Smallville Review – “Wither”

The latest installment of Smallville is here.

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 Tracy Bellamo.
Directed by Whitney Ransick.

Original Airdate

Wither originally aired on Thursday,

October 12, 2006.

Synopsis

Nasty vegetation starts attacking people while Oliver Queen gets closer to Lois Lane.

High Point

The “demonstration of skill.”

Low Point

Clark’s seeming acceptance of Gloria’s fate. He’d better not be okay with this next week.

The Review

They do a good job of breaking original ground in an early season episode once again. The new love triangles are forming, and we’ve got some new relationships established within Superman’s supporting cast. I give it 5 out of 6.

The effects were erratice. The makeup effects and CGI wounds looked good, as did the arrow, but the vines looked too obviously CGI, particularly when they wen’t in through the mouth. I give it 4 out of 6.

The story started out strong, but then hinged on absentee medical professionals and stretched out Gloria’s origin and actions when they could have left more time for Clark to deal with the way her fate was established. I give it 4 out of 6.

The acting was as strong as it’s been all season. This cast actually seems to be improving for season six, when so many other shows end up with a tired cast instead. I give it 5 out of 6.

The emotional response was weakened by the low point. Other moments were very well done. I give it 4 out of 6.

The production was good for the most part. The ADR insertion asking Clark to show himself out was irritating, as I felt that particular scene would work better with a musical cue and no dialogue. Still, that’s a relatively minor point. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, it’s a little tough to gauge. If the low point stays dropped, that hurts the episode. If they pick up on it next week and continue, then it’ll be fine. For now, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and give it a 5 out of 6.

In total, Wither
receives 32

out of 42.

4 replies on “Smallville Review – “Wither””

  1. About time
    When Lex found Clark on his property, AGAIN!!! He finally tells him to get out and stay out.

    All I have to say it is about time. It is one thing for a friend to stop on by and just come in the front door. If I kept finding my friend snooping around my place, I would have to at least say something to him.

  2. Green Arrow & entanglements
    I thought the "demonstration of skill" was predictable, though I didn’t quite predict it 100%. It was, however, pretty much mandatory, and well done. I have to confess, my baser instincts found the high point being when Lois went to Oliver’s apartment (completely gratuitous, and completely worth showing off a body like that!). I think he’s actually an interesting character, performed extremely well to boot. Maybe we can get a Green Arrow series if we can’t have Aquaman?

    For a low point, I thought Clark’s extrication of himself at the party happened too effortlessly for that point in the story, and in fact, I think something similar would have happened in his first entrapment, which I didn’t really believe.

    I also think that he should have immediately realized that if Gloria was an escapee from the Phantom Zone, there must be others.

  3. Only semi-grumpy
    I think a better title would have been "Green". It would have referred to two of the plot lines.

    How come Clark was so vulnerable to the vines? Where did his strength go? How could he survive the giant thorn through his chest?

    Going back to Jor-El (this refers to earlier episodes) who is, as I said earlier, "pretty powerful for a dead guy", I never could understand how he could remove and restore Clark’s powers and also give these powers to earthlings. (I did like Clark’s comment to his dad "Wow! You’ve been working out, dad!").

    • Re: Only semi-grumpy

      I think a better title would have been "Green". It would have referred to two of the plot lines.

      You’re right ;-)

      How come Clark was so vulnerable to the vines? Where did his strength go? How could he survive the giant thorn through his chest?

      I believe that’s because it was also kryptonian. They’ve been consistent that other kryptonians are his equivalent, which makes sense. The spike through the heart was a bit much, but I just have to write it off that "his physiology is different" and move one.

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