Season 2, Episode 14: Rush

 

"Rush"

Episode 14

Air Date: February 4th, 2003

Yay!!! We're finally back to Clark/Lana romance drama as well as Chloe being a passive aggressive, self adsorbed loser who resents her supposed best friends for liking each other!!! I think you're show reaches a new low in teen angst when Lana has to check with Chloe to see if it's ok if she dates Clark and Clark having to apologize for asking Lana out in the first place to Chloe as well.  Seriously, why are the writers making Chloe is selfish and completely transparent in her feelings for Clark that when she starts acting out of character she finally tells Clark how she feels and uses Clark all over her a way to hurt....yes, hurt her roommate.  And yes, this was do to the parasite effecting her but you know when it comes to Smallville, even when characters are acting out of character, they are expressing their true feelings, meaning Chloe is anything but a friend to both of them when it comes to her feelings for Clark.  What happened to taking a risk and Chloe chastising Clark last season for not putting his heart on the line....BUT here, not to mention many times before now that I think about it, when it comes to Chloe's feelings for Clark, she brushes it off with both Lana and Clark, yet clearly hates the idea of the two of them together and can't help but start playing victim everytime their relationship goes from platonic to romantic. WOW!!! Was this really the idea of what teenaged girls were like when it came to the writers??? Sure, I was about the same age as these characters are suppose to be here (15-16 years old if you can believe it when Tom clearly is not! lol) but damn, they make being a teenage seem like it's a bunch of repressed feelings and unhanded backstabbing between friends......hmmmm....maybe they DO know what being a teenager is like??? O_o

But come on, even so, do we really need yet another episode of Clark looking like jerk to not only Chloe but especially Lana when she catches them kissing.  Mind you, it's not even when Clark is under the control of red kryptonite thanks to Pete, it's when he's clearly trying to get Chloe off her and Lana conveniently walks in on them at the Talon to do her whole "brokenhearted" routine as well as being irrationally mean to Clark throughout the rest of the episode because of it.  Clearly Clark got knocked out by Pete but Lana just pours water on him to wake him up!!??? -_-  Clark was right about Pete and Chloe being in serious danger but Lana gives Clark a hard time when he tries to apologize to her in the hospital but gives Chloe the benefit of the doubt because of her condition??? Shouldn't she be mad are her more than mad at Clark the way she not so subtly turned her kissing Clark as the right time to tell her he told me everything as if she won! WOW! O_O Sure, Clark wasn't infected and can't tell Lana about the red kryptonite, but just tell her Chloe was kissing her and not him dammit! That conclusion....ehhhh, just a couple of episodes ago, like I said, Lana finally tells Clark what he deserves to here and puts all the accusations of secrets and lies behind them but nope! Here we are again, Clark made to look like a heartless jerk because we need more drama for the teens watching this show, hoping for these two to get together.  Give me a break! Just put them together already and give a real reason for them to have a rocky relationship! Gah! -_-

Anyway, on to far more interesting portions of the episode, like Pete finally getting to play a substantial role in an episode again....of course, it's once again under the influence of something ala the parasites but it is really creepy and terrifying seeing Pete become Clark's nemesis for an episode and not only using green kryptonite on him multiple times but using red kryptonite to get him under the influence like Chloe and he are. Definitely shows that Sam Jones III can in fact be pretty exceptional when given a meater role for his character but unfortunately, his tenure on the show is so short lived that the writers can't help but give him the boot by the end of next season.  Also, Lex's mischievous interest in the caves has him inviting a renowned scientist to Smallville named Dr. Walden who begins researching the caves immediately and is able to capture samples of the said parasite to reveal further proof of life beyond the stars that Lex just can't help but subtly relish in.  But it's a shame that he and Clark are continuing to hide the truth from each other while trying to remain convincing friends as Lex wants Clark close to caves despite Walden's reservations as he believes Clark knows than he telling about the caves as well as Clark being more and more curious about Lex's interest in the caves from a corporate stand point.  Like I said, Clark and Lex's friendship as well as seeing the journey of that friendship morphing into heated conflict between superpowered Kryptonian and power hungry evil mastermind is too fascinating and engrossing despite the crap I give the show about Chloe and the teen love drama that pour out at us in drones! O_O  

I gotta give Allison Mack credit when it's earned as her performance as Chloe during her "rush" was beyond hilarious and awesome, even when she's giving Clark a hard time about his date with Lana.  Not to mention, his cold dismissal of that boy she made out with and that tupee line to Lex was beyond priceless.  Seriously, if Chloe was more like this than her usual self, I'd be all for her character.  Also, that barn scene where Clark, Chloe and Pete are acting out their rushes while revealing to Chloe Clark's secret is remarkably fun and exactly what teens would do in this scenario.  I mean I'll give the writers that.  They know how to make the writing really spontaneous and fun....I just wish there wasn't this unneeded obligation to make Clark look like crap when he's always the most selfless character; out saving friends who constantly give him a hard time when they know how crazy and unexplained this town can get.  Clark DID save Chloe and Pete from killing themselves right...but no, let's just have Lana just throw away the rose he gives Lana while trying to pathetically apologize to her.  Jesus, why so needlessly harsh!!??? O_o "Rush" has its moments of fun and fairly interesting plot moment with some standout performances from some cast members, but the whole dating Lana conflict just seems like just another tired and horribly ill conceived development just to make Clark and Lana's inevitable coupling seem more unlikely and hopeless.....barf! O_O

Final Kryptonite: C-