Caffeinated Clint
“Smallville” is a good show, but that’s not to say its episodes aren’t sometimes a hit-and-miss – and there’s no exception here. Some episodes of Season 5 are terrific (“Aqua”, “Reckoning” and “Lexmas”; to name but a few) but there’s just as many that aren’t that crash hot. Still, the good-to-bad ratio seems to weigh in on the positive side for the most part.
Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Allison Mack, Michael Rosenbaum, John Glover, John Schneider, Annette O’Toole, Erica Durance, James Marsters
Smallville’s fifth season is off to a flying start – not literally, of course, since it looks like the Kryptonian king will never get his wings on this show – as ‘Superman’ favourite General Zod crashes (literally) Kansas; determined to give the fast-running heat-raying ironman (Tom Welling, as Clark Kent, looking older – and slightly beefier – each and every season) a run for his money.
Zod may leave Smallville by the 42-minute mark of the season opener, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t left his ‘mark’. The mark, it seems, is Professor Milton Fine (former “Buffy” and “Angel” fave James Marsters), a mysterious stranger who will later reveal himself to be – the alien who killed Superman in the comics – Brainiac.
Brainiac/Fine will be the main adversary for the blue-and-red wearing hero this season – but of course, the ever-so-shady Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) is never far behind; always suspicious of his friend – or soon to be, former friend – Clark’s cloaked powers.
But the big moment of Season 5 (well, besides the episode where Erica Durance’s Lois Lane goes undercover as a stripper!) is when we say goodbye – tears and all – to the show’s patriarch, Jonathan Kent. John Schneider gives a poignant and memorable turn in his final episode as Clark’s surrogate pop.
Other DC-family superheroes paying a fleeting visit this season include Cyborg and Aquaman – both of who’ll come back for the Season 6 ‘Justice League’ episode.
“Smallville” is a good show, but that’s not to say its episodes aren’t sometimes a hit-and-miss – and there’s no exception here. Some episodes of Season 5 are terrific (“Aqua”, “Reckoning” and “Lexmas”; to name but a few) but there’s just as many that aren’t that crash hot. Still, the good-to-bad ratio seems to weigh in on the positive side for the most part.
Among the extras are audio commentaries as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the show’s 100th episode – and surprisingly, there’s hardly any back-patting going on here at all.
Rating : 
Reviewer : Clint Morris
