Smallville Finale Promo - Lex Returns

Incredible!

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A Case of the..... Smallville - Episode 10-18

I’m back from Texas and caught up with my TV shows, so let’s get to last week’s episode of Smallville!

I’ve noticed that many of the episodes this season start the same way, with a soft-toned theme playing as the camera pans onto a familiar landmark (Kent Farm, the Daily Planet, a street in Metropolis). It’s a very nostalgic feeling, as if the show is constantly trying to remind us, “Things are going to change and this is going to end.” It’s like, yeah, we’re looking at a familiar scene, but we’re drifting away from that familiarity. We see Kent Farm, only for Lois and Clark to discuss selling it moments later. We enter the Daily Planet, but discover that Lois is getting promoted from the basement office. We scan the streets of Metropolis, where Lois is meeting Clark, so that the two can discuss wedding details. It’s very much a feeling of, “This is where we came from, and this is where we are going.” And I like it.

So I wasn’t quite sure what to think of this episode when I saw the previews. Yet, strangely, it ended up being one of my favorite episodes of the entire season – despite the fact that it didn’t revolve around any of the three major story arcs. And in many instances, it very easily could have gone in a different direction. Booster Gold was insensitive, but he wasn’t unbelievably monstrous. Clark acting like a klutz could have come across as slapstick, but instead they delved into the reasons for this behavior as well as his self doubt and personal insecurities. Even in the final moments of the episode, when Clark confronted Booster Gold, the tone was just right. Sure, he was self righteous, but he wasn’t judgmental. And when he to the rescue, he avoided being a glory hog. At the end, he gave Booster Gold the opportunity to be the hero and do the right thing.

This episode just hit all of the right notes. And there was some really great development as it relates to Clark becoming Superman.

Regular readers know that I’ve been critical of the fact that they made a big deal about Clark donning the glasses, only for them to go several episodes of him as his usual self. Most defended that it was because he was around his friends, which is fair enough, but why make a big production about the glasses if he’s not even going to wear them all the time? Well, this episode fixed that right up. The visual was absolutely, positively, spot on. The hair parted to the side. The distinctly less fashionable suit (wearing a bland combination of a white shirt, black tie, gray pants/vest, and tan trench coat instead of the slicker, bolder colors he usually wears). And, of course, the glasses. And I really loved their mentality of having the Blur essentially step away from the spotlight as the world becomes so used to the clumsy, accident prone Clark that they forget about the charming, heroic person he always had been. I liked this, as it brought attention to the fact that people aren’t going to just magically forget what Clark looks like without glasses. It’s going to be a long process of making people grow accustomed to this Clark, to the point that the train of thought that Clark could be Superman won’t even be approached.

Speaking of mentalities about transformations, we are also beginning to see the end of “The Blur” and the birth of “Superman.” As Lois explained, he’s not really going to be a “blur” when he’s making public appearances. And as Booster Gold said, the name is kinda silly.

If nothing else, this episode made me really excited about Clark officially becoming Superman.

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A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 2-19

Alright, so this review is for last week’s episode. As I explained, I was in Texas (and it sounds like I left just in time, although it was a great trip). Better late than never, right?

Truth be told, this was a rather enjoyable episode, with only two major complaints (more on those later). Told partially through flashbacks, we learned about Klaus (sorta – I’m still not quite sure HOW he became a vampire), the most interesting factoid being that he and Elijah are brothers and that Elijah was in love with Katherine. I really enjoyed these new tidbits. While many would consider them clichéd (and perhaps they are), I thought they actually added a lot of depth to the Elena/Stefan/Damon triangle. The twisted relationship between Klaus, Katherine, and Elijah destroyed a family and deprived Katherine of her innocence and life. Could Elena and the Salvatore brothers walk down the same dark path if they’re unable to find peace with their situation?

Actually, I quite liked Elijah this episode. I was pretty unmoved by his performance until this point, where he actually got to show depth and emotion instead of just sauntering around like the most powerful guy in the room. He had some surprisingly good chemistry with Elena.

