Season 1, Episode 15: Nicodemus

 

"Nicodemus"

Episode 15

Air Date: March 19th, 2002

Ah yes, the evil flower episode! Ok, it's a lot more tense and none embarrassing than that premise might make you believe. "Nicodemus" is another first for the show that would be a reused plot device down the line for the show with the characters getting to act ridiculously out of character thanks to the effects of the meteor rock on some kind of organism, item, etc.  In this case, an old extinct flower that Dr. Hamilton has been working on since he teamed up with Lex to study the effects of the meteor rock.  Apparently, Smallville was batsh!t crazy way before the meteor shower hit in '89 as this Nicodemus flower forced the settlers there to go insane; unleashing their inner desires and becoming abruptly violent out of nowhere before they burnt it all to the grown.  Once wonders why Dr. Hamilton chose such a dangerous organism to reproduce with such catastrophic results, not to mention history but then we wouldn't get an episode as entertaining as this would we without plot convenience.  You gotta admit, we've come pretty accustomed to our cast of Smallville dwellers, so seeing them suddenly act out and express such moods of unleashed passion, excitable rage and outright lunacy is quite amusing.  Seeing Jonathan go off on Lex and openly lustful with Martha in front of Clark is hilarious as it is shocking.  John Schneider does a fine job taking the rare occasion of Johnathan being a little less humble and a lot more badass.  Not to mention, the moment where she accidentally shoots Clark is just terrifying and heartbreaking! Yikes! O_O

Of course, creators Al and Miles can't help force in some Clark and Lana hoodoo in there as when Lana soon becomes infected, she becomes inappropriately sexy (isn't she suppose to be 14-15 years old??! The hell?? O_O), blows off Whitney, flirts with every other guy in school until seducing Clark to reveal his feelings for her by stripping in front of him and then pushing him into the school's swimming pool.  You can tell this was more a sadistic fantasy for them instead of a heated progression of Clark and Lana's growing relationship cause...yet again...not only is she acting like a gigantic flirt but even hitting on Lex at the Talon with whipped cream.....I mean...WOW!!! O_O  Mind this is only season ONE before the Lana exploitation becomes obsessive and downright disturbing.  Tho I do have to say I really enjoyed the underlying tension between Clark and Lex as Clark investigates the source of the outlandish behavior of his loved ones while Lex so desperately tries to save the day without Clark knowing his involvement with Hamilton himself.  It's just sad to see the secrets between them already arising and foreshadowing what may eventually lead to them being the epic enemies they will become in the future.  Sigh!

I do have to say the only thing that bothered me a little was Pete becoming the concluding antagonist of the episode after becoming infected.  It's just hard to believe he got infected so quickly and becomes just as bad as the others in a matter of seconds while it took a couple of hours before Jonathan and Lana showed signs THEN went off the deep end of insanity! O_O  But we gotta escalate some type of conclusion right??? Especially when this episode reveals Pete's jealousy and hatred of Lex because of Clark's friendship with him.  Yeah, there is a history between Pete's family and the Luthors that make sense for the animosity but I wish they build more to this revelation of Pete's resentment over their relationship instead of some kind of plot point that needs to be made to set up Pete going after Lex in the end.  Tho, the conclusion is filled with genuine tension and I actually am shocked when Pete shot Hamilton as well as the Nicodemus remedy almost getting burnt before a cure could be made.  Also, I loved Clark playing along with Pete only to save Lex.  Nice seeing a young Clark being able to think fast and save the day with his wits and not just his powers.  Tho Lex avoiding the truth once again about Hamilton was to see....jesus, the writers really are doing a good job so far of really making us feel for these two as friends and knowing the future to come because of their constant mistrust. :( "Nicodemus" is surprisingly fun and way more entertaining than you might think despite it's few hiccups.  But I have to agree with Chloe here for once, telling Clark to sulk about Lana all the time since he can't be with her or move on.  Sure, it's all motivated by her hatred and resentment of his feelings for her but I'm already getting tired of the lovesick stares he always gives her. Ewwww!!! -_-

Final Kryptonite: B+