lana lang

Former Lana Lang Kristen Kreuk will be heading over to NBC to play a love interest for Chuck on the series of the same name. This is right on the heels of the announcement that Brandon Routh will be playing a romantic interest for Sarah. To put it in perspective, Chuck will be dating Lana Lang and Sarah will be dating Superman.

Hopefully, her character Hannah will be a little less whiny than Lana (the two names rhyme. Coincidence?). I did like when Lana become more self-confident and assertive this past season of Smallvile. It's a pity that only lasted for about an episode and a half. Whatever happens, her Chuck episodes will undoubtedly get more viewers than Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.

Has anybody else noticed that all these geek-appeal shows have been getting guest stars that are specifically known to geeks? It's like they don't even want to bother with mainstream guest stars anymore. It's probably cheaper that way.

(S08E14) Why did the creators of Smallville need to give us yet another melodramatic separation with Lana that was fundamentally no different than the first one? Couldn't they have done something different?

So now we've meet the Smallville universe's version of the Toyman, who has appeared in several previous television versions of Superman (including the immortal Challenge of the Super Friends). This version of Winslow Schott is the overweight, hipster Toyman, with colored, circular glasses and sideburns.

Great Krypton! Lana and Clark had super-sex! They even broke the bed. At least now we know for certain that Clark won't be a virgin when he eventually gets together with Lois.

(S08E13) Consider that she's a recurring guest-star, a Lana-centric episode was something of a surprise. However, since she and Clark have a lot of history, it's also a necessity in order for Clark to move on.

I didn't like this episode. The writing seemed more cliché and the acting more melodramatic than usual (and that's saying a lot), and the pacing of the direction seemed off. I will give Allison Mack the benefit of the doubt because it was her first time as a director (and she's just so darned cute).

The backstory was okay. I was even a little jealous because in the beginning of the show, I always fantasized about torturing the ever-whiny Lana. Okay, maybe not actually torture her, but I still found her annoying. Even worse, Kristen Kreuk's performance in this episode sort of reminded me of early Lana.

(S08E11) Geoff Johns writes! When a comic book writer has a chance to write an episode of a television show based on a comic book character, you can usually count on inside references. This is very evident in the first 2009 episode of Smallville. For further information on the Legion of Super-Heroes, go here.

I cannot express my sheer joy at the fact that Lana was not whiny in the episode and is becoming likable. Whatever she was doing during those missing 7 months, keep it up.

(S07E20) After a pretty intense set of scenes from the past season, we open with Edward Teague trying to run to South America (as all fugitives tend to do). His stewardess ends up being Kara, who takes a very sinister turn as she threatens to throw Teague out of the plane. When he gives her the information she requires, she destroys the plane and kills him anyway (along with everyone else on the plane).

For the last time this season: Somebody saaaavvvveeee meeeee...

(S07E17) In a mild diversion from the main story arc of the season, Jimmy Olsen becomes James Bond. At least he's a James Bond that makes breakfast.

Of all the characters in the show, the ones who have undergone the most growth is Chloe. It makes sense since the character was created specifically for this series (although it was somewhat as a Lois Lane stand-in).

(S07E16) Smallville returns from its hiatus with a death that was extremely predictable (particularly given the spoilers available throughout the Internet). I'm trying not to spoil it for anybody who hasn't watched yet so I'm saving the reveal until after the jump. It's surprising that they didn't even wait for the opening credits for that particular reveal.

At this juncture, I think it's safe to say that the character permanently died. No alternate timelines. No Kryptonite-fueled resurrections. No clones. No imaginary stories. Mind you, in the Smallville universe, it wouldn't surprise me if this or any death was only temporary (such as with Buffy before it).

(S07E15) This episode could have easily been the season finale of Smallville. It had characters change, characters vanish and a very sad cliffhanger ending. I wonder if it was the last one written before the writer's strike started?

It opened with a quiet day on the Kent farm. Then Brainiac (played by James Marsters) showed up and things got violent. In a rare instance, Clark showed up on time in the beginning to save the day, rather than the end of the program. On another note, that farm gets trashed a LOT.

(S07E07) Okay, this was the first time I ever watched Smallville and had my jaw drop. Seriously. Why? Well, I'm glad you asked. Let's examine the facts: Lana and Clark are deep into dating mode. Plus, she's been staying at the Kent farm with him ever since she's returned from the dead. However, they've apparently not be able to um ... consummate that relationship because of Clark's superpowers. I guess if he gets amorous with someone, he might accidentally hurt them. Not to mention burn the place down, which he used to do when he'd get turned on.