And this brings me to my first complaint: Elijah seemed just a little too forgiving about the fact that Elena killed him. I mean, it’s not even as if Elena deceived him, which ultimately led to his demise. She actually committed the deed. She plunged that knife into his chest. And he barely even acknowledged that. Its like, “Hey, I know you killed me, but you came back to the house when you said you would, so it’s all cool.”

Speaking of the Salvatores, things are beginning to heat up with their conflicting methods of protecting Elena. And Damon discovered that Katherine is alive, and even assisted her during her captivity. Does anybody else think she’s going to sacrifice herself in the finale? I just feel like this is all building up to her doing something really selfless. As for Klaus, the spirit got reunited with the body, meaning Alaric has some messes to clean up.

And that brings me to my second complaint: Jenna is the last major character to discover the supernatural truth regarding the people around her – and it essentially happened off screen. Yes, I understand that we saw the majority of it, and we can deduce how the actual discussion went down, but I still wish we had seen it. I wanted to see how Stefan explained the existence of vampires and, ya’ know, the fact that HE IS ONE.

And this isn’t a complaint as much as a personal preference, but I think I would have liked Elena to be part of the scene. I enjoyed the way it played out, with Klaus-as-Alaric taunting her, with discrete-Stefan acting as the mediator, but I think Elena should have been present in some manner. On a personal level, Jenna finding out this secret is potentially the most significant game changer for Elena. Not only is Jenna a mother figure, but she was also the last real remnant of a normal life for Elena. Now that Jenna knows, that feeling is gone.

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Off to Texas!

As I noted in my latest television reviews, I'm heading off to Texas for a long weekend (today until Sunday). So, my reviews for this week's Smallville and The Vampire Diaries will be a bit late (probably even later than necessary, since the CW sucks when it comes to posting their episodes online). While I'm gone, Masked Emotions is in charge of the Internet.

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A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-17

So Smallville returns after a rather lengthy absence (damn you, CW!) and we’re only a few episodes away from the big series finale. And, again, we have a glasses-less Clark!

For what it’s worth, most people have defended the lack of glasses as Clark just being around his friends – people who already know his secret, thus making it unnecessary to “disguise” himself. This is a fair enough point, but I still think it takes a bit away from the episode that was completely devoted to Clark donning those iconic glasses. And we’re so close to the end that it’d be so easy for him to wear the glasses for the remainder of the season. But anyway, it looks like he’s wearing them next week (according to the preview), so perhaps I’m nitpicking over nothing.

Speaking of next week, I’m going to be in Texas so my review for the episode will be a bit late. Or later than usual, I should say. Let’s get to this week’s episode, though.

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Believe it or not, in a rare instance, I much preferred the “B” story over the main story. While I quite like the idea that Clark had the potential to grow up into something devious if it weren’t for the Kents, I wasn’t so much a fan of the possibility that the Kents’ marriage would fall apart if it hadn’t been for the arrival of Clark in their lives. There was always something so wholesome and pure about the Kents and their marriage, that the possibility of their relationship falling apart if not for one turn of events is troubling. To be honest, it just seemed like they wanted to squeeze in one more John Schneider appearance and Clark/Jonathan reunion before the end of the series.

This is nitpicking a bit, but I had a bit of a tough time with the fact that alterworld Jonathan and Lois so easily believed Clark’s story. I know Lois had history with him, due to their rooftop moment, but still, it seemed strange that our Clark is so sincere that people in this world could forget that Clark Luthor is this despicably evil person. On the other hand, I quite enjoyed the way that Lois and Tess deduced that alterClark was not their Clark. The telescope thing was a little heavy handed, but I liked Lois noticing Clark’s non-reaction to the police sirens, and Tess taking note of Clark rubbing his pinky, where his ring usually is.

