Smallville 1.19 - Crush

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This episode has a typical freak-of-the-week format, but it's unusual, because the freak doesn't get his powers with the help of meteor rocks. The meteor shower isn't mentioned once in the episode. Justin Gaines hasn't been shown in the series before now, but it's stated that he's been drawing cartoons for the high school newspaper, the Torch. He was the victim of a hit-and-run driver, badly injuring him. After five months in Metropolis Children's Hospital he's been cured, with the exception of his hands, which are still crushed. He's no longer able to draw. This is a tragedy, because he claims it's the only thing he was ever good at.

However, he's been given telekinetic abilities. He can move things with the power of his mind, including crayons. He can draw and paint pictures without using his hands. There must be a reason for this, but it's just taken for granted. Meteor rock exposure is the only explanation. Maybe a scene was cut in which proximity to meteor rocks at the time of the accident was mentioned? What's remarkable is that even though Justin can draw just as well, maybe better than before, he's still crushed by not being able to use his hands. Art is a very tactile pursuit.

There have been hints of Chloe liking Clark ever since the beginning of the series, but this is the first time it's put into words. Pete tells Clark he's a fool for not recognising that Chloe wants him. Clark plucks up the courage to approach Chloe, but he's too late. Justin returns to school and reveals to Chloe that he's always had a crush on her.

He gives Chloe a beautiful portrait that he's drawn hands-free.

Is it Chloe's first kiss? I don't know, but she's only 15, so it's possible.

The kiss is so passionate that Justin loses control. Everything rises, even the little green alien.

Justin's disappointment at having lost the use of his hands leads him on a path of revenge. First he punishes the surgeon for failing to cure him. He crushes his hands in an elevator accident. Then he kills Principal Kwan, wrongly believing that he was responsible for the hit-and-run accident. When Chloe discovers what he's done, he attempts to kill her as well. How fast love can turn into hate!

Both Michael and Tom are shocked that Principal Kwan was killed. They thought he would be a regular character for years to come. They don't know whether it was a deliberate decision for the series or a behind-the-scenes problem that meant the actor had to leave. Michael says that he'll ask one of the series creators when he gets the chance.

A sub-plot is the return of Pamela, Lex's nanny. She says that she loved Lex, but when Lex's mother died Lionel ordered her to leave. The reason isn't stated, but it introduces a mystery that will be unravelled in future episodes.

It's out of focus in the screenshot, but the book she's holding is "Leaves of Grass" by Walt Whitman, a famous American poet. I know his name, but I've never read anything by him. He's not a poet who's discussed in English schools. I read poems by William Wordsworth in school. Maybe other poets as well, I've forgotten who, but definitely not Whitman.

The book is shown a few times. When Lex comes home he finds his father sitting reading aloud from the book. Lex continues to recite the poem from memory. Later in the episode Lex visits Pamela in hospital, where she's dying with cancer, and he gives her the book as a gift.

Poetry is a recurring theme in the episode. Even the Talon has regular poetry readings.

Sonnets and pick-up lines on Saturdays? Are the pick-up lines taken from the sonnets? I just looked at a Shakespeare sonnet at random, and it didn't contain anything I could say to attract a girl's attention. Maybe the pick-up lines and the sonnets are unrelated. I've never had much success with pick-up lines. Let me try to invent a new one. "Is your latte frothing, or are you just happy to see me?" Oh wait, that's a line for a girl to use. Back to the drawing board.....

Lex shows his wisdom of the world with advice to Clark. "Love isn't about playing it safe, it's about risks". That's the quote of the week.

The episode ends with a funeral scene. Whitney's father has died after seemingly recovering from cancer. No words are spoken, but the characters look at one another. Words would have spoilt the scene. It's perfect with the musical backing of the song "Time After Time". The main characters look at one another. Clark looks at Lana.

Lana looks back at Clark as she leaves with Whitney.

Chloe looks at Clark with a mixture of longing and disappointment. In the podcast Kristin Kreuk's acting is praised, but Allison Mack's performance deserves special mention. That facial expression is perfect.

One of the viewers asked Tom Welling what it was like to stand in the rain getting soaked, and whether one take was needed or several. Interestingly, Tom has forgotten making this scene. It's not something I would have forgotten. He can remember rainy scenes later in the series, with rain created by rain towers, an array of sprinklers set up above the actors.

This week's guest star on the podcast is Glen Winter, someone I'd never heard of. This is all the more unusual, because Michael Rosenbaum introduced him as someone who was around for the whole series and knows more about it than anyone else. According to IMDB he was the cinematographer for 92 episodes, but I think that IMDB's data is incomplete, because he talks as if he worked on far more episodes. Maybe he was doing jobs that don't fit neatly into any IMDB category. He says that he was the DP (Director of Photography) alternate weeks, but he was obviously still working on the show the weeks between.

Evidently he had a personal vibe with Michael during the series. The two often talked together, sharing their love for horror films. Tom felt like an outsider, unable to break into their conversations. But Tom respected him as the most proficient cinematographer in the series. Other cinematographers, he claims, set up the lights for a scene, then took them down and set them up for the next scene, etc. Glen planned ahead. He set up lights for a scene so that they were already prepared for the following scenes, lessening the work.

Glen said that he's been listening to the Talkville podcasts, though not re-watching the episodes. Tom and Michael enjoyed talking with Glen and promised to invite him to participate in future podcasts,  once or twice a season. Let's see if they keep to that.

One of the callers, Missy from Michigan, had a personal message for Ryan Tellez in the background.

Did she make Ryan blush? I don't know. He needs to get in touch with her. Take a risk, Ryan!

Some of the comments in the podcast are unplanned and random. Michael revealed something intimate about his relationship with his mother:

"I definitely know my mother loves me. I know she loves me, and I love my mother. She's just a very difficult person, and she wasn't meant for motherhood".

I wonder if Michael was able to draw on these feelings when he had to portray his relationship with Lionel Luthor as his father. It's true, acting is acting, but if you've had experience with similar problems it's easier to act.

Tom said that "Smallville" has left a mark on people, unlike "The Flash" and similar series. Maybe he's saying that from his personal perspective, but he's probably right. "Smallville" was a product of its time, but it's iconic. I'm enjoying re-watching it now, What other series would I re-watch on a regular basis? "The Sopranos". "Highlander". Maybe "Buffy". The original "Star Trek" series. There are a few other series that I enjoyed, but I can't imagine committing myself to re-watch the whole series. "Smallville" was something special.

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