Smallville Review – “Duplicity”

I warn you now; this episode is hard to discuss without getting into spoiler territory. There are spoilers in the review, and there will probably be more in the comments. So, do yourself a favour and make sure you watch the episode before you read this.

Cast

Tom Welling as
Clark Kent
Kristen Kreuk as
Lana Lang
Michael
Rosenbaum
as Lex Luthor
John Glover
as Lionel Luthor
Sam Jones III as
Pete Ross
Allison Mack as
Chloe Sullivan
Annette
O’Toole
as Martha Kent
John
Schneider
as Jonathan Kent

Directed by Steve Miner.
Written by Todd
Slavkin
and Darren Swimmer.

Original Airdate

Duplicity originally aired on Tuesday, October 8, 2002.

Synopsis

Pete finds the spacecraft in a corn field.

High Point

Pete’s useful now! He has a reason to be on the show! It’s about
bloody time.

Joe Morton’s performance was a close second. It even looks to me like
they’re starting to build a mythology here surrounding Lionel Luthor’s
activities at the Smallville LuthorCorp plant.

Low Point

Pete’s first conversation with Dr. Hamilton was entirely too
predictable.

The Review

For the third time in the series, someone learns Clark’s secret and
walks away alive. (The first two times were in Stray and
Hug. I hope I didn’t miss any.) We’ve got a new dynamic
between the Luthors, and Lana’s life is changing in new ways. The
show is really taking off in some new directions. That’s
original enough for me. I give it 5 out of 6.

The effects were few, and those that were here have been done
before on this show, except for some of the basketball stuff. That
doesn’t change the fact that they were done well. I give it 5 out of
6.

The story was fairly well laid out, with one exception. What
kind of farmer doesn’t check his or her fields thouroughly for crop
damage after a tornado? The craft should have been found after about
three days, not after three months. Apart from that, it was a well
implemented plot, especially given the somewhat sparse credits of the
writers. I give it 4 out of 6.

The acting was what we usually get. Tom Welling and Kristen
Kreuk are passable; Annette O’Toole and John Schneider are very good;
Allison Mack, Michael Rosenbaum and John Glover are excellent. Sam
Jones III wasn’t quite as good as he usually is, but he’s not used to
carrying this much screen time. Joe Morton was incredible. I give
the acting 5 out of 6.

The emotional response this generated was pretty effective.
There was very little to surprise me or hold tension in the main
plotline, but it still had some moments that had me laughing and
cheering out loud. The side plots were very effective. I give it 4
out of 6, due to lack of tension.

The production was its usual high. The pacing was nice, the
cinematography and lighting (especially in the hospital) were very
well done, and the mood music was perfect. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, this episode’s a keeper. It had a little bit of
everything, even though some aspects didn’t really work, in my
opinion. The only tension I felt is in wondering where Lex’s
paperweight landed. I give it 4 out of 6.

In total, Duplicity receives 32 out of 42.

One reply

  1. Spoilerville
    I Liked The Episode, But It seemed Forced. It Seemed That They Made Dr. Hamilton Get The ‘Jitters’ Just so They Can Say ‘See, It’s Scientific, If You Do The Same Thing With Kryptonite, You’ll Get The Same Results!’ Before that, There Was No Consistancy Of What Sort Of Effect The Rocks had On Anyone.

    I Did Like The Fact That Pete Now Has A Purpose In The Story. I Was Begining To Wonder When They Were Going To Kill Him Off, Since The Only Use I Could See Was ‘Emotional Distress When A Friend Dies’.

    Next Week Is Supposed To Be Red Kryptonite’s Debut. I Guess They’ll Also Need Blue, Since Wasn’t It blue That ‘Fixed’ him After The red Affected Him?

    One Google Later: http://www.tvacres.com/metals_kryptonite.htm

    I Guess Not.

Comments are closed.