The “B” story, on the other hand, I found rather touching a nice. Clark and Lois’ decision to sell the farm and move to Metropolis was both a significant moment for the fans who have watched the show for the past decade, and for the people anxiously waiting for the moment that Smallville essentially becomes Superman. And this was a big moment in making that happen. I especially liked the fact that Martha didn’t push them to do it – she just gave them the property and left the decision up to them. And I enjoyed the way Lois and Clark each reacted to the decision. I can’t place my finger on why, but Lois sitting on the bench on the porch, with Clark sitting on the floor in front of her, leaning against the bench, was such a warm visual. It felt very understated and real. Clark wearing his father’s jacket, while the two enjoyed a beer together, just made it that much nicer.

By the way, it was also great seeing Terrence Stamp return as Jor-El. Much of this season has been about bringing back characters from the past – Martha and Jonathan, Lionel and Lex, Kara, the Justice League – but Jor-El’s presence has been sorely missed this season. I certainly hope we get a proper (i.e. touching) resolution to the tumultuous relationship between Clark and his birth father.

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A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episodes 2-17 & 2-18

Well aren’t I a jerk? I thought The Vampire Diaries returned this week. Turns out, it returned last week! As a result, I watched “The Last Dance” before “Know Thy Enemy,” making it a rather unique experience. But, you guys deserve two reviews, and two reviews you shall get!

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Episode 2-17: Know Thy Enemy

Like I said, I actually viewed this episode after The Last Dance, so I was more than a little spoiled. Nonetheless, it was a rather enjoyable episode. My one qualm is that the writers refuse to settle on a characterization of Isobel. She’s been featured in two episodes, and in both episodes they’ve spent nearly the entire hour making her as vile as possible, and then in the last moment they attempt to do something to lighten her behavior. Or, at the very least, they’re trying to make her actions seem justifiable. However, I just don’t think they’re successful in this regard. She repeatedly turns against all of the characters we’ve grown to care about, and a quick apology at the end doesn’t discard that.

So, yes, they made it abundantly clear that Isobel was compelled and that she truly did love Elena when she was born, but she’s not an easy character to give the benefit of the doubt. Remember, in her only other appearance, she was needlessly cruel to the two people who wanted to see her most. Yeah, she had her reasons, but it doesn’t make her any more likable.

Katherine, on the other hand, I do think they’re handling well. Katherine is unapologetic in her actions. She’ll tell somebody something hurtful or vile, right to their face, with no remorse. She’ll admit when she did something wrong, and she’ll confess when she’s done something in her best interest. But at the same time, there does seem to be some sense of perverse loyalty. Think of it this way: Katherine is like Ben from Lost. Isobel is like Sylar from Heroes.

The big twist of the episode was one that was spoiled for me, obviously, which is that Klaus is now possessing Alaric’s body. Fun fact for ya’, though: When I watched The Last Dance, I thought the witch that did the spell was actually Klaus. Oh, the hijinx that occur when you watch out of order.

Matt and the Sheriff knowing Caroline’s secret, but nobody knowing they know, is an interesting turn of events. I’m especially interested in seeing how Caroline’s mother reacts, considering how harshly she behaved when she originally received the news. Hopefully she’ll be a bit warmer this time around.

And by the way, MAJOR bravo points for mentioning Zack, the pretend uncle who was actually a nephew or something that Damon killed. Didn’t so much mention the murder part, but still.

Episode 2-18: The Last Dance

What is it I always say about Mystic Falls? They love to throw parties. Oh, and dating Jeremy Gilbert is the kiss of death.

It was a close call with Bonnie, and to be honest I suspected that they were going to somehow bring her back, but for a while there I really did think she was dead. And I couldn’t help but think – really? You’re going to do this to Jeremy AGAIN???? But, I’ve grown to like Bonnie so I’m glad they didn’t do her off. And c’mon, let Jeremy be happy for at least a season or something!

I’m also glad that they didn’t kill off Alaric. Although I do have to admit that it was pretty fun watching him get his creep on. Much like Tom in the final few episodes of The 4400, it’s strangely enjoyable watching a normally extremely likeable character acting like a complete villain (and in Tom’s case, it kinda matched the personality of the actual actor).

