Season 4, Episode 7: Jinx

"Jinx"

Episode 7

Air Date: November 3rd, 2004

Of all the re-imaginings of Superman villains that this show did, I have to say.....their version of the imp from the 5th dimension aka Mr. Mxyzptlk is turned into a foreign exchange bookie with the power to make people do whatever the hell he tells to do.  Yeah O_O......I mean the major problem honestly is that Mikhail is beyond boring and one dimensional thanks to the writing for him and the extremely embarrassing accent put on by actor Trent Ford.  I mean WOW, he's suppose to be from some fictional land in Europe so maybe that's why his accent feels so forced and undecipherable at times.  I feel like this would have been a character that would have fared much better during the later seasons of the series when became more comic book styled with heavy use of the grander DC world that these characters were in.  But here, I just....he feels no more special or threatening than your average meteor freak and outside that one barn scene where he forces Clark to choke, I never felt like he was too much of a serious threat even when he had Chloe handcuffed and ready to be killed.  That being said, that final save during the championship game where Clark simultaneously throws the winning pass while superspeeding off and back on the field to quickly save Chloe is still one of the most remarkable looking visual effects of the 21st century.  Seriously, that sequence is still so stunning and it's no wonder fans still regard that scene as one of the best moments of the series.

But the real heart of the episode is Clark having to deal with the fallout of Mikhail's power forcing him to hurt an opposing player during a game and the possibility of having to quit the team.  I really love how this storyline isn't just fun but it really develops Clark so splendidly.  He just wants to be apart of something greater and not have his powers stop him from doing so; especially as a teen in high school.  Of course, Jonathan's reservations are extremely valid as that kid got so hurt that he did serious medical attention for a broken collar bone. Ouch! But I also loved how even when Martha didn't want Clark to play either, she inspired him find out what exactly happened to him if he truly wants to continue his dream of football.  Once again, the Kents brings such a heartwarming strength to the show we haven't seen from recent superhero shows.  Another great scene is Clark and his father talking before the championship game and Clark standing up for his right to play as his father may not want him to hurt anyone but he will never truly understand what it's like to hold back and not being able to be great because of the abilities he has.  WOW! :)  Terrific acting and writing there.

Speaking of Chloe, luckily after being a damsel in distress this week and Clark winning his championship game, she actually gives him a break by remembering how much a live saver he is.  WOW!!! That's great.  But outside of being involved with the Mikhail dilemma, the ending resolution between Clark and Chloe really indicates that she may find out Clark's secret.  Yeah, that lingering shot after she asks how she was saved but clearly knowing it was Clark is definitely gonna be built up on.  Meanwhile, Lex seems to be giving in to his darker side as not only does he capture Mikhail for a special Luthorcorp project called 33.1 but has Jason fired from the school for dating Lana. That ending between him and Clark as he confronts Lex about why he did it is such a disturbing cliffhanger because it's clear where the writers are going with this sudden turn of events.  EWWWWWW!!! Of course, he does! More on that later. All and All, Jinx is barely salvageable thanks to that horrendous interpretation of a classic, if not gimmicky Superman villain but if you're willing to stick around for the strong Kent family drama with Clark's football playing and that timeless supersave sequence toward the end of the episode, it's worth getting through this relatively filler episode.  Sigh....even as mediocre as this episode was, it's a masterpiece compared to the next! I've been dreading it but here is when Season 4 flies off the rails....or should I say "broom"!? *Shudders* O_O

 

Final Kryptonite: D+