HE Pennypacker

This episode confirms my belief: The best way to enjoy this show is by watching only the season openers and closers. I really liked this season's premiere...especially the end with the new Depeche Mode single.

I'm actually looking forward to this season, hopefully it won't be a travesty like the last one. I'm giving Smallville one more chance!

uhftv

funny quote at the end:

http://www.greatlink.org/shownewsitem.asp?item=4934

Thrush

According to Tom, he was never offered the Movie role of Superman.

As for this episode it was pretty good. As has been said the showdown between Clark and the disciples of Zod was weak though.

Didn't Jorell want Clark to rule over Earth and Mankind like an emperor?! Which is exactly what Zod and his cronies want to do.

LivingINClip

I use to think that Weiling didn't have the look or the acting to chops to do a big screen version, but after watching him grow in this show I can tell he has actually grown with the character. He has the vunerability, but at the same time, the strenght to portray Clark / Superman persona's. This is something I have don't see Brandon Routh doin', of course it is to early for me to say, it's just speculation on my part. And as much as I love Kevin Spacey, I don't think ANYONE can beat Michael's version of Lex, it's so....dead on. I mean, I got hooked on the show because of the Lex Luthor character, not the Clark Kent. I wanted to see Lex slowly go off the deep end and Michael has done a great job of making it interesting.

The one problem this show has ALWAYS had is the middle episodes. Each season starts off strong and ends strong, but during the middle it just lingers. It's almost as if the writers don't know what to do, so they save the best for last. I would love to see the show move to a more serialized format ala Lost or something. Something where each episode effects the other. It appears they are goin' to try this with Clark losing his powers, but I have a feeling by the end of episode 2 and goin' into the third episode of this season, the power loss will be a thing of the past as will the Clark and Lana relationship they are starting yet again .

Few random tibbits / thoughts.

1: Why oh why did the kryptonian villians have to have physic strenghts? I mean, they was moving stuff with their mind in one scene! It reminded me of Superman II, was that the point? If so, that bites. I guess it goes under the theory that each "alien" would be effected by the yellow sun in a different manner ?

2: Love the use of the original Williams score, when it is used. Not to mention the small homages to the characters history, such as Chloe telling Clark she knows he is as "fast as a speeding bullet".

3: This episode was dedicated to Jeph Loeb's son. While I know he doesn't read this boards most likely, I will still say that was sweet and I'm sorry about his loss. He's left the show and I can understand why. He wrote some great episodes (some clunkers also, but nevermind that).

Rogue588

Yeah...I thought Jor-El wanted Clark to conquer. Now it's to protect? Weird.

Anyways...I finally saw the finale last week. Caught the premiere tonight. Not bad. Didn't care much for the "Zone". Nor the easy way Clark dispatched Non and Ursa. Other than that, I liked the finale and the premiere MUCH better than the whole of season four.

TheBang

He was scratching the "Z" symbol for Zod. The same symbol that was tattoo'd on the lady's back.

I assume you're referencing when the Key flew out of Lex's hand to Ursa's? That's the only time I think stuff was being moved with their mind. And actually, I didn't take this as them having psychic (or telekinetic) powers. Over the past few years, Kryptonian artifacts have always been flying around the screen on their own, from the 3 stones to the Key. So I took this as another instance of self-propelled Kryptonian artifacts, rather than any particularly special powers.

I loved the Phantom Zone in this episode. Not a big fan of the losing powers thing though. Seems like a tired plot device. Especially since this is, what, the fourth or fifth time it's happened on the series so far? Maybe this time they'll handle it well, but probably not.

Shannon Nutt

This is mere speculation, so I'm not going to spoiler it:

I'm assuming everyone saw the look on Jonathan's face as Martha and Clark headed back toward the house at the conclusion of the episode.

Since this is PROBABLY Smallville's last season, I'm wondering if Jonathan is going to cut a deal with Jor-El: give my son's powers back to him, and you can take me instead (i.e. Jonathan will die somewhere down the line at Jor-El's hands...voice...whatever!).

Anyone else think this, or am I reading too much into that look he gave?

DJariya

Great 1st episode!! Loved the new opening credits. I too am glad that Erica Durance is now a regular instead of guest star.

The Depeche Mode single was a great way to cap off the show. I think Gough and Millar are going all out this season, which is good since Smallville's future beyond this season is uncertain.

I know alot of people can't stand the Clark-Lana thing, but I'm glad they are getting together this season. I've been rooting for them since Lana sent to the video to her "ex" Whitney in season 2 to break up with him.

Orbi-Wan Techno

My DVR "u99'd" on me and missed recording the show! I only got to see the coda (the last 5 minutes). Is WB planning on replaying it on the weekends like they did last year?

Meatpants

AFAIK, there will be no Smallville on Sundays. They're running Supernatural reruns instead.

Why does everyone think this is going to be the last season? I was just reading an interview with Gough where he said they'd like to go 7 seasons.