I also enjoy moments in which a seemingly insignificant scene suddenly becomes important and clear, as we now understand why – from a storytelling perspective – they needed to get Alaric’s immunity ring off of him (and onto John, as seen in the prior episode).

Anyway, that’s it for me this week. I’d like to tell you that I’ll be back to normal next week, but I won’t. I’m actually going to be in Texas (for the first time), so my review will be more than a few days late. Actually, it might not come at all. You see, my seat for the flight back is 23B. You might remember that, my friends, as the seat Jack Shephard had on the doomed Flight 815.

So, yeah, I’ve got that going for me.

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Thank You Edge

I had intended on writing this after Smackdown, when Edge officially retires and relinquishes the World Heavyweight Championship, but with The Vampire Diaries and Smallville returning tonight and tomorrow, I didn't want this post to get lost in the shuffle.

As I noted in my LIVE Raw thoughts post, Edge has been my favorite wrestler since his debut. Even before his hilarious antics with Christian or his awesome entrance with The Brood, there was just something about this guy that intrigued me. Even before he wrestled his first match, I just knew Edge was special. Perhaps it was his unique look (at the time of his debut, the Attitude Era was still in its early stages, and many of the characters were still cartoonish or colorful), his cool name, or his different entrance (through the crowd with a neat, repetitive theme music). Whatever it was, right off the bat, this guy was one of my favorites.

So it was with great pride that I saw him achieve incredible success in every single venture he undertook. He and Christian held the Tag Team Championship more than any other team in history (this, despite the fact that they were nearly broken up before even winning that first title). At one point, I believe he even broke the record for the most Intercontinental Title reigns. No matter what character he was asked to play, or type of match he was put in, or storyline he was stuck in, he made it work. With great success.

To be honest, it hardly seems fair. I would never hope for somebody's career to come to an end, but it still seems unfair that Edge is forced to hang up his tights when guys like The Undertaker, Triple H, Ric Flair, and many others are able to continue competing into their 40's and 50's without any extended absence.

I had the pleasure of meeting Edge back in 2004 when he released his book Adam Copeland On Edge. I was really excited, because -- as I said -- he was one of my favorite wrestlers at the time (and he was really coming into his own as a singles competitor on Smackdown before his injury), and I was really happy to discover that he was, indeed, a really, really cool guy. He was extremely personable and nice, and he was one of the only authors I've met that personally signed each book. As in, referring to me as "Matt" as he signed it. I'm EXTREMELY eager for him to write his next installment. C'mon, between the Matt/Lita mess and his various runs at the top, this thing would be an absolutely awesome read.

While this is a really crappy situation, there are some things that make me glad. As I said the other night, I'm really happy that he got to end his career as a popular babyface, so that the fans could really make this moment special for him. He undoubtedly would've been turned babyface when he made the announcement anyway, but it felt a lot more genuine this way. It was also really nice that Christian was there to share the moment with him. These two have become so synonymous with each other that it's truly gratifying that Christian could be there, right by his side, to close the book on Edge's career. It's also fitting that Edge's departure paves the way for Christian's first real run with the World Championship (fingers crossed!) The outpouring of support from virtually everybody he has ever worked with, ever, has been legitimately nice as well (including Matt Hardy, who wrote a rather classy message).

And finally, it's sweet that Edge gets to end his career as champion. This is practically unheard of, but it's also suitable. That championship belt is almost always associated with Edge, so why shouldn't the Rated R Superstar step away with it in his grasp? Further, Edge is a relatively young guy who still had a lot to give. He is, for all intents and purposes, still a champion.

This is undoubtedly a sad time for professional wrestling, but you know what? Think about the alternative. Edge's next scheduled match was supposed to be a ladder match. If he's in as bad a shape as he apparently is -- and I'm inclined to think he is, otherwise they'd have him drop the title -- think about what could have happened if he wrestled that match. Edge the wrestler may be done for, but at least Adam Copeland the man can live a full, relatively normal life because he was smart enough to take care of himself.