While it's not clear how they've been getting around this, they sure didn't have to worry about it on this episode. Clark gets struck by lightning while close to some kryptonite, and his powers get transferred to someone else. Yes, again. However, this time he gets to keep his powers, and Lana is the beneficiary of the souped-up abilities. How do they celebrate this event? By knocking boots. Literally. They have such powerful sex that it causes seismic waves across Smallville. In fact, they practically destroy the Kent farm in the process. Holy cow.

(S07E06) Shades of Superman past! Kara getting sent off-world by her Dad Zor-El while Krypton starts to come apart around her? Egads. Plus all of that crystalline Kryptonian architecture that the Superman: The Movie provided us with. Then snap cut to Kara almost getting run down in the sky by a jetliner in a really nice special effects shot that probably blew their budget for a show to come later in the season featuring nothing but talking heads. Yes, this episode of Smallville begins with a bang.

However, that bang turned until a turning stomach once I had to witness that Lionel / Clark hug. Is it me or was that a pretty bizarre and awkward man-embrace? Clark's gone from hating to loving the Luthors more times than I can count, but hugging Lionel? I never thought I'd see the day.

(S07E04) Okay, I have to admit, it took me a good long while to wrap my brain around this episode of Smallville. Not because of the schlocky "Cure" plot, but because of you-know-who. That's right ... Dean Cain. It was just more than a tad freaky seeing him go toe to toe with Clark, wasn't it? While this show is about a billion times better than Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was, Cain was still Superman. Throw in the fact that Christoper Reeve has been on this show, and you're just a couple of cameos away from having all of the living actors who have played the man (or boy) of steel on Smallville.

(S07E01) "I'm like you, only more bizarre."

Somebody Saaaaaavvvvveeeee meeeeeeee ... from interminably long summer breaks from TV shows. I really wondered when this day would come, and it has finally arrived. When we last left our hero(es), Clark literally had an out-of-body experience and split into two halves. Thus was Bizarro born. He's like the Dark Clark (Kal) from seasons past, except he's got a much deeper voice. Testosterone kicks in on Smallville, apparently. Plus, Bizarro Clark has that jagged, crystalline face that you've come to expect from all the comic books, but it pops in and out, like he just needs some Clearasil or something.

It's refreshing that this season opens up right where we left off, and plus seeing Clark save that little kid and his dad in total Superman-style makes it all worth it. Was that serious heat-vision action or what? Finally, it seems like he's finally getting ready to wear the cape. That little kid's "whoa" was a great capper to the opening teaser. Thank you, Smallville writers, thank you.

(S06E22) It's finale time! Were you ready for the wham-bam-in-your-face-here's-what's-basically-happened-on Smallville this year? There was a lot going on in those few minutes, holy moley. It's like a capsule-sized dose of Smallville, now with a Kryptonite coating and in a convenient gel form.

The one thing that impressed me most about the opening was ... damn, they should give Martian Manhunter his own show. It'd fit right in with the whole CW love for strange Supernatural goings on. Just picture it now, "Tonight, on a very special Manhunter Chronicles." I'd totally watch that. Before too long they'll have the entire DC slate on their network.

(S06E20) Smallville has another "dream" episode, or as I like to call it "the writers take a much needed week off." It might be nitpicking too much, but to me a dream episode is like a clip show, where the character all reminisce about other episodes. Nothing happens that really affects the characters or their storylines, so it kinda seems like cheating, but they pulled this one off pretty well, so I can't gripe too loudly.

Mostly, it's because I'm a sucker for black and white, the 1940s speak, and whodunit stories. Plus Humphrey Bogart as a detective in pretty much anything is tops in my book, kid. One question though, how could they possibly do a black and white version of Smallville set in the 1940s, and not put Jimmy Olsen in a bow-tie? What a missed opportunity.

(S06E19) Alternatively titled "Welcome Back, Lionel" ... or the "Clark and Lex Tunnel Exploration Power Hour". Was that some pretty heinous underground action or what?

Okay, right off the bat I have to admit ... this was a pretty darn cool episode of Smallville. I'll get to the bones I have to pick with it later, but for the most part it really rocked. You've got Lex and Clark sort of facing off, sort of friends again, Clark wondering if he gave up on Lex too early, Lana being pretty hard-nosed and kick ass ... and all of this without any super powers at all and they kept me interested the whole time. I'm sold.