Smallville Series Rewatch: Episode 1.7-1.8 (Day Three)
Episode 7 Craving, original air date 11/28/2001, directed by Philip Sgriccia, written by Michael Green
Meet Jodie. Jodie has a weight problem. Jodie is planting vegetables in meteorite infused soil. Jodie is about to be the subject of this week's Smallville Style PSA.
The next scene has Chloe and Pete, and here's a guy that needs his head kicked in for picking on Jodie. It's cool that Pete stood up for her.
Hey, I think I just realized that that's the chick from Enchanted.
Uh oh, some of her weight is coming off. She lost almost 30 pounds in 2 seconds. I'm...100% certain that that constitutes as a medical emergency.
And to continue the theme, Lex is getting a physical. Lex has an unusually high white blood cell count (like Leukemia). Lex says that's impossible because he never gets sick, and that his asthma went away the day of the meteor showers. Now, for those not in the know, there is an unconfirmed fanon theory that Lex was a meteor freak and that his power was the ability to heal. Smallville made hints to this even in Season 3, but they never went anywhere with it. Okay, carry on...
Clark is helping Lana study for math while Nell is planning the party (more for herself than for Lana) that's being held at Luthor mansion. I don't think they mentioned how old Lana was supposed to be turning. I think a lot of people assumed 16, which would be consistent with her saying that both she and Jason were adults (and therefore not breaking any laws by being in a relationship) in Transference.
It's cute that Clark has to answer for Pete to get the date with Jodi.
Lana is visiting the Kents, and Clark comes in blabbing about his powers, so to speak. Martha is listening in on Clark offering his escort services (I wish) with this adorable look on her face.
Jodi lost 20 more pounds in 2 seconds...and now she's eating everything in sight. Poor thing. It's like Sean with the needing-heat thing, but she's actually a nice person and she's the first meteor infected that you actually feel sorry for.
Beware the CGI deer. This brings us to Car fatality #7? Yeah, 7. Jodi's about to go Edward Cullen on it's ass. (Sorry for the Twilight reference, I have a 13 year old niece.)
Clark is spying again. Stop torturing yourself darlin'.
Lex is researching the meteor shower by looking up the Smallville Torch. Why the Torch and not the Ledger?
At least this is one parent we don't have to worry about being killed by his meteor infected kid.
Clark sees Lex reading the Wall of Weird. Lex is lying about why he's there, saying that he wanted to meet Chloe because Gabe is always going on about her. He's there for a completely different reason, obviously. Lex tells Clark that he lost his hair in the meteor shower...Aaaaand Clark feels guilty. Apparently Clark is one of the few people Lex has told this story to. Probably the only person.
Oh, Chloe mentions the first Dr. Hamilton, who is the only other person besides her (and Clark and Pete) that doesn't think the mutations in SV is due to LuthorCorp.
It's funny how Jodi's one human victim is someone we wouldn't have cared too tough about her killing...oh wait, that was wrong of me. *bad Tasha*
Lana's telling the story of her last good birthday. She was three when they were killed in the MS. I have a couple memories from when I was two/three, so I buy that she would remember that.
Yeah...when Jodi detaches her jaw like that it's creepy.
Lex goes to visit the reclusive Dr. Steven Hamilton. This could easily have been the Dr. Hamilton that turned on Superman in the animated series or the cartoon. I can't see Dr. Emil Hamilton doing that.
I will always see this Dr. Hamilton as Byron Douglas III (A Different World).
Lex mentions being kicked out of Met U. He offers to fund Hamilton's research that the meteors restructure cellular makeup.
That Dustin kid is in a coma.
I totally sympathize with Clark's disgusted look while watching Jodi eat.
I love that Clark got to be funny and carefree. It went away for a while until they brought Lois in...and then it went away again until Season 8. Don't argue, it's true.
Lex is still pimping Clark. Just buy him a skimpy outfit and put him on a corner already.
Lex helped Clark with Lana's present.
Oh! Oh! Remember the days when Chloe would just give Clark the hints and let him figure it out for himself. I kind of want to hug S1 Chloe a little bit. It's almost like she held his intellect at a higher regard when she thought he was just human...ironic, huh?
Pete gets to be the Damsel in this episode. One more reason to sympathize with Jodi, she truly didn't want to hurt Pete and tried to get him to leave before she ate him. I'm getting nostalgic for Buffy Season 1.
Oh, Head Injury #4: Pete vs. Tile Floor. The Floor won.
