.

Ha, I'll give you that, on Chimmy. It felt sort of out of character for Jimmy. It was to protect her though, so he had good intentions.

Totally forgot about Lana doing that to Whitney. Poor Whitney. I liked him.

I totally thought that Smallville was leading up to an actual break up. I thought that it would happen after their argument in Wrath (I think it was Wrath) where Lana realizes Clark just loves the image of her he has in his head. But no, of course not.

Edited September 30, 2015 by Gilmorefan

[DigitalCount]

They had a couple of good blowouts this season, one in Wrath and one in Siren, and then there was a good conversation where Bizarro called Clark out for not really loving Lana. They were all undercut in the end, though.

But for one glorious moment...there were some bombs that needed to be dropped in those conversations. Really, these three needed another Nemesis.

[BkWurm1]

Seven was the season cut short because of the writer's strike, KK cutting out early for a movie roll (hence coma Lana) and it being AlMile's last season as show runners. I have to wonder if all or any of those factors had gone differently if we might have had a far more satisfying end to Clark and Lana.   

[GHScorpiosRule]

Seven was the season cut short because of the writer's strike, KK cutting out early for a movie roll (hence coma Lana) and it being AlMile's last season as show runners. I have to wonder if all or any of those factors had gone differently if we might have had a far more satisfying end to Clark and Lana.   

 

I dunno, I guess I'm just weird, but I don't think so, because the people hacks who took over, had been with the show since Season 2, and executive producers since Season 3? So it's not like they didn't know or weren't aware of how the show had been run before Miller and Miles left. It's why I don't cut them any fucking slack.  These idiots are the same ones who came up with the idea of a show about Dick Grayson being a teenager when his parents were killed, doing stuff that had nothing to do with the origin. So glad it got shitcanned but fast.  Souders and Peterson, I believe their names are/were, whatever.

 

And damn you, Bkwurm for resurrecting my love for the potential that could have been a.k.a. as Clark and Chloe as more than just friends with your eloquent and wonderful posts!

[BkWurm1]

It's why I don't cut them any fucking slack.  These idiots are the same ones who came up with the idea of a show about Dick Grayson being a teenager when his parents were killed, doing stuff that had nothing to do with the origin. So glad it got shitcanned but fast.  Souders and Peterson, I believe their names are/were, whatever.

 

I do not cut them any slack. If anything, I was trying to blame them for the crap we got, lol.  The ones that took over had spent years working with AlMiles and my gut tells me they thought the easiest way to "fix" the show was lining it up to common comic canon and then the actual writing would happen and the show would take them to other places because of the established histories and personalities of the characters only for the show runners to pull themselves up short and try to squish their square pegged show back into round holes.  They also in season eight and part of nine I think had some bold ideas that they totally chickened out on.  Boo. 

 

And damn you, Bkwurm for resurrecting my love for the potential that could have been a.k.a. as Clark and Chloe as more than just friends with your eloquent and wonderful posts!

 

I welcome your condemnation.  Sometimes misery really does enjoy the company. 

 

Oh, the potential was all lined up.  Again and again and again. Like destiny constantly trying to correct the miss-steps of the universe.   Yes, I am  feeling hyperbolic and a bit maudlin tonight.    

 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Is there an Unpopular Opinion thread here? Because I found Kara to also be a huge fail. Did the network think this as well, since they got rid of her, but fast?  And her accent whenever she said "about" was really distracting.

 

The only bright spot continues to be Clark and Chloe's friendship; well, except for the beginnings of the BDA. Which naturally started after Braniac did that whatever it was he did to Lana.

 

I did love that stock photo of Martha (a very young Annette O'Toole) in "Lara."

 

Ah, retcon city with the whole Veritas nonsense.  Like I said in the previous season thread, I still remain confused as to why Lionel locked up Clark in the kryptonite cage, and why he hired that sadistic fuck to monitor him.

 

And all this talk about what a pacifist, peace loving man/leader Jor-El was; clearly his sentient being is not. I still remember "Covenant" show!  And all this talk about purpose. Yo Jor-El! Your planet was going to be destroyed in minutes! You were all going to DIE. You were supposed to have sent your son to a planet where he would survive and thrive. The constant talk and lectures about training and punishments, were aggravating; not to mention have Martian MAN HUNTER as a soldier of Jor-El's! UGH.

 

Oh, you BDA, even after "Labrynth" last season, you decide to go after Lana, yet you tell Chloe that she was the only one who believed in him, and you don't know what you would ever do without her? Disconnect, anyone?

