Season 2, Episode 6: Redux

 

"Redux"

Episode 6

Air Date: October 29th, 2002

Once again, the whole meteor freak plot feels like it's just there to give the show its usual sci-fi edge by Clark having to face some crazed teenager with a superpower, this time a life sucking cheerleader in exchange for last episode tortured poet/sunlight monster dude! O_O You know at least when Buffy did episode centered around the teens of Sunnydale High gaining new abilities thanks to the unfortunate location of the Hellmouth, there was that though provoking metaphorical wonder of how the episode was trying to tell us about the horrors of adolescence through the eyes of the supernatural... but here, Chrissy is just some random high school student who apparently has been sucking out the life from other teens for almost a century.   Meaning, that she wasn't effected by the meteor rocks and is seemingly over a hundred years old with powers that have no real origin.  Like why was she sucking the life out of teens besides the vacuous joy of remaining young forever??? What the hell is she??? A metahuman??? Some kind of succubus??? What the hell brought her to Smallville??? I'm just saying all this stuff is so swept under rug after Clark stops her and she just succumbs to her old age by aging to death.  Yeaahhhhh....what was the point of her and all this again besides needing a threat with powers for Clark to face??? O_o

I'm just saying as usual, the subplots are more entertaining and have depth to it than sci fi elements of the show that don't always need to be present if there's no real story there....especially one as pointless as Chrissy and her origins of non-sense or no meaning. The Kents have to deal with Martha's father when the farm is in danger financially but Jonathan wanting nothing to do with him since their falling out before he married his daughter.  Veteran actor George Coe does a fine job of portrayal the estranged member of the family as he returns and can't help but to enforce his reservations of Martha choosing a farm life over being a lawyer and successful in Metropolis.  It is sad tho, Clark being in the middle, trying desperately to get his father and grandfather to reconcile but ultimately realizing that it can never happen even if he ends up helping the family with their financial crisis at the moment.  Also, it's hard hearing that the reason Clark could never have a relationship with his grandfather is because of his secret and his parents not believing that Martha's father would have agreed to keep his abilities a secret.  Truly sad and I really felt bad for Clark having to lose ties  with family members because the weight of his origins and powers are just too much to handle. :(  

Then you Lana, who discovers some pictures of her mother with an unknown man who appears to be more than friend a year before she was born.  A shocking turn of events that proves to be quite the revelation as Lex is able to find out that her parents were divorced for over a year and Lana was born a year a later AFTER her parents got back together.  Of course, this means that this man is Lana's father which is just a nice little plot for her.  Definitely gives Lana more to her character and the potential for some great development besides being Clark's love interest/damsel and the Talon owner.  One aspect I found hilarious was the introduction of Smallville's new principal, Mr. Randell, who has a past with Lex (of course!) and gives Clark a hard time because of their friendship.  The scenes between him and Clark are priceless but even more intriguing is Randell revealing his sudden animosity toward Lex is because of his father's meddling in his career; forcing him to be let go from the school board and having to double back become a high school principal.  Seriously, the evil of Lionel's past deeds just makes me more curious of Lex's past at said Excelsior Prep and what could make Lionel have such problem with Randell to almost ruin his career, outside of potentially influencing Lex for the better.  I guess some good does come from this plot for Clark as he realizes in 5 years, he wants to study journalism in college! Awwwwww.....oh Clark, in 5 years, you'll STILL be on the farm teaching your hot young cousin from Krypton how to use heat vision and pathetically become Lana's house husband.  .......Oh you think I'm joking??? Stay tuned! ;) Outside of that, "Redux" is rather dull with a main plot that is nonsensical given the usual context of the show with some random life sucking teen on a rampage but subplots that delve in the past with the Kents and the Luthors with depth and heart.  Oh well....

Final Kryptonite: D+