Father of the decade?

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

How much of a surprise to see John Glover back as Lionel Luthor.  Even though this was an alternate version, I was glad to see him back because Glover is an amazing actor.  The show was always better when he was in it, mostly because you would always see some great acting in a show in which acting isn’t its top draw.

You could tell Glover enjoyed playing Lionel Luthor again.  Though he was playing the Lionel who we were first introduced too and not the redemptive one we saw in the characters final seasons.  I love seeing that evil, manipulative Lionel and this version is probably even worse than the one we knew before.

What I never expected was that Lionel would be around for the rest of the season.  Having him come into this world is a genius part on the writers.  The end of the show wouldn’t be right without having one of the best villains of the show.  Now all we need is Lex back, so hopefully Michael Rosenbaum will return so we get a full reunion for father and son.

I did like the other version of Clark, named Ultraman who actually goes round killing people.  Tom Welling actually did a decent job of playing a really fucked up version of Clark.  I always imagined what Clark would have been like if Lionel actually found him in that field.

This was pretty much a standard episode that wasn’t anything to do with the story arcs that have been following the season but this episode was full of entertaining moments.  I love “what if” stories, what would the world be if you made different choices etc.  The final scene, having Lionel from the other reality with a massive break the fourth wall moment to the audience made me very happy.  Everything is being built up, climaxing to what should be a brilliant end to a show I’ve watched for a decade.

Best of both worlds.

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

For the first time this season an episode focuses on both worlds.  We see the aftermath of last weeks episode from both universes.  Peter discovers that Olivia is not the real one.  I guess poor Peter is going through lots of emotion right now as he probably can’t believe that he couldn’t figure it out.  I loved when Walter was stating that it wasn’t Peter’s fault.  Bolivia was using her feminine wilds to make sure he didn’t figure it out.

I liked that Peter and Walter discovered the typewriter that can communicate with the other world.  I wonder if that will be used again in the future.  I’m sure Walter will do experiments on it to figure out how it works.

Shit must be serious when Peter gets a gun.  He was in full FBI agent mode and I loved that he figured out that the hostage that Bolivia had been in fact a shapeshifter.  Though Bolivia’s capture didn’t last long as she went back to her world.  Though in her place was the body of Phillip from the other world.

I don’t really like that they killed off Phillip as we saw in the other world he had a family.  We saw what his son had to go through and now he’ll have to deal with losing a father.  We might not be seeing the other world for a while but it’s pretty depressing to think what his wife and son will go through now.

In the other world, Olivia with Phillip’s help managed to cross back to her world.  Now order has been restored and Olivia is back where she belongs, what does the future of Fringe hold?  Will we see the end of episodes from both worlds?  Probably and hopefully that won’t last long because I do love “over there” and it’s characters.  The many pieces of the device that Walternate wants are still in this world.  I’m sure that will factor into the upcoming episodes.

Don’t chant his name five times.

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

While this episode mostly featured an individual story, its conclusion has changed things dramatically for both universes.  I have to say I am glad that Olivia knows who she is and that Peter now knows that his Olivia isn’t the right one.  While I liked the way the episodes were going, I think it was time to have Peter know the truth.

You would have thought he would have guessed by now but love can make you blind.  I’m intrigued by how he’ll handle the information.  Also in alt world, Olivia is in trouble now that Walternate knows she remembers.  My guess is that Phillip will help Olivia get back to her world for helping him catch the Candyman and saving his son.

That opening scene was pretty freaky and the idea of the Candyman stealing childrens youth for his own is nothing new in Sci-fi but I liked the twist that Reverend Marcus was really behind it all, see only the Olivia we know would have figured that out.

I enjoyed that we got to learn more about the Broyles in this universe, that he had a family and his son was a victim of the Candyman.  The little kid who played his son did an excellent job.  I’m hoping we get to learn more about the Broyles in the normal universe.

Geeky Thoughts:-

• It was good to see Henry back to help Olivia, Andre Royo is a wonderful actor.
• Lucky for Olivia for there to be a cleaning lady in that shop.
• Now it seems that things in both world are coming to a conclusion, I really don’t want to see the end of this alt world.  I like the characters in them too much.

Things are looking great for Fringe, I believe that there is a two week break until the next episode and I’m not sure how many more episodes left before the Christmas break.  I’m just glad that this half of episodes didn’t end with this one.

Love thy family.

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

I apologise that the review for ‘Ambush’ wasn’t up last week as life got in the way.  Though giving my thoughts on the past couple of episodes works well because there is a common theme with both ‘Ambush’ and ‘Abandoned’ and that is family.

