Smallville 9.04 "Echo"

[emeraldstag]

I can't believe there's been a month of S9 Smallville already. It felt like forever the time between seasons, and now about 20% of the season is over before I can blink. The show feels different (even from S8) and I wonder if that has to do with the loss of exec producers and writers.

• Oliver. So we finally find out it's not really about Jimmy's death but him dealing with "killing" Lex. He sure didn't seem that remorseful about it last season. What bugged me was Toyman knowing that A) Oliver set him up for Lex's death & B) That Oliver killed Lex. How would some two-bit criminal know those things considering only the heroes knew and Oliver hasn't exactly been talkative about things. It felt like a convenient plot point that they just glossed over to make the episode work.
• Tess. She's truly become a fickle character this season, I got all kinds of hot and cold vibes in "Echo". I thought it was kickass how she went all 'Tomb Raider' to hunt down Oliver and bring him back to civilization. I don't know if the caring is genuine but it would be nice if her attention helps pull him out of this irritating funk. Then after some of my faith is renewed in her, she has to go and have Toyman work on that meteor rock battery instead of just killing him (which I would've been more accepting of). Don't let crazies who targeted someone close to you, work for you! That's villain talk.
• Chloe. This episode just renewed my opinion that they do not know how to write meaningful roles for both Lois & Chloe in the same episode. It feels like they've shifted roles from last season, when Lois would be in an episode for barely a few minutes in S8 (ala "Doomsday"), now that seems to be Chloe's role in S9. At least they've expanded her wardrobe past those stuffy coats she had on in the Metallo arc. I miss when Chloe & Clark would just hang out for the fun of it, it seems so far the only time he talks to her is when he needs something for whatever current cause he's dealing with. I liked Chloe defending Lois' feelings to Clark and the preceding Chlo-Lo moment (and want more), but I'd like them to move past Lois being sentimental about Clark, and Chloe being in disbelief of what's going on with her best friend and cousin.
• Clark. I thought we were past the relationship swerve of no-showing on a date. I was wondering why they were pushing Clois so much so early, and I should have expected them to go down that route. I remember hating when that plot device would be used in Spectacular Spider-Man when I was watching it this summer and to see it done here just didn't feel right. Makes Clark seem like an insensitive prat.

"Rhoulette" looks like a much more involved story for Oliver, and Lois in trouble again. Smallville is really starting to remind me of The New Adventures of Lois & Clark with the Clois sappy moments and Lois constantly being captured/hostage situation. The cast feels entirely too small with Zod being the mysterious villain thats rarely seen, Chloe being barely used and Oliver out of it most of the time, that really limits the characters to Clark, Lois & Tess. I miss the much bigger world of Smallville that used to exist pre-Metropolis.