Dear Millar and Gough,
It's the second-to-last episode of the year. It's the fulcrum of at least three plotlines, including one of your regulars actually leaving the show, one threatening to leave, and one getting hauled off in handcuffs.
Do you give this choice assignment to a writing team that can't plot their way out of a wet paper bag? No, you do not. Although this episode did have its characterization moments, its plotline was so painfully cobbled together it was embarrassing to watch. Yes, more embarrassing than the "Ancient spirits of evil! Transform this decayed form to Mumm-Ra, the ever-living!"-style Kawatche mysticism of the previous episode, and that's saying something.
Also, while writing Pete off the show shows a surprising, and pleasing, willingness to cut your losses, given that he's an actual Superman character, it would have had a lot more impact had you actually bothered to set up this plotline. I know it would've been touch and go, but your audience probably would've survived losing one go-around on the Chucklehead Twins' Carousel of Non-Dating in order to seed the story. You don't get all that many chances to axe a credits character, gentlemen! You need to make them count!
Next week, I vote Chloe gets to be the one to rip Lex's shirt open.
Not much love,
Sarah
P.S. You know how I said two years ago that the only thing that might make me drop the show is if a serious Clark-Lex-Lana triangle developed and contributed significantly to the deterioration of Clark and Lex's friendship? I meant it. I'm still saying "might," but...you don't want to test me on this one, gentlemen. Manipulative Lexana is proving surprisingly tasty. Don't spoil it.
Posted by Sarah T. at May 14, 2004 06:50 AM | TrackBack