Smallville – S07E16 – Descent

Tonight’s episode – Descent.

Last week we all saw the trailer for tonight’s show. If you didn’t, it’s linked above. It appears to show Lex Luthor doing the thing we’ve been waiting for him to do since the first season. Most of us have dismissed that as just more trailer bait. Here’s the thing. The more I read about this episode the more I am starting to think that it’s actually going to happen. I am crossing my fingers that it does, because it’s long past time for it to go down.

If you are wondering, yes, I am being intentionally vague.

In other Smallville news since last we had a new episode, series creators and executive producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar announced that they were leaving the show at the end of the season. That would mean a season 8 without the show creators, possibly without Lex Luthor, and with Lana Lang only part of the time. This show needs to end. Season 8 needs to be it. As much fun as the last two seasons have been, it’s time to go and once key people start jumping ship that’s a good sign to everyone involved that it’s time to hang it up. This might be good news for those viewers who have been clamoring for Clark to make the leap to Superman. The “no tights, no flights” rule was from Gough and Millar and who knows if the new executive producers will adhere to it. Personally, I haven’t decided if I’m going to stay on with the show after this season. I tried to watch The West Wing after Aaron Sorkin left and I tried to watch Gilmore Girls after Amy Sherman-Palladino left and both of those shows went into the tank… hard.

Comments

  1. I hope *it* happens.

     

    I’m also starting to think that Season 9 might be relegated to the same shelf as Superman III and IV, and in a couple years we’ll forget it every happened.  Or I could be wrong and it’ll be the best season yet.  But doubtful cat is doubtful.

  2. Oh, and when that picture first loaded, for a second I thought it was Conor. o.O

  3. Woops, I jumped ahead a year.  I meant Season 8.

  4. I just wanted to let everyonbe know that you’re on your own tonight with the live blogging.  I’m not going to be around.  I look forward to reading everyone’s comments!

  5. He needs to fly before the show ends. Between his first flight when he was sort of "possessed" and Kara flying, it’s gotta happen.

    I’m also one of the people who’d like to see the suit (or some version of the suit).

  6. The final scene of the final show should be him coming out in the suit, saying he’s got a lot of work to do, and then flying off.

  7. I’m watching Veritas right now to get pumped up for this one!

  8. As far as Al & Miles leaving, I’m not worried.  I’m actually hopeful.  The things I’m more worried about is that the proposed budget for Season 8 is supposedly less than Season 1.  This is rumored to be why Al & Miles didn’t re-new their contract.  It would have cost the show too much.  The new executive producers have been on since I think Season 2 and the four of them have been involved in writing some of the best shows in the series.  Yes, Al and Miles had final say on scripts, but when is the last time they wrote an episode?  Either way, I think this will be good.  I think the new exec producers will stay to true to Al & Miles vision.  Which is fine by me.  But, if they don’t, maybe they’ll get rid of the "No Flights, No Tights" rule, which is…. EXCITING!

  9. Conor’s right. As great as the last couple of seasons have been, this baby needs an ending. I personally feel that since the Lost team announced when they were ending, the show’s been better than ever. That’s what this needs, a wrap-up date. Send us out with a bang, not fading with a whimper.

    Unlike a lot of folks, I don’t wanna see him in the suit. This is about Clark, not Superman, but what I DO wanna see is him in the glasses, ready to take on his role as a mild-mannered reporter at The Daily Planet.

  10. Lex lurking in the shadows was extra creepy!

  11. Holy shit!  The hairs on the back of my hand are standing up!

  12. MAGGIE SAWYER is back!!!

  13. This episode has been shot really well so far.  I loved the shot of Clark coming out of the Daily Planet.  I think that’s the first time they’ve shown that.

    And then that shot of Clark following Lex as he walked away… that was just cool.

  14. A Kryptonian flashlight!  I want one.

  15. Dammit Chloe!  Why would you just toss it in your desk????

  16. Lois better break out that little red leather number from last season and beat this chick’s ass!

  17. Oh man, here it comes.  The confrontation!

  18. That was awesome!  But Lex is right even though he doesn’t know it.  If Clark hadn’t gone back to save Lana, Jonathan would presumably still be alive.  Although, after Jor-El gave him powers to bring Kal back from Metropolis, that took a toll on his heart.

