Review: 'Smallville' - Instinct

Comic book characters are always a joy on "Smallville," and the series has infinitely improved from the fifth season when they began showing up in far greater numbers. This time, Maxima of Almarac is not battling Doomsday or saving the universe from Braniac, but is fulfilling her primary desire of finding a mate.

The entire Maxima set-up isn’t too dissimilar to that of "Heat," when a perfectly normal school teacher was transformed into a sensual magnet for males all over the small Kansas town. Luckily, Charlotte Sullivan manages to present a far more accessible character than Desiree Atkins and Maxima begins her life as less of a villain than intended. Her outfit however lends more to the revitalised "Gladiators" series (as was her throw down with Tess) but was very quickly cast aside for a more human appearance and exploration of Clark’s loneliness in a life without Lana Lang.

Again, Clark and Lois becoming the reporting team is proving to be the main draw, with both characters very quickly moving towards their comic book selves. Lois’ outburst at seeing Clark and Maxima very clearly shows how the much affection Lois has for Man-of-Steel, further propelling their journey to the future.

What Worked

Beyond the Maxima story, the real gem was Tess revealing the key to all Kryptonian knowledge and the Fortress of Solitude to Clark. With Tess being a new comer to the series, her role as the central villain allows for some of the old tricks and disappearing acts of the old days. Add to that the now complicated business relationship between Chloe and Tess.

Finally having a return to Chloe’s girl of your dreams letter was a nice salute to long-time fans, and also spun around some troubling times for the reporting couple. And it was about damn time that Clark learned the true depth of Chloe’s feelings for him. Her willingness and desire for closure speaks wonders for how far the character has come since the first season, leading very naturally into the continuation of her relationship with Jimmy. More interesting of all, it is a journey that so closely mirrors that of Clark and Lois now.

Talk about this story