Season Three: Sekriths and Lies!

[GHScorpiosRule]

It just seemed everyone just wanted and NEEDED to know Clark's "secret" and he was the worst liar. Ever. Lana, Pete, Chloe, Lionel, and of course Lex, but that dates back to the first season.

 

It just seemed worse this season.

 

Though I have to admit, I did and do enjoy asshole Clark on Red Kryptonite.

 

There were so many times Clark could have just said "none of your bidnez" but nooo, he had to look stoopid with his lame excuses.

 

 

[BkWurm1]

I thought three was a fairly strong season.  Chloe and Clark both had to deal with the fallout from their walks on the wild side and Glover and Mack really knocked their scenes out of the park.  I also loved how the Chlark relationship was broke down and then essentially built back up stronger.  That season had real character growth I thought for Chloe and to a lesser extent, Clark.  This is the season that absolutely cemented my certainty in the Chlois theory.  Oh, it would have been glorious!  

 

I had such high hopes going into season four. 

[Spartan Girl]

There were so many times Clark could have just said "none of your bidnez" but nooo, he had to look stoopid with his lame excuses.

 

 

SERIOUSLY.  The only time Clark ever showed a spine around Lana was back in season 2 when she and Chloe were duped by the JTT clones and when Clark tried to warn him, they just blew him off as being jealous, then at the end of the episode after they "apologized" Clark said he was sick of being treated like the jealous boyfriend on the excuse that he keeps secrets that he just wanted to stay friends from then on.  Too bad he didn't stick to that resolve.

 

I really didn't like how far Chloe crossed the line when she got the ability to have people tell her the truth after getting infected with Kyptonite.  She was just using it as an excuse to invade other people privacy to get the scoop on a story.  And the fact that she was going to use it on the Kents just because she just HAD to know Clark's secret...I usually like Chloe, but she was a real asshat in this episode.

Edited June 23, 2014 by Spartan Girl

[Bitterswete]

I really didn't like how far Chloe crossed the line when she got the ability to have people tell her the truth after getting infected with Kyptonite.  She was just using it as an excuse to invade other people privacy to get the scoop on a story.  And the fact that she was going to use it on the Kents just because she just HAD to know Clark's secret...I usually like Chloe, but she was a real asshat in this episode.

 

I don't hold the stuff Chloe did in the episode against her. She had been blasted by a powerful, experimental drug that was not only capable of affecting people's minds, but had altered her body on who knows what level to turn her into a walking truth extractor. And we know that Kryptonite often brought out the not-so-nice sides of people. So it stands to reason that the drug was also the cause of Chloe's behavior in that episode.

Edited June 23, 2014 by Bitterswete

[DigitalCount]

Yeah, I never really forgave Smallville for glossing over the huge medical and scientific finding of the dangers of kryptonite psychosis, not to mention its ridiculous properties. 2 meteor showers resulted in 2 separate events of making people crazy and giving them powers, and the fact that the CDC had already signed off on them having no negative properties was appalling to say the least.

 

On topic, I have to say S3 seemed to be the last season where stuff that happened in the past actually mattered, with the possible exception of some of S7. The first 3 seasons are almost an arc of their own relative to some of the rest of the story, and S3 concludes a lot of those plot threads. Clark and Lex's bridge adventure is given closure in both Extinction and of course Covenant. Pete's character, as Clark's best friend for this period, leaves the series in Forsaken. Lana leaves Smallville and the Talon behind--while she returns the next season, she is a changed character.

[wingster55]

Ah s3. My favorite. Memoria remains my all time favorite episode to this day. 

The Lex arc was fantastic.

 

I also enjoyed Obsessed with Alicia.

[bettername2come]

I also enjoyed Obsessed with Alicia.

 

When it was Clark's turn to have a crazy Fatal Attraction romance. I like the episode too, except when she kisses him in the middle of killing him with Kryptonite, I swear he kisses her back, and it drives me crazy.

 

Exile is my favorite episode of the series. I swear Tom Welling never looks more attractive than he does in that episode, and Red K Clark is always entertaining.

