For those of you that are frequent readers of this column I’m sure you will notice a certain trend that occurs around these parts: I don’t really tend to review things when they are happening. When it comes to television, because I have a regular job and life, I tend to play catch-up most of the time with the shows that are out there. This can either be because they are new shows that I haven’t opened up my schedule for or old shows that I used to watch all the time and couldn’t fit into my DVR schedule.
One show this season has fallen victim to the latter condition and that show is SMALLVILLE. I’ve watched this show since the beginning, I’ve stuck with it through the good, the bad, and the awkward. I’ve tolerated silly and at times confusing story lines and I’ve held out to see how the show re-invented itself when key characters left. Whether it has been to my benefit or detriment I’ve been a fan of the show.
Last season was one of the most challenging that SMALLVILLE had to endure. The show creators, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, had left the show and Michael Rosenbaum (LEX LUTHOR) and Kristin Kreuk (LANA LANG) also were not to return as series regulars. If memory serves THE CW also renewed the show but on the basis of a lower budget. All of this seemed like a foreboding formula for disaster. What happened, instead, was one of the best seasons the show has ever had.
This season I was able to catch the sesaon premiere of SMALLVILLE but after that the show fell off my radar due to DVR conflicts. This past weekend, however, I was able to have a marathon to get me back on track. Once again I have to say that what I’m seeing is a thoroughly entertaining season that does a good job balancing story arc’s with stand-alone stories as well. The blend of this modern vision of Superman continues to be extended in an entertaining way with the continued incorporation of DC comic heroes and villains.
The writers were also able to do something this season that I wasn’t expecting in finding a creative way to bring back GENERAL ZOD, along with an army of his past troops. Yes we’ve seen ZOD before, sort of, but this time he’s here with an army but, unlike other times those of Krypton have shown up in the past, he and his army of bad-asses aren’t loaded up with the same super powers under Earth’s yellow sun. This little twist is part of what sets up the overall story arc for the season.
If there were any complaint that I can convey about this season it has to be with the casting of Callum Blue as the new incarnation of GENERAL ZOD. Having enjoyed his performance on the Showtime series DEAD LIKE ME I think my interpretation of his delivery is tainted. Every time ZOD tries to be intimidating I just see him as MASON and can’t take him seriously. A few season’s ago when LEX was possessed by ZOD the delivery by Michael Rosenbaum was much more believable than this season’s depiction. Call me petty but I just can’t buy Blue in the role.
Even if you can’t catch up on the entire season as I have this weekend I’d encourage you to go the The CW’s website (http://www.cwtv.com) and at least catch this past Friday’s two hour episode event titled “ABSOLUTE JUSTICE“. This episode features members of the Justice Society in a way that plays out very well both as a standalone episode as well as the way it relates to furthering Clark’s journey towards his eventual destiny.
Now let’s go from SMALLVILLE to TV-VILLE and see what the tube has to offer this week.
MONDAY
CBS – 8:00 PM: If you didn’t see the spot with BARNEY during the Super Bowl than you may want to try to find it before tonight’s episode of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER.
NBC – 9:00 PM: I don’t know if tonight’s season finale will eventually be the series finale of HEROES. Let’s hope so since this sick dog really needs to be put down.
VH1 – 9:00 PM: CELEBRITY FIT CLUB: BOOT CAMP is back and this time two little words are going to make me tune in: BOBBY BROWN. This has disaster written all over it.
ABC – 10:00 PM: JOE TORRE guests on tonight’s episode of CASTLE with a baseball centric mystery. Baseball in winter, who’d a thunk it?
TUESDAY
FOX – 8:00 PM: AMERICAN IDOL finally gets to Hollywood tonight which means we finally see how ELLEN DEGENERES does in the guest chair. Will it be good or will we be pining for PAULA?
ABC – 9:00 PM: In this final season of LOST some of the titles play off of titles from seasons passed. Tonight’s episode, WHAT KATE DOES, is clever but I’m still waiting for April’s *spoiler* EVERYBODY LOVES HUGO episode.
NBC – 10:00 PM: Once again we say goodbye to Jay before we once again say hello to Jay with the series finale of THE JAY LENO SHOW. Unlike Conan’s last episode I won’t be tuning in for this at all.
WEDNESDAY
ABC – 8:00 PM: I have no recollection at all of A CHARLIE BROWN VALENTINE so I’m pretty sure I’ll know what I’ll be watching at 8:00 PM tonight.
A&E – 8:00 PM: This re-air of DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER is the classic story of a good girl gone bad as the crew hunts down a stripper on the run.
ABC – 9:00 PM: Tonight’s MODERN FAMILY has all the potential for full on laughter as we see everyone’s Valentine’s Day. Did I mention CAMERON and MITCHELL try to play cupid for little MANNY?
HIST – 9:00 PM: The MONSTERQUEST team goes after MOTHMAN tonight. No, I didn’t confuse this with a plot from SMALLVILLE.
THURSDAY
CBS – 8:00 PM: How do you do an all-stars episode without calling it all-stars? SURVIVOR: HEROES vs. VILLAINS, that’s how! At least they got RUSSELL from last season. Let’s see how he does with a group that might know some of his shenanigans.
FOX – 8:00 PM: PAST LIFE is a mystery / drama with a twist in the form of a psychologist that believes in “past-life trauma.” Yeah, um…. ok. How long until they get SHIRLEY MACLAINE to guest star?
NBC – 9:00 PM: KATHY BATES shows up at THE OFFICE to tell MICHAEL and JIM that one of them has to return to the sales force. Too bad she won’t bring that block of wood and sledge hammer to drive her point home.
FRIDAY
NBC – 7:30 PM: The 2010 OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY rings in the Peacock’s $200 million loss as well as the Summer Olympic Games.
THE CW – 8:00 PM: Remember a few weeks back when I said that SMALLVILLE would be set in a Comic-Con style convention? Yeah, that actually airs tonight. This also kicks off tonight’s CW counter-programming strategy with a ZANTANA double feature as this ep is followed by last season’s episode feature the mysterious wish-granting lady.
ABC – 8:00 PM: The Alphabet Network clearly throws in the towel counter-programming wise with a showing of the 2004 film SPIDER-MAN 2. Isn’t this usually FOX‘s move?
SATURDAY
BBC AMERICA – 8:00 PM: SURVIVORS is a remake of a 70’s series where 90% of the world’s population is taken out by a flu pandemic. Now I have to see if this show was out before THE STAND. M-O-O-N, that spells plagiarism.
CBS – 8:00 PM: CBS offers up WEDDING CRASHERS for sacrifice to the Olympic counter-programming gods.
HALLMARK – 9:00 PM: ELEVATOR GIRL gives all men false hope that they may fall in love with LACEY CHABERT when stuck in an elevator. Me? I’ve only been stuck in an elevator with an over-flatulent plumber named Carl.
SUNDAY
CBS – 8:00 PM: Two reasons to actually watch the new season of THE AMAZING RACE: JORDAN and JEFF from BIG BROTHER 11 decide the best way to continue dating is on another reality show and former Miss Teen USA CAITLIN UPTON, who gave the most confusing answer to why a fifth of Americans can’t find the country on a map, is now going to be globe-trotting.
STYLE – 8:00 PM: RUBY is back for another season as we see the former 716 lb. gal continue to live the losing weight life and tugs on our heart-strings.
BBC AMERICA – 8:00 PM: Miss the two-part story that served as the swan song for DAVID TENNANT’S great run as DOCTOR WHO? Tonight is your chance to catch it all.
– Will Wilkins was really entertained by the Letterman / Oprah / Leno Super Bowl spot. 
Comments: None
Leave a Reply |