Best of luck to you, Edge. You deserve it.

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LIVE Raw thoughts

11:04 - So is this, like, WWE's way of apologizing to R-Truth for leaving him off the WrestleMania card?

11:01 - I have to say, it's pretty telling if the crowd chant is "Let's Go Cena!"/"Cena Sucks!" opposed to "Let's Go Cena!"/"Let's Go _____!"

10:51 - John Morrison, I guess that's what happens when you're an ass to Trish Stratus. Bad news is that we'll either see Cena vs. Miz AGAIN....or Miz vs. R-Truth, which nobody wants to see.

10:49 - Back to Edge. If they want to be REALLY classy and send the fans home happy, why not insert Christian into the World Heavyweight title match at Extreme Rules.....and have him win the gold?

10:35 - Odd that the first guy Orton punted his the only one not back yet.

10:23 - That was some sad stuff. As many of you probably know, Edge is my favorite wrestler. And I'm really, really proud to say that he's not my favorite wrestler because of his main event status, or even from his hilarious days from Edge & Christian. When Edge first debuted as the guy sitting in the crowd, wearing a black trench coat and sunglasses, there was just something about him that caught my attention. I thought he had a really cool, unique look. Remember, the Attitude Era was still in its early phases, so somebody with such a "dark," non-cartoony look was still pretty rare. But I also thought he had a cool name and a neat theme music. I could just sense that this guy was something special, and that he was going to accomplish incredible things. Even before I had seen him wrestle.

As he gained popularity in the Brood, I felt like my instincts were right. Sure, I was a little discouraged that he and Christian repeatedly got overlooked as potential tag team champions when other teams like the Acolytes, the Hardy Boyz, and the Dudley Boyz were getting their shot. But then everything changed at WrestleMania 2000. From that point on, Edge was rarely EVER not a champion or the top contender for whatever championship level he was at.

Edge is a special talent, for sure. He was given a whole load of challenges and he hit a home run with each. A mute? Sure, he'll play that. Part of a goth group? He'll make that work. Suddenly becoming a goofy surfer dude? He'll knock that out of the park. Likable hero? It got cut short, but yep, he'll make that work. Villainous manipulator? He'll achieve awesome success. And through it all, it was believable. He HAS held more championships than anybody in the history of the company, and as far as I'm concerned he deserves that accolade.

Having said all of that, I'm really glad he got to end his career as a face, so that the fans could cheer him wildly, and as a champion. I wish this was a work, but it appears that it's not.

10:13 - Edge comes out wearing sunglasses, so that's a plus. Now, what is this all about? Did they build up the entire angle in the past hour? I mean, before, like, 8:00 tonight did you hear ANYTHING about Edge retiring?

10:05 - At second (or third or fourth) glance, Triple H's brief entrance attire at WrestleMania has grown on me. Particularly, because he was wearing a Skeletor mask. I wish they had honed in on it more so that we actually saw it at the event.

9:59 - All of this Lawler/JR/Cole/Swagger stuff makes me want to see JR kick Cole's ass more than Lawler.

9:42 - Remember when Santino, Evan Bourne, and Mark Henry were the jobbers Nexus used to dismantle before moving onto guys like Cena and Edge and Chris Jericho? My, how much has changed in six months or so. Santino now frequently defeats these guys cleanly.

9:38 - I'm a Scream buff, so I'm looking exceptionally forward to Scream 4. Like, intensely forward to it.

9:34 - Why exactly is the Smackdown World Champion making an earth shattering announcement on.....Raw?

9:28 - Odd Divas segment. By the way, I know nothing about Sin Cara, but I really like his look and aura, as its entirely different from Rey Mysterio (where the obvious comparisons will be made). His leap off the trampoline is really cool, but they need to figure out where to place it, as he keeps hitting the top rope. They do a great job of making it look like he's actually leaping without any assistance, though.

