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Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season [HD] Sale Price: $59.99 Average Rating:

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Atfer its lame drag through past seasons, its finally gotten to the good part. Number one, the growing romance between Clark and Lois is hot and fun to watch. Number two, you start to see more characters from the comic books; example Zod, Wonder twins, Metallo, Toy man, Roulette, father Jorel etc. ( Second half you'll see Hawkman, Doctor Fate and other members of the Justice League)And finally, he starts to wear the symbol S! I wish it was the red and blue colors, but good enough. The Stories are good enough morally, especially Rabid which was a strong epic. So far this is the best season yet and quite promising.

At the end of Smallville's 8th season, I believed that the chemistry between Tom Welling (Clark Kent) and Erica Durance (Lois Lane) had been fired up full blast. . . I. Was. Wrong. It did sizzle at the conclusion of Season 8 and for the first five episodes of this 9th Season. But, to my amazement, the sizzle turned into a wild fire by the end of episode 9.6 (appropriately titled) Crossfire. I am a classic movie lover. In my humble opinion, most films made after 1965 are unworthy of my time and money. However, every once in a very rare while, a modern film or TV series comes along that totally captures my heart. Smallville Season 9 is one of those precious rarities. The Welling/Durance onscreen romance is something reminiscent of the films of yesteryear. Because the old studios had so much talent under long term contract, they could try out different pairings and see what struck gold: Fred and Ginger, Bogie and Bacall, Clark Gable's Rhett Butler to Vivien Leigh's Scarlett O'Hara and my personal favorite, Cary Grant and Rita Hayworth in "Only Angels Have Wings." It's a darn shame those two greats never made another film together. But the few scenes they did share in that film stole the spotlight from the film's actual leading lady, Jean Arthur. It catapulted Rita Hayworth to stardom until she reached iconic status in "Gilda" and it cemented the legendary Cary Grant sexy bravado that would serve him well for the rest of his career. Well, striking movie/TV magic is not common at all now. But, gold - and platinum were, in deed, struck in a serious way this year in the quiet town of Vancouver on the set of the most underappreciated, underrated and misunderestimated ;-) show on television today in the form of my generation's Cary and Rita - Tom and Erica. I have to say that I admire these two greatly. We have all been witness to countless stories of indiscretions on the sets of film and tv done by actors who don't have a fraction of the chemistry that is undeniable between Welling and Durance. The will and character of these two young talents are made from some pretty tough stuff. Tom Welling seems devoted to his real-life wife and Erica Durance seems very much in love with her real-life husband. BUT, if that were NOT the case, I'd safely bet my entire classic movie collection that these two belong to eachother PERIOD. Here's an episode list: 1) SAVIOR: Tess is the savior of Kandor. Zod is the savior of his Kryptonian army. Chloe savior of organized hero-hood, Oliver- would-be savior down on his luck, Clark the savior of all and unbeknownst to everyone, including her, Lois the savior of Clark. 2) METALLO: John Corben - Brian Austin Green as I have never seen him before -confident and oozing sex appeal. After five years since Smallville's Season 4 premiere, Clark Kent finally becomes AWARE of his romantic feelings for Lois Lane. 3) RABID: Zod's minion releases zombie virus. Please, DO NOT let the gory zombie make up deter you from watching this episode. It is POWERFUL. Clark definitively and literally closes the book on Lana Lang, puts an end to the "buddy" relationship he maintained with Lois Lane for five long years and opens the door to his now acknowledged budding love for her. I DARE you to not cry during the rain scene! 4) ECHO: Jor-El temporarily gives Clark the power to hear other's thoughts. Encouraged by the attraction for him that Lois has kept gaurded since episode 8.17 Hex, Clark asks her out on a "not date" reigniting her crush on him. For her own protection, he ends by standing her up and making her cry. (She shows up at the Daily Planet the next morning wearing sun glasses.) Oliver tries to kill himself. 