What I’m Watching: Smallville

Smallville: Season 9, Episode 18 “Charade” (F)

Bad guys who hold public office and flaunt their disobedience of the law out in the open for everyone to see never really impress me, and certainly not when their first actions upon being released from prison are to commission cold-blooded murder. The villains on this show have always been hopelessly cartoonish, however, so it’s not much of a surprise. Lois also does have the ability to annoy to the extent that having her thrown off a roof probably wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. It’s certainly much better than a stupid battle over who gets fired from the Daily Planet as a punishment for them dating. Regarding that whole romance, Clark’s continual lying is definitely going to get him into trouble, even if he’s doing it to protect Lois. Why he wouldn’t tell her that she wasn’t actually talking to the Blur when he saved her from being murdered is a mystery since that really seems like the opportune moment. Telling her he’ll never speak to her again and that if anyone does, it’s an impostor, probably works pretty well. I must correct our dear friend the D.A. and note that Jedi mind-control is not the same as extracting memories. Gil Bellows is a great actor who delivered one of his first film performances in “The Shawshank Redemption,” and he’s certainly not turning in a similar caliber of work here. Maxwell Lord isn’t much of a compelling villain, and this Red Queen business just means more of the chess double-speak that has populated this show lately.