Episode 904 - Echo Review




"Echo" Review

Written by Babaluwee

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 "Echo" two themes came to the fore: the potential for the redemption/moral rehabilitation of Oliver, and the awakening of romantic feelings for Clark in Lois.

The Good

Tom's Performance: I think regular viewers of SV are simply accustomed to having Tom Welling deliver great performances, and he does so in various ways. Tom's performance in "Echo," for example, was strong, staid, and understated. The writing did not call for much physical action, overt sensuality, raised voices, gut-wrenching emotion, or an altered state of mind, etc., just really great acting. Tom conveyed much of that really great acting through voice and facial expression alone. Whether it was an assertive stance with an attention-seeking bomb victim, or mild amusement at Lois' thoughts, or genuine concern for a self-destructive friend, Tom delivered with his skillfully modulated, deep voice and those famous SV super close-ups.

The show's directors would do well to give Tom a lot of literal "face time" in any episode. Even more, in "Echo" it was Tom's eyes that "spoke" to you; they conveyed power, warmth, care, sorrow, amusement, conviction: they were mesmerizing. They drew you into the scene. Acting can be taught; people take lessons all the time, but I don't think you can teach an actor to speak with his eyes like that. I dream buying a large screen TV (65 inches or more) just to let Tom's face fill it up and allow his eyes to speak to me.

Clark: Tom portrayed the good and true friend very powerfully: He apologized for unintentionally missing the warning signs, but nevertheless Clark was the only one to offer a glimmer of hope for Oliver's redemption. Oliver had indeed given up on himself, e.g., intending for the bomb to kill him, and telling Clark that he wasn't worth Clark's concern. But Clark had not given up on his friend. He assured Oliver that he knew Oliver was worth saving, that Oliver was only "running away from whom he thought he'd become." Clark was very heroic in this episode, saving so many people from death and sorrow. Can he help save Oliver after what he had done? There was a quiet confidence in Clark's words that made you want to believe it's possible. Again, that's great acting.

Oliver: This episode portrayed Oliver's self-destructive behavior brought on by the overwhelming guilt for killing Lex and framing the Toyboy for it. I was thoroughly convinced that in good time an episode would reveal that Oliver did not really kill Lex, who was supposed to become Superman's archenemy in the mythology. Lex's death had to be a plot device of misdirection. Why? Because that is the big rule of the fantasy hero genre: the good guys never ever directly intend the death of even the most evil villain, even one like Lex who was still able to perpetrate evil while being on life support. It's just not done.

Even in the third season episode, "Exile," Clark committed serious felonies, but there were moral lines he could not cross. There's no more denying Oliver's guilt. His conscience wouldn't let him find any peace. He was genuinely contrite for his actions and he admitted his guilt, but how does he deal effectively and morally with this guilt? Where does he go from here? The police?

Tess: Tess was completely right when she said that Oliver was punishing himself with self-destructive behavior. For a moment it looked like she was concerned about his well-being, but it soon became clear that she had nothing but ulterior business motives in coming to look for him. She kicked the man when he was down by saying that she didn't "expect too much" from him.

Lois: Peeking into Lois' thoughts was an eye-opener! I shouldn't find it surprising that she thought Clark's "hot stuff" (she's not blind), but she was positively giddy over him, like a schoolgirl. It's one thing to witness the beginnings of Lois' attraction for Clark, it was another to hear her getting ahead of herself when she was thinking that she and Clark could shoulder "the load together," and that it would be "Clark and Lois against the world." This sounds more serious. Even Chloe was worried about Lois' new reaction to Clark. Erica Durance did a great job portraying Lois as strong and vulnerable at the same time.

The "S": I love that Clark leaves behind his family symbol, the "S," to mark his good deeds and rescues. Like Clark said, "It gives people hope." It's also by that symbol of goodness that many people will one day recognize Superman when he finally appears.

The Bad

Jor-el: I don't understand how Jor-el can be trusted now as Clark's mentor. Has Jor-el, the artificial intelligence, been re-programmed or rebooted or something? He was responsible for people's deaths (likely, even Jonathan's) and for an incalculable amount of suffering and sorrow through his attempts to control Clark and to interfere with the cosmic balance. Now, Jor-el sounds like a roshi, or Zen master, counseling Clark to discern why humans behave the way they do, in order to better protect them. Protect them? Wasn't it his mandate that Clark " rule them with strength?" It is one thing for someone in training, like Clark, to undergo trials in order to learn invaluable lessons by direct experience, but the trainee must be able to fully trust his mentor. We have an eight season history in which Jor-el has proven himself untrustworthy, deceptive, manipulative, dominating, controlling, vengeful, cruel, and woefully ignorant of humans and humanistic values.

Without forewarning him, Jor-el implanted in Clark the power to hear people's thoughts, and he designed it to activate when "most needed." After eight years, NOW is the time this power was most needed?? Not, say oh, before Clark actually died a couple of season ago, or sometime similar?

Rating: I give "Echo" 5 out of 5 stars.

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