5) ROULETTE: The conclusion of the Oliver downward spiral courtesy of Chloe. Clark and Lois have movie and laundry night. Clark makes Lois cry for the second episode in a row by lying to her about the seriousness of her former boyfriend Oliver's condition. 6) CROSSFIRE: Zod's new company strikes "sun" deal with Tess. Chloe meets her hacking match. Oliver gets a sidekick and does his best to reignite his former romance with Lois. And Clark . . . he becomes a MAN (This is where Smallville's Clark FINALLY measures up to his original namesake: Clark Gable - Superman creators Siegel and Schuster named and modeled their Man of Steel after the "King of Hollywood" - appropriately and deservedly so). The save he does on the roof, his first and last scenes with Lois are three of my all time favorite moments from the entire series. 7) KANDOR: PRICELESS scene between Clark and Chloe discussing his first kiss with Lois. Entire desert scene is fantastic. Clark continues in his Manhood and holds his father in his arms before he dies, finally appreciating his sacrifice in sending his only son to Earth. 8) IDOL: Comic Book PERFECTION. Anne Saunders writer and Glen Winter director deserve and Emmy for this. Erica Durance and Tom Welling deserve a raise - they become the definitive, preeminent and ICONIC Clark Kent and Lois Lane - leaving all former (and quite probably, all future) incarnations in the dust. The guy who plays the D.A. is deliciously cool and sexy (in a menacing way) and Randall, the Daily Planet city editor, always has a fun and funny interaction with his star reporter. The Wonder Twins(and their space monkey Gleek on a cell phone) make an unforgettable appearance. 9) PANDORA: Heart-pumping from start to finish. This is Tom Welling's best performance to date. And I'm not just talking about the Clark/Lois sex scene! (I think they could have made it longer than one minute!)This was an epic episode - sort of Smallville's version of "Brave New Metropolis" from Superman the Animated Series - it's only after Lois Lane's disappearance that Superman finally becomes aware of his deep love for her and resolves to actually do something about it. ALL the Tom/Erica scenes were heart-wrenching. Either these two are the best actors the whole of the world has ever seen or they are secretly in love with eachother. Not even the classic movie couples I mentioned earlier portrayed being in love as well as these two - except for Humphry Bogart and Lauren Bacall but they actually were the love of eachother's lives. (They fell in love at first sight on the set of their first film, "To Have and Have Not." What's more, Bogart turned down the male lead opposite Rita Hayworth in "Gilda" - he thought her too captivating and he had just married Bacall.) 10) DISCIPLE: Oliver's past comes back to bite him in the ass. Zod tries to pressure Clark through Lois. Callum Blue rivals Michael Rosenbaum as best show villain ever. He is so much fun to watch! His interactions with Clark and Lois in this and the previous episode are electrifying. They play really well off each other. Never been a Green Arrow fan, but I love Justin Hartley's take on him. He makes you want to hold him - his scenes with Lois were so tenderly bittersweet - it's no wonder she's the love of his life (that is until Black Canary comes around to "rescue" him). I also love the big brother/little sister relationship he's developed with Mia. I'm loving Clark more and more each episode. He is fabulous! The way he is with Lois and the way she is with him - it's like these two were magically plucked out of the 1930's-1940's and delivered to 21st century television - beautifully CLASSIC all the way! Writer/producer Jordan Hawley always seems to write an intense Oliver Queen, a clear-headed Clark Kent and a very vulnerable Lois Lane - not to mention that he has a gift for writing killer love scenes! (Hawley wrote the now famous rain scene in 9.3 Rabid) 11) SOCIETY (ABSOLUTE JUSTICE Part 1): The Justice Society of America led by Hawkman is forced out of retirement by a covert government agency. This episode dragged for the first 30 minutes until Dr.Fate showed up in full uniform. Actor Brent Stait (Dr. Fate) was hands down the MVP. He OWNED every one of his scenes. 