Cast

Original Airdate

Accelerate originally aired on Tuesday, May 6, 2003.

Synopsis

First, I'd like to give you the premise of this review. I got married just over a month ago to a wonderful woman. One of the wonderful things about her is that she not only tolerates my love of sci-fi and fantasy, but she's picked up a healthy dose of it herself. I would still, however, consider a casual fan. As such, I thought it might be interesting to get her perspective on this show at the same time as mine. So we'll get two reviews, two scores tonight. I hope you enjoy. (This isn't going to be something we do often, but I thought it might be fun).

The episode: Lana Lang's seeing ghosts. Clark sets out to exorcise them somehow - or prove they don't exist.

High Point

Sabrina's: "OH MY GOD! BO DUKE! I HAVE TO WATCH THIS SHOW EVERY WEEK NOW!" (apparently Clark's father is played by the same guy who played Bo Duke on the Duke's of Hazzard [yep. the high point occurred in the opening credits])

Chris's: I'm torn between the scene in the rain where Clark moves at super speed and the scene with Lana in the barn...that one sort of revisited some things Sabrina and I have gone through...but not in a bad way.

Low Point

Sabrina's: I didn't like the ending. The father losing his daughter didn't sit well.

Chris's: The too-obvious (and too fast) x-files-esque removal of the lab. Just seemed unnecessary to bring the police into it.

The Review

Sabrina: I didn't think there really was much originality to it. The ghosts in the theater and cloning bit. Been there, done that

Chris: Actually, I was initially going to give this a higher score for originality, but Sabrina's got a really good point. On the other h bit of a new direction (from what I understand) for the show. Just to be different, I'll give originality a 4 out of 6.

Sabrina: The effects were decent, and relatively well used. I'll give effects a 4 out of 6.

Chris: I was impressed with the effects. They're significantly above the level of effects I've seen on TV before (WAY above what I'm used to on Charmed). Since I'm new to the show I can't say I've seen them often. I'll give effects a 5 out of 6.

Sabrina: It was a good plot. I liked the overall story, it didn't jump too often, but flowed well. The way they handled continuing story threads doesn't hurt a new viewer much. Story gets a 5 out of 6.

Chris: I agree on both counts - I especially liked how nearly every other scene was an "oh REALLY" scene for about the first half of the show. I was really interested in just WHAT they were getting into here. On the other hand, the last half of the ep. really dragged in places. I got tired of the "Lana is crazy" type scenes once they'd established that no, she wasn't. I also felt that the "story arc" threads didn't really detract from the overall show (for a new viewer) but rather helped to place this in a non-episodic world. (There are a lot of shows that I wonder "just what do they do while they're waiting for these major events to occur", and the writing on this show does a lot to explain exactly that.) I give the story a 5 out of 6 as well.

Sabrina: John Schneider's (Jonathan Kent) still got it. Makes me a happy camper. John Glover plays evil well. In terms of the Father to interaction, the elder Luther's mannerisms definately give light to Lex's future "divinity" into the corporate world of evil within Metrop Acting gets a 5 out of 6.

Chris: While I don't hold a special place in my heart for Bo Duke, I do think he's a good actor. John Glover, however, is one of the people that will keep me watching this show. He epitomizes evil. Some of the supporting cast was a little weak - Lana especially had a few problems - but on the whole they were quite good. Better than your average sci-fi tv show. I'll give acting a 5 out of

Sabrina: The only emotional response for me throughout the show was Lana's & Clark's scene in the barn when she tells him how she feels about her being afraid that he won't find her perfect. Personal experiences within the past few months just shed more light on me from this scene and I think conveyed more clearly how I feel in certain aspects of my relationship with my husband! Thanks Smallville!! Emotional Response 6 out of 6

Chris: I was wrapped up in the early part of the show very intensely, and I was very interested in what the characters were going to do to handle it. And then it all fell apart. Mostly this was a flow problem, but it really lost me emotionally. And then the now famous (in this review) barn scene. Yah. Got me by the throat. Can't quite get over that flow issue though. emotional response gets a 5 out of 6.

Sabrina: No hidden mikes coming out of the walls or grip boys wanting to make special apperances in Lana's bedroom!! Kudos to the production team on a job well done!!! Production 6 out of 6

Chris: Okay. I'm impressed. Sci-fi normally doesn't have production this good, so I'm happy. Nothing to make me stand up and say "WOW! THAT WAS AMAZING PRODUCTION!" (I'll know it when I see it, okay?) so production gets a 5 out of 6.

Sabrina: This was a well written, well acted, well thoughtout show!! Having this been my first episode, I would have to say it was a good experience. This was probably one of the best plot lines I've seen in a sci-fi based series in a long time...I give props to the writers of this show!!! You receive my golden pen award for this :) Overall 5 out of 6

Chris: I was impressed. While not something that'll drag me back to the screen, I wouldn't avoid it. And if I were home, flipping through the channels, I'd likely pick this to watch at 9. Probably the best tv on a Tuesday night (Though tonight I would have rather been watching the X-men movie on FX). Overall, I give this episode a 4 out of 6.

In total, Accelerate receives 34 out of 42 from Sabrina,
and
33 out of 42 from Chris (Hitch).