[Daisy]

I'm in a middle of a marathon, and it drives me nuts (no pun intended, because of Lex's breakdown), how Lana forever wants to be told the truth and be included - then when she gets hurt she blames Clark. Then turns around and lectures Clark how she always gets hurt when she's around Clark. well you can't have it both ways, you dumb cow. 

 

I forgot how much I hated, hated Lana-Sekreths and Lieths!-Lang

[farrah]

I just finished watching season 3 for the first time . I liked it but I'm not sure if I liked it as much as the first two seasons. In a way I think it's a better season, quality of episodes wise. Yet I think I still enjoyed  seasons 1 and 2 more.

 

The best and most coherent arc was probably the tussle between Lex and Lionel. Absolutely fascinating, these two. Lex is still so intriguing to me. On the one hand he's a genuinely sympathetic character when you see Lionel's influence and then on the other hand you can see his darker nature creeping into things regarding Clark's secret. I think the potential for his darkness is best explained in Talisman when he suggests to Clark that maybe Seegeth is the hero of the story. Someone with a potential for darkness who is convinced they are in the right can sometimes be the most dangerous kind. I'm really feeling the loss of his and Clark's friendship already :(

 

Sad to see Pete go, but perhaps there was nowhere to take the character? It was a great season for Chloe. I really liked that her and Clark talked through their issues, recognized that they existed and then came to an agreement that they still want to be friends. I like this Chloe and I like this version of friendship between Clark and Chloe.

 

I don't know what to say about Clark and Lana. I think I give up. Lana seemed too obsessed with constantly trying to pry Clark's secret out. And Clark also just needs to get over himself and tell Lana if he really loves her. But I think whatever it is, it needs to stop now, because I agree with Pete, it's such a yo-yo. I guess Lana going to Paris is a way for them to ease Lana off the show.

 

I loved this scene from Talisman when the Kents are sitting there cradling Clark and he's all wrapped up in the red blanket. Reminder that no matter how big and strong or alien Clark is, for them, he's still their boy and they love him.

I'm really enjoying the show on the whole. So glad I gave this a go!

[BkWurm1]

don't know what to say about Clark and Lana. I think I give up. Lana seemed too obsessed with constantly trying to pry Clark's secret out. And Clark also just needs to get over himself and tell Lana if he really loves her. But I think whatever it is, it needs to stop now, because I agree with Pete, it's such a yo-yo. I guess Lana going to Paris is a way for them to ease Lana off the show.

 

Make a note of this.  You reached your fill of Clana in season three.  Be strong. 

 

The best and most coherent arc was probably the tussle between Lex and Lionel. Absolutely fascinating, these two. Lex is still so intriguing to me. On the one hand he's a genuinely sympathetic character when you see Lionel's influence and then on the other hand you can see his darker nature creeping into things regarding Clark's secret. I think the potential for his darkness is best explained in Talisman when he suggests to Clark that maybe Seegeth is the hero of the story. Someone with a potential for darkness who is convinced they are in the right can sometimes be the most dangerous kind. I'm really feeling the loss of his and Clark's friendship already :(

 

Lex IMO remains a tragic figure on the show.  He always seems so close to really being the good guy. 

 

Really enjoying your reviews.  You are really flying through the seasons.  You have to be dreaming in full Smallville colors. 

 

Season three was, I agree, a stronger season storyline wise but it does have a heavier feel, but I had such issues with season two (They beautification of Lana . They shoved her down the throats of viewers way too hard and it just backfired.  Not to mention how dumb Clark was at the end of Two.)   

[farrah]

Really enjoying your reviews.  You are really flying through the seasons.  You have to be dreaming in full Smallville colors.

 

Thank you BkWurm1 :) Lol. Yes, I really am! 

 

Make a note of this.  You reached your fill of Clana in season three.  Be strong.

Omg. Yes, I'm about halfway through season five right now and I think I know what you mean. My strength has already been tested several times!

[GHScorpiosRule]

Season Three Bloopers!!!! Boo, that Tom isn't in any of them! Well, not that we I can see him onscreen. He's in the background.

 

My favorite bloopers are the ones where the horsie who plays Donatello doesn't think Kristen is paying enough attention to him and keeps bumping her.

 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Can I just say how so very sexay, hawt and gorgeous Tom is in "Exile"? As Clark is walking down the street at night time Metropolis. I think it's that swagger and the longer, messed up hair.

