Smallville: Jinx
Growing up, I had an old Power Record that featured Superman taking on Mr. Mxyzptlk. Apparently, Mxyzptlk wasn't concerned so much with world-domination as he was with making everyone's life a living hell by turning the world upside down as it were. On the record, he made everyone talk stranglely, mixing up their words and saying things backward. The only way to get rid of him was to make him say his name backwards and he'd pop back to his own dimesnion. Other Superman shows have tried having Mxyzptlk show up before--I think
Lois and Clark did it in season four with Howie Mandel as the villain in question. So, when I heard rumors over the summer he was coming to Smallville, I have to admit part of me was intrigued. And I'll give
Smallville a lot of credit--his appearance here worked very well within the context of what
Smallville is supposed to be all about--Clark Kent becoming Superman and exactly what that means. I really liked the questions raised here--Clark injuries another player on the field due to his super strength. The coach begins to suspect that Clark might be on steroids since he came out of no where and is an apparent Heisman canddiate. I loved the debate back and forth between Clark and Jonathan about whether or not Clark should be on the team and the nature of responsiblity. This kind of work is what was initially so intriuging about Smallville and why I hope we get more of it as the season continues to unfold. Also, I have to admit the writers came up with an intersting way for Clark to have his cake and eat it too. And the episode left us with a lot of questions, some of which need to be answered immediately in the next new episode. First of all, has Lex really given up his investigation of Clark or is that just a ruse to keep your enemy close? Second of all, what was on floor 11.3 at LuthorCorp? (My guess: A few more freaks of the week that Lex has collected). Thirdly, did Lex really get Jason fired? If so, why? What does it gain him? (This is the question I suspect will be answered in the teaser for this week's episode). Finally, is Chloe finally starting to put it all together and figure out there's more to Clark than meets the eye? All of these things make for a great, entertaining episode. I'll even go so far as to say, it's the best
Smallville of the season.
Gilmore Girls: The Party's Over
This time around, Rory and Dean's break-up isn't so much heartbreaking as it is about two people who realize they can't hold onto the past anymore. Interesting to see Richard and Emily, after last week disapproving of Luke and Lorelai, also disapprove of Dean and Rory. And the lengths they go to in order to try and mold Rory into their vision of what they're granddaughter should be. (Anyone else get the vibe that they wanted to introduce Rory to these guys with huge income potential so she could have "cute little journalism career" or is it just me having been part of the journalism field and knowing how little it can pay?) I love how little scenes come back with new meanings in retrospect, such as Emily going to Richard and saying they need to talk in the teaser . On first viewing, you assume Emily is going to pitch a futher fit about Richard's appetizers, but then you realize later it was to talk about Rory and how they had to do what was best for her. Also, there was a lot of hilarity had with Ling helping the exchange student living in her house rebel against her mother.
Veronica Mars: The Girl Next Door
The good news this week is that Veronica Mars has been picked up for a full season. Let me be the first to say, "Yay!"
That said, this episode failed to really click for me. I liked the plotline of
Logan and Weevil serving detention together (and how weird was it to see Steven "Mr X" Williams as a high school teacher?!? Anyone else exepct him to start spouting off about conspiracies?) but the whole main storyline wasn't really all that compelling. Part of it was that once they introduced mother and step-father of the missing girl, I pretty much guessed why she'd gone missing and exactly what had happened.
posted by Michael Hickerson at 11/10/2004 10:59:00 AM |
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