This Week: Revisiting the Arrowverse

Billie Doux: While I am still watching the nearly grown eaglet chicks at Big Bear, my cat Kara has (with my help) just discovered Cat TV on YouTube. She seems to find the fish boring, but the squirrels too exciting. Every time they run off the screen, Kara bobs behind the television, trying to see where they went. Birdies seem to be a nice compromise, although she keeps batting at the screen.

Doux Top Twenty! Number 12: Smallville

Smallville is number 12 in the Doux Top Twenty hitting shows.

So here’s the thing. I reviewed Smallville solely because readers wanted me to do it, not because I wanted to do it. I liked the show and I probably would have watched the entire run, but I didn’t love it. And because I didn’t love Smallville, I got very tired of writing about it and some of my reviews are riddled with snark. I’m really sorry, I just couldn’t help it.

This Week: Tom Welling is Blessed with a God-Given Jawline

What are you all watching this week?

Moonlighting update: I can report that Bruce Willis' David Addison is much less of a jerk after the pilot episode, and I'm enjoying my rewatch – although I'm doing it slowly. I just finished season one and had forgotten the wonderful pie fight and the banter about the man with the mole on his nose.

World's Sexiest Supernaturals: The Top 25

The E! channel here in the UK is famous for doing these kinds of countdowns, most of which I avoid like the plague. But, how does one resist watching when they are counting down some of my favourite types of characters? I set the DVR and sat down to see what the general consensus was. So, without further ado:

Smallville: Finale

Lois: "Now go save the world. I'll be fine."

I absolutely cannot fault the producers of Smallville. They know their show and their audience, and they gave us a huge, jam-packed finale that was the perfect capper for the series and didn't cheat the fans. We got every big moment we've been waiting for, and lots of character moments as well.

Smallville: Prophecy

Lois: "And a big part of that is a squinty head tilt, right?"

Welcome to the ultimate dysfunctional Kryptonian family, Lois! This week, Snow Dad manipulation time. What a terrific automated father-in-law you're acquiring, huh?

Smallville: Dominion

Oliver: "You should have more faith in your friends, Clark."

Did Clark really just jump into the Phantom Zone without a back-up plan? Good thing Oliver decided to risk eternal imprisonment and jump too, huh?

Smallville: Booster

Lois: "Real heroes don't stop to strike a pose."

One of the major things that has made Smallville unique is its emphasis on Clark, not Superman. Ten years in, and we really haven't even met the Man of Steel yet. We're invested in Clark as a person. And only Clark.

Smallville: Kent

Clark: "This place isn't your home. Martha is."

This final season of Smallville has reminded me why I got into the show in the first place. They are no longer artificially extending the story past its shelf life. We're finally getting the good stuff.

Smallville: Scion

Tess: "I'm saving him from an encore performance of Daddy Dearest."

I had a hard time making myself write about this one, probably because there were a lot of comic book references I wasn't getting. (Teen Titans? Teenage Superman clones?)

Smallville: Fortune

Clark: "Are those Emil's pants?"

In last week's review, I mentioned that I wouldn't mind if they deep-sixed the Darkseid and just gave us some old, fun Smallville with no big bad. And voila.

Smallville: Masquerade

Oliver: "This is definitely the most romantic of my recent kidnappings."

Even with all of the dead bodies, this episode was so much fun. At least until the end.

Smallville: Beacon

Lionel: "Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

I thought this episode was a joy. Although it's possible that I'm just experiencing some final season sentimentality.

NewsFlash: Smallville finale news

Will he or won't he come back for the finale? That's been the question about Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor, whose struggle with darkness was the main reason I got into Smallville in the first place. It hasn't been the same since his departure, and since the tenth season has been so good so far and John Glover (Lionel Luthor) has returned, I've been hoping Rosenbaum would relent and return for the end.

And guess what? It was just announced that Rosenbaum is indeed returning for the two hour Smallville series finale. What's interesting is that yesterday, I saw an article on EW that said Rosenbaum would *not* return. What happened? Did he see all the bad press it generated and change his mind?

Whatever. I'm just happy he's back because how could they end Smallville without him?

Smallville: Collateral

Chloe: "Whatever happens in cyberspace stays in cyberspace."

Smallville does The Matrix. If you're going to rip something off, do it well. Actually, they did it really well, so good for Smallville.

Smallville: Icarus

Carter: "This is what we do."

They started with an engagement and ended with a funeral. Do you think they were hinting that there are no happy endings for superheroes?

Smallville: Luthor

Clark: "Luthor blood is Luthor blood. It's poison."

This episode was terrific. It was like we went back to season five or six. Either that, or the evil quotient got dialed up to eleven.

Smallville: Patriot

Lois: "The VRA is a steaming pile of Spanish Inquisition served up with a side of fear and loathing."

I have to say that Darkseid and his insidious gathering darkness thing is starting to intrigue me. It may very well be the most complex evil plot we've ever seen on Smallville. I always thought certain politicians were possessed by evil, anyway. In fact, this whole thing with the Vigilante Registration Act and the waterboarding (with an actual board) is giving me flashbacks to the Bush Administration.

Smallville: Abandoned

Lois: "Aw, Shelby, come on. I am Watson to his Holmes, Cher to his Sonny. Just like you're Scooby to his Shaggy."

There were several intertwining stories in this episode: Lois's encounter with her long-dead mother, Clark seeing his biological parents for the first time as they really were, and Tess discovering the identity of her biological father. Guess which two stories I liked, and which one I didn't?

Smallville: Ambush

Lois: "None of my other boyfriends have ever survived the general's assault."

Did they really just blow up the Talon? This must be the last season or something.