Clark got there in time before Jodi got with the sucking...Clark's a blocker.
If Clark weren't Clark, she could've really hurt him with that shovel. Bad enough there's Kryptonite all in that green house. Unlike Tina Greer, Jodi saw herself in the mirror and stopped the killing spree. Aaaaand she's going to kill herself, but Clark got them both out before the greenhouse went boom.
Pete's awake...fat lot of good that's gonna do (no pun intended).
And because Clark was helping Pete, he missed Lana's party. Lex and Lana scene. Still don't feel any "pre-romantic" vibes. Because he's still all about Clark at this point.
Lex has a clean bill of help. And Dr. Hamilton is a sex offender, apparently.
Lex has inadvertently stated that he trusts Clark. He told Clark about his brush with the MS, but when Hamilton asked why Lex cares about the MS so much, Lex says he saves the story for the people he trusts. I miss those days before Lex decided Clark was an evil alien overlord with no precedence other than a couple exposures to Red K/Silver K.
Clark is throwing rocks ar Lana's window (gotta be careful with that superstrength, Clark). She's being a lot more reasonable about Clark standing her up than some fans would have you believe. And she gave Clark the opportunity to give her his present...which was SUPER sweet of him. They could've been such good friends if the Powers That Be would've allowed them instead of playing up the angst so much.
Conclusions: There was continuity in this episode, or it was the beginnings of a story arc that will continue into a later episode this season and in an episode in the next season. (I like how I'm being all vague like this stuff wasn't already shown 10 years ago.) The Dr. Hamilton story continues in Nicodemus and then Duplicity in Season 2. I don't remember if he made any other appearances except in that one episode where they found the octagonal key, and I don't remember which episode that was. We'll find out later.
The Jodi story was sad because she was actually not out to hurt anyone and she didn't actively seek out anyone to hurt other than that Dustin kid (who'll miss him besides his parents though *shrugs*). And she didn't kill him, so that's a plus *thumbs up*. But this was the second time Clark was put in a situation to disappoint Lana, a pattern that, up until SV's version, was a parallel with Clark standing up Lois in the comics.
Season 1 Clana is adorable so far. The scene with the film projector sold me. I'm almost dreading when it started getting on my last nerves. I think the reason it's working so far is that Lana hasn't said "secrets and lies" yet.
Craving is a keeper. Not one of the "greats" but definitely it has continuity that is important to later eps and its something newbie fans could appreciate.
Episode 8 Jitters, original air date 12/11/2001, directed by Michael Watkins, written by Cherie Bennett & Jeff Gottesfeld
Looks like there was a week break between these two episodes. Wonder why?
Jonathan wanted to say "Son of a bitch" so bad, but settled for "son of a gun".
Clark was given witty lines in Season 1. Clark got his parents a Anniversary card and it has pizza sauce on it, lol.
Ooh, first look at Metropolis.
Poor Earl...NO PUT THE BABY DOWN!!! Oh, *whew* he did. And just in time before one of his seizures, too. Earl's story was even more tragic than Jodi's. Another victim who wasn't out to hurt anyone, but was backed into a corner. It's almost like John Q.
Earl used to work for LuthorCorp, and how he gets seizures from whatever was going on at the Smallville Plant (No. 3, for those uninitiated).
Uh oh, he's going to accidentally kill his janitor guy. See what I mean? Tragic.
Sidebar: Know what I noticed? Clark wasn't seen as the obviously attractive guy he was until he got to Metropolis (or until Lois looked him up and down in Crusade).
Clark is gonna throw a party (a "small" one). How much you wanna bet Pete was responsible for all those people being there. Why do people feel the need to trash someone else's house at a teenage party? Do they have no home training? Clark running at superspeed (slow mo) to grab a bowl for this kid to hurl in is a cute gag.
Aaaand, Lex gives Clark fireworks. And he took care of the police. If that's not love, I don't know what show you guys are watching. And he brings his Beard to cover his tracks, lol. Okay, okay, I'll stop.
This is the first time they mention that Martha is from Metropolis. Jonathan and Martha are cute together. I totally bought their marriage as a long and happy one.
Enter Whitney being the clingly boyfriend. Where's Kinetic so I can start liking him already?
Clark knows Earl, but can't go near him because of the Kryptonite. Chloe assumes he's on drugs, but Clark tells her there's no way. Clark grew up knowing the guy. I like the story of Earl trying to teach Clark to play guitar but he kept snapping the strings...aww.
