Smallville Review – “Hypnotic”

Smallville’s back, if not with a bang, at least with a
loudish snap.

Cast

Tom
Welling
as
Clark Kent

Kristen Kreuk as
Lana Lang

Michael
Rosenbaum
as Lex Luthor

John
Glover

as Lionel Luthor

Annette
O’Toole
as Martha Kent

Erica Durance as
Lois Lane

Allison Mack as
Chloe Sullivan.

Written by Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer.

Directed by Michael Rohl.

Original Airdate


Hypnotic
originally aired on Thursday,
March 30, 2006.

Synopsis

Clark encounters a woman with a magic hypnosis gem
that places him
entirely under her command. Lana isn’t thrilled with
the idea.
Meanwhile, Lex tracks down Dr. Fine in Honduras.

High Point

“It’s over. Forever.” Yahoo!

Low Point

“You’ve been hypnotized! How else could you ….”
Please, after his
earlier long-distance conversation? That wouldn’t be
his reaction.

The Review

The concept wasn’t very original this week.
We’ve got
another Clark/Lana fight and breakup, once again
claiming to be
forever. Let’s hope it sticks. This time, I think it
will, not
because of the way this show is written, but because I
suspect we’ll
see the germination of the Clark/Lois relationship by
the end of the
season due to the movie coming out in June. I give it
2 out of 6.

The effects were very nice. We’ve seen most
of them before,
but the teaser’s torching of the cabin was well done.
There was also
one small detail in that which I really liked; if you
look closely,
there’s a flaring plume of flame that follows the rush
of air out the
door. Excellent touch. I give it 6 out of 6.

The story held together fairly well, apart
from the one line
mentioned in the low point. I did enjoy the scenes
with Fine, as
well. I just wish the main plot wasn’t such a rehash.
I give it 4
out of 6.

The acting wasn’t terrible. Once again, the
supporting cast
turns in better performances than the stars. I give
it 4 out of 6.

The emotional response was somewhat dulled by
the Clark/Lana
rehash. I am quite happy to see the return of Fine,
and I do have
some hope that the state of things at the end is
permanent. I give it
4 out of 6.

The production was well done again. They do
know how to
shoot a show, which helps me hang on through the
medocrity it
sometimes delivers. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, it’s not a bad episode, but it’s not
as strong as
one would hope coming back from weeks of reruns. I
give it 4 out of 6.

In total,
Hypnotic
receives
29
out of 42.

13 replies on “Smallville Review – “Hypnotic””

  1. Underwhelmed
    I was underwhelmed with the story. If it’s really over then I’m happy for that much, but it’s really disappointing that they had to write a hypnotic gem plot device instead of just giving Clark a small measure of guts to call it off without a convenient "situation" as impetus.

    Also, Lex playing mindgames with Lana, a la Lionel with Martha, would be a lot more interesting than hiring a hypnotic gem freak to drive a wedge between Clark and Lana. Perhaps this says that the writers realized they need to get that over with quickly, which is promising.

    I think it’s stupid, if not unrealistic, that Clark felt he had to say he doesn’t love her. All he had to say was it’s over, and actually stick to it. Lots of people have broken up without lying about their feelings. But I’ll take anything to get rid of the clark/lana rollercoaster. :)

    • Re: Underwhelmed

      I think it’s stupid, if not unrealistic, that Clark felt he had to say he doesn’t love her. All he had to say was it’s over, and actually stick to it. Lots of people have broken up without lying about their feelings. But I’ll take anything to get rid of the clark/lana rollercoaster. :)

      I dunno, actually… Given the circumstances, especially with Lana knowing how strongly Clark has felt for her in the past (they did take eachother’s virginity), and the new situation where he was forced into what happened, with out that one line, I doubt Lana would have fully given up on Clark. There would always be some shadow of doubt of "Is he just being too hard on himself, does he not want to hurt me, is he afraid I can’t understand or forgive him for something that was out of his control?" etc… And as such, I doubt Lana would fully ever let go.

      At least now, even though it was a lie, she’s going to (hopefully) move on completly.

      Also as a side note, it does go to show Clark fully willing to lie to his close friends directly to their face, in a rather different side of him than we’re used to seeing. While we’ve always known him as able to lie to his friends to protect them, never to this extent, and it really, at least in my view, opens up a big rift between him and Lana that I doubt will get repaired…

      • Re: Underwhelmed

        I think it’s stupid, if not unrealistic, that Clark felt he had to say he doesn’t love her. All he had to say was it’s over, and actually stick to it. Lots of people have broken up without lying about their feelings. But I’ll take anything to get rid of the clark/lana rollercoaster. :)

        I dunno, actually… Given the circumstances, especially with Lana knowing how strongly Clark has felt for her in the past (they did take eachother’s virginity), and the new situation where he was forced into what happened, with out that one line, I doubt Lana would have fully given up on Clark. There would always be some shadow of doubt of "Is he just being too hard on himself, does he not want to hurt me, is he afraid I can’t understand or forgive him for something that was out of his control?" etc… And as such, I doubt Lana would fully ever let go.

