Season 3 Recap Review

Season 3 (2003-2004)
Recap Review

Season Cast:

Tom Welling (Clark Kent)

Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang)

Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor)

Sam Jones III (Pete Ross)

Alison Mack (Chloe Sullivan)

John Glover (Lionel Luthor)

Annette O'Toole (Martha Kent)

John Schneider (Jonathan Kent)

If there is one thing about an ongoing series that as a viewer you absolutely do not want is for the creators/showrunners to lose sight of their vision for the series.  Fortunately, Season 3 isn't where the series would go on to completely fly off the rails.......next season tho, if I remember! O_O  Anyway, Season 3 is regarded as the darkest season of the series and it is an absolute joy to see why. If feels like the writers were beyond inspired as the show fired on all cylinders in terms of the two major storylines running through the season for our leading opposite men of the most legendary comic book rivalry. Clark, after being forced to return home from his criminal rampage in Metropolis over the summer, has to deal with the consequences of Jor-El imbuing Jonathan with Kryptonian powers to bring Clark home and the sudden health issues that stemmed from it.  Both "Exile" and "Phoenix" are by far the most compelling, dramatically fulfilling and explosive opening to a season yet where the show has clearly gotten a budget boost at the time that help to sell the biggest stakes so far for the season as everyone in Smallville is dealing with the tragic circumstances of Clark's exile (yeah I know!) and Lex's apparent death during his shocking crash into the ocean during his flight to his honeymoon.  Both Tom  Welling and especially Michael Rosenbaum easily convey deeper, more complex versions of both characters than we've seen before as a cocky, red K Clark enters the world of the criminal underbelly of Metropolis when he runs into Morgan Edge and his goons trying to continue their crusade of corrupting the streets of Metropolis.  

So with Clark having to face his demons this year after the immense consequences of him running away, he pushes Lana away....sigh....leaving the two of them in a stasis of awkward moments of seeing each other and constantly having pretty much the same conversation in every episode.  Lana wants to get close but Clark pushes her away to protect her.  Yet there are moments when Clark suddenly wants to get close to her like "Whisper" and "Forsaken" but conveniently something suddenly puts them back in a bizarre state of friendship.  Jesus, the show becomes so self aware of this romance non-sense between them that even Lex and Pete make jokes about it like everyone knows and is sick of it too! Lana doesn't really have much of a story this season outside of that and her meeting Adam during her physical therapy after the events of "Shattered".  While I first enjoyed Adam and found his sudden labrat origins shocking, he ends up being a threat of the week type villain, even if "Crisis" was one hell of the series' most suspenseful episodes so far.  It just kind of put Lana in harms way again with yet another brooding tall dark and handsome love interest but at least the writers decided to give Clark and Lana some space during that time.  It's the little things at this point. But honestly, while Clark struggle to find out the truth of his father's deal with Jor-El is a major plot point this season, it's really Lex's season as Michael Rosenbaum steals the show with some of the best written material for Lex Luthor I have ever seen.  John Glover's Lionel reaches a new level of masterful villainy here as the writers expertly craft a compelling backstory of his parents' criminal background and how he was heavily involved in their murder.  Not to mention, having him be an old friend of Morgan Edge is terrific; showing Lionel is way more insidious than we ever could have imagined. Yikes! O_O

But back to Lex, my god! No wonder fans adore his version of the character! This is by far where Michael truly embodied every bit of the complex marvel that is Lex's mental state and ultimate a dark side of him that drives his insanity toward becoming one of the world's greatest villains. This season truly challenges Lex, not only psychologically but physically as he tries so hard to bring his father's misdeeds to light but Lionel comes up with an elaborate plan to make him look insane, gets him institutionalized and practically fires his brain despite potentially becoming a vegetable.  Mind you that only the remarkable pair of back to back heavy hitters show spectacles "Shattered" and "Asylum" before we get truly the most heart ripping reveal of Lex's tragic childhood in "Memoria".  An episode so wonderfully directed and written by showrunners Al and Miles, its as if they reached the pinnacle of Lex's humanity and sympathy before really pushing him toward a destiny he can't stop.  Multitude of applause!!! But it's not only Lex who has to deal with Lionel but Chloe who seeks to also get his evil hands out from under her as she too wants to stop him after Lionel takes away her column and fires her dad.  I have to say, the writers did a MUCH appreciated 180 with Chloe; finally turning her to an actual character who is a friend to others and you truly feel bad for being in harm's way.  I mean, the way the season ends with her possible death is heart-wrenching and  you truly hope she makes it even tho it seems so unlikely.

The Kents of course are the heart of the show and both Jonathan and Martha go through the ringer this season after Clark returns him.  Jonathan's deal with Jor-El has not only effected his health, but his reflection on life as we see in "Legacy".  It's something that he must pay for again in the astonishing season finale, "Covenant", when fake Kara arrives to bring Clark back to Jor-El.  Martha spends most of the season trying to be there for both men but I really loved the moment in "Whisper" where she tells Jonathan that they have to stop being so strong and need to rely on people for help more; especially when they feel that they can't.  As for Pete, this is his final season and outside of finally confessing his feelings for Chloe and the more not said about "Velocity", he's pretty much Clark's sidechick as usual until the writers decide to wrap up his story in the final 3 episodes.  Him deciding to move with his mom to protect Clark's secret is really a powerful moment that I wish that the writers showed more of this selfless depth in Pete.  It seems just when the writing for an underutilized character vastly improves is when they are writing him or her out of the show.  Oh well.  Sam Jones III did as well as he could despite being so shafted as a cast member the first three seasons of the show.  I guess Blue Mountain State was where he truly belonged??? :P

What was also a major plus for this season was the meteor freak plot being MUCH less used here in favor of a story heavier season with Clark's ramifications coming to ahead with Jor-El and Jonathan but more importantly, Lex's descent into madness in trying to take down his father once and for all.  Like I said, doesn't mean those type of episodes weren't still around, "Magnetic" and "Forsaken" immediately coming to mind.  But the writers really explored their own lore of the show with such highlights as the 1950s throwback murder mystery, "Relic" that jump starts Lex's journey in getting his father arrested while also revealing an amazing development of the Kents' part in Clark's arrival on Earth.  There was also the trippy, dreamland terror of "Slumber", being both fun and chilling visually at times and "Hereafter", where Jordan's visions give Clark some insight in just how powerful his destiny can be in changing people's lives literally!  We also got further development in the Naman/Sageeth myth in "Talisman", even if Jeremiah doesn't make for the most intimidating villain.  Not to mention, "Obsession" subverts our expectations of another meteor freak after Lana by having Clark be the center of Alicia's romantic desires as well as homicidal tendencies that both charming and fun to watch. :)  Not to mention, we get a bittersweet final appearance from Dr. Swan in the puzzling if not emotionally effective, "Legacy", that left some unanswered questions that were never resolved unfortunately.  Also, I'd be remiss in not mentioning "Covenant" again as it was a HUGE step up from "Exodus" last year in setting up things moving forward for the show, especially the last high school season of the show! :)

"Overall, Season 3 of Smallville is the show reaching its full potential of storytelling, visual stunning action, terrific acting all across the board from the cast and sensational plot twists that made for its most menacing season by exploring the dark sides of both Clark and especially Lex, that helped propel them even further into their destinies.  With Lana off to Paris, Chloe seemingly destroyed, Jonathan left for dead and smug grinning Lionel smiling as an explosive fire emerges on to the Kent farm as Martha looks on, the quota of this at times epic 3rd year for this Superman prologue completely sums up the expertise at work being done that year that wouldn't be topped honestly." :(

 

Final Season Verdict: A