The well-written continuity continues. I like that there’s a new sheriff who’s more strict than the last one. It’s interesting that from our point of view, Adams may come off as a hardassed bi+ch with Clark, but from her point of view, she’s just strict with what she perceives as a possible troublemaker in a town where the old sheriff looked the other way. This episode seems to indicate that Clark’s and Lex’s shortcuts through the law are going to be even harder than before with Sheriff Adams now in town.

I love how this episode addresses some good nagging questions and points, like what would happen if some thug Clark dispatched sued him, Sheriff Adams noticing that Clark has been at so many crime scenes, Lana getting more suspicious about how Clark performed his superhuman feats.

As in the previous episode, the thugs in the episode are broad caricatures. Rather than simply causing a low-level drunken nuissance, the Andy becomes physical violent. He implies that he intends to rape Lana. He uses the most vile profanity when speaking of her to Clark. He engages in fraud regarding his injuries. Both his two friends aide and abet him in this. And he seems to actually think that Lana wants him.

Even Mr. Miyagi said, "Oh, c'mon!" when he saw this.
The Karate Kid-like manner in which Lana can dispatch him so easily after such a ridiculously short amount of training with Lex is just plain dumb. I had no problem with her initial twisting of his arm and stuff, because I can buy the idea of her learning that sort of thing in a short amount of time, but that she could perfectly pull off that spin kick was ludicrous.
What, did she beat the sh*t out of the Sheriff too?
When Lana goes to see Clark in the barn at the end of the episode, he tells her that Sheriff Adams tells him that she has quite a spin kick. How would Adams know? Adams wasn't there to see what type of moves Lana has.

He wanted to "play doctor" with her
During Paul's beating of Helen, he grabs a scalpel off an instrument tray. I figured he was either going to mutilate her face, or slit her throat. But when Lex finds her, neither has been done to her. Why did Paul grab that scalpel? Did he stab her with it? Lex did look at his left palm at one point while crouching over her, but if this was intended to convey that she was stabbed and bleeding, it wasn't clear enough to me. It happened really fast, there was no blood visible on the upper lit portion his hand, and I had to see the scene a second time to even recall it. Moreover, how much time has passed by the time Helen goes to see Lex in the scene's last episode? She's back home, looks fine, has no scars whatsoever, etc. Just what were her injuries? The shot of Paul grabbing that scalpel was ended up feeling like a cheat. They wanted to imply something horrible was about to happen, but didn't follow through.
Good idea. You can eat there, and then get treated for heartburn, upset stomach, high cholesterol or gas without leaving.
I don't how much solid ground I hae for this, but Smallville Medical Center didn't really look like a hospital. First, has anyone else ever seen a hospital whose name was in a large lit-up sign with white lettering against a red background? In my mind, hospital signs are usually low-key, and/or often unlit. And what about the bright light blue canopy over one of the walkways? The place looked more like a Mexican restaurant or a nightclub than a hospital.
Must make improvising those "code blue" heart attack resuscitation scenes pretty interesting
And why was it TOTALLY DARK in the corridors when Adams was telling Lex not to take the law into his own hands? What, do they use so much electricity on that sign that they have none left for indoor lighting? Or does this hospital cut costs by not using electricity at all?

>> but that she could perfectly pull off that spin kick was ludicrous.>How would Adams know? Adams wasn't there to see what type of moves Lana has.>First, has anyone else ever seen a hospital whose name was in a large lit-up sign with white lettering against a red background? In my mind, hospital signs are usually low-key, and/or often unlit. And what about the bright light blue canopy over one of the walkways?>And why was it TOTALLY DARK in the corridors when Adams was telling Lex not to take the law into his own hands?<<

Because it was an area of the hospital not used in the evening. Even in patient wards, only the halls and the nurses stations are lit 24/7.

Marc

Ok, why did half my message not post? Let's try this again. Here's the response to the karate kick and Adams.

It's possible it was dumb luck. She's likely watched enough movies with martial arts (or at the very least Xena/Buffy) to at least copy the move. She might have felt cocky enough to try it. Given that Andy wasn't even expecting her to resist, let alone fight back, it's possible she could have pulled it off.

If they go with that, it would be interesting to see her try her new found cockiness against someone who knows what they're doing.

Of course, more than likely it's simply TV land reminding us that television doesn't have much to do with reality.

>>How would Adams know? Adams wasn't there to see what type of moves Lana has.<<

Actually, I do buy this. For the first time in her life, Lana has stood up for herself and survived, without needing help. Given how smiley she still was later on at Clark's, I don't doubt she was bragging to Adams. "Well, he came at me, I twisted his arm, did a spin kick and knocked him out. He's so faking his injuries. Did I mention the spin kick?"

Marc

When Sheriff Adams told Johnathan that his "good ol' boy days" were behind him, who didn't think of The Dukes of Hazzard?

