I'm always undecided with episodes like this. Smallville usually uses other shows and films well for certain episodes - like Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this one. The thing I don't like is how obvious and unsubtle they make them;
However this episode does have some redeeming features. The deeper exploration of Milton Fine's character (especially paying homage to Marster's character on Buffy) and his opposition to Lex is really interesting.
Also Clark's comments about not liking costumes and not liking masks is a nice nod to his future Superman outfit.
- The evil lead characters 'Buffy Sanders' are always over the top and annoying (another example is the Prom Queen character in Season 4 Spirit). - They always end with someone having their memory swiped and so really the episodes don't do much to further the big picture. - The subplot with Chloe is good in the sense that it finally brings The Daily Planet into focus in the show but her voice-over didn't really fit.
However this episode does have some redeeming features. The deeper exploration of Milton Fine's character (especially paying homage to Marster's character on Buffy) and his opposition to Lex is really interesting.
Also Clark's comments about not liking costumes and not liking masks is a nice nod to his future Superman outfit.