Smallville Review – “Cyborg”

Well, that was an unexpected conclusion, but a damn
good one.

Cast

Tom
Welling
as
Clark Kent

Kristen Kreuk as
Lana Lang

Michael
Rosenbaum
as Lex Luthor

John
Glover

as Lionel Luthor

Annette
O’Toole
as Martha Kent

Erica Durance as
Lois Lane

Allison Mack as
Chloe Sullivan.

Written by Caroline Dries.

Directed by Glen Winter.

Original Airdate


Cyborg
originally aired on Thursday,
February 16
, 2006.

Synopsis

A young man gets cybernetic implants in some very
familiar places.

High Point

The “milk” bit was edged out by the final name
dropping.

Low Point

That’s a lot of fluid flow for a power cell that
didn’t actually die
out.

Also, I remember what it was like to pay tuition. I
have no idea how
Lana pays for college and the premiums for
what her car
insurance must be.

The Review

It’s hard to feel original when you’re
bringing in the fourth
future JLA member, who once again nicely parallels a
part of Clark’s
life. Still, the Luthor related aspects were putting
this show in new
territory, so I can’t be too hard on them. I give it
4 out of 6.

The effects were nice. We’d seen most
before, but the
placement of the cybernetic portions was excellent,
and the rooftop
jump was very nicely done. I give it 5 out of 6.

The story was, as is typical of the season,
strong in its
B-plot, a little obvious in its main plot, and most
effective in the
closing fifth act that follows the conclusion of the
main storyline.
The effects people exaggerated the fluid flow somewhat
I think, but
otherwise, it was very well assembled. I give it 5
out of 6.

The acting from the guest cast was quite
good, and the
regular cast always looks great with this much screen
time for the
Luthor family. I give it 5 out of 6.

Most of the episode had a lukewarm emotional
response
, which
probably would have earned it a four, but then those
last few seconds
hit, and sold me on the rest of the season. I’ve got
to see how this
plays out. I give it 5 out of 6.

The production was well done. My only
complaint was the lack
of transition from the white room to the next area
during the original
escape. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, it’s a decent episode, which ends at
a pretty
critical moment. I give it 5 out of 6.

In total,
Cyborg
receives
34
out of 42.

12 replies on “Smallville Review – “Cyborg””

  1. For once
    The heroes didn’t end up fighting each other! Just one accidental toss up. No "you’re a terrorist", no "you don’t know what it’s like, I do what I have to". That’s a wellcomed change from the clichés.

    P.S. Silly supertags… I want my é!

  2. Bionics
    All through the episode I felt like Steve Austin was going to run across the screen in slow motion whenever they mentioned bionics. It was fun when Lex actually gave a nod to those of us who grew up in the 1970s when he told the cybord that he cost “considerably more than $6 million.” I hope they do more with this character in the future.

    • Re: Bionics

      All through the episode I felt like Steve Austin was going to run across the screen in slow motion whenever they mentioned bionics. It was fun when Lex actually gave a nod to those of us who grew up in the 1970s when he told the cybord that he cost “considerably more than $6 million.� I hope they do more with this character in the future.

      I would have loved just one nod to the "na-na-na-na-na-na" sound. That would have been cool.

      • Re: Bionics

        All through the episode I felt like Steve Austin was going to run across the screen in slow motion whenever they mentioned bionics. It was fun when Lex actually gave a nod to those of us who grew up in the 1970s when he told the cybord that he cost “considerably more than $6 million.� I hope they do more with this character in the future.

        I would have loved just one nod to the "na-na-na-na-na-na" sound. That would have been cool.

        I was expecting them to do it… but they mentioned the figures instead. Meh. Is that sound copyrighted or trademarked or something?

  3. Help
    I was pretty bored during this entire episode, so it seems I missed an interesting name drop at the end. Can anyone tell me what it was?

    • Re: Help

      I was pretty bored during this entire episode, so it seems I missed an interesting name drop at the end. Can anyone tell me what it was?

      SPOILER: Lionel was watching the blackmail video of Clark saving Lana in the warehouse from "Lockdown," giving him indisputable proof that Clark isn’t normal. His reaction was to say "Your secret is safe with me, Kal-El." That’s the name-dropping; he knows Clark by his kryptonian name. I really have to see how that plays out. End spoiler.

