SV: 8x01 Odyssey

[moonshayde]

Here come the belated thoughts on the Smallville S8 premiere. SPN will follow shortly.


While I don't think this will go down as one of the best premiers, I found it enjoyable. With all the casting changes, TPTB had a lot of ground to cover in this episode and I feel they did a great job.

I loved Clark in this. He's always been heroic, but he wasn't mopey in this episode and it really made a different. He seemed so much more mature. I may think the way they got him into the Daily Planet and on the proactive track to be a tad contrived, but at this point I really don't care. I signed up for this show for Clark and his journey. I feel like it's been ons standby for the past two seasons.

I enjoyed Oliver more than I thought I would. Oliver and Clark had some great scenes. Man, I missed Clark having interactions with male characters. At the beginning of the series, we had Lex, Pete, and Jonathan. That sort of was cut severely in the later seasons. This was nice.

Allison Mack continues to show why she's an awesome actress with all the dialogue she had to deliver and make it convincing. I loved where they took Chloe in this episode and I'm excited to see what happens.

I miss Lex :(

Tess was okay. I think she could be a decent villian.

I feel bad that I didn't miss Lana at all. I don't hate her character, but I just didn't miss her.

Martian Manhunter FTW!

Lois was awesome. Classic Lois Lane in this episode between going undercover in the Luthor mansion (and grabbing the flashdrive) and then risking her life going after Chloe. She went undercover twice in one episode. Hee.

The Lois and Clark scene at the end made me squee. If we get more of that this season (on top of Clark awesomeness that is), I will be one happy fangirl.

*hugs show* I love having a show that is just fun and I don't have to stress about :)

Comments

[gembat.livejournal.com]

I miss Michael Rosenbaum like... amazingly. But scruffy!Russian-prisoner!Clark is welcome to show up as often as he likes, imho. ;)

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Oh Clark was so very lovely!

But yeah. I am sorely missing the Rosenbaum :(

[mysticalweather.livejournal.com]

Very good episode. Can't wait for more!

I know what you mean about Lana...I didn't miss her either, and in fact, didn't even think of it until I read this. Whoops.

I did miss Lex though! *cries into pillow* Tess is okay...but it's just not the same. I have a feeling Lex's absence will be treated like O'Neill's in the latter seasons of SG-1: "We'll just talk about him a lot and maybe the audience won't notice that he's not around anymore!" Like that works. But hey, gotta do what you gotta do, I guess...

Clark/Lois...most excellent. The banter! I love it. And Clark not being mopey over Lana is a HUGE plus. Even if they don't do ship on this show, I'm very happy with the dynamic they have.

I adore Ollie so. much. I'm glad they made him a regular on the show. :) Yay for Green Arrow!

AM continues to be awesome. And I can't help but laugh. All this time certain fans (you know the ones) have been picketing for Chlois...and instead TPTB made her Chloogle! Too funny.

And it'll be interesting to see the fandom go into disarray as the season progresses. Looks like we'll be in for an interesting ride...

:)

~Misty

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I missed Lex too *sigh* I got so into this show because of the dynamic between Clark and Lex, and then Clark and Chloe. Then, when Lois came on, I loved her too. (Not to mentioned Lionel, Martha, and Jonathan.) *sigh*

They didn't actually mention Jack much after he left. But if I recall correctly, they mentioned Daniel alot during S6.

We'll have to see what the season brings!

[mysticalweather.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but even before Jack was officially "gone" they were skimping on the scenes and trying to make it feel like he was there more than he actually was (Heroes, for example). At least that's the impression that I got. Once Cam and Vala settled in, it didn't happen quite so much.

And yeah, S6 did make quite a few references to Daniel, now that you mention it...

~Misty

[svgurl.livejournal.com]

Considering how much I disliked s7 I was trying not to raise my hopes for this one, no matter how many cool spoilers it had. But I got excited and I do think it met my expectations! :D

Clark was amazing. I really love the end where he realized on his OWN that he needed to move on. That's what I wanted to see and that's my Superman.

Ollie was great ... he and Clark had lovely scenes. I'm pretty sure he knows he big secret so Clark has a healthy relationship with another male. Chloe and Lois are nice but really? He needs a guy.