GuessWho

Omg!!11! P3te Is A Kryptonian!!111!!11

Red Dog

I loved this episode. Why are the season openers always so great, and the rest, er, uh.....

They borrowed heavily from Superman II and there ain't nothing wrong with that.

I guess we won't see this will they or won't they hook Clark and Lana up for a little bit. Of course, once he gets his powers back, it's splitsville. It will be interesting to see the character without powers.

GuessWho

My fingers are crossed for a "mythology" box set (like X Files) which serves as an all-seasons "best of" containing allt he season openers and closers. The bos sets as they are now have too much FOTW filler for me to invest in.

Timber

I've gotten used to the fact that the season opener and finale will be great and they'll throw in 2-3 more really good episodes in the season. Other then that 5 or so episodes the rest of the season will be blah. Unfortunatly those 5 episodes is enough to keep me watching.


Also Lionel never said that Kryptonite would hurt them he said there home would. How would Lana know that the glowing green thing (I don't think she's ever seen it refined like that) was a peice of Krypton?

Artman

Shoot I missed it! Will they re-air anytime during the next wk?

Xander

Cool episode. Good way to start the season. I'll try to comment on some of the things said so far

- Clark has the crystal that the stones merged into, but who has the key now? Did Clark get it back from the Kryptionian chick?

- The fight between the followers of Zod and Kal-El was way too anti-climatic. That should have been a lot more drawn out. I liked the effect for creating the phantom zone. Different than the movies, but still pretty cool.

- I don't expect to see Zod actually show up on the show. If they do that, then they've ruined the continuity of the movies. He and Ursa and Non are already trapped in their own phantom zone. And in the movie, they've never been to "planet houston" before.

- Interesting that they didn't really mention Jason except to show that he was dead in the newspaper article. And I'm not sure who sent it to her. Lex knew about her killing Geneveive, but didn't Lionel clean up the mess? Can't remember.

- When Lionel said "their planet is their poison" or whatever and went over to the meteor rocks and STARED at them, I think I would've gotten the hint too.

GuessWho

Yes, he picked it up off the floor and that's when he noticed his hand bleeding.

MasterofDVD

Pretty impressive start to the new season. When Jonathan got knocked down the hallway I left out a little ouch myself.

Last season seemed a little weak in the FX department as I mentioned elsewhere before. It was like they were pinching pennies all year because they needed all the extra cash for the final episode of the season. I hope they give us kick ass moments more often this year.

Oh....and I have to say that opening recap was far too fast and just contained too many random things to be effective at all.

marty888

Another for the opener - they've got me hooked again.

BigDan

I think they've ruined the movie continuity many times over at this point (including, in this episode, building the Fortress of Solitude before Jonathan dies)

riley_dude

Wouldn't be much of an episode with Jonathon getting thrown against a wall or down a hall.

I liked the episode. Great homages (and clips) from the movies and Phantom Zone Criminals. So were those the same characters from the movies?

Bronkster

So where was the possessed Lionel while all the action was happening in Luthorville?

Being possessed, why would he be scratching the symbol of Zod on the floor, and then help Lana to defeat the Thugs of Zod? Perhaps the long-dead yet still-sentient Jor-el has taken over Lionel to help out his (Jor-els') errant son?

Clark without powers (again), and the nearing of the Superman mythology - could this be where Clark (perhaps with Chloe's assistance?) dons glasses?

Okay, so now we know that Kal-el isn't the only survivor from Krypton who has a spaceship (as opposed to the movie version where the phantom zone criminals survived in the .. umm... phantom zone!). So, will Kara be showing up near the end of the series to start a new spin-off??

Shannon Nutt

I was hoping Clark would actually get sucked into the Phantom Zone and we'd have a few episodes of the Kryptonians wreaking havoc on Earth while someone (maybe Lex) worked on rescuing Clark from the Zone. Oh well...maybe this will happen later in the season.

I REALLY hope the writers stay away from the "freak of the week" stuff this season and give us some nice episode arcs. Also hoping for more stuff between Clark and his parents - who were pretty much totally ignored last year, really taking the heart away from the show.

And why not a universe where Lex KNOWS Clark is Superman. Why the writers are afraid to go there, I'll never know...it would add a great dimension to their relationship, instead of making the Lex character look so stupid...not being able to put 2 and 2 together, but being a genius in most other areas.

Bluebomber

Finally got to see the episode, loved it, though I was cringing at Clark losing his powers yet again. I'm not even sure why he needed to adjust, not like it hasn't happened before and he seems to have a nice normal day until his responsibility is smacked into him, I see this time being no different.

Daniel-A

Great episode. Probably the best in a while. Is this definitely the last season of the show, though? I'd think there is a lot more in the Superman universe that can be covered.

The one thing that has always bugged me in the show was how Chloe gets treated. Whenever she gets a shot at Clark, Lana ruins things. I started watching the show thinking KK was hot, but since season 2, I've been all about Chloe. Lana is too annoying for my taste. Poor Chloe.