Review for Smaville-Sirens 7x11
Smallville-Sirens 7x11
Hi, gentle readers and lurkers where back again for another fun filled night of Smallville. Be aware that there are possible spoilers ahead in my review for SV Sirens 7x11. Sorry for the late post again. Also be aware that I wasn't able to get much edititing done on this. I'll get to it later. Now on with the show.
Unlike what is probably the majority of my flist I was not spoiled, so Oliver's return (Yes please), and Dinah Lance AKA Black Canary's appearance were a very welcome surprise. Here's the best of the rest.
Black Canary: The Sirens in Greek mythology were a trio of bird like femmes fatales who used to lure men to their doom with the power of their song. Therefore the title is quite apt as the introductory episode for "Black Canary." A black clad seductress who moves as gracefully as a bird and whose sonic blast can both disable and kill. You'd think that this character would be right up my up my alley, knowing my fixation for feisty blondes (Buffy Summers, Veronica Mars, Claire Petrelli, Nikita Worth, to name a few). She's strong, independent, and during "Infinite Crisis's" "One Year Later" jump she becomes the leader of the JLA. And yet I can't friggin stand her. In the comics I've always found "Black Canary" to be an impulsive, justice at any cost kinda chick, which does not endear her to me. It's like the comic writers tried to hard to create this feminist icon and wandered into annoyingville. I don't know, for me there just a whole lot of showing instead of telling in her character, and I can't like her. However I had hopes for the SV version. After all I was pretty neutral about Oliver in the comics but I love.....love......Love him on Smallville. The problem is that I find this version of Dinah Lance even more unpalatable then the comic book version. Black Canary's usual modus operandi has been to infiltrate the criminal element not become it. Selling Green Arrow to Lex for monetary gain is the act of a criminal. I don't care about her protestations to the contrary if she was really about justice then she would have dropped Ollie's butt in front of the police station with his costumes and arrows. She wouldn't have accosted him at his home on the filmiest of evidence (Oliver could have been a go between for the Green Arrow instead of the Green Arrow himself) and almost killed him and an innocent bystander. Any of those glass shards could have easily been the death of Ollie/Lois. She then cold cocks Lois twice in a blatant display of estrogen poisoning. I can fanwank the first time as her wanting to disable Lois (a possible threat) as quickly as possible. The 2nd time is obviously because she dislikes Lois and because she can. Some hero. Some would say that she thought Oliver was a terrorist hence her less then gentle tactics. But she got her information regarding Green Arrow from Lex, a man known for shady dealings. The fact that she didn't run a background check like she did later in the show, says she's ever stupid on in denial. Her actions in finding out Green Arrow was stealing from Lex, and that Oliver is Green Arrow shows she isn't stupid. Her denial then becomes an unwillingness to question her own smug infallibility and her avarice to be paid. As a popular columnist at the Planet you know she makes an excellent living so her actions come off looking even more mercenary.
Lana/Clark: This week we return to the "House of no Sex and Subzero Temperatures," where the frostiness between Lana/Clark is still very much in affect. I love my Lana and she's right that Clark tends to be a self righteous, hypocrite whose standards can be pretty hard to live up to. The problem is that's he's never been that way with her. In fact he's let a lot of shit slide that would have had other men calling the cops to get this crazy bitch out of their house. The only time he's ever really blew up at her is when he found out she kidnaped Lionel with the "Misery" chick. He even tried to take responsibility for what she did in "Wrath." Yet since last season Lana has consistently lied to him. Only deigning to speak the truth when her back is against the wall (love that line). Is it any wonder that after her latest misstep in a slew of bad choices, Clark is finally upset. That's he's not willing to forgive and forget. He also right that it's not him she can't look in the face but herself. I mean Lana's my girl and all but she made her bed and now she's has to lie in it. Clark is but a mirror that reflects Lana's on twisted image (as he did with Lex). It's not his fault that she doesn't like what she sees. It's awesome that Clark/Lana are finally talking in adult manner. Not that it will save their relationship, but. these things needed to be said.
Oliver/Clark: Ahhhhhhhhhhh...............nothing says Clark loving, like him barging in unannounced while he spews righteous indignation. It's Kent foreplay at his finest. Don't believe me just ask Lex. I'm sure both Ollie/Clark had valid points but really I was too busy enjoying the flaring nostrils of repressed homoerotic feeling to really notice. I will say that I enjoy the give and take in the Clark/Ollie dynamic. They may argue but there's always mutual respect there. Plus in times of trouble they always have each other's back. How much did I love Clark trying to go to bat for Oliver with Lois and failing that comforting him instead. I'm just so happy to see my boys back.