 

And Lex truly has no more layers his last season. Turned into a conscienceless serial murderer.

 

And someone really needs to explain to me the...crazy as in loony fanaticism of Edward Teague.

 

Oh and I noticed that this is the season, we lost Clarke/Tom's endearing toothy smiles. I think we got only one or two. Also sad is how we've lost the boyish charm.

Edited October 20, 2015 by GHScorpiosRule

[BkWurm1]

Is there an Unpopular Opinion thread here? Because I found Kara to also be a huge fail. Did the network think this as well, since they got rid of her, but fast?  And her accent whenever she said "about" was really distracting.

 

Yes, there is an unpopular opinion thread.

 

Kara did seem like she was going to have all this story potential and then it never happened. The writers strike might have had something to do with it but yeah, they cast her by looks first and skill second.  She's in a Sci-Fi show called Bitten and I had to stop watching because she was so wooden. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Thanks BkWurm.

 

And to continue, do NOT get me started on the bullshit fuckery of a retcon of how Lois is suddenly this great writer/journalist, so much better than Chloe in this season. I"m not going to go over the whole Grant/Julian clusterfuck.

 

I know there was a throw away line from Grant about how Chloe was going to Met U at night, while working at The Daily Planet during the day, which, ookay. I thought she was just interning there, and from what I can recall of my own Journalism days (yes, full disclosure, I was a Journalism Major in college), all iternships were for college credit and unpaid.  So, when did Chloe get hired as a reporter? I mean, she totally deserved it, but I guess it's just something we viewers should just not think too hard about, eh?

 

I will say I was disappointed we didn't get to see Ollie/Green Arrow at all this season. Well, except for "Siren" where we met Black Canary.  And I know it's not fair, but really, Justin and Alaina should have been cast for Arrow. Better actors, better looking, and well, okay, too late now.

[BkWurm1]

So, when did Chloe get hired as a reporter? I mean, she totally deserved it, but I guess it's just something we viewers should just not think too hard about, eh?

 

I think she was hired from the start. She was trying to get the intern position at the DP but instead they brought her in just to tell her no and pretty much a you're never going to be journalist.  Then she stood up for herself and was given a chance to prove herself but then she started at the bottom just like Carrie Fisher (I'm forgetting her tv name at the moment) with a Welcome to the Daily Planet.  It was a bit confusing but I know by season six, she flat out tells Linda Lake that she was a reporter and no she was not going to do her grunt work. 

 

And to continue, do NOT get me started on the bullshit fuckery of a retcon of how Lois is suddenly this great writer/journalist, so much better than Chloe in this season. I"m not going to go over the whole Grant/Julian clusterfuck.

 

I will never accept that interpretation.  I will accept that perhaps PERHAPS Lois tended to write with more hyperbole but that only works on some articles and says nothing for research or interview skills or clarity or reasoning.  There is a reason why most reporters don't turn in articles that are action packed and leap off the page like a Bengal tiger.  Because what is in the newspaper - unless it is a human interest or special subject  - is not action story.  Her "I found a spaceship" story was a personal narrative that could include stuff like what it felt like to twice be knocked out cold cause she hadn't learned not to touch but it would be wrong for a journalist in a news piece to imagine what someone else was feeling during an event.  Lois might write good first person accounts or even editorials but we never had any indication that she was a good journalist.

 

Chloe on the other hand was criticized by Grant for writing basic city news.  If he's not happy with her assignments, then as the editor, he should assign her different stories.  Someone always has to cover the city council meetings and yes they are usually less exciting than paint drying but that's not her fault.  When she found a story that had more wow factor he thought she was a great writer and put it on the front page.  It seemed his issues were with the kind of stories she was doing rather than the quality of the journalism. Lois on the other hand kept on getting sent to cover stuff but did we ever hear about her doing a good job past her initial space ship account?  Nope. (pre retcon of season 8)

Edited October 20, 2015 by BkWurm1

[Bitterswete]

Is there an Unpopular Opinion thread here? Because I found Kara to also be a huge fail. Did the network think this as well, since they got rid of her, but fast? 

 

Kara did seem like she was going to have all this story potential and then it never happened.

 

The fans were very excited about Kara being on SV, and there was talk about a possible spin-off before the season even started. Then SV didn't end up doing much with her, and she and her storylines were so boring any talk of a spin-off faded away.

