A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 9-4

So last week’s review of Smallville received quite a bit of feedback, which naturally thrills me. Most of the reader comments were in response to my thoughts on Chloe, and how I feel like the natural progression of her current story arc is to leave to find her own path. I feel like I should clarify those thoughts. It’s not that I want Chloe to leave. Anybody who has read my columns regularly should know that she’s one of my favorite characters on the show. I just feel like, based on what we’ve seen so far, this is where the story is going. Whether it’s been due to Clark’s silent treatment, or his budding relationship with Lois, or the resources Emil is now bringing to the table, there has been an obvious sense of “how important am I to the team?” emanating from Chloe. And directly or indirectly, I think this has also brought to the forefront all that Chloe has given up for Clark. She was once an aspiring journalist, whose dream was to write for the Daily Planet. She sacrificed that due to her loyalty to Clark. She sacrificed her marriage, and ultimately her husband was murdered, all because she felt that she had to babysit Davis, in large part because of the fact that he was a threat to Clark.

Oh, and didn’t she also kill somebody? I seem to remember her sneaking into somebody hospital room and pulling the plug.

It just seems like, to me, Chloe has sacrificed a whole lot, and it also occurred to me that we haven’t really seen her happy for any extended period of time in quite a while. As I noted in my comments last week, it’s a lot easier for us to watch Clark and Lois (and even Oliver) make these grand sacrifices because we know, ultimately, they end up happy. We know that Lois becomes an ace reporter for the Daily Planet and becomes the love of Superman/Clark Kent’s life. We know that Clark grows into the hero he aspires to be, with Lois hanging on his arm. Whether or not that happens in the show remains to be seen, but I don’t doubt that the series finale is upon us, it’ll end with the implication that everything we know from Superman is going to happen.

So, basically, we know that Clark and Lois have a happy ending. We don’t have that comfort with Chloe. As such, it’s a lot harder to watch her give up everything for Clark’s journey. Because, in the end, she’s not a part of it (based on what we know).

But, then again, this is all based on what we’re seeing so far. This story arc can quite as easily conclude with Clark realizing what a valuable friend and asset Chloe is, and having a renewed appreciation for what she has done for him. At which point, I may change my opinion and feel like she should stick around for a long time.

So there ya’ go. Hopefully that clears everything up. But, again, I really enjoyed all the reader feedback, so please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. And even more Smallville, Heroes, and TV content can be found on my blog, where I’m always seeking out some reader interaction. Be sure to visit!

Now, onto this week’s episode, which saw the return of Toyman and Jor-El.

http://tv.insidepulse.com/2009/10/18/smallville-episode-9-4-review/








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