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 Steven S. DeKnight.
Directed by Mat Beck.

Original Airdate

Prototype originally aired on Thursday, May 10, 2007.

Synopsis

Steve Rogers may be dead, but Lex' super soldier project is alive and not quite well. Lois really doesn't care for the results.

High Point

Placing limitations on the resources available without pulling a quick "Erksine is dead!" stunt. This allows enough to be a threat, but stays limiting enough to keep the eventual defeat plausible.

Low Point

Can't the witness be conscious just once? Precendent has been set for Clark to act fast enough to not be seen. What's wrong with doing that more often? I can see escalating threats and time frames leading to "quickly move the battleground out of sight" tactics followed by the eventual "I need a costume and secret identity" decision. It avoids the repeated brain injury problems while simultaneously setting up the path Clark eventually needs to be on.

The Review

A secret government super soldier project? We've never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever heard a story like that before. I give the originality 3 out of 6.

The earthbound effects were mostly pretty good. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the satellite or LuthorCorp images this time, as they looked a little too perfect and glossy. Fortunately, they were quick images, and the effects involving people all looked good. I give it 4 out of 6.

The story was a little too predictable. We knew Wes was going to show up since he was first revealed on the operating table, but the rest fell into place as soon as Lois started giving relationship advice. It wasn't bad, but it was just too easy to guess. In fact, Martha's plotline was the only one I couldn't predict. I give it 4 out of 6.

The acting was very good, including that by Tahmoh Penikett. Even Erica Durance did better work than usual. I give it 5 out of 6.

The emotional response was decent, but hampered by the predictability of the story. The final image would have been far more powerful without the Senator's allusions to it, but even cutting those lines wouldn't have overcome the fact that it was included in the ads for the episode last week. (There's a reason TV spots for "Empire Strikes Back" didn't include the line "Luke, I am your father." The people cutting ads for Smallville should learn from that example.) I give it 4 out of 6.

The production was immune to the predictability of the episode, and helped to overcome it. They definitely know how to shoot and edit an episode. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, it's not a bad episode, but the history of this show lead me to expect more from the second last episode of the season. I give it 4 out of 6.

In total, Prototype receives 29 out of 42.