Marc Lechowicz: It's possible it was dumb luck. She's likely watched enough movies with martial arts (or at the very least Xena/Buffy) to at least copy the move. She might have felt cocky enough to try it. Given that Andy wasn't even expecting her to resist, let alone fight back, it's possible she could have pulled it off.
Luigi Novi: I don’t buy it. You cannot copy a move like that buy watching it on TV, nor do I see what Andy not expecting it would have to do with it.


Luigi Novi: How would Adams know? Adams wasn't there to see what type of moves Lana has.

Marc Lechowicz:Actually, I do buy this. For the first time in her life, Lana has stood up for herself and survived, without needing help. Given how smiley she still was later on at Clark's, I don't doubt she was bragging to Adams. "Well, he came at me, I twisted his arm, did a spin kick and knocked him out. He's so faking his injuries. Did I mention the spin kick?"
Luigi Novi: Clark said that Adams told him about it, not that Adams told him that Lana told her about it. This is the sort of thing Adams might say if she witnessed it. I doubt she’d assert that Lana’ has “quite” a spin kick to someone else simply because Lana told her she used it. She might tell Clark that Lana told her this, but she wouldn’t opine herself on how good it is.

Marc Lechowicz: It's possible it was dumb luck. She's likely watched enough movies with martial arts (or at the very least Xena/Buffy) to at least copy the move. She might have felt cocky enough to try it. Given that Andy wasn't even expecting her to resist, let alone fight back, it's possible she could have pulled it off.

Luigi Novi: I don’t buy it. You cannot copy a move like that buy watching it on TV, nor do I see what Andy not expecting it would have to do with it.

And no, this is not just a chance for me to try formating text :0)

Maybe not copy exactly, but, if she's cocky enough, she might try it (and get real lucky). As for Andy not expecting it, he wouldn't have been trying to block any form of attack at all, so it would be easier to score a hit.

I agree, it's a stretch, but, IMHO, within the realm of possibility

Can someone explain the resolution of this ep to me? Lana beats up the guy who is pretending to be injured, and he drops the lawsuit?! Why wouldn't he just a) continue as before, b) claim Lana set him up so that Clark could beat him up some more (if he needed to, he could get his friends, who were in on the fake injuries, to corroberate) or c) turn around and sue Lana and Lex (as owners of the Talon, where it occured) for assaulting an injured man?

Given that Smallville is so rural an area, why is Clark pick up litter downtown instead of along the highways or back roads? And why, if this is supposed to replace his criminal punishment, is Clark unsupervised?

>I don't how much solid ground I hae for this, but Smallville Medical Center didn't really look like a hospital. First, has anyone else ever seen a hospital whose name was in a large lit-up sign with white lettering against a red background? In my mind, hospital signs are usually low-key, and/or often unlit. And what about the bright light blue canopy over one of the walkways? The place looked more like a Mexican restaurant or a nightclub than a hospital.
-Luigi Novi

Signage between hospitals will vary. Normally, though, it would be dark lettering on a light background, which is generally easier to read. Given that this is a rural area, lighting the sign could be important to show where they are.

>And why was it TOTALLY DARK in the corridors when Adams was telling Lex not to take the law into his own hands? What, do they use so much electricity on that sign that they have none left for indoor lighting? Or does this hospital cut costs by not using electricity at all?
-Luigi Novi
>Because it was an area of the hospital not used in the evening. Even in patient wards, only the halls and the nurses stations are lit 24/7.
-Marc Lechowicz

Not fully lit, maybe. But totally unlit? This is a 24-hr patient care facility, since we've seen/heard of people staying in the hospital for days, so someone could easily be in that area, even unintentionally. There should at minimum be emergency lighting.

Along the same lines, does anyone know why Helen was going to the Pathology Lab after-hours to begin with. When she gets there, she calls out "Doctor?" as if she's meeting someone specific. Did she get a note to set up this meeting (obviously faked)? Wouldn't the fact that the meeting was in an area unused at night have concerned her?

And why was it TOTALLY DARK in the corridors when Adams was telling Lex not to take the law into his own hands? What, do they use so much electricity on that sign that they have none left for indoor lighting? Or does this hospital cut costs by not using electricity at all?
-Luigi Novi
Because it was an area of the hospital not used in the evening. Even in patient wards, only the halls and the nurses stations are lit 24/7.
-Marc Lechowicz

Not fully lit, maybe. But totally unlit? This is a 24-hr patient care facility, since we've seen/heard of people staying in the hospital for days, so someone could easily be in that area, even unintentionally. There should at minimum be emergency lighting.-Dustin Westfall

Again, it depends. From experience, I can tell you that in the office areas (where people leave for the evening), at most you're going to have the exit sign lit. Since this was the pathology lab, I'd bet the pathologist had gone for the day. Since there's noone there, there'd be no need for lights.