I wasn’t too fond of ‘Ambush’ but the episode was better because of Michael Ironside.  It was good to see him return to Smallville as Lois’ father The General and he was brilliant in this.

We also get a little bit more information about the Suicide Squad, who tried to kill The General because he was in favour of a vigilante registration act.  A version of the Superhero registration act in the Civil War storyline in the Marvel comics.

Though the episode was enjoyable enough as I liked it was a Lois focused episode but I have to mention the end of the Talon and Lois’ and Chloe’s apartment being blown to pieces.  Sad times.

‘Abandoned’ was a huge improvement and the theme of family continued, mainly about the relationship between parents and children.  We have Lois going through a box of stuff that her mom left her before she passed away.  She viewed a video message from her mother, played by Lois and Clark’s Teri Hatcher.  It was one of my favourite scenes of the show and it probably made a few people who have lost a parent shed a tear.

We also have Clark’s problems with his father who is not speaking to him.  After watching the video from her mother, Lois is determined to heal the rift between Jor-El and his son so she goes to the Fortress to persuade him to speak to his son as Clark is not reaching his potential because Clark thinks he’s disappointed his dad.

A message is shown to Clark from Jor-El and his mother just before they sent him to Earth as a baby.  Clark realises that his father isn’t the perfect man he thought he was, Jor-El thought he was a failure because he couldn’t save his planet.  They didn’t want their failures to pass on to Clark so whatever Jor-El is doing to Clark it’s because of love.  He doesn’t want Clark to become the man he was, he wants him to become someone better.

Even Tess has parent issues in this episode as she finds out that she was given up as a child to an Orphanage.  The woman who runs the place likes to train her girls she cares for to become powerful woman.  Though we get a shock right at the end of the episode as we find out that Lionel Luthor is the father of Tess.  Now that means that Lex is her half brother so we’ll see what she does with little Lex now she knows this.

Geeky Thoughts:-

• Darkseid seems to be recruiting people for the upcoming “war.”  The woman running the Orphanage is a part of it.
• Two great scenes were Lois’ mother video message and the message to Clark from his parents.  Brilliant writing, it’s always wonderful to see from the show.

The final season is going from strength to strength.  Even the sub standard episodes this season have been of decent quality and entertaining.  You can sense that the show is building up to something great.

Over and out.

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

Well things have certainly got a lot more interesting during this episode, the main story has moved forward and things look good for the future.  The plot of the episode involved a group of people listening to a “number station” which erased their memories completely.  A “number station” is a radio broadcast that repeats numbers in different languages.

We find out that they are co-ordinates to different locations around the world.  Buried there are all the components for the device that Walternate wants to destroy the world here.  We get a little bit of mythology about the device.  It seems there were a race of people, with technological advancement even before the dinosaurs and they created this device called the “vacuum.”

Walter found out that Peter has been working on the device and he isn’t too happy about it.  He believes it will cause the destruction of the universe, though with a little talk and a smoke from Nina, she persuades him that Peter is going to work on the device anyway.  He realises now that they’ve found all the pieces to the device, that they will now have to put it all together and learn what it can do.

Seems Bolivia is slowly losing control of things, I don’t think it will be long before they find out the truth about her.  Every episode there are little scenes that nearly give the game away like the scene with Nina.  Plus by the end of the episode, we go over to the other universe and it seems that Walternate is done with Olivia so mystic Peter tells her it’s time to go home.

I’m hoping this doesn’t mean an end to seeing the other universe any time soon because I like that there are two versions of Fringe.  It’s weird, only six episodes of the season so far, three episodes “over there” and three in this universe but I feel that so much has happened.  There hasn’t been a dull episode or one which you would call a filler mainly because we’re getting to see a different version of the show.

I see double.

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

Fringe is back after an annoying two week break but we’re just so glad you’re back because I’ve missed you.  This episode takes place “over there” and we get a look into what the Amber process is all about.  Basically Walternate created this to stop events like the one seen in Central Park.  When the other Walter crossed worlds, the fabric of reality has been very unstable so Amber is there to stop massive, disastrous events from happening.

Many people have been stuck inside this Amber and it was presumed they all are dead but according to Walternate, they are very much alive.  The public doesn’t know this and they can’t.  Trying to free the people stuck inside the Amber would disrupt the structural integrity of it.  We had the story of two twin brothers, one a bank robber who is stuck in the Amber and his brother who frees him.  Though we learn that the bank robber wasn’t the one in cased in Amber.  He freed his brother because he felt guilty over what happened.