12) LEGENDS (ABSOLUTE JUSTICE Part 2): Of all the "Smallville University" alumni, director Tom Welling has become its brightest graduate. After his dismal "Injustice" episode last year, he is back to form here. The action sequences are among the series' best and his Lois Lane is always at her sexiest and most vulnerable in his hands. Writer Geoff Johns outdid himself. He clearly loves the material and adores Lois Lane in particular. Her scene with Dr.Fate was simply AWESOME. One thing, though - this is the second episode where Clark strikes a "Hercules statue" pose during an action scene (the first was Disciple). Unless he's doing this on purpose, he really needs to quit it - he looks like he's air jogging - it's laugh out loud HILARIOUS! 13) WARRIOR: Director Alison Mack and writer Brian Miller ruined the Zatanna character with this one episode. I liked her in last year's "Hex" but here, they portrayed her as a cheap, selfish, domineering slut. Even more annoying was Mack's attempt to regress Clark to clueless wuss of seasons 1-8. I do understand the choice of Zatanna to be the troublemaker to the iconic romance, though. Other than Laura Vandervoort who played Clark's cousin, Serinda Swan is the only other actress to ever appear on the show who is as beautiful as Erica Durance so Lois was believably jealous. Thankfully, Lois dressed as Wonder Woman and the Tom/Erica chemistry came to the rescue and made this episode somewhat bearable. However, I DO hope this is Mack's last season on the show - I've never been a fan of her Chloe. Superman does NOT need a controlling "sidekick," a fascist "Watchtower," or a hypocritical "best friend." Producers, in the name of all that is the excellence of the Superman story, get rid of her already!!!! 14) PERSUASION: Clark is infected by gemstone kryptonite giving him the power of persuasion. Though every one of his persuasive instances backfire on him, three good things do come out - 1.Tess learns that Clark's power will disappear if her towers go online 2.Chloe shows her true colors 3.Lois opens up to Clark causing them to draw closer. BEAUTIFULLY written and directed episode by Anne Saunders and Christopher Petry. Also, Louis Febre outdid himself with the musical score. This is also the best Clark Kent character advancement story thus far. 15) CONSPIRACY: A doctor the Kandorians experimented on takes revenge by abducting three of them. Then, he kidnaps Lois Lane to get her to write about the alien invasion. Zod tracks them down, gets shot, then Clark shows up in time to save his life, though it ends up having major, unforeseen repercussions. Clark and Lois agree to keep some mystery in their romance since both are aware of secrets neither is willing to share. This is the first episode of the series where Lois and Clark seem completely at ease with each other romantically. It takes their chemistry to a level of mature sexiness. Directed at Erica Durance - should she ever read this: You once said in an interview that three actresses you admired were angelina jolie, jessica lange and ashley judd. I whole-heartedly hope that the day will come when you stop holding those three as your standards for acting success. Granted, that they have managed to gain name recognition and carve out a fan base for themselves. However, in all honesty, they don't hold a candle to what has been divinely gifted to you: a presence and inner radiance that harkens Ginger Rogers, Hedy Lamarr and, especially, Rita Hayworth. If you must have acting role models, I wish you'll look to these truly great ladies whose legend has stood the test of time and are still the measure for cinematic grace, beauty and womanly grit. With all due respect, those three you mentioned will be eventually forgotten or, at best, thrown on the pile of dime a dozen performers who care more about their liberal political standing (the panhandeling they do to the elite critics and "method" actor house of worship) than they do about the art and joy of cinema and the respect owed to its audience. I sincerely wish you and Tom Welling (my Cary Grant, Gary Cooper and Robert Taylor combined) all the best. I really do. Directed at Tom Welling - should he ever read this: I'm sorry it took 8 years for me to become one of your fans but really, the fault lies with your seasons 1-8 writers/producers and your seasons 1-8 performance as Clark Kent. Your show's original theme, "Before Superman" was fine for the first 5 seasons and while season 6 gave hope that the show was moving to the next stage in Superman's development (i.e. Justice League, Jimmy Olsen, kissing Lois Lane and her becoming a reporter)season 7 backslided in most of what had been accomplished. Except for Lois at the Daily Planet, Michael Cassidy (After you in Season 9, THE most gorgeous man to ever