How I learned to stop worrying and love the 'Baum.

[attolia]

(Somebody must have used that subject header before.)



Wheeee!

That was fun! I haven't enjoyed a Smallville episode this much since ... well, since Transference. Interesting that the two best episodes this season relied on overused plot devices. I guess it shows that a good actor can overcome a lot.

Evil!Lex was definitely over the top, just as he was in Hug, but it worked, because he was completely unmoderated by his kinder, gentler half. And Evil!Lex is hot (except for the butt slapping, which I find a major turn off).

And Good!Lex was so smiley and eager to show Clark all the good his work could do. I wish we could have seen more of him, too.

In a better TV world, this story would have taken two episodes. Clark and Chloe figured out what happened too early in the episode for the pacing to work right. They needed to do that to fit all of Evil!Lex's actions in, but with two episodes they could have left more mystery in the story. Not to mention, giving us two hours of double-the-Lex.

I don't think Onyx was as good as the best of season 3 (Shattered, Asylum, Memoria) or possibly even Transference, but it was a blast to watch. If they can make one or two episodes like this every year, I'll be willing to slog through the rest to get to them.

Comments

[shattered.livejournal.com]

I'm always kind of surprised they don't do more two-episode arcs. They aren’t particularly deft at a season-long arc, but they’ve shown (ie Shattered and Asylum) that they can pull off a two-episode story really well.

[attolia.livejournal.com]

They can, but I don't think they really like to think of stories going over more than an episode. From interviews it appears that they even write the season end cliffhangers without having any clear idea how they are going to be resolved (such as when they filmed Calling(?) Lex and Helen got on the plane without having the wedding finished. Only much later did they decide she was the killer. Hence the clunky motivation.)

[acampbell.livejournal.com]

With you. Two eps would have worked much better, and, yeah, Clark and Chloe did figure out what was going on way too early.

I need to rewatch before I'll have a coherent opinion.

[talitha78.livejournal.com]

Hi! You commented over in aelora's journal. Just wanted to let you know I friended you. :)

[attolia.livejournal.com]

Thanks!