Comments | jeannev: Finale Screentime Minutes, and Deep Thoughts

jeannev

Finale Screentime Minutes, and Deep Thoughts

May 18, 2011 22:30

So, here I am...finally. This is a hard review to tackle. For one thing, its like two episodes. For another, its the end. Obviously. And so I understand the desire to just want to let it alone. It is what it is, and all that. But, that just wouldn't be very me. And besides, I think a series finale should get a little of the microscope ( Read more... )

screentime minutes, finale, the end, deep thoughts, smallville

Comments 52

canadabear May 19 2011, 03:02:55 UTC

Because I adore you, I give you some actual REACTION COMMENTS from me.

I totally agree with you on Martha. It's like they were writing her here and in "Hostage" to be deliberately disliked. She gives Clark the deed to the farm and is then surprised when he decides to sell it when he and Lois work in Metropolis? Did she really expect them to farm on the side? And her freakout was completely unwarranted.

This ties into my larger, most pressing issue: letting go of the past is not the same thing as forgetting it. You can make peace with your past and decide to move on while still holding on to the memories of what came before. People do it ALL THE TIME and that's exactly what Clark has been doing, so all this "you're forgetting your past!" nonsense really, really bugged me. Really. And I'm not even going to touch on the AI crap, because I just can't. Let's just say I honestly thought there was going to be a reveal that ghost Jonathan wasn't really Jonathan because there is no way in hell he would tell Clark he needs Jor-El ( ... )

jeannev May 19 2011, 16:38:21 UTC

The adoration goes both ways :)

After the first Martha scene, I literally said outloud "What the hell is she talking about?" And she was so overwrought too. And this is supposed to be his wedding day too. And really, if she's too attached to the farm, then she can move her ass back into it, can't she?

There was nothing I saw over this whole season, to include Clark's decision to sell the farm, that even remotely suggested to me that he was forgetting people in his past, or pushing them away. It just did not happen. People moving forward with their lives and concentrating on the future is NOT a negative thing. So, all that stuff was really messed up to me.

And like you say, the AI stuff is beyond comprehension. Always has been.

Everything you say about the future flash? I can totally understand. I may have enjoyed it, but if it was between that scene and a better wrap up to present day Clark's story? I choose the latter.

But, it sure wasn't the trainwreck I was expecting, so I have to be thankful for that.

jlvsclrk May 19 2011, 05:42:39 UTC

I for one agree absolutely about Martha and Jonathan and the AI - those scenes came close to ruining this episode for me with that whole unnecessary level of angst. Why oh why when there are so many great and obvious angles that could have been tackled with this last episode did they waste time on such twaddle ( ... )

jeannev May 19 2011, 16:43:36 UTC

The Martha/Ghost Jonathan/AI stuff is the stuff thats still hanging around in my brain, slowly eating away at the rest of the episode. Because I really do believe it has no validity, and so its a last minute "You're doing it wrong Clark" moment. And really, did the Finale need one of those?

For me, if I'm generous, I could give the Finale a B+, and thats mostly due to my Clark.

When I do my post about S10 as a whole, to include the Finale, I'm going to go into how much I think the wedding stuff should've come in episode 20, instead of the Prophecy episode.

There were definitely some editing issues I didn't quite get. The big inspirational speechs from the Kents should've come right before Clark goes to the FOS, but I'm not sure how that would've worked. You could also completely tell who was available to appear in what half of the Finale.

anonymous May 19 2011, 05:50:21 UTC

I didn't care if TW wore the suit or not or whether it's CGI as I got my Superman fix in the finale. Superman was in action and the finale was Clark's moment than anyone else's. It's the culmination of what the series is about. However, if TW didn't want to wear the SR suit then I don't blame him. After 10 years, he deserves his own Superman suit and I doubt he would've fit in the SR suit that was tailor-made for Brandon Routh ( ... )

jeannev May 19 2011, 16:48:40 UTC

The biggest reason that I don't care about Tom appearing in the suit is that I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if he had, the same people bitching about him not wearing it would be the same people bitching about him not looking good enough in it. Guaranteed!

I'm not sure that I agree that the Finale was a stand alone. The wedding, Smokeseid, Clone Lex, AU Lionel, all this stuff was S10 arcs.

I honestly think Lois kind of got screwed over a bit since she never got a chance to name him Superman. For some reason, that wasn't important, but making sure Chloe's got her "jewels" was. Go figure.

I think all the actors did good in the episode. But, for me, it was all about Tom.

I think the ending was satisfying. Great? Well, not so much for me because. But I didn't expect greatness. I don't think the writers have greatness in them anymore.

costas22 May 19 2011, 10:54:53 UTC

Hi Val. Thanks for the screentimes and for the excellent review.:) Nice to know you still plan to do some Smallville articles ( ... )

jeannev May 19 2011, 16:57:42 UTC

Like you, it does sort of rub me wrong that we spent so much freaking time on a wedding that didn't actually end up with 2 people married ( ... )

costas22 May 19 2011, 18:55:55 UTC

Ah, thanks. I realize it wasn't always easy with me rambling on and stuff. :D ( ... )

(The comment has been removed)

jeannev May 19 2011, 17:01:38 UTC

I keep reading that people cried, or got teary eye, and it makes me feel like an ogre, because I didn't even come close. I must have a heart of stone.

I'm so glad that there are other people besides me that wanted to serve Martha a big ol' dish of Shut the fuck up in that first scene. LOL

I actually don't object to Chloe in the finale. And outside of the comic book stuff, she was used fine. I do think though that the the writers just didn't need another device to kiss Chloe's ass after all the times they already did in the last 2 seasons. Really, its overkill now. And why? Because her fans complain the loudest?

It was great to see MR back again. Whatever else one felt about the Clone Lex storyline in the finale, I don't know how anyone could not love the MR and TW scene.

One day, maybe I'll be able to be philosophical about Smallville as a whole. But I'm not quite there yet. :)