We're only three episodes into this show and I already feel like I'm redundant in the praise I'm giving it. I'm truly loving almost everything about it. The family dynamics, the performances, the action, the production, and the overall vibe of the show are just superb, no other way to put it. The opening sequence of this episode sums all of that up perfectly. Going from painting the house with the family in Smallville to saving a bridge from collapsing in Asia, is a great visualization of what Superman's character is. To me, that's where the show is shining the most at this point. Let's all hope it keeps up the good work!
This week's episode put more focus on Jonathan and Jordan's relationship. In a surprising move, Jordan tries out for the football team and makes it (not so surprising). This initially gets under Jonathan's skin a bit, but by the end of the episode, realizing how much it's helping Jordan make friends and gain more confidence, is fully supportive of him. He actually goes as far as advocating on his behalf to Clark, who was hesitant to let Jordan play due to his growing abilities. I thought all of this stuff was handled exceptionally, and it seems the actors are starting to gel with each other better as the season carries on.
The other subplot concerning the brothers involved Clark's superhearing. This was an inevitable issue the show was gonna tackle at some point, as most Superman iterations do, so it was only a question of when and not if. It was interesting to see it from the perspective of his sons here, as instead of Clark trying to save them, he races to the school to prevent Jordan from potentially unleashing his powers again. It also gave way to a heartfelt scene with Clark and Lois remembering the time she caught him listening in on her, which was a cool moment. While I do think the "father is lying to us" plotline (that's mostly coming from Jordan) is starting to wear a little thin, it did make sense here, and hopefully, it means the writers are eliminating most of these possibilities early on rather than later.
Outside of the Kent family, we also got a bit more insight into the Cushing household. Based on the first two episodes, the fact that the family is so dysfunctional right now probably won't come as a surprise to most, but the details began to be expanded on more here. Lana and Kyle are nearly splitting apart, while also being kinda suspicious (anybody else feeling like they are involved in something they're not talking about?). Sarah had perhaps the most focus here, as we learned more about just how bad her depression got in a heartbreaking, emotional scene, which proved the show is able to tackle darker subject matter when it needs to. She also breaks up with her boyfriend, paving the way for the inevitable Jordan/Sarah matchup (especially after that scene towards the end). All very interesting developments and the fact that I'm actually invested in almost all the characters is a feat in itself.
On the Lois front, after officially joining the Smallville Gazette and continuing her investigation into Morgan Edge, things quickly begin to escalate. Following a lead to a sketchy motel, she encounters a meta-human with super-strength that nearly kills her. Of course, Superman then comes to save the day, resulting in an awesome smackdown that put Superman's powers on full display (I couldn't help to smile all the way through). Afterward, she begins getting some pushback from her partner Chrissy and Smallville, making her question whether or not to continue chasing this story. Since it's Lois, I'm sure we all knew the answer to that question. That doesn't mean everything's fine and dandy though, as her car gets firebombed toward the end of the episode. Whatever is happening, it's got to be quite bad.
Rating: 8.4/10
Well, what did you think of the episode? Post in the comments!