Allison was adorable. Chloe's new power makes so much more sense that the healing bit and while I'm not interested in Chimmy, it looks like she's really trying to sell it.

I didn't really feel Lana's absence and surprisingly, not Lex's either. It was weird for an instant in the credits but other than that, not really. :\

Tess was okay ... some of her scenes felt a bit repetitive but I'm not passing judgment yet. It's too early.

Lois was awesome. Classic Lois Lane in this episode between going undercover in the Luthor mansion (and grabbing the flashdrive) and then risking her life going after Chloe.

That was fantastic! I loved Lois so much. And the Clois! It was so cute.

I am excited for s8!

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I am so very excited too. There was so much to love in the premiere and I think it's just going to get better :)

[cyren-2132.livejournal.com]

I agree with you on Clark's rapid ascension at The Planet. Omar G. at Televsion Without Pity (http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com) really phrased it well, I think, when he said the show (ostensibly about the rise of Clark Kent to Superman)has spent so much time on things that don't matter (octagons, Teagues, fake pregnancies) that seeing the things that are quintessential Superman kind of cavalierly thrown together is very disappointing.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I really did want to see more build with Clark getting into the DP because it is SO important, but by now I just wanted him there. I'm looking forward to seeing where he goes this season. I'm excited :)

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Wasn't it awesome!

And I know what you mean about Lana, I think that season 7 used her character horribly by really wasting the opportunity to move her into darkness with Lex. Instead all of that growth was stalled for her just having a few scenes on the farm, and she was barely even present in the episodes coming up to 715. So while I liked Lana fine, it did stand out that she used up her purpose on the show a while ago. Using her for more Clana again in season 7, and stalling Clark's growth, was a horrible decision. She would have been so awesome if she was part of a dark power-couple with Lex, and First Lady to his president :/

And personally I think it was a mistake to have Tess move into the mansion. I spoke about it in my own entry, but the whole point of the castle was that Lex was being exiled to the back of beyond as a punishment, and to prove himself by running the towns fertilizer plant. Once he started taking over Lionel's empire around season 4/5 time, it would have made so much more sense to give him new offices and a nice penthouse in Metropolis. Tess seems cool so far, but it makes her replacement for Lex stand out more to see her walking in the exact same castle he used to work from, they could at least have not had Tess still stuck there

And squee I knew that Oliver would be awesome when his being a regular was first announced *dances* And even Lois grow on me this episode, and I found I didn't mind her scenes with Clark at all, although I also wish they could have done his hiring differently. I mean yes it was something we all wanted to see him get too, but it would have just as effective if they had saved it for 802 and spend a little more time on it

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

The exploring Clark and Lana together thing on the farm was nice and necessary but for me it should have been done a few seasons ago. It was dragged out for too long and really kind of dragged down the characters involved. I wouldn't have minded Clark single or dating Chloe or something else instead. And really, Lana could have had a nice decent storyarc. They never gave KK anything to do.

I must have missed your post. I was off LJ for a couple of days. I think in a perfect world they wouldn't have had Tess in the mansion, but because they had the set they decided to use it. Honestly, it doesn't make much sense for things to be happening so much in SV these days, but since that is the name of the show and they have some old sets, I have to accept it LOL

I like Tess just fine so far, but boy do I miss Lex. He is hands down the best lex I've ever seen and I think his Lex will be a role model on how to do Lex right for years to come.

You know how I was hesitant with Oliver because I didn't want him to outhsine Clark, but man he was awesome and I loved the Oliver and clark scenes. Hartley was looking especially pretty.

I'm looking forward to the Clark and Lois scenes this season, but I agree that they should have saved that last scene for the next episode or something. I really feel Clark's entrance to the DP is important enough to be singled out and not be some little rushed scene at the end of a premiere.

But hey, season sounds like it's shaping up well and I can't wait for Thursday :)

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I always thought they pretty much covered Clana in season 5, but really I think their big mistake was always not just getting on with Clana when they were supposed to be high school sweethearts, instead of forcing the on/off thing for drama. It felt kind of pointless to spend season 4 on Jason/Lana when they could have spend that time on Clana, and have more relevance to Clark's journey but oh well *sighs*

And yep, it will never be the same without Lex, but I am also totally excited for this season :D