Season 1, Episode 4: X-Ray

"X-Ray"
Episode 4
Air Date: November 6th, 2001

So we have a main plot focused on our meteor freak of the week after Lana while also dealing with the first time Clark gains a new power. These episodes would come to be some of the series' best episodes as you can tell the writers were having fun with the dramatic as well as comedic possibilities that X-ray vision would bring to the show. From the moment Clark x-rays Tina by accident, you can tell the episode would be fun! :) I LOVE Smallville's X-ray effects because it's the first time that an incarnation of that power actually looks like an x-ray! It's just amazing seeing the bones and skeletons of the random people Clark x-rays. I also like the effects of when Clark sees Pete's circulatory system. The SFX department really did an awesome job with this effect and will continue to do so throughout the show's 10 year run! Of course the writers can't help themselves by coming up with some hilarious moments with the power like Clark accidentally x-raying the girl's locker room and getting a peak of Lana in the nude! lol It's just fun seeing Clark learning how to use and control his new power leading up to the final fight between him and Tina.

Speaking of Tina, a pre-"Mean Girls" Lizzy Caplan gives an effective performance of the troubled teen gone psycho with the ability to shape shift into anyone she wants. From her accidentally killing her mother to threatening Lana in the hallways of Smallville High, she is both menacing and creepy at the same time. She definitely adds some layers to Tina, even when she's tossing Clark out of his farm lounge or just eager to take over Lana's life, you do feel bad for the character. As for the effects of her shape shifting, it's pretty hit and miss with some shots looking decent and some looking very heavily green screened compared to these days.

As for the other two subplots of the episode, they were also surprisingly solid! One deals with Lana finding her late mother's diary and realizing she was just as much as an unhappy teen as she is now. Her scene with her Neil on the porch was sweet and clear indication that Lana is stills searching for her place in the world even at such a young age. Seriously, why couldn't the character stay this devoted to maturity and purpose instead of the melodramatic characterization they would force on her soon after?? -_- Anyway, this leads Lana to try to track down her mother's graduation speech and we get a nice moment where her and Chloe interact for the first time. The second sub-plot has Lex dealing with a tabloid journalist named Roger Nixo, who is out to blackmail Lex about his part, including an incident at Club Zero....hmmm....great foreshadowing there!! ;) Gotta give the writers credit for that. But I got to say I love how Lex handles the situation by threatening to erase Nixon's existence...unless he becomes his personal journalist. Oh that evil Lex is already starting to begin to fester inside of him. It leads to a scene where Lex has a room which he saved the car from the "Pilot" where he hit Clark in hopes of finding out how he served. It's the first indication of Lex's curiosity getting the best of him and leading him down a path that will make him into the criminal mastermind he so detests at the beginning of the episode after Tina turns into him to rob a bank.

Overall, "X-Ray" is a pretty strong episode. It's just fun seeing Clark gain a new power for the first time as well as continues personal story arcs for Lana and Lex and has more genuine good character interactions with the cast. Nothing more needs to be said as I am loving rediscovering my fondness for this show. :)

Final Kryptonite: A-