Episode 917 - Checkmate Review




"Checkmate" 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.

"Checkmate" managed to portray almost every relationship that it depicted in a negative light (except for Chloe and Oliver); the essential characters' relationships were skewed, distrustful, tense, and the viewers don't even know how they ever got this bad!

The Checkmate-centric plot was so riddled with inanity and irrationality, that the episode became extremely irritating. In fact, I felt like I was going from one irritating scene to another, getting progressively worse, until I was one huge and oozing rash. I say "almost" because the one and only salve to this affliction was Tom Welling: his stage presence and his talent. He "sure is nice to look at," as Waller noted; his face can take the sting out of anything.

Tom's Performance: Tom had what seemed to be minimal screen time in Checkmate, which is good in a way since it was so poorly written and made no sense at all. But Tom's appearance on screen was really the only redeeming quality of the episode. His scene with Cassidy gave me pause. His performance was terribly forceful on that rooftop where he threatened to drop her, and then slammed her against a wall. He looked menacing, like he was almost baring his teeth. Convincing performance, but that's what gave me pause. Did anyone, including Tess, believe that Clark would actually let her fall to her death? Tom gave a great performance, but it was out of character for Clark. Clark was uncharacteristically rough with Tess in "Persuasion" too, but he had to be kryptonite-altered for that.

The Good

Cinematography: The opening scene and Clark's rescue of Chloe seemed to be shot like the movie 300, where the action is slowed down and stopped in order to replicate comic book images (the superimposition chrome key technique). It was extremely effective and impressive, especially in the (arguably) climatic scene where Clark rescued Chloe. There were a couple of "slow-mo and stop" close-ups of Tom that were impeccable. The close-up of his eyes almost made you feel like you could look into his soul.

The Bad

The Kidnapping - Little Irritations: The ruse to kidnap the Green Arrow was overly-elaborate and absolutely ridiculous. Did Tess need to exit her office via a chute? The scene gave the impression that she changed into leather, a wig, and boots on the way down. And who keeps their guns disassembled in a foam case? Here in The Bronx we always keep our guns fully assembled and loaded. Was it necessary to stage that a woman be shot, and that a pedestrian and driver be assaulted? (Car windows are designed not to shatter the way it did in the scene.) Did Tess have to get hit by a car? Can you imagine the thousand ways this set-up could have gone wrong with innocent by-standers on the streets? Why would Checkmate involve the high profile C.E.O. Edward Lot in an otherwise simple ruse, and risk exposing him, so that he actually had to take a suicide pellet? But those shots Lot fired at Tess were blanks, right?

Checkmate and the Government: If Waller is to be believed, did the PTB really have to make Checkmate an agency of the U.S. government? Aren't there enough bad guys: do they have to make the government part of the wrong side? Think of the implications of a government representative talking about "service to your country" and "patriotic duty" to the G.A. while he was bound in an "electric chair." Think of the ramifications of a government agent involved in multiple kidnappings, assaults, assault with drugs, electrocution, and attempted murder. And that's just what we saw in this episode. The implication is that Waller is involved in everything from murder to subversion. It just seems so repulsive to have Clark at odds with his government. It's counterintuitive to the whole "truth, justice, and the American way" Superman motto. Even if Checkmate turns out to be a rogue agency, it's an affront to every state and federal law enforcement officer and government employee who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution.

"Checkmate's" Plot - Irritatingly Inane: The White Queen and Checkmate exist because they have discovered the Kryptonians' presence on Earth, and believe that WW III will ensue between them and humans. The absolutely irrational, inane, and insane premise of this plot is that Waller intended to recruit, yes recruit, heroes "with abilities to end the war quickly and decisively," by kidnapping, assaulting, and threatening to murder said heroes. Does that make any sense at all? The viewers finally find out that all they saw in this episode, the overly elaborate ruse in order to kidnap the G.A. in order to get to Watchtower, is all in order to enlist the help of the Justice League?

Waller said she wanted the Blur's "loyalty." By threatening to murder his friend? She knows the Blur and the heroes are good, honest people who put themselves at risk to help strangers, and these crimes are the method she uses to seek an alliance with them? The Blur said he would "come after her," should she harm his friends. Doesn't she see in this poorly written dialogue that she is making enemies? She called murder "a strategy" in this scene. Is Waller psychotic or is this just very poor writing, or both?