Anyone catch the use of that acoustic version of the Blue Oyster Cult classic, "Don't Fear the Reaper" while Lex was proposing to his lady friend? Truly excellent! If anyone knows who sings this version, please post, because they didn't credit the song.

>Again, it depends. From experience, I can tell you that in the office areas (where people leave for the evening), at most you're going to have the exit sign lit.
-Marc Lechowicz

Just curious, what sort of experience? I personally work for a hospital (off-site in finance) and, while I could understand the offices themselves, and the general area if cubicles are being used, being dark, would they actually shut down the lights in the potentially publicly-accessable hallway outside as well?

>Since this was the pathology lab, I'd bet the pathologist had gone for the day. Since there's noone there, there'd be no need for lights.
-Marc Lechowicz

Inside the lab, yes. What Luigi was talking about was out in the hall, where there was no source of light aside from some widely spaced light bulbs which I have a hard time imagining would pass OSHA guidelines, let alone any accreditation agency's requirements.

One I forgot before: Why is there no sign of even basic lights or any other cars in the parking lot when Helen's car won't start? As I said before, we know patients stay overnight, meaning there should be a night shift who should be there, and would presumably be parking in the same lot.

Again, it depends. From experience, I can tell you that in the office areas (where people leave for the evening), at most you're going to have the exit sign lit.
-Marc Lechowicz

Just curious, what sort of experience? I personally work for a hospital (off-site in finance) and, while I could understand the offices themselves, and the general area if cubicles are being used, being dark, would they actually shut down the lights in the potentially publicly-accessable hallway outside as well?-Dustin Westfall


Back home, it was either Albany Med or St. Peter's, I did some exploring while being there for an Alateen meeting. I ended up in some of the office areas and the hallway lights were off. Of course, this could have been a fluke, and I'm assuming they'd be off because they weren't being used. I did go to that area more than once though, and the hall lights were off.

>Since this was the pathology lab, I'd bet the pathologist had gone for the day. Since there's noone there, there'd be no need for lights.
-Marc Lechowicz

Inside the lab, yes. What Luigi was talking about was out in the hall, where there was no source of light aside from some widely spaced light bulbs which I have a hard time imagining would pass OSHA guidelines, let alone any accreditation agency's requirements.-Dustin Westfall

It may be then that my experience was a fluke (maybe some cleaning person who thought the lights had to be turned off or something).

One I forgot before: Why is there no sign of even basic lights or any other cars in the parking lot when Helen's car won't start? As I said before, we know patients stay overnight, meaning there should be a night shift who should be there, and would presumably be parking in the same lot.-Dustin Westfall

It's possible that she was just in a sparse area of the parking lot. Even given that there'd be other cars there (night shift if nothing else), there'd still be areas where not too many people park. Of course, it may not have been wise for her to park there, but she may be thinking with small town mentality (low crime area, it's safe to walk to your car at night, etc). As for the lights, I agree. Basically, it was done to enhance drama.

Marc

Luigi Novi: Clark said that Adams told him about it, not that Adams told him that Lana told her about it. This is the sort of thing Adams might say if she witnessed it. I doubt she’d assert that Lana’ has “quite” a spin kick to someone else simply because Lana told her she used it. She might tell Clark that Lana told her this, but she wouldn’t opine herself on how good it is.

Who said the quality of the spin kick was purely the sheriff's opinion? Just because Clark didn't say precisely "The sheriff told me you told her you had a pretty good spin kick." doesn't mean that Lana didn't say it to Adams at some point. Besides, it's possible Lana hit the guy hard enough that the Sheriff was able to notice a mark later. Or maybe, in a light-hearted moment, having heard that Lana used a spin kick, just commented to Clark that it must have been a 'pretty good' one.

Personally, I like Marc's take on how she was probably bragging about it to the sheriff.

I don’t buy it. You cannot copy a move like that buy watching it on TV, nor do I see what Andy not expecting it would have to do with it.

I've seen people in reasonably athletic shape pull off moves like that from seeing it on TV. Not always perfect, but I've seen it happen. And Andy's not expecting it does indeed reflect on how easily she took him down-- guys like Andy have a tendency to doubt that any women they meet are inherently unable to stand up to them. There's something to be said for surprise factor-- no matter how well-trained you are, if the other person honestly expects you to just sit there and take what they have to dish out, they can be taken off-balance pretty easily with a few simple moves. Naturally, while that doesn't always work in real life, it's still believable, particularly in the world of TV (where the percentage of such possibilities are skewed a bit).

I've seen people in reasonably athletic shape pull off moves like that from seeing it on TV. Not always perfect, but I've seen it happen.

They may be able to simulate the move but they'd never get the power in the kick that Lana seemed to generate, that takes a LOT of practise.