Roulette Screentime Totals, and Not Much Good to Say
Well, I'm home from Atlanta. I had internet, so I've kept up to date on what people were saying. I even posted one or two things at K-Site, because sometimes I can't help responding to idiots. But I didn't want to be one of those people who doesn't watch an episode, but yet still goes around posting about it with an opinion, as though they have any clue what they're talking about. Well, to be honest, people who won't go the fuck away after they swear they aren't watching anymore always confuse the hell out of me. Jeez, move the hell on already!
But, enough about that...
Here are the screentime totals:
Roulette, Running Time: 41m, 33s ("Previously On": 48s)
Clark: 11m, 19s
Chloe: 6m, 12s
Lois: 13m, 47s
Oliver: 28m, 15s
Roulette: 10m, 57s
Year to Date Totals:
Clark: 88m, 35s
Chloe: 35m, 48s
Lois: 76m, 13s
Oliver: 56m, 7s (4)
Tess: 23m, 27s (4)
Zod: 10m, 39s (2)
Type your cut contents here
I'm kind of glad I got that whole Oliver rant out before I saw this episode. It actually saved me a lot of time in the review. Because, really, I could just say...."what she said"...and I would be the "she" in that case. LOL
I guess the first thing I would say was that this was laughable. Not in a good way laughable, but in that "Are you kidding me? Really??!!" laughable sort of way.
Do people really buy that Oliver is a changed man? Honestly? Because I don't - not for one single second. I still think this guy would put an arrow in Clark's back without losing a wink of sleep over it. And I'm willing to bet you can count the episodes on one hand before he starts getting digs in at Clark, for not doing this, or that, right, or not doing things his way, or whatever. You know, the typical no-matter-what-Clark-does-its-wrong type of thing.
Bottom line, if this episode was supposed to make me believe that Oliver was a changed man, truly repentent for the things he's done, it couldn't have been farther off-the-mark if it tried.
I mean, Come On! Oliver didn't shoot some hot chick who messed with him in the back, and then he was going to help her out of a fire, and that means he's a hero and not a murderer anymore? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh show, the suck is strong with this one. I couldn't help but giggle.
For me, Oliver doesn't feel like a person thats been redeemed, or even a person that seems to truly understand what he's supposed to be redeemed for. Instead, I still get the impression of a self-indulgent, egomaniac who was feeling really, really sorry for himself, got a shock, and now he's convinced he's The Shit again. Thats pretty much the depth of this particular smallville puddle.
And worst of all, Clark really had nothing to do with his redemption, or...well, anything. Clark was a bystander. We could've used this whole thing as a way to show how Clark can be an example of the people around him, and light to lead someone out of the darkness. But Nah! In fact, Oliver's little meeting with Chloe makes it fairly clear to me that he still doesn't really respect Clark, or believe in him. But more on that later.
And really, let me give special kudos to the show for having a character bottoming out, and then HAVING CLARK HAVE LITTLE TO NOTHING TO DO WITH HELPING TO SAVE THEM. It takes a very special sort of show to have a character thats supposed to be the main hero, then working so hard to cut him out of the supporting characters stories.
I never thought I'd have missed the Lana "dark arc" of S7. But at least they allowed Clark to be the catalyst for Lana to pull herself back. But PFFFFTTTT, Clark doesn't even get to occupy that position anymore. But this season is more Clark-centric then Ever! Yeah, pull the other one.....
No, instead the role of Oliver's savior goes to Chloe.
Now, personally, I think anyone that devises this sort of sick, twisted mindfuck, and finds a way to justify it to themselves that its for a good cause, is one dangerous, twisted individual. And yes, I think thats pretty much what Chloe is now. And here's the kicker....I don't think the show is really taking the position that she's wrong. Not really. Oh, we might get some sort of shallow lip service that talks about Chloe going too far, and we might get a scene of Clark and Chloe having an arguement, where she will, no doubt,call him weak and stupid (in so many words), before it all gets swept under the rug. But when I see scenes of characters talking about how Clark "won't do what is necessary", I know thats precisely what the show means. Is there any doubt that this is what Doomsday taught us? I don't think there can be. I've long since given up on hoping that there would be satisfying resolution for Clark in situations like this. I've long since given up hope on the show being written from Clark's corner. Its not. It just isn't. Its more obvious in some eps then others, but this is one of those eps where its clear as day, in technicolor, with subtitles!
I mean, what else can be gleaned from that Oliver/Chloe conversation? Clark wouldn't do whats needed. He wouldn't understand the two of them, who have suffered so much (and pardon me while I LAUGH MY ASS off at that).
I can't even express how sick it makes me that Clark has to have "friends" like this. They don't respect him, they don't believe in him, they'll stab him in the back in a NY minute. Hell, I don't even think either of them like him. But I do think Chloe would still give her right arm to hit that.
And what the hell was Oliver doing up on that building? He doesn't have super hearing, so he can't hear a call for help. And even if he could, how long is it going to take him to get down?
But really, thats a minor quibble about that scene. The fact that Clark is happily shaking hands with someone who did what Oliver did, and is just fine with it all does the most damage. It is what it is. There's really no wanking it. Major damage was done to Clark to service some melodramatic story for Oliver Queen. Thats the bottom line. So, whats required is what is too often required with SV. Short term memory loss. Just hand wave it all away, and pretend it didn't happen. I'm not so good at that.
Oh, I also want to thank the show for turning its young JLA into some of the most mindless, brainless followers I've ever seen. If they just went along with Chloe's plan? They are as bad as she is. Just stupider.
I was too distracted by Roulette's eye makeup to pay much attention to her performance.
Lois mostly bugged me in this episode. But since she was competing with Oliver and Chloe in the character that makes my eye twitch category, she gets a pass by default. I didn't find the scene at the Kent house particularly charming, I didn't agree with her bitching at Clark (and perhaps its just a technicality, but Clark didn't lie to her face, but Whatever show, Whatever...). I also don't buy into this Lois/Oliver friendship. When did all this buddying up happen? I simply cannot find myself invested in things that take place entirely in Offscreensville. When exactly did these 2 have time to come up with a birthday tradition? Was it after he left in Justice, and she didn't see him again until Siren? Was it after Siren, when she didn't seem to have much direct contact with him until Toxic? Was it after Toxic, when we saw the porch scene in Bride, where they were supposed to actually starting a true friendship? Or, was it after that, which would've been less then a year in SV time? So, really, the idea that they have this rich, deep friendship, and these birthday traditions is moronic. But man, this show does seem to love associating Lois with alcohol. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's young, and young people do socially drink. Its just that it seems excessive when compared to any other character, except for Lex. I just don't get it.
Tom looks great, as always. I'm still loving the longer hair. And its nice that he's still out there, saving people. Though it would be nice if he could do that with a bit less destruction. Was it necessary to wreck the womans car? But, mostly, I thought this episode made Clark appear a bit clueless, and peripheral. And of course, any episode that has him embracing Oliver isn't doing much for his moral position.
Join us next week, where yet another DC character is introduced strictly to service the character of Oliver.
Most Clark-centric season ever....MY ASS!