Static

Season 6, Episode 8, Aired
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Episode Summary

One of the escapees from the Phantom Zone has killed the crew of a ship in Seattle. Clark confronts the killer who feeds on the bones of his victim. In Smallville, a patient in LuthorCorp Labs escapes experimentation and seeks revenge on Lex by trapping him in a dimension where he can see and hear those around him, but they cannot see him.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (79)

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  • the person who saved clark

    8.5
    "Great"
    By JamesRichards4, Dec 30, 2011 Report Abuse
    i think he was mr manhatten from the watchmen as he also has glowing blue eyes and is able to jump and fly like the person who saved clark

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    0 0

  • Not my favorite episode

    7.0
    "Good"
    By scillaward, Apr 27, 2011 Report Abuse
    This episode had it's moments, but overall it was pointless. The acting was average and the story was another meteor freak of the week. Can't they come up with anything else? But the mystery of who saved Clark from that phantom is interesting. Hope the producers don't drag this out and make us wait forever to find out who saved Clark. They are known for doing that. Lionel protected Lex by moving 33.1 to a new facility. I don't know if Lionel is good or bad. He helps Clark by protecting his secret then he helps Lex with 33.1. He flip flops too much. Maybe the evil in him isn't all erased.moreless

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    2 0

  • Not quite what I had expected but whatever. I watched because it is Smallville

    7.5
    "Good"
    By RealSparticus, Nov 14, 2008 Report Abuse
    Lex finds himself in an unexpected situation just minutes after telling Lana just how much she means to him. Meanwhile, Chloe informs Clark about a ship that has been attacked. A ship that last stopped at an island that was struck by a meteor the same day that Clark escaped from the Phantom Zone. She then tells him that Lex has disappeared. Clark must make the decision of whether or not to search for Lex or to investigate the ship. Lionel quickly shows up to investigate Lex's disappearance and appears to be trying to send Lana away, who claims that Lex disappeared into static.
    Clark shows up to investigate the ship and is mistaken for a medical student. His is recruited by a doctor who shows him that the crew members, dead crew members, have had their skeletons ripped from their bodies. While Clark investigates the ship incident, Chloe and Lana investigate Lex's disappearance.moreless

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  • A meteor-infected madman can transform an ordinary mortal into electromagnetic static, and he takes revenge on Lex for Luthorcorp's involvement in Level 33.1 experiments.

    6.0
    "Fair"
    By cxtasy, Sep 20, 2008 Report Abuse
    At the Luthor mansion, Lana is burdened with her secret pregnancy, and Lex offers support and pledges his love, apparently not yet aware of her condition. Suddenly the security alarm activates with Code 142, and instantly a group of armed guards hustle them toward the panic room, but Lex is transformed into "Static" and disappears. Is he in another dimension? He is instantly being transported around the room, but he can no longer see Lana or the guards, and vice-versa.

    At the DP, Chloe tells Clark that a cargo ship has been found adrift with the entire crew dead, and is being towed to Seattle. It was near an island that was hit by a meteor when Clark escaped from the PZ, so we suspect intergalactic foul play. Just then Lana tells Chloe that Lex has disappeared again. Clark heads to Seattle anyway, higher-priority rescue.

    At his office, Lionel hears of the Lex disappearing; no clues exist. Lana arrives with suspicions a coverup. Security at the mansion says she's seeing things. She tells him the code was 142 - which we see has meaning to Lionel. Lionel calls Genome Technology, but that story fragment goes nowhere.

    At the Seattle wharf, numerous bodies are being brought from the ship to a mobile coroner's tent; Clark is misidentified as a med. student assigned to help the coroner's deputy. That works for Clark, giving him freedom to roam the restricted area. The ship's crew members are just remains in boxes, without skeletons; two others were dock workers, so some hungry monster is on the loose. The deputy says it's "seriously freaky."

    Lana and Chloe return to the mansion; Lex is there, but his manifestation is in another dimension or frequency; his form passes right through Lana and Chloe. Looking for surveillance video, Chloe copies the hard drive for analysis back at the DP. Suddenly another figure is with Lex in his office, it's the 142, and he's a static being too - named Bronson, a meteor rock victim and former mental patient. These plot elements have been pretty well worked over in previous episodes, so the story line starts to weaken here.

    At the DP, Chloe and Jimmy find Lana already there. Choe has found surveillance video of Lex's disappearance; they detect another static-like figure near Lex. Lana gets a phone call from Mr. 142, who says he knows what happened to Lex, but Lana keeps this from Chloe. Lana heads back to the Talon, where he tells her that he has taken Lex in retaliation for being held in a secret lab called 33.1, where Luthorcorp is experimenting on meteor rock victims. When they are released from Belle Reve, they wind up in 33.1, confined again. He wants Lana to expose 33.1, and will release Lex. Lana is skeptical of the whole story, but agrees.

