(S0910) This was a halfway decent midseason premiere. I certainly wasn't expecting that.

For Smallville, things usually start to drag around the midseason point. Then it's like driving with the parking brake on until the season's final three episodes arrive. But not this year.

This week's solid entry and next week's "Absolute Justice" event are signs that Smallville will sustain the momentum by giving fans exactly what they want – fun episodes that feed into ongoing story arcs, and plenty of geeky superhero action.

"Disciple" smartly nudged a few major plot threads forward, offered some sweet Lois & Clark moments, and delivered an entertaining self-contained story. Spoilers below.

I enjoyed this ep, but I wasn't too impressed with the character of Vordigan/Dark Archer (guest star Steve Basic). He felt like a low-rent Ra's al Ghul (the Batman Begins version), which makes sense since Green Arrow is sometimes written like a Batman/Bruce Wayne substitute.

Watching Vordigan terrorize Chloe was a lot of fun, though. I don't have anything against Chloe, but the scene felt dark and tense, especially when his creepy image popped up on her giant display screen.

Vordigan wanted to cleanse Oliver of his "lovers, allies and disciples," as was the credo of the secret society that trained him. But Oliver abandoned that life and that motto long ago. He didn't want to become a lonely and corrupt hunter like Vordigan.

One of the best things about this plot was how it brought Oliver and Mia closer together. She was the first one to notice he was off his game (even though she attacked him in full ninja gear), and they finally bonded here.

I loved Oliver and Mia's final scene together. Their budding hero-sidekick relationship echoes the classic bond between Batman and Robin -- she's a bright and lively kid who keeps him from going to the dark side.

While Green Arrow finally welcomed his Speedy, Clark finally went on a real date with Lois. It's odd how Lois still seems a little detached from Clark, even though she's obviously smitten with him. I guess she's afraid of getting hurt emotionally. Still, it's hard to believe that PDA-counting Clark would break her heart on purpose. Sadly, it looks like Zod's meddling might unravel their nice little romantic relationship.

Zod, aka Krypton's number one badass, isn't doing a very good job of manipulating Clark or Lois. Like Clark said, it's obvious to everyone that he has a hidden agenda: making the events of "Pandora" come true. Clark's threat to him ("I will destroy you all") really underscored how vulnerable the Kandorians are without their superpowers.

And what about Clark and Chloe? Thanks to all the drama going on with Oliver, Clark finally learned about the stunt she pulled in "Roulette." Not surprisingly, he was appalled. It was a smart way to remind us about the growing distance between these two characters.

As Clark grows older and inches closer to becoming Superman, the ultimate symbol of morality and justice, Chloe seems to be getting darker and more deceitful. It's an interesting dynamic and a strange twist to the friendship we've watched develop over the years.

What did you guys think? Did Smallville start the new year off right? Was there enough shirtless Oliver to go around? Are you digging the Clark-Lois coupling?

Next week: It's JSA time!

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