 

I think the reason the show didn't do much with her is that, once she was on the show, they realized they had this character with all of Clark's powers but none of his hang-ups about using them. She also didn't have his, "I just want to be normal and have a normal life," issues.

 

There was nothing stopping Kara from becoming a full-out superhero and spending all of her free time using her powers to save the day. Except that it would've made Clark (who had the same powers but wasn't actively using them to do the super hero thing) look bad. And there were already viewers who thought Oliver/Green Arrow  made Clark look bad. The PTB didn't want Kara to do the same thing.

 

So they tried to come up with storylines for Kara that didn't involve her playing the hero. And they were mostly boring, so viewers lost interest in her. And, by the end of the season, I think the writers were tired of struggling to find stuff for her to do that wouldn't overshadow Clark, and were more than happy for her character to leave the show. 

Edited October 21, 2015 by Bitterswete

[Gilmorefan]

Lois was shown to be a good writer back in season four, so it wasn't exactly a huge retcon.

[Bitterswete]

Lois might write good first person accounts or even editorials but we never had any indication that she was a good journalist.

 

Lois was shown to be a good writer back in season four, so it wasn't exactly a huge retcon.

 

Like I think BkWurm1 was saying, being a good writer is not the same as being a good reporter. In fact, I've heard (or read) many journalists say that some of the best reporters ever usually weren't the best writers. They were good enough to get the facts they'd uncovered across, but great writing skills weren't considered the most important part of the job.

 

It's very possible Lois had natural writing ability, and could spin a good tale. (Like she did at the tabloid I can't remember the name of.) But for several seasons, back when she was mostly comic relief, the show went out of it's way to show Lois as a really bad journalist who had little clue what being a reporter was really about (because that was supposed to be funny).

 

Then, suddenly, she's an awesome journalist who had, apparently, been studying the craft for years, and had worked her way up from the bottom to get where she was. Those were the retcons.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Bitterswete

[GHScorpiosRule]

Like I think BkWurm1 was saying, being a good writer is not the same as being a good reporter. In fact, I've heard (or read) many journalists say that some of the best reporters ever usually weren't the best writers. They were good enough to get the facts they'd uncovered across, but great writing skills weren't considered the most important part of the job.

 

It's very possible Lois had natural writing ability, and could spin a good tale. (Like she did at the tabloid I can't remember the name of.) But for several seasons, back when she was mostly comic relief, the show went out of it's way to show Lois as a really bad journalist who had little clue what being a reporter was really about (because that was supposed to be funny).

 

Then, suddenly, she's an awesome journalist who had, apparently, been studying the craft for years, and had worked her way up from the bottom to get where she was. Those were the retcons.

 

 

It was The Inquisitor, Smallville's version of The National Enquirer.

 

Another long running theme, which annoyed was EVERYONE Trusts Lex, which ends up putting them in danger or in his cross-hairs and end up moving in with him. Lana, and this season, Kara. UGH.

[DittyDotDot]

Just popped in to say I'm almost half way through this season and I'm actually enjoying this season more than I expected to. It feels like they finally shed their high-school-meteor-freak-ness.

 

I find it rather weird how they just shipped Martha off to Washington though, instead of just killing her off. I mean, I like Martha, but it's so weird to me to have Clark chase Kara to Washington and not even mention Martha. Not to mention how he never seems to be calling her or anything. I always thought the point of both Jonathan and Martha dying in most other iteration of Superman was Clark couldn't really become Superman with those ties holding him back. Not really important, just something I was thinking about. 

 

Anyway, the season started off kinda meh for me, and it makes no more sense than any other season, but there's been quite a few episodes so far I really enjoyed:

• Cure--Chloe-centered episodes seem to always shine for me. I almost shed a tear to hear her ask the doctor to "fix" her and her and Jimmy's breakup made perfect sense to me. Plus, how cute was it they got Dean Cain to play the bad guy in that one?
• Action--A kind of fun little diversion. Every show should have one like this per season.
• Gemini--This episode was a bit of a transition for me since I had taken a couple weeks break from the show, but it didn't take long for me to settle into it again. At first I thought it might be a Clark-free episode and thought that an interesting idea. Lois has been growing on me, so I liked how they used her and Chloe in this one. I immediately knew something was off with Clark from the first moment he showed up in the barn, but I find Welling is best when he's not actually Clark so I embraced it wholeheartedly. Overall, this has been the most engaging episode of the season, for me.
• Siren--If for nothing else, I do love me some Alaina Huffman. TBH, I found this episode to be a bit overdone, but somehow still find I liked it quite a bit.

