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Copyright © 2009 Flaming Dog Media, LLC. All rights reserved. |
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Up, Up and Away!.. well, still not yet. |
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September
13, 2009 by Jason P. Hunt At the very beginning of "Smallville", the producers had said that we wouldn't see the cape and tights on Clark Kent. Eight years later, they're still holding to that. And it's getting a little tiresome, really. I watched the entire season 8 DVD set of "Smallville", and I came away with three burning issues: 1. Clark Kent is a wimp with identity issues, and I just want to slap the crap out of him. 2. Erica Durance is one of the best Lois Lanes out there. 3. If I see that new back lot again, I'm gonna scream. I can identify with Oliver Queen's frustration at Clark and his unwillingness to embrace his role in the world. After eight years, I'm getting frustrated with the boy's hesitancy to embrace his identity. After seeing some preview images of the new suit with the S, though, maybe the producers are finally willing to let go of the one thing that's been holding the show back. Having started on the WB network, this show is loaded with teen angst. But the producers need to remember that the actors (and the characters) have grown up and aren't teenagers anymore. They need to get over it. I can understand the show wanting to get as much bang for their buck with the new back lot, but it's in almost every single episode. And they're not making much of an effort to dress it differently. Annoying. Really. But I'm glad it doesn't look like Vancouver, at least. I'm going to assume you folks have seen the season, so I won't get much into the plots and such. The DVD set itself is packaged well. But the DVDs themselves are a bit hard to get out. I found myself bending them a bit, and wincing the whole time. They need a better center post that releases better. And the extras are really thin on the DVDs. Maybe there are more on the Blu-Ray, but only two commentaries? Two behind-the-scenes features? I think the marketing guys are making a mistake putting all the eggs in the Blu-Ray basket. The featurette on Allison Mack's directing debut was put together well, and very informative, but it's the only shiny bit among the dusty bits. Story-wise, I think the resolution of Jimmy Olsen's arc was too cute by half. It's been bugging me that he was a contemporary of Clark and Lois, but the reason the producers came up with - while clever - is a bit contrived. My two cents. I'm gonna say it: Erica Durance gives Noel Neill a run for her money. Probably the best Lois Lane since the George Reeves days. Better than Teri Hatcher or even Margot Kidder. There, I said it. It was good to see the return of Supergirl, fun to see Emil Hamilton enter into the storyline, and Serinda Swan makes a great Zatanna. More, please! But the whole "red-blue blur" thing is just juvenile. Really. Even though it gives us the moment when Clark tells Lois she could come up with something better, and we all know what that will be... But every time someone starts to say it, they just have this hesitation that screams, "I know what we're doing is stupid, but we can't say the name yet!" It's getting silly. And we know Lex isn't dead. Unless he is dead, and the Lex that dogs Superman in later years came from that clone factory... Still and all, it's a good setup for season 9, which starts September 25 on the CW. Plus, there's this little niggling notion in the back of my brain that the producers are setting up for a new series somewhere down the line - Green Arrow, Black Canary, Impulse, Cyborg, Aquaman, Zatanna, and Superman; the Watchtower; and with the new season coming up we'll see Zan & Jayna... could we be seeing the foundations for a live-action "Justice League" series when "Smallville" has run its course?
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SMALLVILLE:
Season 8 starring TOM WELLING |
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