Episode 1.10
“Shimmer”
“Shimmer” does revert back to a little FOTW and ups the 90210 antics, yet remains surprisingly a strong episode. How it gets there though takes some turns for the…forced.
The Palmers are a housekeeping family who long worked for the Luthors. Lex brought them to Smallville to work with at the mansion even though Amy has a crush on Lex. It reeks of plot necessity. They were never introduced before yet it is played off like they’ve been there the whole time.
The fatal attraction plot is one that is used throughout Smallville’s entire run and is a tired tale, but this is the beginning so you can excuse that…especially with the twist of Amy’s brother acting as protector and defender…as predictable as it was.
But in reality the true driving force behind the episode was the Clana romance angle. Clark almost decides to take his shot, but derails himself after discovering that Whitney’s father is having difficulties with his heart. Whitney refuses to let Lana in to spare her the pain, but it is enough to force Clark to reconsider. In a telling scene when he tells Lex of the developments, while Lex admits he would still go for it, he tells Clark the fact that Clark wouldn’t is what he likes about him.
Lana gives him the shot he’s always wanted in a specifically cheesy backdrop of a sunset, and Clark stopped himself, proving himself a true hero of sacrifice.
Overall it’s a little melodramatic, but it does serve it’s purpose…even if episodes of this nature should be spaced out.
B-
References: Pete Ross: “Clark, you’re not the flying type.”