Beacon Screentime Totals, and Thoughts

[jeannev]

 Well now, that was a big improvement over last week.  Of course, I'm not sure how much that says considering what a flaming pile of poop I thought last weeks episode was.

Overall, I'd say Beacon was a solid episode that had some very good moments, and scenes, and performances, but also had a few problems.

Anyway, we'll get to that, first we make

Comments

[ladygawain]

Fantastic review. Last week I took a holiday from sanity and literally only watched Collateral for the shipping, no critical faculties employed at all because it WOULD. BE. TOO. FRUSTRATING. I just kind of gave up taking it seriously at all. But this week, my feelings pretty much echo yours. It's a case of Smallville doing some interesting things, even great things but the end-product is just kind of disappointing - whelming and nothing more.

I appreciated Clark a lot more than I did last week, as an individual, despite the scant screen time but again. This really needs to be the last of the pep-talk, pom-pom, cheer on moments. At this point, Clark should have built enough internal character strength to figure these things out. And Lois, she has a job, she should be doing it - like you, I loved seeing her in reporter-mode here. Also, she's a multi-dimensional character (as folks said upthread), reducing her to Clark's ever-present cheerleader while perhaps well-intentioned is also boring and doesn't seem to allow her for any room to be real as an individual. She just exists to lift up Clark. And I get that but she's also a person in her own right and I'd like to see more of that.

*Aside*: Tom Welling was looking fine as hell in this episode. Seriously, the gray shirt at the end, my jaw hit the floor. How does he do it?

Moving on, I loved the videos - I also really enjoyed Martha's speech. And wished, once again, that we'd see a) more of the VRA storyline and b) more of how Clark has become this person, as in more saves that aren't tied to his inner circle, or even Tess and Cat, despite my love for his stories with them but regular people on the street. But I suppose until he shows his face there are limitations. I dunno, it seems an awkward thing to do while he's the Blur, to SHOW the impact he's had; the immediate 'Superman effect', in the moment, right there - because he's still in the shadows but then when they go off and tell us, the effect is somewhat cheapened.

Chloe and Martha, just confused. When did she become Checkmate's queen - as a comics fan that's just ludicrous to me tbh? And the revisionism was nonsensical as ever.

Great moments but also not-so great ones. I have few Clark hopes for next week's episode. Luckily I ship Chlollie, so I'm down to see that part of it, but I'm preparing myself to be ooked and annoyed.

[jeannev]

It's a case of Smallville doing some interesting things, even great things but the end-product is just kind of disappointing - whelming and nothing more.

Yeah, thats a pretty good way of summing it up. But how sad is it that I'll take it, because I don't expect anything much better?

I know that Clark in the comics does need a cheerleader from time to time. But I don't think its needed in every issue of the comics, so why does it need to be an element of nearly every episode of SV at this point? Also, at some point, we're going to need to see Clark dig a little deep, and find a way to be his own source of strength and motivation. These qualities are essential to believe that he's going to become Superman.

Honestly, I think putting Lois in cheerleader mode, and sort of ignoring her own rather renowned ambitions is also making her out to be a little too perfect. And my impression was that part of the appeal of Lois is how NOT perfect she is.

I think at this point, the show has made their point that Lois is very, very supportive, and that Clark could not be Superman without her. I think its time to move on from that now.

I think they could've given us some impression of how Clark might be having an impact on the citizens of Metropolis just by showing scenes here and there of Clark saving the average citizen. Like, think back to last season, when Clark saved the lady from being attacked. Or when he saved the little kid from the bullies. This season, we have gotten none of that at all. Its like they decided that they just didn't need to bother with that anymore, and I think thats such an essential part of Clark's story.

And Tom Welling is just ridiculously handsome. No matter what else is going on with SV, Tom always bring the Pretty on a consistant basis. God bless 'em!