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-   -   Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10 (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/tv-talk/572106-smallville-checkmate-04-09-10-a.html)

DJariya 04-09-10 01:12 PM

Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
<a href="http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n104/djariya/?action=view&current=Smallville-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n104/djariya/Smallville-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Smallville"></a>

Synopsis:

Spoiler:
Tess kidnaps the Green Arrow and leaves him in the hands of Amanda Waller (Pam Grier), but he escapes with his secret identity intact. Oliver, Clark and Chloe return to the scene to investigate the kidnapping and find John Jones doing the same. Later, Waller threatens Chloe's life to get information on the Justice League.


5 episodes left after tonight

Written by John Chisholm
Directed by Tim Scanlan

Pam Grier Guest Stars. She was last seen in Absolute Justice. I knew they would bring her back eventually.

riley_dude 04-09-10 02:50 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
Getting tired of the Zod storyline and just how dumb was it that
Clark gave him powers??

DGibFen 04-09-10 07:08 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
Who directed the opening sequence? Zack Snyder? I know the show loves to rip-off, uh, pay homage to certain movies, but wow.

anomynous 04-09-10 08:03 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
So, I wonder who the 3rd player is?

Geddlo 04-09-10 10:09 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
I loved the rescue scene at the end. It was like something out of a comic book.
I really enjoyed this episode and I don't say that too often about Smallville.

DeadLamb 04-10-10 12:22 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 

Originally Posted by Geddlo (Post 10097536)
I loved the rescue scene at the end. It was like something out of a comic book

hum for me it sort of felt like they had to make some CGI FX cost cuts so rather the showing him doing stuff they just showed flashes..

then again, at least it was something different!
I'm sure in classic intarrrrnet bitching if they had done the same o same o FX of him "blur" running in, stopping the bullet etc, it would be -Oh they just did the same......".. lol

over all, pretty good ep for smallville, even with out any Lois (eps always need more Erica Durance imo)

Giantrobo 04-10-10 04:00 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 

Originally Posted by Geddlo (Post 10097536)
I loved the rescue scene at the end. It was like something out of a comic book.
I really enjoyed this episode and I don't say that too often about Smallville.


Agreed :up: Seeing Clark busting through the wall like that was awesome.

davidh777 04-10-10 10:27 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 

Originally Posted by DeadLamb (Post 10097653)
(eps always need more Erica Durance imo)

:thumbsup:

wearetheborg 04-11-10 04:30 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
I hate when writers throw the characters personalities out the windows. So we are supposed to believe that the Tess who went toe to toe with Zod knowing his full powers last episode is the same Tess in this episode who is crying, afraid of heights and of Clark ?

And what is the deal with Clark revealing himself to a govt organisation (he went without anything to cover his face) ?

Finally a govt organisation who knows who Watchtower, is cant tail her and figure out where she accesses the servers ?

GuessWho 04-11-10 08:13 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
red chess piece = vampires :lol:

http://www.andersonsbookshop.com/ele...ta_002/316.jpg

mikehunt 04-11-10 12:17 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 

Originally Posted by wearetheborg (Post 10099067)
And what is the deal with Clark revealing himself to a govt organisation (he went without anything to cover his face) ?

I would have laughed if when he got there the head of checkmate said "hey, you're the son of a senator" or have the writers forgotten that Martha is one of Kansas's US senators?

MrX 04-12-10 12:26 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
I also liked the rescue scene at the end, but overall I didn't care for the ep.

Tess was a dead ringer for Morgan Webb in the wig.

RocShemp 04-12-10 02:14 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
The rescue was great. The "they're not tights" bit was cute as well as the awkward Ollie/Chloe moment in front of Clark.

Everything else was rather dull, though I did appreciate the tie-ins to the Absolute Justice episode.

And how did the actress who plays Tess not die laughing when Tom Welling was trying to be intimidating? :lol:

DJariya 04-12-10 03:33 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
This episode was okay. Didn't really care for it that much. I appreciated it as a continuation of Absolute Justice, but I thought most of it was so over-produced. The opening sequence with Tess and Clark's rescue of Chloe were cool comic book nods, but I'm not into comics so from an action and dramatic standpoint they were a little much. I wasn't crazy about Absolute Justice either. The moments with Chloe and Ollie were cute.

I think the strongest parts of the show and season 9 are the character moments, specifically Clark and Lois (episode was sorely missing Erica Durance's presence) and now the developing bond between Ollie and Chloe. Don't get me wrong, I love action in this show, just not super slow-mo action like this episode.

Superman07 04-13-10 09:41 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
Odd - I thought this was one of the best episodes ever. Top 10 easy!

I thought everything moved at a nice pace and they changed up some of the styling. Plus the plot points certainly weren't obvious.

As soon as they said "white queen" I thought "I wonder who the red queen is?!" :lol: On that note, nice ambiguity by Jon. I wonder if red = Zod, or it is Lex in hiding. Maybe Bruce Wayne? :eek:

I hope this starts some good momentum until the end of the season. Hopefully they have a solid plan in place unlike that season now that S10 is confirmed. I hope they hadn't finished filming before that decision was made though.

Timber 04-13-10 10:05 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
"Kidnapping is illegal..." For some reason that line made me LOL, the delivery was just so wooden.

Timber 04-13-10 10:16 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
The rescue scene was straight out of comic book. Loved it.

mikehunt 04-13-10 08:19 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 

Originally Posted by Superman07 (Post 10102528)
Odd - I thought this was one of the best episodes ever. Top 10 easy!

I thought everything moved at a nice pace and they changed up some of the styling. Plus the plot points certainly weren't obvious.

As soon as they said "white queen" I thought "I wonder who the red queen is?!" :lol: On that note, nice ambiguity by Jon. I wonder if red = Zod, or it is Lex in hiding. Maybe Bruce Wayne? :eek:

I hope this starts some good momentum until the end of the season. Hopefully they have a solid plan in place unlike that season now that S10 is confirmed. I hope they hadn't finished filming before that decision was made though.

Wayne would use a
http://is1.okcupid.com/users/674/254...1135034242.jpg

Superman07 04-13-10 08:36 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
Speaking of which, was that red piece a queen or something else?

mikehunt 04-13-10 08:43 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
either that or a king but I think it was a queen as I don't remember a cross on top

mikehunt 04-13-10 08:48 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
Aquaman was on CSI Miami last night

Michael Corvin 04-14-10 10:52 PM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 

Originally Posted by wearetheborg (Post 10099067)
I hate when writers throw the characters personalities out the windows. So we are supposed to believe that the Tess who went toe to toe with Zod knowing his full powers last episode is the same Tess in this episode who is crying, afraid of heights and of Clark ?

I really liked the episode, but this bugged me quite a bit. Tess knows Clark won't take anyone's life, he's a teddy bear at heart. Certainly nothing like dealing with Zod, whom she had no problems manhandling.


Originally Posted by Timber (Post 10102576)
The rescue scene was straight out of comic book. Loved it.

Definitely one of the coolest scenes in the history of the show.

Superman07 04-15-10 06:38 AM

Re: Smallville -- "Checkmate" -- 04/09/10
 
I was thinking some more about Tess' characterization in this episode and I think it's in line. We've seen in the past how she was abused and I think a big part of her is always on that island. Despite her interactions with Zod and her bravado, I think you can always see the fear in her eyes. She knows at any moment he can snap her neck, despite green K. On the flip side, with both Clark and Oliver, I think what she is most affraid of isn't physical harm, but not being trusted or needed. In turn, we leave her at the end of this episode where she has always been - running from something/somebody and alone.


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