 

And I'm getting all ragey again because of the Jor-El AI's insistence that Clark will obey him and take over the planet, as if it thinks Earth will be populated by Kryptonians. As if ALL OF THEM, save Clark, aren't DEAD. And I can't help but think of Marlon Brando's Jor-El.  And then the 360 degree retcon/turnaround with the AI, and Julian Sands' Jor-El saying how his entire life was the trial to set him on the path to become Superman, or whatever bullshit the writers penned.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Clark's feelings for Lana or his being in love with her was never an issue between them. It was his being secretive. So I always want to just slap Lana at the end of "Obsession" when once again, she goes to Clark, demanding the truth, and then saying, oh, Alicia also said you were in love with me. To which I say, well DUH! That's NOT why you guys broke up.

 

And though Tom had chemistry with everyone it seems, I don't like Sarah Carter, who played Alicia. It's the sound of her voice-it's like nails on a chalkboard for me, not to mention her overbite. Shallow, I know. But she is pretty. If she just smiles and says nothing, I'd be fine.

[BkWurm1]

I like Sara Carter and had a shallow appreciation for Clark/Alicia but I'm still annoyed that they fridged her for Clark's manpain.  Why did she have to die?  Just let her move away to a place no one knew her.  Her death served no narrative purpose but to hurt Clark. 

[Chloe]

I like Sara Carter and had a shallow appreciation for Clark/Alicia but I'm still annoyed that they fridged her for Clark's manpain.  Why did she have to die?  Just let her move away to a place no one knew her.  Her death served no narrative purpose but to hurt Clark. 

 

Tom had chemisty with eveyone. I also liked (a little) Clalicia (is it walked this way=?) 

 

Yes, I also don't know why she had to die, but it made the episode even more intense (even with the "Chloe discovering Clark")

[GHScorpiosRule]

I'm still annoyed that they fridged her for Clark's manpain.  Why did she have to die?  Just let her move away to a place no one knew her.  Her death served no narrative purpose but to hurt Clark. 

Because I think it more about how a love interest who wouldn't remain his only and long term love interest, couldn't remain alive knowing his secret, because, well, she wasn't his one and only. Since Chloe and Clark never became a thing and she was his best friend, she wasn't killed off. Oh and of course giving Clark pain and to emphasize he would always be alone until LOISSSSS

[Gilmorefan]

I didn't like Alicia, she bothered me. It was the voice

[BkWurm1]

Because I think it more about how a love interest who wouldn't remain his only and long term love interest, couldn't remain alive knowing his secret, because, well, she wasn't his one and only. Since Chloe and Clark never became a thing and she was his best friend, she wasn't killed off. Oh and of course giving Clark pain and to emphasize he would always be alone until LOISSSSS

No matter how they ended, Chloe and Clark ended season five with most people thinking she WAS his love interest.  I don't think that Chloe survived because she didn't actually date him.  I think she survived because she was a valuable character on the show.  Lana got to live too even if they can't touch.  Alicia didn't even know he was an alien.  I think they killed her for no other reason than manpain. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

I know I've said this before here, but it bears repeating. Tom Welling as RedK infected Clark, with the longish hair, that curled away and that strut in the premiere, is one SEXY BEAST. And really, I'm not sure what the make-up people costume people were smoking, because Lana looked like such a child next to him. In my head, the horse that she was riding, was also in love with Clark, because in the gag reel, he was originally just behind Kristen, and he kept hitting her back/shoulders when Lana was begging Clark that it was her "choice to make." I was rolling. It got to the point, that they had to move the horsie back a foot.

As for Lana coming to Clark after "Obsession," where she puts Clark on the spot to lie to her again, about how Alicia told her that Clark was still in love with her, was just STUPID. Clark's feelings had nothing to do with why they broke up. She knew that he still loved her. He didn't take those feelings back, so it was just a stupid plot point to have her ask him, or to just make Clark look bad by lying about it. Lana just looked pathetic. As she did this season, every time a date didn't work out between her and Clark, she's going to the back room and crying as if someone close to her had been killed.