    Clark is still impersonating a coroner's assistant. Among the cargo containers, blood is found by an officer; he starts a search, but, failing to call for backup, he's easy prey for a large ugly humanoid, who kills him and starts consuming his bones. Urp!

    Bronson, we learn, was an electrician working near meteor strikes. He can move through alternate frequencies, or other time and space. He and Lana arrive on floor 33.1, and step into...a long empty space - the cells, the labs, all gone. Mr. 142, Bronson, is hysterical, Lana is still skeptical. He has put Lex "in a place where he can't hurt anyone else," and he disappears before telling Lana anything useful.

    Back at the mansion, Bronson is now on frequency with Lex, demanding to know where he put 33.1. Lex knows Bronson's history, telling him he never was going to be released from Belle Reve, but Lex was trying to help him. By that, we understand Lex would exploit Bronson's ability. Bronson has leverage over Lex, and disappears again.

    Down in the DP basement, Jimmy has dredged up old HAM radio equipment, examining the frequencies on the surveillance video, tuning into other bands, and finally they hear Lex's voice.

    At the docks, Clark continues his search, finding a pair of bloody glasses and a helmet. The ugly escapee from the Phantom Zone (a local wrestler?) flings Clark a long way into a crane, and escapes for the moment.

    Chloe searches Lex's computer files for floor plans of the Luthorcorp building, but when she reads "floor plan unavailable," the files are deleted. When Lionel drops in, he already knows of Chloe's hacking attempt. His disparages her talk of meteor freaks, and leaves. But Jimmy has a another plan to re-tune Lex.

    Lana goes to the mansion to talk to Lex, hoping he hears her. In a tearful confession, she declares how much she misses him, and her soliloquy is the only exceptional acting in this episode. He appears near her, but is still invisible. She reveals she's pregnant. Bronson appears again, threatening her life, to get Lex to fess up about 33.1. Jimmy and Chloe arrive at the right time, knock Bronson out, demanding to know where Lex is.

    Bronson escapes by turning to static, but Lana grabs him, and she's static, too. Now Lex can see her. Jimmy has his old tube-type frequency generators in the room, tuning and broadcasting while Bronson and Lex battle over the knife. Lex overpowers Bronson, who fails to use his ability to disappear, and lets Lex kill him. A big plot hole is developing. Can you be tried for murder in another frequency-dimension? Is Bronson dead back here in our frequency? Will anyone be held accountable for his death? No.

    Chloe and Jimmy can hear Lex and Lana talking, so Jimmy creates a big short circuit and they're back.

    Clark is still searching for the PZ escapee, following a trail of blood. Bluto-man nabs Clark, but suddenly falls dead...some unknown phantom has aided Clark. It's a Kryptonian figure, who soars up and speeds away into the night sky.

    JImmy and Chloe are on floor 33.1, finding nothing, and Lana remains doubtful that 33.1 ever existed; she chooses to believe Lex.

    Lex is back with Lionel, who seems to have been behind the disappearance of the lab. Another accusation by Lex, but this time no denial. Lionel admits he moved it to a top security location, and will reveal that to Lex on one condition - he wants to be full partner with Lex on the entire project.

    At the Kent farm, Chloe checks in with Clark, wanting to know the Seattle story, but Clark is evasive. Someone else killed the alien intruder, but Clark does not know if the Other is on their side. She wants to be on his side; "Sometimes even heroes need to be saved," she says, but he declines full disclosure, disappointing Chloe and us, too.

    At the mansion, Lex is trying to be protective of Lana's condition. He tells her he's pleased that the woman he loves is carrying their child. Sliding right back into the Big Lie mode, he tells her that 33.1 never existed. She suggests she might be involved in learning more about the meteor-infected...he takes her to an elaborately decorated room, filled with roses, candles, light and beauty, all for her, and the centerpiece is a gift, a ring. "Will you marry me?

    This is the first and only Smallville episode credited to two new screenwriters, and it shows. Music, set decoration, photography, all quite good, but "Static" demonstrates how every component affects the creation of a good episode, and screenwriting is clearly one of them. Other than the major news of Lex asking Lana to marry him, "Static" is pretty routine and has a few plot holes. In fact, Clark has such a minor role as to be almost inconsequential. The writing on this one is weak, and since it's not crucial to any continuing storylines, it can be passed over. Re-run rating C-.moreless

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  • Terrible Reception!