 

The rest of the episodes have just been okay. Not too impressed with Kara, so the beauty pagent episode didn't do anything for me. Nor did the episodes concerning Lara and Kara's father. I've been over Lana and Clark for at least four seasons now and wish the show was over it too. And as much as I really wanted to love the episode inside Lex's head, Lex isn't really doing much for me anymore and I always knew he was just a frightened little boy, so... . I spent most of the episode considering the number of times Lex has been shot and thought dead in the last couple seasons. Perhaps they've went to this well a bit too often? 

 

Anyway, am I right in thinking S7 is the one shortened by the writer's strike? 

[BkWurm1]

I find it rather weird how they just shipped Martha off to Washington though, instead of just killing her off. I mean, I like Martha, but it's so weird to me to have Clark chase Kara to Washington and not even mention Martha. Not to mention how he never seems to be calling her or anything. I always thought the point of both Jonathan and Martha dying in most other iteration of Superman was Clark couldn't really become Superman with those ties holding him back. Not really important, just something I was thinking about.

 

The only one that seemed to ever talk to Martha once she left was Lionel.  Poor Martha.  And YES!  I so ranted much when the Kara thing happened.  Made zero sense not to even name drop her. 

 

About Superman's parents, in the very early comics his parents were dead (originally he actually grew up in an orphanage) but at least since the seventies, the tradition has been that his father has died but Martha lives on as his little white haired mother that he sends part of his salary to as Clark Kent.  In the nineties, Lois & Clark broke the mold altogether and kept both his parents healthy and alive during the whole series, making a point of mentioning how healthy Jonathan's heart was.  Of course on Smallville, we lost Pa Kent, but since Martha wasn't even grey haired let alone white haired, it made sense if they were going to write her out of the show to just move her away and not kill her.  Thank goodness, IMO. 

 

  Anyway, am I right in thinking S7 is the one shortened by the writer's strike?

 

Yes, but they really cranked the scripts out.  They completed twenty which was way more than most series managed. 

[DittyDotDot]

Two huge GASPS:  Pete returned--how nice was it to see him again--and they killed Lionel. I mean, they really did kill him right? It feels final and not like one of their "soft" kills that will turn out to be a fake-out later. And, I guess it should be another GASP, Lionel finally makes a tad bit of sense. I still wonder why in the world Clark would trust him, but now things are clearer to me. I feel better now. ;)

 

On a related note: all this Traveler and Veritas business is bringing the show back around on itself and feels like it's trying to tie up loose ends. Kind of like a final season--I know it's not the final season--I just got wondering if it was actually meant to be a final season?

 

About Superman's parents, in the very early comics his parents were dead (originally he actually grew up in an orphanage) but at least since the seventies, the tradition has been that his father has died but Martha lives on as his little white haired mother that he sends part of his salary to as Clark Kent.  In the nineties, Lois & Clark broke the mold altogether and kept both his parents healthy and alive during the whole series, making a point of mentioning how healthy Jonathan's heart was.  Of course on Smallville, we lost Pa Kent, but since Martha wasn't even grey haired let alone white haired, it made sense if they were going to write her out of the show to just move her away and not kill her.  Thank goodness, IMO. 

 

Goes to show how much I know! I really have never gotten into the Superman story much, but have seen some episodes of the old show and a couple movies. I thought both Martha and Jonathan died in all of them. Interesting.

 

 

Yes, but they really cranked the scripts out.  They completed twenty which was way more than most series managed. 

 

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, good on them for keeping the show going and all. On the other, what does that do to the story? I guess I'll shortly find out as I'm getting close to the end of the season.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Since you are asking, yes, Lionel is really dead. I thought it was a fake out during the original airing. It was a total jaw dropping shock to me.

As for the whole Veritas arc, I thought it was all bullshit and didn't/don't see it as a wrap up. There's mixing up the mythos and then there's just retcon because it was clear to me that Swann and Lionel didn't know each other back in season three.

But I thought it was clear that Lionel was good/changed since season four/five, when he was Jor-El's emissary and by being Clark, which healed and made him good. It was him caging Clark that had me scratching my head and still I remain confused as to why he did it.

For me, the best part of this season was the Clark and Chloe friendship, as you can see if you go back and read the comments.

Edited November 23, 2015 by GHScorpiosRule

[BkWurm1]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, good on them for keeping the show going and all. On the other, what does that do to the story? I guess I'll shortly find out as I'm getting close to the end of the season.