There's only one reason why I love "Magnetic" and that's because of the scene in the doctor's office, where Chloe and Clark are looking for what'shisface's MRI files, and Chloe grabs Clark and kisses him, when a doctor walks in. Clark isn't fighting back, and the look in his eyes isn't one of 'what is she doing?! I don't want this' either! The fool is so mired in guilt over Lana, when his eyes, body language tell me he's still got feelings for Chloe.  It's just like he told Lana in season one, that he could see himself having those feelings for Chloe if not for...

"Delete" is another favorite, if only for that final scene between Clark and Chloe and Clark's "Today is not that day" about a day when saying I'm sorry will be too late or something.

I knew I should have typed as I was watching, because now I'm blanking on other stuff I know I wanted to type!

[GHScorpiosRule]

I remembered!

I love that we got Bart Allen this season! Though I didn't care for his origin. Meaning that, though I giggled and laughed, as Clark ran off the names of the other Flashes: Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, to have Bart say his parents were deadbeats and abusers, made me scream NOOOO!!!!!!!!! Because his dad is Barry's son, and Barry is his grandpa! I'm fanwanking that somehow, he was kidnapped and dumped in a foster care system or some such and his Allen family is still looking for him! I'm frankly surprised DC let them get away with this.

Okay, after reading all comments about what a shitty friend Clark was to Lex, during and after "Shattered,", I paid real close attention to it, and well, I don't agree. First, Clark did everything he could to prove Lex wasn't imagining what had happened--he even found that shard behind the table in the hallway.  Even in "Asylum", other than not breaking Lex out, who by this time, wasn't in any shape to be let out, where could Clark have taken him? And how could he trust him at that point with who he was?  And once Clark found out that Lex was scheduled for electric shock therapy, he ran over to save him. But was waylaid and stopped by Ian and Eric. By the time he got his powers back, it was too late. At least he stopped them from further treatments.

Was he shitty toward Lex at the end of the season, buying into Lionel's lies? Yes, absolutely. But Clark was always defending Lex and sticking up for him. Later seasons, I'm not sure why Clark decided to stick with the friendship.

GAAAAH. And I really hate the back end of this season because it's all LANALANALANALANALANALANAAAAAAAA.

Even in "Truth", I can see (and maybe it is just me), that there are still feelings of more than friendship that Clark has toward Chloe.

I still laugh that the Court let Clark get away with wearing his t-shirt and blue jacket when testifying, while Chloe and Lex were dressed more appropriately.

[rue721]

3 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Okay, after reading all comments about what a shitty friend Clark was to Lex, during and after "Shattered,", I paid real close attention to it, and well, I don't agree. First, Clark did everything he could to prove Lex wasn't imagining what had happened--he even found that shard behind the table in the hallway.  Even in "Asylum", other than not breaking Lex out, who by this time, wasn't in any shape to be let out, where could Clark have taken him? And how could he trust him at that point with who he was?  And once Clark found out that Lex was scheduled for electric shock therapy, he ran over to save him. But was waylaid and stopped by Ian and Eric. By the time he got his powers back, it was too late. At least he stopped them from further treatments.

What was most sickening about that situation IMO was that Clark took advantage of how cruel Lionel was willing to be to Lex for his own gain. IMO the issue wasn't that Clark ultimately wasn't able to keep Lex out of harm's way, it was that he sacrificed him. Once Lex knew Clark's secret (and saw him crunch into that car), he was shit out of luck. That's when Clark zoomed off and abandoned Lex to get dragged off into that van. Not cool, Clark!

What I mean by Clark taking advantage of Lionel's ruthlessness and cruelty toward Lex:  Lionel wanted to shut Lex up, so he drugged him, discredited him (made everyone think he was crazy), and then electrocuted him -- with the goal of giving him so much brain damage that he wouldn't be capable of telling anybody what he'd found out about Lionel's parents (or he'd just die). That's horrifying IMO. And Clark let Lionel's goons drag Lex away, and then let Lex rot in Belle Reve, and then dithered about saving him even after he saw that Lex was helpless and losing it after weeks in BR, because Clark didn't want Lex to be capable of telling anybody what he'd found out about Clark, either. Lionel and Clark wanted pretty much the same thing (for Lex to keep his mouth shut about their respective secrets), and even though Lionel was MUCH worse toward Lex than Clark was in his efforts to make sure that Lex didn't talk, Clark's hands aren't entirely clean either, because he was essentially letting Lionel do his dirty work for him.