    3.8
    "Bad"
    By lenzinoH20, Jun 11, 2008 Report Abuse
    Static-One of the escapees from the Phantom Zone has killed the crew of a ship in Seattle. Clark confronts the killer who feeds on the bones of his victim. In Smallville, a patient in LuthorCorp Labs escapes experimentation and seeks revenge on Lex by trapping him in a dimension where he can see and hear those around him, but they cannot see him.

    Wow, who thought it was a great idea for Clark to play sub-plot to his own show while we watch over 40 mintues of Lexana melodrama and reused plots from past seasons? Cause that what "Static" is! It's one of the most useless and boring hours of television I have ever seen. Where do I even begin? Carmen Moore (Seattle Coroner) was a horrible villian with one of the lamest powers ever. He can travel between different frequencies, like who gives a *beep*! His M.O. about being an escaped meteor freak from 33.1 and then having the lab disappear feels like a reused plot point from "Jitters". Then there are the beyond cheesy static effects as Lex gets pulled into an alternate frequency. Lana was awful throughout, especially when worrying about Lex and denying the existence of 33.1. Wasn't Lana just skeptical of Lex's honesty a few episodes ago? Shouldn't she take Seattle Coroner's word as a possibility, I mean Lex isn't the most honest person. I also hate how she shot Chloe done of the possibility of 33.1, as there is just as much of a possibility of it's existence. Then there's Chloe and Jimmy helping to save Lex, which was unbearably corny. I mean, how the hell did Jimmy build a frequency machine anyway? Also, it's very unrealistic how he just saved the day, ehw!

    Now if that wasn't bad enough, Clark isn't even in the episode for more than 15 mintues? Having Tom Welling reduced to a poor developed sub-plot to hunting down another Phantom was a huge mistake on the writers' fault. It's doesn't even feel like Smallville when the lead isn't even the episode for the majority of it. Also, we have yet another ill concieved Phantom villian in the form of Aldar, a bone eating creature. It's hard to even critique David Bautista on his performance as the character was so under-developed, it's not even worth it! THe only redeeming factor of the episode is the excellent cameo by Martian Manhunter. Just the sequence of his signature red eyes and flying off in a stunning red light almsot....and I say...almost makes up for this incredible mess! "Static" is the most forgettable and uncohesive episode of Smallvile you'll ever see. Ohh, Lex proposes to Lana, maybe she there's a possibility she'll say no and show that she's actually has some brain. But...ohh...wait, this is Lana, we're talking about!moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • When Lana and Lex come back from the other frequency, there's a lot of smoke coming from Jimmy's equipment. In the next shot, all the smoke is gone. Edit
    • This episode is filled with many inaccuracies of basic physics. There are too many to list all of them. But one obvious example is when Jimmy uses his father's ham radio equipment to decode Lex's radio signal from the video surveillance footage on Lex's hard drive. But there's no way a radio frequency would be recorded by a camera that has sensors for video (light) and audio (sound), these sensors would not be capable of recording radio frequency waves, there would be nothing to decode. Edit
    • When Chloe and Jimmy are on floor 33.1 and Jimmy is examining the wiring he says "Whatever was on this floor wasn't your typical cubical farm. There's enough power pumping in here to light up Metropolis." The irony of the statement is that the wires he is examining are not power lines but are in fact telephone wires, and he's holding enough of them for several phone lines. Your typical cubical farm would likely put those lines to use. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Original International Air Dates: Norway: April 15, 2007 on TVNorge Australia: October 20, 2007 on Ten Belgium: November 24, 2007 on KanaalTwee Turkey: April 20, 2008 on CNBC-e Czech Republic: May 13, 2008 on TV Nova New Zealand: June 13, 2008 on TV2 Slovakia: July 26, 2009 on Markiza Edit
    • Although credited, Erica Durance and Annette O'Toole do not appear in this episode. Edit
    • Batista is billed as Special Guest Star. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Chloe: There is a lot more to this story than what meets the eye, you don't know the Luthors like I do. Lana: You don't know Lex like I do.... I'm not going to take the word of a homicidal maniac over Lex, I'm sorry. Chloe: Lana, you can't prove that Level 33.1 didn't exist. Lana: And you can't prove that it did. Edit
    • Clark: I have to go to Seattle. Chloe: Clark! I know Lex isn't exactly your pick for Man of the Year but you just can't turn your back on him! Edit
    • Lex: (to Lana) You have no idea how much you mean to me. (long silence) In an ideal world, I was hoping for some kind of response. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Chloe: These guys aren't just meteor freaks, they're from galaxies far far away. Referencing the first line seen on-screen in the initial Star Wars movie (1977): "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." Edit

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