Gov. Palin, surprisingly, held her own. I don't know how the Cubs can dig themselves out of a 2-0 hole in a best-of-5…
Oh, Smallville! Right! Why you're here! Sorry, there was a lot
to take in this historic night. In an evening that was clearly
dedicated to the 2008 election (new episodes of just about anything
were tough to come by, and there is something to be said for this show
being on a network lacking a real news presence other than locally) and
playoff baseball, Smallville delivered a particularly
entertaining episode. If nothing else, Green Arrow fans had to be
particularly keen on this episode since it, to the best of my
knowledge, mapped out the Emerald Archer's origins for the first time
in a medium other than the comic books.
How this all came about was a bit unexpected, but it brought out some
compelling performances from the show's principal players. The show
kicked off in urgent fashion with socialite/philanthropist Oliver Queen
making the kind of entrance at a Metropolis fundraiser that would
normally be TMZ fodder. Most assumed that Oliver hit the red carpet
literally and figuratively under the influence, but fortunately he had
friends in Clark and Chloe in attendance who recognized that it was far
more than a case of too much pre-partying with his date. Oliver was in
fact poisoned and he knew that he could not be checked into a hospital
to be detoxed. While being tended to at Chloe's Isis Foundation
headquarters, Oliver deliriously recalled what made him, arguably, the
greatest archer in the world. Familiar to GA enthusiasts everywhere is
the fact that Oliver fine-tuned his skills as an archer because he was
stranded on a deserted island and forced to take up the bow and arrow
to survive. Seeing as this origin was detailed in Smallville, it stands to reason that they would play up angles connected to the series' mythology.
The immediate question that presented itself is why Oliver would get
poisoned and knowingly decline a visit to the hospital. Turns out he'd
been down that road before as what ailed him originated from the island
that he was holed up in for at least a couple of years. When outsiders
found themselves on the island after being alone for so long, he
inconveniently came into contact with a toxic plant that almost killed
him. And who should find him at death's door but Tess Mercer, the new
season's proxy Luthor, apparently a decent person at one time. The
immediate assumption was that this episode would be all about Green
Arrow's back story, but it's just as illuminating in regards to Tess. I
do think showing that she used to be a marine biologist with a heart of
gold might have played better a few more episodes into the season (more
opportunity to hate her before you feel sorry for her, right?), but
"Toxic" was always more about Green Arrow, and evidently the show's
creators felt Oliver Queen's status as a series regular required that
his characterization be high on the agenda. Anyway, the toxin that
almost did in Oliver turns out that it doesn't respond well to
conventional treatment, in fact adrenaline speeds up the lethal
process. In one of the more wince-inducing scenes in the show's
history, one of the flashbacks shows that good old fashioned leeches
are more effective than anything.
Back to Metropolis, Clark and Chloe, with the help of paramedic Davis
Bloome, try to figure out the best way to save Oliver. This
investigation, if nothing else, showcases Chloe's new ability to
process data at lightning speed, and any doubt that her Season 7-ending
experiences with Brainiac being the source of this ability can
officially be put aside. At least Clark acknowledged as much, and it
was kind of refreshing that Chloe could at least own up to the fact
that it was obvious where her new talents originated from but that she
may as well exploit them for good as long as she could. And I can't
believe I'm writing this, but one of the more compelling angles of
"Toxic" was provided by Erica Durance as Lois Lane. She did deliver the
line of the night, questioning whether or not Oliver's debilitated
state was due to hanging out with Mötley Crüe (read The Dirt,
kids). I do have to say that Justin Hartley's character brings out the
best in Lois/Erica. Her most heartfelt performances have come when
working with him, and her occasionally hardened exterior tends to
soften when interacting with him (not to mention Clark more and more).
Not playing so nice, regrettably, are Clark and Oliver by episode's end
since, convoluted means of finding the antidote aside, the latter
discovered that the former knew that Lionel Luthor was responsible for
the death of his parents many years ago. Not exactly information you
want to keep from a friend and ally, and Clark finds that out the hard
way.
This episode certainly channeled its inner "Lost," but it was
entertaining, and they're displaying solid direction considering all
the major changes to this season from last. In terms of making Tess
Mercer a more interesting antagonist, mission accomplished. There's no
replacing Lex, that's for sure, but they've found a savvy, ruthless
proxy. Any doubt of her deviousness was cast aside by the end of the
episode when the source of the poisoning fell victim to his own
devices. T'would appear that payback is in fact a bitch. Jimmy Olsen
again was nowhere to be found, even though he's often a 600-pound
gorilla in the room for all things Chloe. The writers keeping nudging
Clark, in subtle and obvious ways, down the path to superheroics.
Rarely does it work to have Clark be a bit player his own story, but
here we find the exception. Where it succeeded the most is that
everyone involved had good material with which to work. Those who
figured the show for dead may have jumped the gun just a bit. How did
"Toxic" work for you?
Related:Post Game: Smallville 8.1 & 8.2 Reviews