Waller and Clark: Waller tells the Blur (who just gained access to her secret Castle headquarters and super-sped in her presence) that, "I have reason to believe that there are aliens among us." Well, duh. Okay, so she doesn't think the Blur is an alien. In this scene with Waller, Clark is written weakly and out of character. She has him over a barrel. He readily reveals his face at her threat. She taunts him by accusing him of leaving his most valuable ally and asset vulnerable, of abandoning her, and Waller thereby gets control over him. She knows exactly which buttons to push. Clark is made to look so pathetic and, dare I say it? Impotent. He is forceful with Tess, but so helpless with Waller. If Oliver had not shut down the power grid to the Castle, how could Clark have not divulged the information on the JL? Clark deserves better writing than this!

Tess - Irritatingly Irrational: I've called Chloe insane in other reviews. I suspect Waller is criminally insane. I'm convinced Tess is psychotic. She simply does not behave in a reasonable way. She threw a dagger at Oliver (but later gave him information about the Castle's power grid). Why wouldn't Tess tell Checkmate, the agency she's sworn to for life, about Zod? She knows how good Clark is. In "Persuasion" she called him a savior who would show mercy to this planet. Then why does she constantly work against him, e.g., by not telling him the location of the Castle to save Chloe, by joining Checkmate in the first place, and by getting into bed with Zod (literally and figuratively)? Yet, she said she lost faith in Zod.

Chloe - Irritating Me Raw: Once again Chloe and Clark were butting heads. She chided him for not following "protocol." What "protocol?" If they have an organization, would it so difficult to schedule a meeting of heroes to outline protocol? Send an e-memo or something.

Chloe's chiding was irritating enough, but she became utterly infuriating at the end of the episode in her scene with Clark. Her lines in that scene were absolute bovine excrement: "You pushed me out of the way. You didn't confide in me. You don't trust me. The less you confided in me, the less you have to depend on me." She's putting it all on Clark! He's the trusting soul; he's the one who always sees the good in people. He's still the one who confides in her and counts on her expertise to stop a villain. Clark has no malice or guile in him, no personal agenda and no ulterior motives. He just wants to protect people. Chloe is the one who snapped in "Beast;" she's the one who changed in the whole Doomsday affair. She's the delusional one, thinking she's Clark's "savior" ("Beast" and "Persuasion"). She's the one who video taped the Kent farm and invaded his privacy. She's the one who moved away from him with her "ends-justify-the-means" morality, devising all manner of schemes ("Roulette"), and stealing other people's resources (Oliver's).

Clark's lines in this scene were no better, pure gobbledygook: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything." What in heaven's name is he apologizing for? For literally EVERYTHING wrong, of course. Will there never be an end to writing Clark like this, blaming himself for things he never did or could never control?

One of the (many) problems with these abysmally written scripts is that the characters speak in generalities about abandonment, not giving enough credit, and the loss of trust and confidence, etc. But they never explain what they're referring to. I never know what Chloe is talking about: "A day late and a dollar short." Huh? Clark came through for you as always, didn't he? When did Clark ever abandon Chloe or push her away? When did he not give her credit, etc.?

Clark is being written too vulnerable to the power of suggestion: "I never abandoned her," he remonstrates to Waller. But then with Chloe, it's "Oh Chloe, I'm sorry I abandoned you." Huh?

Final Words on the Script: Clark was not portrayed as the singular hero in this episode. The characters weren't even portrayed as a team of friends and heroes dedicated to a good common cause. Clark did save Chloe. Oliver got the info from Tess to shut down the Castle's power grid just in the nick of time. And John Jones came through in a big way by destroying the blood sample and erasing Waller's memories of the Blur, Watchtower, and the G.A. How convenient that the heroes - working independently of each other - managed to save the day completely in spite of themselves.

Between Tess throwing a dagger at Oliver, and Clark threatening Tess with a high-rise drop, and portraying a U.S. government agency worse than the Mafia with its code of omerta, this episode's writer is better suited to writing for The Sopranos than Smallville.

Rating: I give "Checkmate" 0 out of 5 stars.

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