9:19 - Putting an X on Nikki's hand? Brilliant.

9:17 - Neat Awesome Kong vignette. They're REALLY missing the boat if they don't have Beth Phoenix win the title before her debut. Then have Kong attack her, leading to a feud in which Phoenix is the underdog. A whole new dynamic.

9:12 - Did the Raw GM just claim that he invented the Gauntlet Match?

9:06 - And is it me, or does Randy Orton's shirt look about two sizes too big?

9:05 - I enjoyed John Cena's quirk bur snarky remark that in order for Rock/Cena to be for the WWE Championship, the burden to win the title is completely on him -- because he actually wrestles every week.

9:01 - I kinda get a kick out of the fact that they redo John Cena's entrance video and lighting everytime he gets a new t-shirt.

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Dive Bar Shirt Club: Mag Bar

I received my April Dive Bar T-shirt, and for the first time ever I actually wore it right away. It's pretty cool looking, the first that really feels like a graphic t-shirt. Anyway, since they DO have a Facebook page, I'm just going to copy and paste what they said (briefly) about this Louisville, KY bar:

Having a good time and drinking the good booze. Many times over pronounced as having the best jukebox in Louisville, if not the world!

Pool tables! Some of the lowest prices in town!

Mag Bar: Myspace (yes, you read that right) - Facebook

Dive Bar Shirt Club: http://www.divebarshirtclub.com/Default.asp

Dive Bar Shirt Club T-Shirt Gallery

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My Celebrity Wake Up Text (Sorta)

Alright, so my title might be a bit misleading, but it’s more or less true! Honestly, I did get a text from a celebrity. Kinda. Trust me…

So I have my Twitter account set up so that if somebody sends me a direct message, it gets forwarded to my cell phone as a text message. Tuesday night I decided to visit Mick Foley’s blog, and read a straightforward and passionate post requesting a donation of $10 or more for RAINN, a charitable organization he works with that assists victims of sexual violence. I was touched enough by the plea that I decided to provide a link on my Twitter account.

Later that night, I’m awakened by my cell phone’s text message indicator. I check my phone to see a direct message I received from Mick Foley himself, thanking me (by name) for my comment. What an unexpected but incredibly thoughtful gesture. It sounds insignificant, but my Twitter name (@acaseofthetwit) doesn’t even include my name – he went to the trouble to check my page to find out my name.

Anyway, I thought it was a really cool gesture, so in return I thought I’d do my small part in assisting Mick’s campaign. RAINN stands for Rape Abuse & Incest National Network, and as Mick explains in his blog post, an amount as little as $10 can provide somebody with live, one-on-one support. Rape and incest are absolutely dreadful acts of abuse and violence, yet it falls into this strange “niche” where your average person has trouble relating to it. I know I do, as thankfully (to my knowledge), nobody I know has been a victim of sexual abuse, and hopefully the same applies to you. But that doesn’t mean we can’t understand the importance of what $10 can do.

While I can’t personally relate to the specific issues that RAINN tackles, I think we can all understand depression in general. Perhaps you or somebody you know suffers from depression. It doesn’t even have to be full-blown, I-need-a-therapist depression. Maybe you’re just having a particularly bad day and you need somebody to talk to. In most cases, you probably have a friend or family member. But imagine you didn’t have somebody to turn to? And imagine you weren’t just having a bad day – instead, you were on the edge and you didn’t know what you were going to do? It is instances such as these that live, one-on-one support is absolutely crucial. It honestly can be life or death. And in sensitive situations like sexual abuse, where the victim feels embarrassed or even shameful, a hotline could be the only option. Your $10 can truly save a life.

Admittedly, I’m not quite as eloquent as Mick Foley and I’m definitely far more long winded, but I do hope that this post got through to somebody. So, readers, I now have a challenge for you. If I donate $100, who is willing to match my contribution? If it makes any difference, according to Foley’s incentives, that sort of donation earns you a sweet autographed photo!

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