Is this the first time we see SV Medical Center? I believe so.
Oh, no, the house is fucked. I like seeing Clark use superspeed to clean it though, lol. Too bad the parents were already home waiting for him...with the slow 80s clap.
The talk about Earl got their minds off of the party.
Jonathan was sometimes endearingly protective of Clark.
(Clark's got helmet hair again.)
Earl mentions Level 3
This is the first time the title was mentioned in the episode this season.
And sometimes Jonthan put other people's lives at risk by keeping certain aspects of the secret a secret. I have a minor problem with Jonathan not coming forward that it was the meteor fragments that got under Earl's skin causing the Jitters. This man's life was in danger, and while I'm glad that we're at the point now where Clark will willingly sacrifice his life to save humanity, and yes, it's Jonathan's perogative to protect his son, but studying the meteor rocks didn't necessarily have to lead back to Clark and his origins.
Alright, Smallville High is on a fieldtrip at the Smallville Plant. "Where we give a crap" as Gabe Sullivan states. Remember when Chloe had a father? Whatever happened to Gabe. I don't think we heard from him again after the safehouse exploded in Covenant.
That alien autopsy crack was not cool, you can tell this is what Clark is thinking right now.
Earl got into the building unnoticed...that's the crackshot LuthorCorp security at its best.
Hey Clark, the tour group is going that way...you're gonna fall behind.
This is that John Q moment I was talking about: Earl holding the kids hostage. Damn, the media found out quick. Here's Lex, he's letting only the Kents in. If I were the other parents, I'd be pissed beyond measure.
Lex is genuine when he says there is no Level 3. Martha notices Clark isn't among the hostages.
Enter Lionel in a helicopter. Ooh, and Lionel says it's been a long time since the last time he saw Jonathan Kent. So they planned for Lionel to be responsible for Clark's adoption from the beginning, huh?
Dammit Earl, when you're having a seizure, you don't grab onto the valve that releases methane gas.
And Whitney is gonna try to play hero and get everyone killed.
Lex is going in because Lionel won't do anything. Why is Lionel smiling? Wow, he was REALLY a Magnificent Bastard.
Lex negotiated brilliantly with Earl to let the kids go. This was one of those episodes where you saw the potential of Lex to do good things. (Too bad he would rather do "great things".)
Lionel didn't really think twice about locking Lex up in the building to blow up, huh?
Lex got Earl to let the kids go, but Clark won't leave Lex in there. Aww, true friendship.
X-Ray vision and Clark sees the elevator. Earl was telling the truth.
Head injury #5: Lex gets pistol whipped.
Clark uses his strength to turn off the gas levels. I love Martha's "how did that happen" look when the swat guy informed them about it.
Lex sees that his father is a lying bastard. Level 3 is there, but it's empty.
Earl has another seizure, but he's gonna take the whole catwalk out with him. I like this save that Clark pulls. Even though Earl is poisoned with GreenK and Clark is weak around him, he still managed to pull both of them up. I don't think Clark was necessarily lying when he tells Lex he doesn't know how he pulled them up. How could he when he's usually sick around GreenK with no strength. The adrenaline excuse wasn't a bad lie, lol.
Lex painted Lionel in a corner by promising the media that Earl will get medical treatment, lol.
And Lex is jealous that Clark has parents that love him.
Conclusions: This is still a very good episode. I can't remember how important the Level 3 story line was to future episodes (all I remember was how important it was to hundreds of Clex fics, lol), but I think this is a must see episode. It showed how ruthless Lionel could be if he was willing to let his own son blow up let alone some teenagers. We once again got to see Clark investigating on his own (and I love it and will go off on the next person that calls Clark a BDA when all evidence suggests that Clark's character was diminished to build certain characters up in later seasons. I'm glad that pattern was broken in Seasons 8 & 9). But this was a good Lex episode as well because you see that he had such potential to be a good guy, but like I said, he wound up caring more about beating Lionel and doing "great things" rather than "good things". I like the subtle difference because "good" things suggest morality/ethics while "great" things suggests scale. So Lex cared more about scope than the ethicality of it all**. It's the Utilitarianism vs. Categorical Imperative argument, SV Style.
**If you're gonna argue that Clark lying to Lex was Lex's downfall...well, you can argue that but it's bull. How one can argue that the morality of a grown man is contingent upon a high school boy needs to take this Victim Impact class on accountability that I'm supposed to start teaching my criminal clients.
It's kind of ridiculous how much I'm looking forward to watching Rogue today.