 

I think in part this feeling was relayed because this was the final season where the show creators had any input into the storylines.  Season eight is the start of the big swerve though after I saw the ninth and tenth season, I started getting nostalgic for eight.   #Stillbitter

 

Two huge GASPS:  Pete returned--how nice was it to see him again--

 

Good old product placement Pete.  Never did learn the real name of that episode.  Everyone just referred to it as Stride - Now Kryptonite Free!

Edited November 23, 2015 by BkWurm1

[GHScorpiosRule]

I think in part this feeling was relayed because this was the final season where the show creators had any input into the storylines. Season eight is the start of the big swerve though after I saw the ninth and tenth season, I started getting nostalgic for eight. #Stillbitter

Good old product placement Pete. Never did learn the real name of that episode. Everyone just referred to it as Stride - Now Kryptonite Free!

Yeah. This was Al and Miles's last season and even though Peterson and Souders had been with the show from the beginning, they managed to fuck it up-

Kryptonizing Lana and making it clear that Lois was second choice despite what dialogue was said about Lois being his one and only forever

.

The return of Pete's episode is "Hero."

[DittyDotDot]

As for the whole Veritas arc, I thought it was all bullshit and didn't/don't see it as a wrap up. There's mixing up the mythos and then there's just retcon because it was clear to me that Swann and Lionel didn't know each other back in season three.

 

When was the first Swann episode? I was thinking at the end of that episode there's a bit where it seems like Swann is communicating with Lionel, but not being entirely forthcoming in that communication. TBH, a lot of the show is kinda a blur at this point, so I could be mis-remembering. I also got the impression it was Swann (or his assistant) who got Lionel out of prison in S4--but again that might be an impression I got later. I definitely recall Dr. Swann telling Clark to be wary of Lionel at some point, so he knew of the man, anyway.

 

I don't mean to say that it actually makes sense or that it was right, but that they even tried to revisit the Teagues and such gave me the impression they were trying to tie up their loose ends. The part that seemed mostly way out of left field to me was that the Queens were involved in all this. I just figured there must have been something I missed back in S6 that would tie them in--not much of that season engaged me--so I just went with it.

 

But I thought it was clear that Lionel was good/changed since season four/five, when he was Jor-El's emissary and by being Clark, which healed and made him good. It was him caging Clark that had me scratching my head and still I remain confused as to why he did it.

 

For me, it was clear Lionel changed until it became ambiguous again. They flip-flopped back and forth so much with Lionel, I just couldn't imagine Clark actually trusting Lionel. I could've bought him suspiciously working with him from time to time, but when Clark declared Lionel deserved better, I just rolled my eyes. In the end, though, I actually think they did rather well with Lionel as a character. Even if I didn't always understand it along the way. I think Lionel needed to be a sort of enigma for me to have invested in trying to figure him out...if that even makes any sense?

 

The episodes just before Lionel's death actually made things clearer for me, though. I understood why he caged Clark--in his own messed up way, I think he thought he was protecting Clark, even if he did do it completely wrong--he just chose a poor jailer for the job. I actually really felt for Lionel in that final episode when he was trying to get someone to take him seriously. I mean, it was of his own making, he'd cried wolf so many times and all, but Glover was really good in that final episode.

 

For me, the best part of this season was the Clark and Chloe friendship, as you can see if you go back and read the comments.

 

I will eventually read the thread, but I try to wait until I've finished the season. I'm not a spoiler-phobe or anything, but don't mind being surprised from time to time, either.

 

Good old product placement Pete.  Never did learn the real name of that episode.  Everyone just referred to it as Stride - Now Kryptonite Free!

 

Heh, the title is Hero. I did have a good laugh at the shameless product placement. Why not, I guess? ;)

[GHScorpiosRule]

When was the first Swann episode? I was thinking at the end of that episode there's a bit where it seems like Swann is communicating with Lionel, but not being entirely forthcoming in that communication. TBH, a lot of the show is kinda a blur at this point, so I could be mis-remembering. I also got the impression it was Swann (or his assistant) who got Lionel out of prison in S4--but again that might be an impression I got later. I definitely recall Dr. Swann telling Clark to be wary of Lionel at some point, so he knew of the man, anyway.

