Smallville 5.4: "Aqua"
Written by Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer
Directed by Paul Shapiro
In which Clark and Lois have an encounter with a super-powered man who derives his power from the water and has an anti-Lex agenda, as does one of Clark’s new professors…
I’m sure that a lot of DC fans were practically dripping with anticipation at the thought of Aquaman coming to “Smallville” for a visit, but since I knew very little about the character, I wasn’t all that thrilled. And the episode itself did nothing to draw in those with little interest in the fanboy aspect of the premise. The plot itself was a real stretch, as if the writers had no idea how to justify Aquaman’s visit beyond a completely contrived situation.
OK, so I’ll admit, seeing Lois and Lana in skimpy swimwear was a plus (why not for Chloe, damn it?), and they made Erika look about as hot as she ever has, but this was all about playing up the future hero. A hero which, in this case, was woefully miscast. I have little doubt that the female fans were able to appreciate the lunkhead, but the actor could barely deliver his lines.
Also annoying were all the needless puns about water, fish, and worst of all, the absolutely needless reference to the eventual JLA. It’s hard to enjoy an episode that is so desperately groan-worthy. Even the scenes with Lex were way over the top, with very little subtlety, which has always been one of the more interesting hallmarks of the character.
Far more interesting were the scenes with Professor Fine. James Marsters is practically a genre icon at this point, thanks to his portrayal of Spike on “Buffy” and “Angel”, so for a moment or two, it’s hard to get past that and pay attention to what he brings to this character. In that respect, this is probably the best episode for his introduction. It gave everyone, including Marsters, a chance to find the right dynamic for the character.
I like the fact that Fine begins as something of a sympathetic character, a mentor for Clark. I have no idea if that’s where the character began in the comics, but given where Lex is finally going, it helps Clark see the transition and a resource for uncovering the sins of LuthorCorp. Add Jor-El’s possession of Lionel to the mix, and Clark has plenty of potential to become Lex’s primary adversary.
Fine will eventually become a problem himself, of course, which ought to blend into the season arc rather well. The question will be where the series goes from here. Assuming that this episode was atypical of the season (and I hope it was), then the ratings should hold and the network should have every reason to bring the show back next season. I just hope Aquaman stays far away from Smallville if it does.
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 1/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 4/10
Directed by Paul Shapiro
In which Clark and Lois have an encounter with a super-powered man who derives his power from the water and has an anti-Lex agenda, as does one of Clark’s new professors…
I’m sure that a lot of DC fans were practically dripping with anticipation at the thought of Aquaman coming to “Smallville” for a visit, but since I knew very little about the character, I wasn’t all that thrilled. And the episode itself did nothing to draw in those with little interest in the fanboy aspect of the premise. The plot itself was a real stretch, as if the writers had no idea how to justify Aquaman’s visit beyond a completely contrived situation.
OK, so I’ll admit, seeing Lois and Lana in skimpy swimwear was a plus (why not for Chloe, damn it?), and they made Erika look about as hot as she ever has, but this was all about playing up the future hero. A hero which, in this case, was woefully miscast. I have little doubt that the female fans were able to appreciate the lunkhead, but the actor could barely deliver his lines.
Also annoying were all the needless puns about water, fish, and worst of all, the absolutely needless reference to the eventual JLA. It’s hard to enjoy an episode that is so desperately groan-worthy. Even the scenes with Lex were way over the top, with very little subtlety, which has always been one of the more interesting hallmarks of the character.
Far more interesting were the scenes with Professor Fine. James Marsters is practically a genre icon at this point, thanks to his portrayal of Spike on “Buffy” and “Angel”, so for a moment or two, it’s hard to get past that and pay attention to what he brings to this character. In that respect, this is probably the best episode for his introduction. It gave everyone, including Marsters, a chance to find the right dynamic for the character.
I like the fact that Fine begins as something of a sympathetic character, a mentor for Clark. I have no idea if that’s where the character began in the comics, but given where Lex is finally going, it helps Clark see the transition and a resource for uncovering the sins of LuthorCorp. Add Jor-El’s possession of Lionel to the mix, and Clark has plenty of potential to become Lex’s primary adversary.
Fine will eventually become a problem himself, of course, which ought to blend into the season arc rather well. The question will be where the series goes from here. Assuming that this episode was atypical of the season (and I hope it was), then the ratings should hold and the network should have every reason to bring the show back next season. I just hope Aquaman stays far away from Smallville if it does.
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 1/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 4/10
posted by John Keegan | 11:30
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