Chloe: I'm not a big Chloe fan, at best I only tolerate her (which is better then when I actively disliked her) but she is a grown ass independent women. Smart and fully capable of making her own decisions. It's cool that Clark worries about, and wants to protect her. However she chose to work for Oliver, knowing the consequences. If things spiraled out of control then that's on her. Its not like she was doing anything for him that she hadn't done a thousand times for Clark. Which I think was part of Clarks problem. In a word he was jealous. In many ways he treats Chloe as his personal property and like Lex he really doesn't like it when other people play with his toys although their motives are completely different. Clark has a very real fear of loneliness that dictates a good many of his actions. Chloe has shown that she'll always stick by him. That she'll never leave. Which is priceless to him. This makes him pretty possessive when anything threatens their friendship. That doesn't give him the right to jump down her throat when he disagrees with her actions. As a best friend he can counsel and advise but in the end Chloe has to make her own decisions, not him. Of course Chloe then ruined any good feelings that I had when she started whining about Lana figuring something out before the *gasp* almighty Chloe. I swear the girl takes 1 step forward and 3 steps back.
Lana/Lionel: First, let me stop laughing at the utter improbability of Lionel having to ask Lana for her surveillance footage of Lex. I get that Lex is working most of Lionel's mojo these days, and that Lionel has changed after becoming Jor-El's avatar. That doesn't mean he suffered a full frontal lobotomy. Fish got to swim, birds got to fly and Luthors have to spy, sneak, and blackmail. It's a spinal reflex. The idea that Lionel doesn't have his own spies in Lex's household (if only to safe guard Clark's interest) is ludicrous. The only thing that ran true with that encounter is Lionel's attempt to blackmail Lana. That she was able to nullify (which I loved, go Lana) his attempt so easily, shows just how far Lana has come from "Promise" as well as just how far Lionel has fallen. It's just more foreshadowing of Lionel's descent and Lex's ascent to the Luthor crown. The King is dead, long live the King. Also while I applaud the Lana's attempt to be a more honest person and even her offer to pull Lionel back from the abyss. The fact that she's doing it for Clark and not herself will only end badly. Real change only comes from within, anything else is just self denial. I know there's been plenty of scoffing at Lana knowing Lex better then Lionel and her warning. But for me Lionel has always seen Lex as an extension of his own ego, clay to be molded. Even at his most caring Lex is still his son. Personal property, not a person with emotions and mind of his own. I don't think he can really conceive that Lex could ever move against him. Play games with yes, kill him know. While Lana sees Lex as the very dangerous person he is. Plus I've always felt that there was more going on in the "House of Frankenstein" then was shown on screen. The way she changed toward season 6 was just to marked for there not to have been.
Oliver/Lois: So Lois can't share Ollie with the world, would you like some irony with that big fat anvil. What makes this truth even sadder is that she does recognizes the value of what her father and Ollie does to make the world a better place. She even appreciates their sacrifices, in their dance with destiny. Lois is just heart sick at always being one of those sacrifices. She can't fathom that Ollie will be able to balance his responsibilities to the world and to her. The scars of neglect are still to raw. Truthfully she's right. Ollie loves Lois, but he's too wrapped up in his crusade for justice to even attempt any type of parity in their relationship. He's a man in the gripes of an obsession. His journey will certainly end better then Ahab's, but there really isn't room in his life for anything but the most superficial of relationships, or someone whose equally as committed to the cause (hence his later relationship with Black Canary, although I still say he could do better), at least not now. Lois understands this and takes it on herself to be the bad guy. Because even though Ollie can't give her the relationship she wants, she sees her inability to accept that as her failing. Which kinda sucks since Lollie have major chemistry and this is from her girl who also loves her Collie and Clois. From Lois flustered behavior in front of a shirtless Ollie, and utter loyalty as she tries to protect his secret. To Ollie's longing for Lois and his poignant vulnerability at her refusal to even consider them. To their fun and snarky argument while tied up. Lollie has it. I truly believe that if Oliver/Lois got together later down the road when Oliver has the League up and running and Lois is more likely to take a chance, these two would have been golden. If Lois wasn't destined for Clark, that is.
Lois: Bravo to ED for her performance. She was at turns, vulnerable, snarky, funny, and at the end with Clark achingly real. I love that she has abandonment issues that started with her emotionally distant father who put the mission first. Were probably compounded by her mothers death, and aggravated even further by the revolving doors of boyfriends whose continuous departure only reinforce that she's just not enough. Her plea that she just can't be left behind again not only broke my heart, but brought her character in sharper focus. I've always wondered how an investigative reporter of Lois caliber could possibly not realize that her best friend, and partner is not Superman. With the resolution of Lois's fears, I now understand that she doesn't want to. Knowing that Clark is Superman would mean confronting her own fears of abandonment, of being second best. There's no choice of not sharing him with world (even if Clark would give up being Superman, Lois would never allow herself to be that selfish, or let Clark be that untrue to himself) and no way in hell that she can let him go. Unconsciously she grasps this and chooses that path of least resistance of not letting herself know that Clark is Superman. In someways this self deception is even freeing since it allows her to act on her feelings for Clark by transposing them on his altar ego Superman.
The Fight Scene: The ending fight scene between Lex/Olive/BC was beyond badass. Love all the misfiring weapons. Love they actually show (instead of telling) that Lex can fight. Love that Lex finally has somewhat competent security. Love that Clark saved BC first since she was most likely to die (and could only save one) yet still took the time to make sure that Lex wouldn't be more then injured.