 

Christopher Reeve first appeared as Virgil Swann in the second season: "Rosetta" and he tells Clark who he is. Lionel wasn't even in it. No one knew about Virgil Swann, meaning Lex and Lionel didn't know then.  And then, in season three's "Legacy," Lionel found out about Clark and Swann meeting and talking and decided to talk to him to find out more about Clark, and basically inferred he would reveal what he thought he knew about Clark, so Swann talked to him. Nothing in that scene revealed that they had known each other before that meeting, and from the flashbacks in "Veritas" it was not implied, but shown that the Teagues, Queens, Swann and Lionel were part of the secret society about Clark/The Traveler.

 

 

I don't mean to say that it actually makes sense or that it was right, but that they even tried to revisit the Teagues and such gave me the impression they were trying to tie up their loose ends. The part that seemed mostly way out of left field to me was that the Queens were involved in all this. I just figured there must have been something I missed back in S6 that would tie them in--not much of that season engaged me--so I just went with it.

 

 

For me, it was clear Lionel changed until it became ambiguous again. They flip-flopped back and forth so much with Lionel, I just couldn't imagine Clark actually trusting Lionel. I could've bought him suspiciously working with him from time to time, but when Clark declared Lionel deserved better, I just rolled my eyes. In the end, though, I actually think they did rather well with Lionel as a character. Even if I didn't always understand it along the way. I think Lionel needed to be a sort of enigma for me to have invested in trying to figure him out...if that even makes any sense?

 

The episodes just before Lionel's death actually made things clearer for me, though. I understood why he caged Clark--in his own messed up way, I think he thought he was protecting Clark, even if he did do it completely wrong--he just chose a poor jailer for the job. I actually really felt for Lionel in that final episode when he was trying to get someone to take him seriously. I mean, it was of his own making, he'd cried wolf so many times and all, but Glover was really good in that final episode.

For me there was no need for the loose ends to be tied up. Lana killed Genevieve, and the meteor killed Jason.  It was never clear what happened in season 4--that Mr. Teague was dead. For me, someone who was really invested in this show, it was pure laziness.

 

Potatoes, Potahatoes, because I don't think anything was ever ambiguous after it was revealed Lionel was Jor-El's emmisary, and just like Clark and Martha, I don't think they totally trusted him, but when he learned that Lionel didn't betray him when he read Lionel's messages, I had no problem with Clark's "Lionel deserved better" line.  But, caging him? Please. Like Clark said, Lionel could have come to Clark, could have reached out to John Jones.  And getting that sadistic fuck, knowing his penchant for cruelty? That whole thing made no sense to me.

[DittyDotDot]

Christopher Reeve first appeared as Virgil Swann in the second season: "Rosetta" and he tells Clark who he is. Lionel wasn't even in it.

 

But at the end of the episode, wasn't he communicating via computer with someone and I thought it was heavily implied it was Lionel?

 

 

For me there was no need for the loose ends to be tied up. Lana killed Genevieve, and the meteor killed Jason.  It was never clear what happened in season 4--that Mr. Teague was dead. For me, someone who was really invested in this show, it was pure laziness.

 

I wasn't suggesting I needed anything tied up, not saying I liked it or wanted it, not asserting anything of the kind. I was simply asking if it had been thought that this would be the last season and then it wasn't? It feels like S5 of Supernatural in some ways--which was supposed to be the end of the show according to the plans of the showrunner/creator--but the CW renewed it unexpectedly. I just wondered if something similar happened with S7 of Smallville?

[GHScorpiosRule]

But at the end of the episode, wasn't he communicating via computer with someone and I thought it was heavily implied it was Lionel?

Which episode? "Rosetta" or "Legacy"? "Rosetta" was introducing who Clark was and that Swann could help him. "Legacy" we know that Swann agreed to talk to Lionel so that Swann could continue to protect Clark, and when Clark learned he had spoken with Lionel, Swann told Clark why he did. There was never any implication he was talking to Lionel. To his computer, yes, but not Lionel. And I say this definitively as someone who just rewatched the whole damn series again the past week.

 

 

 

I wasn't suggesting I needed anything tied up, not saying I liked it or wanted it, not asserting anything of the kind. I was simply asking if it had been thought that this would be the last season and then it wasn't? It feels like S5 of Supernatural in some ways--which was supposed to be the end of the show according to the plans of the showrunner/creator--but the CW renewed it unexpectedly. I just wondered if something similar happened with S7 of Smallville?

Nope. There was never any question about the show ending. The ratings, if it was on ABC, CBS or NBC, it would have been cancelled; but I recall from the TWoP days, that this show was the highest rated show on the CW. I think they did this storyline, because they wanted to do a Doomsday story for the next season. And this show always had a cliffhanger; except in Season two, three, four, and six, leading up to this season.