grace the Smallville screen!), Supergirl and the directed-by-you episode "Apocalypse" - all of season 7 really, really sucked eggs! With the exodus of Al, Miles, Glover, Kreuk and Rosenbaum, my hope was renewed that Superman was finally on the horizon. Season 8's episodes 1-11 were the most promising string of stories in your show's history UP TO THAT POINT but then your "supergenius" show runners took a hatchet to their own show and maliciously destroyed all the good progress that had been made with the incredibly horrendous episodes 12-14. The Mack-directed-episode 8.13 Power was PARTICULARLY HORRIBLE!!! Your hack producers claimed that it was "female empowerment" themed. Uh, well, speaking as a young, empowered woman myself, I can tell you that to portray a woman who feels soooo inferior to the man she loves that she makes the conscious, deliberate decision to LITERALLY turn herself inside out in a desperate attempt to be his equal is not only SOOOO NOT empowering but it is morosely tragic and insulting!!! It simply had no place in the Superman story. Why? Did you let them do that?! Except for "Hex," "Stiletto" and your confession scene with Erica in "Infamous," the rest of the season really sucked and your Clark went back to being a (super) dork! I almost wished that Durance's Lois Lane move to Gotham City to date Batman because your seasons 1-8 Clark most certainly did NOT deserve her!! Superman was NEVER supposed to be an enabler of twisted behavior! He loves and celebrates all good women just as they are - especially his INHERENT equal, Lois Lane. Lois is to Wonder Woman what Batman is to Superman - the mortal versions of the most powerful, heroic figures in the world. Ms.Lane has never needed and never will need an artificial, skin-grafted "super suit" to stand toe to toe with her Man of Steel. Perhaps the only redeeming quality of that miserably misguided arc is Smallville's(inadvertant) point that Lana Lang was, is and always will be Clark's toxic kryptonite whereas Lois Lane was, is and forever will be Superman's strengthening, life-giving, human, yellow sun. . . . Enter Season 9. Clark Kent is NOW assertive, passionate, full of conviction, intelligent, sexy, proactive and most phenomenally, emotionally strong -in other words, the male version of Lois Lane. One of your producers said that Season 9 Clark met HIS match in Lois. I couldn't disagree with that more. I see it as Season 9 Clark FINALLY embracing his core essence and thus became HER match in the process. Wow. For a guy who started this show not even being a Superman fan, with your role as co-executive producer, director and now STELLAR performance this season, you have become Superman's greatest fan and for that, I am grateful. Now, if you're interested in keeping me as your fan, here are some suggestions: #1 You being a private person is a good thing. I don't need to know too much about you. I'm glad you're taking a cue from the classic conservative stars of Hollywood's Golden Age. #2 Please, NEVER disrespect me by trying to set yourself up as the head of a "Tom Welling political voting block." (That's how Brandon Routh lost my fandom - permanently.)As the private citizen that you are, if you want to start endorsing politicians or become one yourself, it's your right - just don't count on my vote (especially if you turn out to be a closet liberal). Take a page from the great Ronald Reagan - choose entertainment OR politics and you may do each well but please don't mix them. #3 Please. PLEASE. NEVER stop being a gentleman. They seem so rare now a days both in real life and entertainment. That's why I mostly stick with pre 1965 classic movies. It may be an unpopular view but the truth is, they DON'T make them like they used to. But, hey, here's hoping you and the beautiful Erica Durance can start a new trend, or rather . . . bring back a classic. . . . And here's hoping you capture lightning in a bottle two seasons in a row with season 10 - which I hope will end with Erica Durance in a wedding dress and of course you flying in the classic Superman suit. (A Louis Febre version of John Williams' Lois/Superman theme music will be nice, too.) All in all, well done, Smallville. Well done. So, these are all the Smallville Season 9 episodes thus far. I will update this review at the end of the season and at the release of this dvd set. Smallville airs Fridays at 8:00PM on the CW. Check it out - you'll love it!

smallville is one of the best shows i watch so far i have all the season