Episode 611 - Justice Review




"Justice" Review

Written by Scarlett

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.

There was so much potential to this episode. It was a very nice change of pace from the gimmicky angst triangles that have dominated this season. The chemistry and the camaraderie among the five heroes were tangible. But still, something very significant was missing. And, it's all because of the lack of focus on the star of the show, Clark Kent.

Why can't Clark be the hero and the main focus of his own show? I was watching to see Clark take his rightful place as one of the future leaders of the Justice League (JL). Clark doesn't have to take the Superman identity to do this. His inherent moral code and leadership abilities should be present already. Why the writers feel the ongoing need to dumb down Clark, in order to try to make other characters shine, has always been a mystery. Why not capitalize instead on the fact this show is about the original superhero, the standard against which all other fictional superheroes are compared?

But once again, I felt like I was watching the Green Arrow (GA) show instead of a show about a young Superman. It's like going to a Batman movie, and the main focus is on Robin instead of Batman. There can be 15 different hero guest stars in tight costumes (not that I'm complaining), but it's all just foreplay. This viewer is still waiting for the main event: Clark Kent as the leader taking center stage in his own story. And, that's why I was disappointed with the episode overall.

The Good

Clark Kent: Clark was proactively searching for the remaining Phantom Zone escapees in South America. How ironic, that when Clark is starting to develop his worldwide focus, he was pulled back home to fight corruption in his own back yard with Lex and level 33.1. Clark's concern for others, especially Bart, was very apparent, as he once again risked his own life to save a friend. And, the viewers caught a glimpse of Clark as the future JL leader, when the other heroes paused to ask Clark about blowing up Lex's 33.1 lab. The others looked to him to make the final decision. Clark, of course, wanted to make sure everyone was out of danger. Superman is also the moral compass for the group, and the other members already seem to recognize that fact. Tom Welling did a great job, in spite of his limited role in this script.

Lex Luthor: Finally! We saw a version that was closer to the mythos Lex Luthor, and it has been long overdue. There were no excuses or ambiguity regarding Lex's behavior in regards to level 33.1. He was cold and calculating with a twisted sense of humor. One of the funniest lines was his exchange with Bart, when Lex was getting ready to torture him. (Bart: "I want a lawyer". Lex: "And I want a ponytail! Disappointment abounds".) Bring on more evil Lex. Michael did a good job in his scenes, and I'm looking forward to more confrontations between Clark and Lex (over important legal/moral/ethical issues, not old high school girlfriends), and also between Lex and Lionel.

Lionel Luthor: Lionel is clearly playing both Clark and Lex, in order to achieve his own personal goals. It's fun to watch Lex and Lionel play mental chess with each other, and Lionel always seems to be one play ahead of Lex. It's just a matter of time, before Lionel shows his true nature again, and this episode helped to set the stage for it. Glover did a good job in his scenes too.

Ending Scene: The final scene was done well, with all five of the heroes shown leaving an exploding LuthorCorp building. It was appropriate for Clark to be in the center, and it was a classic shot.

Clark/Lois and Chloe/Bart Scenes: It's always good to have a little comic relief. The scene with Clark barging into the room with Lois holding up green lace lingerie was funny, and the flirting scenes were cute with Bart and Chloe. It was also nice to see Martha again.

Mythos References: Some of the characters were called by their alter egos: Green Arrow, Cyborg, and Aquaman. Flash was referred to as Impulse for legal reasons, and it was a nice touch for Clark's code name to be the Boy Scout, since he is sometimes referred to as the Big Blue Boy Scout in the comics. It was also cool to have Lex talk about being "faster than a speeding bullet" in one scene, even if it was in reference to Bart.

And, the use of the term Watchtower was a nice shout-out to comics fans. The watchtower is the name of the different bases used by the JLA. Oliver's apartment served as a makeshift Hall of Justice, or conference hall. And, of course, Justice was mentioned at the end as a partial name for the team. However, the GA is not one of the founding members of the JL, and is not a future leader either. Clark is, although the average viewer would not know that by watching this episode.

Guest Stars: The guest stars, including Bart, Cyborg, Aquaman, and the Green Arrow did a good job.

The Bad:

Clark's role: It's disappointing for Clark to be relegated to secondary status on his own show. Why wasn't Clark shown at least helping to recruit the others? Clark is the one who has formed a bond with all of these guys onscreen over the past couple of seasons. He is the one who has saved all of them, and is one of the future leaders of the JL. He is the one who should be leading the effort against Lex and level 33.1. Clark/Superman is the ultimate superhero, and he should not be playing second fiddle to any of these other hero guest stars. They are not even in his league (pun intended). If the JL is brought back for the season finale, please do some justice to Clark, by showing him taking his rightful place, in the leadership role.

Plus, it seemed totally out of character for Clark to reveal Bart's secret to Chloe, even if it was to save Bart's life. Yes, Clark trusts Chloe, but this is in opposition to the last five years of the show, and was simply a poorly used plot device.

Chloe's Role: Although Allison Mack did a terrific job, her role as secretary to the JL was really not needed. She was referred to as a sidekick at least once, and no version of Superman needs a sidekick! It's fine to keep the close Clark and Chloe friendship, but show Clark being more proactive, and investigating more on his own.

My rating? I give Justice 3 out of 5 stars.

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