Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Smallville is Not for Mystery Buffs

You'd think Clark Kent's curiosity about his origins and his growing commitment to truth would be fertile ground for intrigue. Alas, Smallville has become a show with almost no suspense. Take tonight's episode: Clark has befriended a girl with teleportation powers who last season discovered his secret.

Someone who seems invisible has attacked Lana and her boyfriend. All fingers point to Clark's new girlfriend, but by this time, viewers have seen closeup shots of a dusty boy with whom everyone seems on good terms, but who's never been on the show before. Can you say "suspect"? Dusty apparently has a warped sense of morality (which he conveniently breaks down for Lois) that leads him to see Lana and her boyfriend as troublemakers.

Huge hints dropped within the first five minutes, the rest of the show is teen soap: glamourous faces, grand gestures, huge consequences.

Legendary characters alone will not carry a show (see Enterprise); they must consistently have things to do that are worth watching.

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