I liked that in the end he atoned for his sins, he has ruined many families by robbing banks which got people froze in Amber.  He always wanted to give his brother his life back.  I really liked that party of the story.

What I loved about this episode was Olivia beginning to realise that she’s not the Olivia from this world.  With the guidance of a subconscious Peter, she now knows the truth through the experiment of her going over to the other side.  When she said at the end that the experiment didn’t work and only saw black, did Walternate believe her?

I really have no clue on what will happen over the next few episodes of Fringe.  I’m loving the ride and that two week break was painful, it shouldn’t happen again.  I assume next week we’ll be back to our world Fringe and the aftermath of Peter and Bolivia getting it on.  Will Peter come to realise that she’s not the woman he loves?

Superahmish.

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

You can’t really trust anyone in the world of Smallville, not even a young little girl.  She might be an Ahmish type girl but the village she lives in are a little bit cultish.  During the meteor shower, a girl was killed and for the next twenty years they sacrifice a person for the Gods so they can have great crops and never get ill.  They just have no idea that it’s not God helping them but the water is infected with blue kryptonite.

I love that Lois and Clark can go on an adventure together without Clark hiding everything from her.  While this episode wasn’t brilliant, it was solid enough through the performances.  It was something different for Smallville and that’s always a welcome, I just like seeing them film on location rather than sets.

The Lex story is certainly progressing nicely.  I guess what I thought last week was true but it seems this Lex does remember about Clark and everything else.  He’s quickly growing into the evil Lex, he’s even shaved his head.  Though what’s the point in little Lex knowing everything about Clark.  I know Smallville doesn’t stick to the comics but Lex cannot know that Clark is Superman.

I have to keep this one short due to time and that there really isn’t much to discuss.  Even the standard type Smallville episodes this season have been entertaining.  What I love most about the show right now is the relationship between Clark and Lois.  I’m a bit of a sucker for a good love story.

Egyptian love of the heart.

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

Well for a while I thought I wouldn’t have much to really say about “Isis,” mostly it was a filler episode, nothing that really forwards the main plot along until the end.  The story was Lois being possessed by the spirit of the Egyptian goddess Isis who wants to resurrect her lover Osiris.

Clark is dealing with what he saw of the future, in which Lois knows he has powers and he’s wondering if it’s right to tell her now.  Oliver is dealing with coming out as Green Arrow and life without Chloe.  His new fame is not really the person he is, it works for Tony Stark but not for Oliver Queen.

The episode for the most part was decent enough, I liked Lois playing the part of Isis, she did it well and she looked amazing throughout the whole episode.  Though the plot was set out to show Clark how much he loves Lois and how much she loves him and that it’s probably best to come out to her.

Tess being welcomed into Watchtower has to be mentioned, both Clark and Oliver are not sure they can trust her and I’m quite shocked they even let her into the team, it should be obvious she’s got another agenda.  She seemed genuinely happy that she was accepted by them but then she gave that smile.  Though Tess is keeping a secret, she’s hiding little Lex who seems soon won’t be little anymore.

Young Lex is growing at a fast rate and this brings up one big question.  Will this Lex become the Lex of the future, the evil arch nemesis of Superman?  It seems to heavily imply that he will.  There was a mention that the kid has great intelligence and with the advanced growth, it makes sense.  The Lex we used to know is dead and he knew Clark’s secret.  We have this Lex, he doesn’t know Clark, knows nothing about him so it would completely work and I think it’s a great way to explain Lex being around in the future.

That final scene, just one scene made this episode great.  Clark finally telling Lois who he is and I’m so glad that this whole Lois knowing about him wasn’t dragged out through the whole season.  I loved Clark’s face when she told him it took him long enough to tell her.  Now we don’t ever have to see Clark saving Lois and then speeding away quickly.  The show has changed now and for the better.

See even with these type of episodes, the show is offering something that moves the plot forward.  While the episode wasn’t spectacular and pretty much standard Smallville fare, it gave us that final scene which is a pretty big moment in the show.  Five episodes in and this final season is providing brilliant entertainment.  So far there’s not much bad I can say so far with the show.  The writers are providing the fans what we want and I can’t wait for what’s to come.

Trip down memory lane for the 200th episode.

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

It’s a huge milestone for a show to get to a hundred episodes, most shows only can dream of getting to that.  Most shows will never get to the tenth season, most shouldn’t as shows can become stale after a while.  This is Smallville’s 200th episode, it’s a great achievement and it delivered in spades.

