Big Honkin Talks: “Stiletto”
Since our favorite Steve is gone for a couple of weeks, we thought it best to let you have his take on what you’re missing out on.
So check out after the jump for Steve’s review of 8×19 – ‘Stiletto’.
I just watched Stiletto and really liked it…I figured since I wasn’t on the show and to save time of future shows, I would write up a quick review and send it to you. If you want to post it on the site that’s fine, if not, that’s cool too. Here it is:
It’s been said on SHoE that filler doesn’t necessarily mean “Noir.” In the past, filler episodes have done everything from giving us a SAW homage (read “ripoff”) to exploding babies, to…well…Noir. So it was with great trepidation that I turned my DVR on to watch the latest Smallville offering, Stiletto.
By now, you’ve watched the episode or heard the recap on SHoE, so there’s no need to go over everything that happened, however, if for some reason you’re still in the dark about this episode, know that the following will contain spoilers and you may want to wait until you’ve seen the episode to read on.
What we all expected from this episode was a freak of the week type outing in which Lois would be granted temporary super powers which she would use to fight crime, get preached to by Clark, lose and take away a lesson learned from the whole thing. At least, that’s what I expected. The first breath of fresh air in this episode came in the teaser when, without exposure to meteor rocks, kryptonite laced gum, sorority vampires, or a bolt of lightning mixed with the green stuff, Lois took down some would be muggers and the idea struck her to masquerade as a super heroine all to capture the attention of the Red Blue Blur. I was so glad that Caroline Dries decided to go this route with the story. It was a bit of a surprise and, given that we’ve seen Lois kick a little butt in the past, actually more believable and “acceptable” than a freak of the week story featuring Lois.
The next thing I expected was a bunch of cute little jokes about Stiletto, girl power, and how the new kid on the block isn’t to be trusted. Thankfully, we got very little of that. There was a bat signal reference (which was quite funny to me), the whole shipper thing on the web (an “anvil” for Clark and Lois’ eventual relationship TWoP people?), and the “S” sewn on the chest remark, but other than that things were played as straight as they could be played with Lois placing herself in this ridiculous position. In fact, the side stories gave this episode much more gravitas and dramatic weight than I ever thought possible for it to have.
Jimmy’s story is particularly interesting to me because we don’t know what his angle is outside of drug addiction. However, I wouldn’t put it past Jimmy to not only be trying to take down this nacent version of intergang, but also trying to single handedly uncover a drug dealing ring. Alas, I’m afraid he’s still just an addict though, and that makes me sad as it gives too much weight to a character who has already become too weighed down by the big issues he’s had to face. The direction that the creators of the show have given young Mr. Olsen causes him to never be able to be the happy go lucky guy we’ve all come to know and love from Superman mythology. For this story, and this series for that matter, though, it really worked well, and it was nice to see him back and doing something other than whining about Chloe keeping secrets and not trusting her.
Chloe’s story breaks my heart for her. We’ve all been where she is though. Not necessarily taking out garbage bags full of dead mutilated bodies for the monster that lives in our basement, but I know I have found myself in situations were I have no idea how I can get out, because getting out means making a choice harder than I may be willing to make. Her scene with Clark at the end showed us just how torn up inside she is. She so desparately wanted to tell Clark everything, but knew she couldn’t and that hurt her so deeply. Her tears were not because she’s scared, or confused, but because she knows what she needs to do, and can’t bring herself to do that. The weight of keeping the most dangerous man on Earth under control is tearing her apart.
Then, there’s the payoff of the whole episode for me…the Red Blue Blur’s conversation with Lois…I will now speak in bullet points.
- Ms. Lane!
- You’re a great reporter Ms Lane.
- The Red Blue Blur is a mouthful.
- YOU CAN COME UP WITH A NEW NAME FOR ME!
- When I’m ready to tell the world my secret you’ll be the first to know.
- You can talk to me off the record.
- CAN YOU READ MY MIND?!?!?!
OH MY LANTA! What a terrific conversation!
The Lois/Clark relationship has deepened as Clark “put his life on the line for Lois.” And therein lies the true success of this episode and one of the strongest points of the entire series for me: the handling of Lois and Clark. Lois has seen Clark screw up, look weak, and almost die time and time again, there is no way that he can ever be a super hero to her. Yet, she still has feelings for him. All the while, she’s developing this crush on a hero she’s never seen. AND THAT WORKS! It’s so fitting that her real feelings develop for Clark and what she feels for the future Superman is just a crush born out of admiration and a certain bit of awe. It’s a twist we’ve never really seen before. Not in this way at least. I’m loving it.
Overall, I was expecting a bummer of an episode and walked away with my faith once again restored in the current creative staff. This is a crew that knows how to make an episode of Smallville and I think it speaks volumes that the episodes that have worked the least this season are the ones in which the viewer and the story becomes too bogged down in what has come before. (Lana trilogy, I’m looking in your direction.)
I have to give this episode a very solid 3.5 out of 5 whatever I give 5 of because it was so good. I can’t go full on 4 or 5 because for all of the episode’s strengths I still have a hard time suspending my disbelief enough to get Lois into that outfit with that mask doing the super hero thing…however her amazement that dropping through the skylight actually worked coupled with the bad guys only being taken down because evertime they got the upper hand a member of the three Muskateers (Jimmy, Lois, and Clark) stepped up and took it away made for a great climax to the action of the main story.
As we look to the last three episodes, I cannot wait for what we’re gonna see…I think it’s gonna be amazing.
I totally came into this episode thinking the same but it did turn out to be a really solid outing. That last scene with Clark talking to Lois as the Red Blue Blur was classic Smallville. Next weeks episode looks to be even better.
I’m sorry but you honestly believe we should sympathize with Chloe? Really? She was told that this man is dangerous. She didn’t believe her husband but Davis. I didn’t for a second believe that she’s kissing Davis and hiding him in her basement for a greater cause. She should have told Clark about Davis. Plain and simple. She’s hiding him because of her own feelings for Davis and that’s not forgivable. I didn’t feel for Chloe when she cried, she brought it upon herself.
yeah Steve , I totally agree w/ u . I thought lets get through this ep to Beast .Specially when I heard Louis Febre talk about Beast on twitter. But I liked this ep alot more than I thought for the same reasons cool review . Still looking forward to beast though too.Liked the suddle superman music in the back ground on the Red blue blurr talk too.
I was definitely a bit nervous going into this episode, but I was really pleased with the way it turned out. Some of the pacing felt a little strange, but the second half was better than the first and that ENDING! Oh man… the shoutouts were so fantastic. So I’ve been very happy to see all the positive reviews, especially because this was a Lois-centric episode, something I think we don’t get nearly enough of. And I didn’t feel like Clark was sidelined at all, as he has been in episodes focusing on other characters in the past.
I didn’t think Stiletto was going to be all that great. But now having seen the episode it is going to be this “epic” lead into what this last third of episodes is going to be about. The Davis/Chloe storyline. Tess’ verison of The Legion of Doom. And of course Doomsday and Kal-El having their big brawl. I cannot wait for these last episodes
Right on, Steve. Couldn’t agree more. This episode really wowed me. Low expectations really made a difference. That’s not to say the episode didn’t merit a god reaction. The Lois/Red Blue Blur phone conversation was one of the best peeks into Clark’s future as Superman that we’ve had all season. Loved it.