Charade, The Time of Angels
Apr. 24th, 2010 11:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
perihadionI feel really weary of Smallville lately (as I always do at this time of year), but I enjoyed "Charade" and I do have some thoughts on it.
Smallville
Clark
I'm not going to pretend that I don't have some issues with Clark tracking Lois's movements in "Upgrade" and stealing her phone in "Charade" (although it was clear that wasn't a line Clark would have crossed if he didn't think Lois was in immediate danger). But I don't think that there was anything cynical about the date he had planned to try to coax Lois into giving up her secrets because I think it was about demonstrating to Lois that she could share her trust in him, not about 'tricking' information out of her. If there was any doubt about that, I think it became clear that the planned date wasn't a power play when Clark decided that if Lois was willing to trust her with her secrets then he should reciprocate.
Lois (and the Blur)
I think that if Clark had asked Lois if he was 'enough' for her at the start of the episode then she would have said 'yes' immediately, without a doubt, and she would have meant it. Had Clark not [understandably] behaved like an insane stalker over her relationship with the Blur then Lois would have told him she loved him. But Clark did behave like an insane stalker, and Lois was forced to question whether Clark was the person she thought he was — and it broke her heart. So, I understand why the hesitation.
Lois broke my heart again when she said that she 'needed' the Blur because she couldn't accomplish anything significant on her own. This is why I think there should be a blackout on communications between them before Clark debuts as Superman — because if there isn't then there is no cause for Lois ever to question that belief. When she needed to be validated, she was validated by the Blur, but now she needs to learn that she's every bit as capable of accomplishing monumental things with or without his help. When she realises that then she will realise that her relationship with the Blur was never the most important part of her life.
Chloe
I thought that I might take a break from criticising Chloe this week — but then I remembered that really I took a break from that over "Escape" and since I had problems with her in this episode which reference problems I had with her in that episode I'll lay it all out: Chloe doesn't think that Clark should be allowed to make his own decisions regarding Lois and his relationship with her. I found it more than a little obnoxious that Chloe thought that she was in a position to criticise Clark's decision to have sex with Lois in "Escape", but I realised that the conversation was 'necessary' in order to pre-empt any accusation that Clark is less concerned about Lois's well-being than Lana's from fans and critics so I gave her a pass on it. Then in "Charade" we have Chloe — not for the first time — positioning herself as gatekeeper to Clark's secret over and above Clark himself. If she thought that Clark had decided to tell Lois the truth about himself why did she feel like she needed to step in? Get a fucking life, Chloe.
Doctor Who
I don't understand people who don't love River Song — in particular, I will deliberately fail to understand all people who don't love River Song after this episode. I loved her relationship with the Doctor (who, quite frankly, needs someone to put him in his place from time to time) and her instant rapport with Amy.
Meanwhile, Amy had her own flash of analytical brilliance when confronting the Weeping Angel, and demonstrated courage and loyalty by telling the Doctor to leave her to die. But, just like Amy refused to leave the Doctor in "The Eleventh Hour", the Doctor refused to leave her — even when she said that by choosing to die with her he was condemning everyone else to death. Do you know why? Because they are the loveliest.
Oh, and, how horrifying were the disfigured Weeping Angels?
Smallville
Clark
I'm not going to pretend that I don't have some issues with Clark tracking Lois's movements in "Upgrade" and stealing her phone in "Charade" (although it was clear that wasn't a line Clark would have crossed if he didn't think Lois was in immediate danger). But I don't think that there was anything cynical about the date he had planned to try to coax Lois into giving up her secrets because I think it was about demonstrating to Lois that she could share her trust in him, not about 'tricking' information out of her. If there was any doubt about that, I think it became clear that the planned date wasn't a power play when Clark decided that if Lois was willing to trust her with her secrets then he should reciprocate.
Lois (and the Blur)
I think that if Clark had asked Lois if he was 'enough' for her at the start of the episode then she would have said 'yes' immediately, without a doubt, and she would have meant it. Had Clark not [understandably] behaved like an insane stalker over her relationship with the Blur then Lois would have told him she loved him. But Clark did behave like an insane stalker, and Lois was forced to question whether Clark was the person she thought he was — and it broke her heart. So, I understand why the hesitation.
Lois broke my heart again when she said that she 'needed' the Blur because she couldn't accomplish anything significant on her own. This is why I think there should be a blackout on communications between them before Clark debuts as Superman — because if there isn't then there is no cause for Lois ever to question that belief. When she needed to be validated, she was validated by the Blur, but now she needs to learn that she's every bit as capable of accomplishing monumental things with or without his help. When she realises that then she will realise that her relationship with the Blur was never the most important part of her life.
Chloe
I thought that I might take a break from criticising Chloe this week — but then I remembered that really I took a break from that over "Escape" and since I had problems with her in this episode which reference problems I had with her in that episode I'll lay it all out: Chloe doesn't think that Clark should be allowed to make his own decisions regarding Lois and his relationship with her. I found it more than a little obnoxious that Chloe thought that she was in a position to criticise Clark's decision to have sex with Lois in "Escape", but I realised that the conversation was 'necessary' in order to pre-empt any accusation that Clark is less concerned about Lois's well-being than Lana's from fans and critics so I gave her a pass on it. Then in "Charade" we have Chloe — not for the first time — positioning herself as gatekeeper to Clark's secret over and above Clark himself. If she thought that Clark had decided to tell Lois the truth about himself why did she feel like she needed to step in? Get a fucking life, Chloe.
Doctor Who
I don't understand people who don't love River Song — in particular, I will deliberately fail to understand all people who don't love River Song after this episode. I loved her relationship with the Doctor (who, quite frankly, needs someone to put him in his place from time to time) and her instant rapport with Amy.
River: I've got pictures of all your faces. But you never show up in the right order. I need the Spotter's Guide.As an aside, it was Matt Smith's idea to have River fall onto the Doctor when she entered the Tardis — and Alex Kingston kneed him in the groin multiple times as they were filming that scene (suffer for your art, Matt Smith).
Meanwhile, Amy had her own flash of analytical brilliance when confronting the Weeping Angel, and demonstrated courage and loyalty by telling the Doctor to leave her to die. But, just like Amy refused to leave the Doctor in "The Eleventh Hour", the Doctor refused to leave her — even when she said that by choosing to die with her he was condemning everyone else to death. Do you know why? Because they are the loveliest.
Amy: You bit me!As an aside, Matt Smith actually bit Karen Gillan and she didn't know that he was going to.
The Doctor: Yeah, and you're alive!
Amy: God, I've got a mark. Look at my hand.
The Doctor: And you're alive! Did I mention that?
Amy: Blimey, your teeth. Have you got space teeth?
The Doctor: Yeah, alive — all I'm saying.
Oh, and, how horrifying were the disfigured Weeping Angels?
