Episode 509 - Lexmas Review




"Lexmas" Review

Written by Jilliene

DISCLAIMER - Please remember that this review does not represent the opinions/viewpoints of everyone; it is the personal opinions of the reviewer only. Thank you.

In Lexmas, a holiday themed episode, Lex is shot and shown while unconscious an alternate reality glimpse of how his future life could be. In real life, Lionel makes an impulsive and risky decision to save Lex and Clark spends Christmas Eve helping friends and family. This is a fun yet heavy episode, with some standout cast performances.

Tom's Performance: Tom Welling was magnificent, portraying happiness, benevolence, concern, empathy and selflessness. He looked very handsome in the alternate reality scenes, especially in the suit at the party, yet also in the santa hat. Also enjoyable was watching Tom play with the boy in the Christmas tree lot scene. Tom clearly enjoys working with kids and was natural in that scene.

The Good

Clark Kent: Clark shined in all his scenes. He was romantic with Lana decorating the tree. He gave up spending time celebrating his first Christmas Eve with Lana to help Chloe's urgent need of delivering presents to underprivileged children. He showed genuine concern for a drunken stranger dressed as Santa who appeared suicidal. Clark carefully listened and shared with the stranger and was able to change his mind. Clark then rescued him when he accidentally fell. In the alternate reality, Clark was very friendly, showing his true happiness for Lex, even with Lex having married Lana, his longtime crush.

Clark and Chloe: Chloe asks Clark to help speedily deliver a bunch of presents to needy children, since he is the only one she knows capable of helping her with such an overwhelming situation. Chloe knows how to appeal to Clark, tugging at his heartstrings and making him feel good about helping out, without coming off as manipulative.

Lex and Lionel: Michael Rosenbaum did an excellent job portraying different sides of Lex, from the happy middle class family man in the alternate reality, to the selfish conniver in real time. Seeing Lex in the alternate reality could easily give the viewer a sense of wanting to see his life turn out happily, in comparison with his established villainous future. Lionel was his villainous ruthless self throughout both realities. Lionel was especially heartless during the alternate reality scene with Lex. Their final scene exchange was intense. Lex alleges the real motives behind his father's impulsive decision. Lionel defends himself by alluding to the fact that Lex is alive and not paralyzed. Lex tells him, "How dare you play God with my life!"

Holiday Imagery: I thought the holiday decorated sets looked beautiful, without being like what Lana described as "a plastic, store brought holiday". I especially liked the Luthor alternate reality house, the Metropolis Christmas tree lot and the Kent house. The alternate reality Kent house party looked very festive and everyone dressed up in that scene looked especially elegant, beautiful or handsome.

Lighthearted moments: There were several lighthearted moments throughout the episode, such as Mr. Kent trying to snag cookies, Clark's holiday cell phone ring tone, Chloe putting the Santa hat on Clark, Clark snagging some milk and cookies and some of the initial awkward moments Lex has in the alternate reality.

Mixed Reactions

Alternate Reality: The alternate reality scenes were well done. However, there were some elements I did not like or found questionable.

Kristin Kreuk did a great job playing Lex's loving wife. Little Alex was adorable. The baby in the birthing scene looked close to newborn. Clark was shown to be in his iconic future role as a reporter at the Daily Planet, minus the glasses. Erica Durance did not appear in this episode, however I found it a little strange there was not even one mention of Lois, even in the future. The effects of Lex's mother's spirit looked great, especially in the last scene. However, I personally found the choice of using Lillian to try to show Lex a better way a little questionable, remembering how she was shown killing Lex's baby brother Julian, in Memoria.

Movie Imitations: This episode uses the holiday story formula of showing a character an alternate reality life, such as classic movies A Christmas Carol, It's A Wonderful Life or The Family Man. This formula has been used in countless shows for holiday themed episodes. More often then not, the result is usually more ridiculous than pleasing. I felt the premise used in this show leaned more to the ridiculous side.

Santa: The scenes with Clark and Santa were all very well done and it would have been fine to leave it at that. I found the parts with Santa and Chloe and the resulting conversation she has with Clark concerning Santa a bit needless and silly.

The Bad

No Win Situation: While the initial vision of life seven years into the future was joyful for Lex, it quickly took a tragic turn. The tragedy of Lana's death and being helpless to save her made everything else that Lex saw - his two beautiful children, friends and happiness, absolutely worthless to him. For as much as Lillian was trying to show him how good life could be, despite even that tragedy, her voice was silenced by the moment he spent listening to his father's heartless lecture about how he got himself in this situation. His father's reasoning overcame Lillian's attempt, which made it seem pointless of Lillian to show Lex all of this. Many would reason why would Lex want to choose a life where he had to face such tragedy? However, Lex's conclusion that power and money are the keys to securing and keeping everything he wants in life to make him happy is obviously going to backfire later in life.

Inconsistencies: The ending white Christmas Kent farmhouse scene was heartwarming, but wouldn't both Chloe and Lana have been freezing in those sleeveless summer tops they were wearing? In the final scene after Lex underwent major medical care and surgery for a couple gun shot wounds, how was it he was standing up, appearing so nicely dressed and unscathed? Lex really didn't look like he needed Griff to make a house call in that scene.

Lex's Pivotal Moment: Was this really Lex's big pivotal life defining moment, where he could either go one direction or the other? This should not be the scenario on which his future path is based. While he could have a life altering experience from being shot and seeing such a vision, I don't see this as the proper basis for him to turn into a villain. His decision to continue in a senate race and bring down Jonathan Kent by dishonorable means could certainly serve as a milestone in that journey. Nor is Lex's heartbreaking vision of possibly losing a woman he may have real feelings for, but who isn't even in his life in such a manner yet, an excuse for becoming a villain. The differences between Superman and Lex in the future are based upon their vast moral and ethical differences, not over Clark's former high school crush. Yet Lex has always been on that dark path to become a true villain. I felt this storyline served more to highlight Lex as a victim needing sympathy, rather than the potential villain he will become.

I give Lexmas a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Please join in the discussion of "Lexmas" by clicking HERE