Friday, March 18, 2011

"Smallvile" Top 10 - Number 10

There are 10 weeks left till the Series Finale of my favorite TV Show of all-time, Smallville. I figured that it is only befitting to countdown to the finale by unveiling one of my favorite 10 episodes from the show's 10 seasons each Friday leading up to the series' end. It's a simple enough idea, but it wasn't easy distilling down a list of my 10 favorite episodes of the series run, there are over 200 episodes total, and nearly each and every episode (save for a few spoiled sports) could have wound up on this list.

With that said, I think the list that I have is a good summation as to why I think this show is so enduring and spectacular, with episodes ranging from core mythology to simple monsters of the week, I strongly urge any viewer to watch these 10 episodes and if you don't like Smallville after that, then I don't know what to do with you. So enough chit-chat, time to start the countdown to Smallville's final bow, here is my number 10 pick for my 10th favorite episode of all-time:

****

"Fracture" from Season 7

"Fracture" is one of the many episodes in the show's cannon that deals with Clark and Lex's unique relationship, but this episode just came at the right point in the story arcs of these two characters for it to have the greatest amount of tension and impact.

In the episode, Clark's cousin Kara is missing, and the only man who can help him is his soon to be mortal enemy, Lex Luthor, who has been shot and is in a coma. In order to save his cousin, Clark must venture into Lex's mind, via an experimental Luthorcorp procedure that was designed to interrogate military targets. The concept is high science fiction at its finest, years ahead of Inception. Within Lex's subconscious Clark travels through Lex's memories and nightmares, confronting Lex's good side (portrayed as a young kid version of Lex) and Lex's bad side.

What is so impacting about "Fracture" is that it comes right in the middle of season 7. By this point Lex and Clark have been at odds with one another for three seasons, and Lex is only a few episodes away from killing his father and finally learning Clark's secret, taking that final plunge into villainy, but what this episode shows is that no matter how evil Lex may become, there is a part of Lex that will always be Clark's best friend. Few other hero vs. villain clashes in modern mythology have such fantastic drama between the two, and it is because of this reason that "Fracture" shines.

****

Tune back in next Friday for number 9 in my countdown of the 10 best episodes of Smallville of all-time!

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