Homecoming

Lost had the rotten Across the Sea, now Smallville has Homecoming. There're writing dream teams like Don Whitehead and Holly Henderson that can produce masterpieces like Metallo and Charade. Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders, executive producers, is not one of them. As much as I respect their work I can't possibly excuse such an outrageous story and lazy fanservice.

First let's summarize what the show is all about. Basically the concept is to cover the first steps of Clark Kent before he becomes the superhero we all know and admire, Superman. Like the average human he grows up and learns life thanks to the people who revolve around him. From his charismatic father Jonathan to Lex Luthor without forgetting Lois Lane all these characters, good or evil, contributed to shape his destiny and turn into Metropolis most famous vigilante, the Blur. This installment tainted most past efforts to make that idea grow in our soul, thanks to Lois and Oliver inspiring quests for example. In my humble opinion Homecoming is an insult to the devoted fans and a clear demonstration that Peterson and Souders have lost track of what's going on.

I can't help comparing this installment to the unique Warrior, directed by Allison Mack and written by Bryan Miller. A Clark driven story featuring Brainiac first seemed like a refreshing surprise but it quickly mutated into a nightmare. James Marsters is a wicked actor, I mean how can you forget Spike, but here his talent was under exploited. I waited for a twist but it never happened. As for an other guest his role was anecdotic. It's like if the writers intention was to make us believe in pathetic happy endings. What a naive thought, specially when it comes to Superman ! An other issue were the dialogs. I still have in my mind the inspiring words Lois said about the Blur in Idol. Here because of inappropriate lines Erica Durance's acting was over the top. Last but not least the few cultural references to comics weren't subtle enough and even the elevator encounter wasn't flawless when it should have been. It's specially true if you compare these scenes to the one at the convention with the Blur cosplayer.

Now let's decrypt the mumbo jumbo story. As I already mentioned it just jarred with past events and in the end didn't make sense. I mean how can we relate to CK anymore ? What about Lois ? They had a few funny scenes but not as hilarious as in Persuasion. Moreover trust should be love's foundation. She's the only woman who can help Clark become the Man of Steel. Of course we can't ignore how much other characters contributed to boost his skills but in the end it's mostly about Lois & Clark. If you add the inevitable inaccuracies, due to the controversial and overused context, well the bottom of the barrel is not so far… It gets even worse if you consider Jonathan's emotional come back in Lazarus. Clark didn't need to be remembered again about what his spirit told him. He already knew what it takes to let go !

Of course as the 200th episode Homecoming was fueled with flashbacks and references to past installments. It could have been a blessing but instead it revealed how much the writing was inconsistent. However these elements were well mixed and should brought you many sweet memories. I also loved CK's outfit but still can bare the "new" Blur one. As for Oliver his role was anecdotic and nearly misplaced. Still his interview should move and inspire you. Justin Hartley is the man and we all have the seeds of a Green Arrow within us ! Otherwise they should have saved him for an other time.

To sum things up Peterson and Souders don't have to be ashamed as much as Lost's Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof but your opinion should definitely be mixed. However I have to admit that they at least had the courage to write something original. The end was also beautiful, pivotal and should touch your long time fan heart. But don't get me wrong, Homecoming is an abomination. Even an enigmatic SMS wasn't that intriguing and it was by far the most disappointing episode since… last time we saw leather Lana flying and kicking around like a crazy monkey !

I just love this episode it's was full of memories & and it just perfect Maybe it's the best episode with Jonathan Kent dies I haven't decided yet , because I still don't finish the show yet but I'm so close

There are many great episodes during the 10 seasons, I cannot remember them all, I would have to re-watch it all again then, but this episode stands out on its own. I have seen this particular episode a few times now since its just that good. It deserves a 10+, The acting is superb, specially Lois in this episode is so brilliant !!!

Directed by A-lister Jeannot Szwarc, this is possibly the best episode since the first few (fastastic) seasons. Everything is pitch perfect, no sour notes, and Erica Durance by this point in the series has morphed into a picture perfect Lois Lane. However, to delve into the "why" of the success of this episode, we have to talk about the elephant in the room. And it's a big elephant. To get their legendary 10 seasons out of Smallville, the two creators of this series had to severely diddle with the accepted canon, or arc, of the main story. And of course, in S10, just when you think the diddling has come to an end, and the producers have finally embraced sanity, we come to learn that this episode is merely the preamble for the greatest switcheroo ever pulled in the Superman saga. In other words, if you are a purist, you may as well quit the series right here, and enjoy your memories of this 'sode. Because, arc-wise, the worst is yet to come. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

During the season 5, Smallville aired it's 100th episode "Reckoning" which was one of the most serious and epic stories, if not THE most epic story in the show's ten year history. It had drama, action and tragedy. Many people still believe "Reckoning" was the greatest of all Smallville episodes. It may have been possible to top it for the 200th episode, but in the end the producers chose not to try and compete. Instead we have "Homecoming", which is a fun throwback to the early seasons of Smallville.

Two major characters from the past return, Brainiac and Greg the bug boy, who appeared all the way back in the 2nd episode of the series "Metamorphosis". Brainiac takes Clark on an It's a Wonderful Life journey to reflect on his past, present and future. There are moments where the tone is heavy, but for the most part this is a light hearted story with many nods to past seasons. It was great to see the Smallville High set again, and the twist with the bug boy was a refreshing surprise.

Even though I've been watching Smallville since the beginning, and continue to go back and watch old episodes, it's easy to forget how far this show has come, and how much it's changed over the years. "Homecoming" is a nice reminder of the simpler show from classic seasons.