Clark and Lois attend their high school reunion, Lois apparently only was at Smallville high for five days and she’s quite annoyed that nobody recognises her.  Clark isn’t too happy with going to the reunion as there’s a lot of memories, good and bad with the place.  Right now he’s doubting himself as a hero because people are telling him that there is darkness inside him.

Clark is visited by Brainiac 5 who’s a part of The Legion, he comes from the future to show Clark’s past, present and future.  His aim is to show Clark that the darkness he has is down to his regret from things in his past.  Brainiac shows Clark his father’s funeral and the moment he died.  Clark has always blamed himself for his dad’s death and has to let go of that regret so he can become the man he needs to be.

The greatest part of the episode was seeing Clark in the year 2017 and seeing the life he will lead.  Knowing that Lois knows his secret, it hinted that they are probably married and that he becomes Superman.  He even meets his future self, the Clark Kent we know,  the nerdy, glasses wearing goofball.  So far this season has given us fans loads of brilliant geeky moments and him coming across future Clark was pretty awesome.

Brainiac also showed Clark what’s going on with Oliver in the present.  Showing him that he needs Clark to be there for him as he’s dealing with the repercussions of coming out as Green Arrow.  Clark needs to understand that he is needed by a lot of people, even those like Oliver who won’t ever say that.

This episode will be the point in which everything changes for Clark.  He’s seen what needs to change inside of him and he’s seen the future he will have.  He’s the Earth’s greatest protector and he’ll also have the woman he loves, someone who knows his secret, someone who’ll protect it and that’s always what he wanted.

Geeky Thoughts:-

• The save of Lois in the helicopter is an homage from the original Superman film.
• We saw the return of Greg Arkin who appeared in the second episode of the show.  Clark always sees the bad in people but was shown that Greg only wanted to thank Clark for helping him all those years ago.
• It was great to see James Marsters back as Brainiac.
• You really had to love Clark and Lois telling each other they love each other, aw.

They’ve really pulled out all the stops so far to give the fans what they want.  I await in anticipation every Saturday so I can watch the show, every episode gives us one little geeky Superman moment.  The quality is very high right now, the best the show has ever been and if the quality remains throughout the rest of the season, then Smallville will go out on a high.  It doesn’t deserve any less in my opinion.

Shifting the balance.

Remember this will be a SPOILER review.

Back in the “normal” world we find out that a D.C Senator is actually a shapeshifter.  We see that the government has been infiltrated by the other side.  This Senator got information about Olivia and the Fringe team so fake Olivia could learn everything she needed to.

I loved the pre-titles sequence of Thomas Newton trying to get the dead shapeshifter out of the hospital.  Though it seems that just putting a bullet into the brain will not get rid of the problem.  Walter brilliantly realises that information might be stored in the shapeshifters ass.

The whole episode really consisted of fake Olivia hoping that her cover is not blown and Newton doing anything to make sure Peter and Walter don’t find out the truth.  Newton recruits a fellow shapeshifter Ray to break into Massive Dynamic and retrieve the info.  It seems Ray has not seen Newton in five years and in that time Ray has become a family man.  It seems shapeshifters are not just machines and they do form emotions.  Ray loves his wife and child but sadly that time as a family man came to an end when Newton showed up.

I really liked that they have shown us that the shapeshifters can form feelings and they’re not just Terminator like machines who just follow orders and kill people.  I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of the shapeshifters in episodes and probably seasons to come so giving them the ability to form feelings could be a very important in the terms of story.

You’ve got to love seeing Walter tripping balls, he’s pretty funny.  I thought once Walter got Massive Dynamic, it would take him a while before he used their labs as he’s very connected to the Harvard one but he knows the equipment at MD is of the best and he would be pretty stupid not to use the labs on offer.

So Peter has noticed that there are things different with Olivia.  Fake Olivia knows that Peter has known that things aren’t right with her.  It seems the only way for her to make him forget those troubles is to seduce him, it would work on any guy really.  You have to feel for Peter, yep he’s getting some but not with the women he fell for.  He’s in love with the wrong Olivia and he’s going to be devastated when he finds out the truth.  Though a good question to ask is, which Olivia does he like the best?

We’ve had four episodes so far, two episodes set over there and two over here.  It feels like so much has happened so far even though we’re basically getting two shows in one.  The writers have certainly found the right way to balance everything perfectly.  Both worlds are as fascinating as the other, I’m eager to find out more about the other world and I want to know what the fake Olivia is up to.  Four really strong episodes, if the quality remains, Fringe will become something very special.