  19. Who in the hell is that guy?!?!?!?!

  20. I guess Lex had him there to tie up the loose ends….

  21. h o l y s h i t

  22. Am I crazy or was that one of the best episodes of the series???

  23. Rosenbaum in the arctic gear like Hackman and Spacey.  Nice!!

  24. Well, I came home from work just in time to see the last five minutes..and what do you know..it happened. The one episode I ever miss and it happened. *sigh*  I bet it was a great episode.

  25. I missed it, had to work on an emergency Vista-ectomy.  I’ll read the comments and add my own later when I watch. 😀

  26. Oh man, I can’t believe everyone missed this episode.

  27. just finished the episode. WOW great episode. i also enjoyed seing lex in the snow outfit.

  28. Great job by Superyan holding down the fort.

    Awesome episode.  One of the better ones they’ve done.  Oh, Rosenbaum, you’ll be missed (if you do leave). 

  29. I should probably add – and I would be remiss if I didn’t – that John Glover will also be missed.  Even thought Lionel had to die and probably should have died seasons ago, he has always been excellent on the show, which is probably why they delayed killing him off so long.

    Also, I guess Clark and Chloe have pretty much given up on college. 

  30. Commencing to watch. 

  31. Lex is the Traveller?! @_@

  32. Shooting a bullet out of a 50-story building window, a good way to shoot an innocent…

  33. Oh snap!

  34. How convenient that the DP and LC buildings are so close…

  35. What the crap is Smallville Legends: Kara and the Chronicles of Krypton?

  36. Bye bye childlike, innocent Lex.  Hello white suit, covered in blood from season 1 Lex

  37. Oh snap, he’s going to have to kill her.  She knows about the locket.

  38. No key!  Fail!

  39. K, tiny nitpick, but most of that brandy/scotch/whatever didn’t even hit the fire…it wouldn’tve flared up that much.

  40. "Secret of controlling you"??  A new color Kryptonite?

  41. Lois and Jimmy sitting in a tree…

  42. I want a program that draws a red square around a portion of a picture, and then zooms into it, with a few keyboard clicks.

  43. Don’t turn around Chloe!

  44. Way to go Chloe.  Failing, ur doing it rite.

  45. That’s so a "You touched me, now you will die" look.

  46. Is Lex’s henchwoman supposed to be Mercy?  I don’t remember if they ever said her name.

  47. Lois down!  Lois down!

  48. LoL @ Jimmy’s investigative abilities: "You’re really bleeding, Lois."

  49. "It’s gonna take me at least a couple of hours."  To produce data that doesn’t exist?  That’s fast!

  50. They should totally sell Clark’s blue shirt, red jacket combo.  I’d buy one.

  51. She’s listening!  Clark, you should hear her heartbeat!

  52. "Hi Lex, it’s Gina."  Darn, not Mercy. 

  53. Burn!

  54. "I won’t let him."  How will you stop him in Zurich?

     

    Wow, awesome ending. 

  55. I haven’t watched the episode yet, but scrolling down the message board has got me really psyched.

  56. @Conor – Thanks!  I felt all alone last night.  Good call on Glover.  He will be definitely be missed.  Great actor that brought a wealth of talent to the show which I’m sure helped out newbies’s like Welling.

    Glad to see everyone has seen the episode today and liked it as much as I did!

     

  57. Holy crap! Maybe the best episode ever, and I say that from what I consider the best seaon! This is what Smallville can be when firing on all cylinders.

    Mr Glover, your work was stellar and will be greatly missed. Mr Rosenbaum, if you leave this show then it is screwed. Don’t get me wrong, all the cast were great, and I continue to be a huge fan of Tom Welling in this role, but Michael Rosenbaum was just OUTSTANDING in this. He scared the shit out of me!

    The scenes between Clark and Lex were pure Superman lore. And I love the dynamic of Lois and Jimmy. And now Chloe’s been fired?… whole can of worms awaits us.

    And that last scene at the funeral looked like it was from the pages of a comic. Truly beautiful. 

  58. The ending scene was "epic" as it were. I really wish that Clark had flew last episode.