      • Re: Help

        I was pretty bored during this entire episode, so it seems I missed an interesting name drop at the end. Can anyone tell me what it was?

        SPOILER: Lionel was watching the blackmail video of Clark saving Lana in the warehouse from "Lockdown," giving him indisputable proof that Clark isn’t normal. His reaction was to say "Your secret is safe with me, Kal-El." That’s the name-dropping; he knows Clark by his kryptonian name. I really have to see how that plays out. End spoiler.

        spoiler tagging to be safe

        Also the name drop could be linked to "Vengeance"
        When Lionel was thanking Clark for saving him Lionel called Clark son. I thought nothing of it at the time, but now I wonder if it is another clue. Of course I could be reading way too much into it

        • Re: Help

          spoiler tagging to be safe

          Also the name drop could be linked to "Vengeance"
          When Lionel was thanking Clark for saving him Lionel called Clark son. I thought nothing of it at the time, but now I wonder if it is another clue. Of course I could be reading way too much into it

          No, I’m pretty sure he at least remembers something from that… Jor El is using him as a vessel to act on earth, or at east he did so at some point. Maybe it’s like Xander and the soldier thing from Buffy.

          • Re: Help

            spoiler tagging to be safe

            Also the name drop could be linked to "Vengeance"
            When Lionel was thanking Clark for saving him Lionel called Clark son. I thought nothing of it at the time, but now I wonder if it is another clue. Of course I could be reading way too much into it

            No, I’m pretty sure he at least remembers something from that… Jor El is using him as a vessel to act on earth, or at east he did so at some point. Maybe it’s like Xander and the soldier thing from Buffy.

            SPOILERIFFIC
            Remember who saw Jonathon last in the 100th episode (other than Martha and Clark)? The "son" from the "Vengeance" episode (as mentioned above) when he was completely unsurprised that Clark was able to catch him? At the end of last season when Lionel went completely zonkers and had the kryptonian figures in his eyes, I’m thinking that Jor-El reprogrammed him as either a vessel or a sort of Brianiac 2.0 – though I wouldn’t be surprised if it were simply Jor-El playing at being human (remember the episode from season 3 where Clark found out Jor-El had been on Earth? Methinks he rather liked the human lifestyle).

            Whatever it is, I’m completely hooked for the rest of the season, and I’d been somewhat iffy on it up to now – I just hope they don’t drag it out into next season too.

  4. Lionel or Lion-el?
    Lionel is being played not as someone trying to act sincere but someone who IS sincere. Something has changed his personality – perhaps the takeover by Jor-el.

    In previous episodes, when he says he would "take care" of the blackmailer, I would expect the blackmailer to be killed. Here, he was just paid money. It seems odd that the blackmailer would be left alive with the knowledge about Clark.

    Also, since when would a surveillance camera have a 1/100 second stop action – usually they are good to 1/15 to 1/30 second.

    Still, I an also wondering what will happen – if things are leading up to the Superman movies, Lionel will have to (unfortunately) die, probably by sacrificing himself to save Clark or Martha.

    • Re: Lionel or Lion-el?

      Still, I an also wondering what will happen – if things are leading up to the Superman movies, Lionel will have to (unfortunately) die, probably by sacrificing himself to save Clark or Martha.

      Don’t forget that Lex has to be responsible, in at least an oblique fashion, and Clark has to suspect it. Can the show end without Lex and Clark being fully acknowledged as enemies?

    • Re: Lionel or Lion-el?

      In previous episodes, when he says he would "take care" of the blackmailer, I would expect the blackmailer to be killed. Here, he was just paid money. It seems odd that the blackmailer would be left alive with the knowledge about Clark.

      It was my impression that Lionel paid the man to pose as a blackmailer. Lionel is doing the blackmailing and is coming in as a white knight to save Martha thereby gaining her trust. This is a little convoluted but you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

      Also, my memory fails me but wasn’t Lionel showing Clark’s father a video and blackmailing him that brought on the heart attack? I thought it was the same video. Now Lionel figures a direct approach will not work so he is doing an indirect approach.

      If the white knight strategy does not work, I think that blackmailer may show up dead at some point and his corpse will be pinned on Martha. Lionel would point out that Martha agreed to let him take care of it.

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