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Lois and Clark Finally Kiss in Loaded Smallville "Crossfire"

In a season where Smallville has posted one consistently excellent episode after another, "Crossfire" is an ambitious attempt to pull together all of the various plot threads and jumpstart
the overall season arcs. The episode's ambition is both it's biggest strength and flaw, as it tries to cram a little too much into its running time. Some rather epic things happen and overlap here, not the least of which is Lois and Clark's first real on-screen kiss. The result is not quite the sum of its parts, but it is still another quality episode in an already very strong season.

The title "Crossfire" appears to apply to just about everything in the episode, including the overall story structure. No less than four important plots, all interestingly involving at their center a male-female couple dynamic of some kind, are coming into serious growth or fruition in this episode. Some of them intersect each other and some are clearly on a collision course.

It is interesting to see Smallville divert from its usual focus to try and show us a real moment in time among the lives of all our heroes and villains. Unfortunately, it clearly hurts the development of a couple of the truncated plotlines, any of which could have been the basis for their own show.

To try and take it all in order would be adding to the confusion, so let's just start with Lois (Erica Durance) and Clark (Tom Welling). They have the episode's most complete and interesting adventure. The show opens with them auditioning as a hosting duo on a Metropolis morning show. Actually, Lois is auditioning and Clark is simply there to help, but no TV producer is going to pass over the obvious "chemistry" and Clark is compelled to be part of the team. Unlike in past seasons we aren't simply told the two have chemistry but get to see and hear it throughout the episode, which makes a lot of difference.
The fact that Lois wants to move to TV, and even gives a little speech about the trouble newspapers are in, is a step forward for a show that has had problems updating its characters' comic-book backgrounds to today's
world. Sending them both on reality-show style blind dates (where they can comment only through hidden microphones to each other) is an outstanding way of having the characters forced into realizing that even when playing for an audience, their feelings can no longer be hidden easily.

The casual banter between them is so second nature now it's on par with any past Lois-Clark tandem, especially the way it so quickly crosses the line into real affection or jealousy. Simple phrases like "second date" or "I'm only doing this for you" seem dripping with more meaning than the understated way in which they are delivered. Usually only one of them is aware of this happening at a time, although when both get uncomfortable at the same time it is priceless.

Durance has been stealing Smallville this season, but in this episode it's Welling who really shines. Clark is a wonderful paradox as a potential TV star, in a way that recalls his dual identity as Superman. He begins by acting out of place and awkward on the screen and on his date, while at the same time his natural looks and honest charisma are obviously made for all of this. In fact, the most unrealistic part of the show is when Lois and Clark don't get the TV job. I can't figure out why.

Certainly, Clark seems comfortable enough going one-on-one with Lois when he thinks the camera is off, and then really hurt when he worries that Lois may end up back in her relationship with Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley). Welling plays it all with a key mixture of surface amusement that morphs with a glance or a phrase into real affection or even jealousy. Note the way he quickly drops his eyes to the floor when hurt or concerned. It's as true as the way he stares straight into the oncoming bullets in another scene. For Clark, as Oliver says about another character, the wounds are always internal.

Speaking of Oliver, he's back in hero (and true romantic) form a bit too quickly in this episode. Last time out in "Roulette" may have been his finest hour, but the way he jumps back into love with Lois while simultaneously wooing a new young female sidekick makes the redemption seem rather rushed.

Oliver and his attempt to help hard-kicking prostitute Mia (guest star Elise Gatien, who does pretty well with an underdeveloped character) probably should have been its own show, though I understand they wouldn't want
to do two Green Arrow episodes in a row. As it is, Mia (whom we know will eventually become the character Speedy) represents the most rushed and clichéd section of the episode, and including Oliver back into Lois' life further strains his contributions. It isn't quite as interesting as it could have been, and the overbearing, obvious pimp is absolutely no help.

Meanwhile, yet another huge plotline is looming over at Luthor Mansion, where Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman) and Zod (Callum Blue) are cooking up trouble in the form of solar power. Much of this feels rushed and forced as well (Zod is now a CEO? Huh?) but it is more enjoyable than the Oliver-Mia plot simply because of the strength of Freeman's performance as Tess.

Clearly, they chose to give Zod the right counter-weight to keep his storyline afloat before he ever catches up with the House of El. Blue, who made a great first impression as Zod, is effective but Freeman steals every scene she is in like a redheaded wrecking crew. Whatever bad is going down, you just know she's going to be right in the middle of it: pretty evil smile, one raised eyebrow, heels and all.

Somehow "Crossfire" has time for yet another pairing, as Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) has a sort of Geek Wars hack fest against Tess' young computer genius Stuart, while at the same time pushing Clark towards Lois and away from "Justice League" matters. In her own way, Chloe has become as dangerous as Tess and Mack is playing it quite believably. Her speeches to Clark are less about what he should be doing than about keeping him out of her way, though as usual Clark's long held belief in Chloe's innate goodness keep him from recognizing that they're having different conversations.

Chloe eventually beats Stuart and chooses not to defeat him but enlist him into whatever dangerous games she wants to play. Chloe clearly learned some lessons from last season's carnage but they don't seem to be the right ones. I have no idea where they are taking her, but if Smallville eventually showed us a truly corrupted or evil Chloe I'd believe it now. More likely, she'll end up in some kind of ethical conflict with Clark where Chloe takes the traditional moral positions of Batman.

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