It was especially awful IMO because meanwhile, Lex was keeping Clark's secret, even though it would have benefited him enormously to leverage that information. He could have saved himself if he'd sacrificed Clark (to his father), but he didn't -- and in the meantime, Clark was making the opposite choice. Lex also managed to keep faith in Clark, and that Clark would save him -- and meanwhile, Clark showed that he had basically no faith in Lex.

Then, Clark compounded the mistakes he'd already made by going to Lionel again afterward, when Lex was going to Sommerholt to get his memories back, and pretty explicitly tried to get Lionel to do his dirty work AGAIN in order to keep Lex from rediscovering his/their secrets. That was after he saw Lionel electrocute Lex with his own two eyes!

That turned out to be a very big turning point for Lex, IMO, but what was strange is that it seemed like it could just as easily have been the beginning of *Clark* going dark. Lex actually came through every "test" he faced in that ordeal with flying colors:  he kept the secret, didn't play Clark and his father against each other, kept faith in Clark, refused to abandon Clark even though it meant ruining his escape attempt, etc. It was Clark who failed the loyalty and morality tests! And Clark never seemed to develop much regret or even self-awareness about that, either.

Edited January 4, 2017 by rue721

[BkWurm1]

I can maybe be understanding that Clark really thought that Lex was losing it when he was first committed, but the thing with Summerholt comes with just no excuses.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 minute ago, BkWurm1 said:

I can maybe be understanding that Clark really thought that Lex was losing it when he was first committed, but the thing with Summerholt comes with just no excuses.  

Agreed. I told you, I should have been posting as I was watching! It all became a big blur and this I'd forgotten about while I was originally typing.

[rue721]

20 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

I can maybe be understanding that Clark really thought that Lex was losing it when he was first committed, but the thing with Summerholt comes with just no excuses.  

I do think that he sincerely thought that Lex was crazy. Wasn't that his initial rationale for not telling Lex what had happened? It seemed like he was thinking that Lex couldn't handle the truth, so he'd be better off not knowing what had happened with Belle Reve & etc? (I thought that's what Clark told his parents, anyway).

He even told Lex later on that he shouldn't do the Sommerholt experiments because his mind was too fragile, and it was obvious that it was fragile because he'd just had to spend a couple months in the loony bin. I thought that was obnoxious, because Lionel was saying that shit all. the. time. And because literally nothing about Lex being committed or "treated" at Belle Reve was legitimate or actually "for his health" or anything. But to be fair, Clark didn't necessarily know that? (Didn't he know that, though?)

What was weirdest to me is that in retrospect, Clark must have realized that Lex had been right -- both about the murder and about Lionel's coverup of it. Clark even testified against Lionel, based on what he'd seen Lionel do to Lex. I guess he sort of had to, because the only people who would have been willing to testify against Lionel regarding that were Clark and Lex, and Lex couldn't remember/didn't know about that stuff anymore by the time the trial rolled around. Well anyway, my point is that Clark must have actually understood what had gone down -- and yet he still wasn't more wary of Lionel or trying to keep Lex away from him or anything?

I mean, it made me kind of hate Clark at the time, because I thought he was being an ass. But even aside from that, I'm baffled. What was Clark's perception of Lionel? Did he not see him as dangerous, despite it all? I don't get it.

[bettername2come]

On 11/16/2015 at 9:55 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

Can I just say how so very sexay, hawt and gorgeous Tom is in "Exile"? As Clark is walking down the street at night time Metropolis. I think it's that swagger and the longer, messed up hair.

I think it's the fact that he's wearing green, which Tom looks very good in, but Clark (for fair reasons) never gets to wear. Oh, and the way his jeans are falling down below his hips in the phone booth scene. 16-year-old me had a lot of feelings about that moment. Oh, and he's smiling the whole time and showing off those beautiful white, pointy teeth of his. 

I also just noticed that Lex's imaginary island friend is named Lewis and now I'm giggling because Lewis and Clark. His brain makes puns.