        Maybe it’s just me but, the fact that they took each other’s virginity, doesn’t seem that much of a big deal (especially among youngsters these days). As for how strongly they’ve felt for each other in the past (or they still do), I think that Lex has been playing enough head games with Lana that she just doesn’t feel the same way anymore… and, for whatever reason (I just can’t explain what exactly), I’ve been getting a different vibe from Clark (maybe it’s just the way the guy has been playing the character) like he just doesn’t feel the same for her either (no matter how much he may say otherwise).

  2. murder suspect or not, chloe shot an unarmed person
    Weeee, let’s let a supporting actor break the law in a rather blatent way and get away with it. The law does take magical hypno gems into account, chloe should be facing at the bare minimum assault charges

    • Re: murder suspect or not, chloe shot an unarmed person

      Weeee, let’s let a supporting actor break the law in a rather blatent way and get away with it. The law does take magical hypno gems into account, chloe should be facing at the bare minimum assault charges

      err doesn’t :)

    • Re: murder suspect or not, chloe shot an unarmed person

      Weeee, let’s let a supporting actor break the law in a rather blatent way and get away with it. The law doesn’t take magical hypno gems into account, chloe should be facing at the bare minimum assault charges

      I Was Looking At That As Lex Shooting The Simone, And Then Using His Incredible Resources To Hide The Evidence.

      But, Yeah. They Left A Corpse In The Study (With The Revolver) Room Without So Much As A Second Thought.

    • Re: murder suspect or not, chloe shot an unarmed person

      Weeee, let’s let a supporting actor break the law in a rather blatent way and get away with it. The law does take magical hypno gems into account, chloe should be facing at the bare minimum assault charges

      That is, of couse, assuming that the law ever finds out what, if anything, actually happened. Lex has demonstrated the ability (and willingness) to hide bodies in the past so, what makes this situation any different?

  3. The Superman mythology triumphs
    They had to figure out a way to break up Clark and Lana to fit Superman’s later history. Since Chloe is not in that history, will she be eliminated soon?

    Where did that hypnotic jewel come from? How come it affects Kryptonians the same as Terrans? IMWTK!

    • Re: The Superman mythology triumphs

      They had to figure out a way to break up Clark and Lana to fit Superman’s later history. Since Chloe is not in that history, will she be eliminated soon?

      Where did that hypnotic jewel come from? How come it affects Kryptonians the same as Terrans? IMWTK!

      IMve been saying Chloe bites it forever : )

      As for mind powers, that’s one of Supe’s weaknesses: Kryptonite, magic and mental powers.
      Just not, apparently, kryptonite-induced mind powers.

      • Re: The Superman mythology triumphs
        How come the effect vanished when Simone died and the Jewel was destroyed? This implies (silly me – using logic) that the jewel was continually broadcasting the effect. Also, how come Lex did not think that the jewel was the source of the effect rather than Simone herself (otherwise he could have had her gassed and taken the jewel himself)?

        Also^2, why did Lex think Fine was a government agent (which saved his life, of course)? Lex was not too smart this episode.

        • Re: The Superman mythology triumphs

          Also, how come Lex did not think that the jewel was the source of the effect rather than Simone herself (otherwise he could have had her gassed and taken the jewel himself)?

          Doesn’t He Say Something About How Simone Killed her Dad To Get The Jewel? Didn’t He Know?

          • Re: The Superman mythology triumphs

            Doesn’t He Say Something About How Simone Killed her Dad To Get The Jewel? Didn’t He Know?

            Chloe and Lois explicitly said that. Lex’s evidence about the murder wasn’t revealed, though it’s not hard to assume he drew the same conclusion from the same evidence.

            As for the murder, it did bother me as well. We know it was self defence, but I’ll give them a chance to follow it up this week, or at least eventually reveal that the new sheriff (who must have replaced the dead one) is on Lex’s payroll.

  4. Lex know about Clark now?
    What surprises me is how Lex just seems to assume that Clark’s ability to pick him up and throw him around like that is all just the hypnotism (sp?)… I mean, even someone under the influence of certain drugs can take a large amount of abuse whitout seeming to feel it but, that’s a lot different than gaining super speed/strength.

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