Smallville 6.18: "Progeny"

Written by Genevieve Sparling
Directed by Terrence O’Hara

If there’s one plot thread that I’ve been looking forward to, it’s the exploration of Chloe’s “meteor freak” status. Even though it points towards a likely swift and unfortunate end, it is one of the best twists on the show in quite some time. So far, there’s no indication that this violates anything that has come before, which makes this apparent last-minute consideration more than workable.

In contrast, I’ve been less than enthusiastic about the ongoing Clark-Lex-Lana triangle. I’m quite bored with the constant relationship issues of Clark and Lana, and if that plot element wasn’t still front and center, I wouldn’t talk about it at all. As a reviewer, of course, I’m somewhat obligated to discuss critical aspects of a series, even when I find them less than palatable.

It’s ironic, then, that I found the main plot thread disappointing on several levels, while I found the relatively minor plot thread involving Lana far more intriguing.

Part of the problem is the writing. From the very beginning of the episode, something about the writing bothered me. The dialogue didn’t quite sound right, and some of the plot points didn’t quite track. If the usual online sources are correct, then this is the primary writer’s debut effort, so that’s not necessarily surprising. In one moment, Chloe and the others are freely accepting the idea that her mother has controlled her actions in the past; the next, it’s a major revelation. To my knowledge, this facet of the relationship between mother and daughter was never mentioned in the past, and its implications are vast. (Never mind that this episode also contradicts much of the established history between them.)

Sometimes getting a recognizable name is a major coup, but in this case, Lynda Carter was incredibly weak as Chloe’s mother. While the character was supposed to be off-kilter, the wooden line deliveries varied from bad to worse. In combination with the sloppy writing, it consistently pulled me out of the story. Nostalgia can lead me to forgive a number of sins, but this time, it wasn’t enough.

Perhaps because of the writing issues, Lex was a lot more overtly evil. I prefer the more conflicted Lex to the full-tilt maniacal version, but since much of the episode was a wash, this was a lot of fun. When Lex threatens Chloe near the end, there’s a certain thematic connection to moments earlier in the series, when Lionel would do much the same. And of course, it fits very well into the picture painted for Lana.

If Lana’s baby was, in fact, something that was the result of drug adulteration, then it is one hell of a plot twist. I was ready to believe that Lex would experiment on Lana’s child, if he thought it could be Clark’s, but I never considered the possibility that Lana’s entire pregnancy was some sort of ruse to manipulate her affections. It would, however, confirm my long-held opinion that Lex sees Lana, in the end, as an object to be used and acquired, not as someone with hopes and dreams of her own.

Despite a main plot that doesn’t quite make sense, there’s enough progression in the various plot threads to keep it from failing completely. Hopefully, if future episodes focus on Chloe, it will be a bit more impressive.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 1/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 5/10