Wednesday October 15, 2003
176203
Clark discovers someone is hunting people affected by the kryptonite rocks and the killer's next target is Lex. Clark uses his powers to save Lex, but is caught off guard when the killer learns his weakness and shoots him with a kryptonite bullet.
Read Full Recap » (warning: possible spoilers!)After the high drama of the previous four episodes, Smallville takes a breather in a routine high school rock-n-roll story about a vengeful student pursuing Lana, and Clark races to the rescue. hide show
Lana takes an ill-advised solo dip in the high school pool, with no supervision and no lifeguard, and is attacked by lovesick fellow student Jake, who is shot by an unknown rescuer. It's another implausible event that everyone takes in stride - just another Smallville student killed on campus. Oh, well, on with the story.
Chloe's Wall of Wierd database has become pretty sophisticated, and Clark rejoins the Torch staff at Chloe's invitation. Lex does some rejoining of his own, with Lionel at Luthercorp, but he balks at some of the red tape Lionel lays on him. Chloe attempts to quit the Clark-investigation agreement with Lionel, but he virtually blackmails her with implied threats against her father - Chloe is trapped. But she and Clark begin to suspect Jake's friend Van (Jesse Metcalfe) in the murder, because Van's father, a Marine recruiter, was murdered by a meteor-infected teen (Tina).
Clark and Pete find guns and other evidence in Van's hunting cabin, leading them to believe Lex is also a potential target, and in a few super-speed moments, Clark intercepts the bullet Van intended for Lex. A possible production gaffe occurs here in the Luthorcorp parking lot: a silver Porsche owned by Lex has the plates "Lex XX," the same ones which appear two weeks later in the season on a different silver sports car in "Perry." Van is packing kryptonite, allowing him to escape Clark's football tackle, and return to his kryptonite-bullet production.
Van pursues Clark to the farm, and Van's first shot at Clark passes through his hand and into his shoulder. He's saved by tool-box surgery by Jonathan and Martha. Van accosts Lana, and tells her that Clark was a bullet-catching meteor freak, and caught one that ended his life. He kidnaps Lana, then Clark gets him word that he's still alive, provoking Van to shoot Clark again. Clark has prepared for this occasion, deflecting Lana's suspicion that he's meteor-infected.
In this episode, Lex is seen wondering if he, too, has healing ability from the meteor shower. Lionel visits Chloe again, and threatens her over computer insecurity, which let to the leak of data about Lex. Good acting all around. Overall, this episode has a familiar theme - a protagonist threatening Clark's loved ones, Clark barely escaping the dangers of kryptonite, and Lana still wondering and hoping. Re-run rating C+.
Van, The Meteor Freak Slayer hide show
Extinction-Clark discovers someone is hunting people affected by the kryptonite rocks and the killer's next target is Lex. Clark uses his powers to save Lex, but is caught off guard when the killer learns his weakness and shoots him with a kryptonite bullet.
A refreshing episode that takes the meteor freak of the week concept of the series and turns it around. The idea of a teenaged assassin killing meteor freaks was ingenuis and surprised, the writers didn't use it sooner. Van McNulty makes for a great villian and his M.O. is fleshed out nicely, giving a good reason for why he became a meteor freak killer. Not to mention, Jesse Metcalfe actually gives a good performance as the character despite his Soap Opera roots. I liked how Van's rampage brings up references from past episodes from "Cool", "X-Ray", etc. where both Lana and Chloe were attacked by meteor freaks. They both bring up a good argument about are all meteor freaks dangerous or are they just misunderstood and don't deserve to die?
The most impressive aspect of the episode is Van developing kryptonite bullets to kill Clark. The scene in which Clark gets shot by Van is quite heartbreaking as both Tom Welling and John Schiender play the sequence beautifully. The special effects are top notch as well like Clark superspeeding to Metropolis to stop a bullet from hitting Lex. Speaking of Lex, I liked the continuing drama between Lionel and Lex as Lex comes back to Luthorcorp. There is always great tension between them and I love how Lionel might just be using Lex's new position just to watch over him. All and All, Another stellar episode with a great plot and impressive sequences.
He shot him down. BANG. BANG. Clark hit the ground. Bang. Bang. That awful sound...oh, you get the point! hide show
A fairly unimpressive Smallville outing, though there are a few note-worthy moments. The throwback to previous episodes works in favour and against "Extinction". On the one hand, well, Chloe says it best "thanks for the memories", but on the other hand it just goes to show how many times we've seen an episode exactly like this - the flipside being the freaks are the victims.
Visually, of course, it's amazing. The special effects have been stellar so far this season, really adding a truly epic canvas to an otherwise drib storyline. Chloe manages to get the best lines, and while I'm not really a fan of Lana-in-danger episodes, admittedly, it's one of the more savvier ones - some nice throwbacks, a few mocking jabs at Smallville's formulaic routine etc., but this all falls flat on its face when it actually dips into the territory it mocked so easily in the beginning.
Interestingly enough, we're given signs that Lana would accept Clark for who he really is. While she spends most of this episode putting meteor infected down, when she gets that glimmer of hope that Clark might be invincible, she no longer becomes the damsel and kicks ass, expecting Clark to reveal his big secret. It was a nice touch.
Overall, a forgettable episode altogether. Still, it's an easy sit through and has some lovely FX shots throughout.
For the first time to me in Superman's legacy we get introducted to what happens to Clark when kryptonite is put into his body, reacting with his blood directly, than from outside of his skin. It nearly kills him. It was amazing how distraught Lana was when she's told that Clark is dead, she calls 911 informing that Clark Kent has just been killed, and the cops show up at the Kent Farm to see Clark alive and well, and told about the call he rushes off to save Lana. The killer not believing that Clark is still alive, shoots Clark multiple times, with Lana showing how much she does care about Clark, only to have Clark still be fine which the shooter can't believe and after knocking out the shooter reveals to Lana that he had a lead vest on. You would think Clark would still feel the effects from the kryptonite, lead doesn't completely neutralizes the effects of kryptonite unless it is enclosed by it completely.
When Lana Lang is attacked by her obsessed school pal Jake Pollan (Harris Allan) in the desert swimming pool of Smallville High School, he is mortally shot by an unknown shooter. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor joins Luthor Corp. and his father Lionel Luthor requires a US$ 50,000,000.00 life insurance from him. Clark investigates the murder of Jake, and finds that the criminal was Jake's friend Van McNulty (Jesse Metcalfe), who is killing people affected by the meteor shower, and Lex is the next in his death list. When Clark saves Lex, Van sees that he is special and includes Clark in his bill.
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