Smallville (TV Series) Rage (2006) User Reviews

Healing Power and Thanksgiving

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 25 April 2008]

While dating Lois Lane in his apartment, Oliver Queen leaves the place to save a couple attacked by two thieves in a carjacked. However, Oliver is shot in his chest and does not return to the arms of Lois. On the next morning, Clark reads in Daily Planet an article telling that the Green Arrow had been injured. Clark goes to his apartment and finds Oliver safe and sound, but grouch and reckless. While leaving the place, Clark sees Oliver injecting drugs with his X-vision. His further investigation discloses that Oliver is using an experimental drug that heals wounds but with side effects. Meanwhile Lana feels sick and is submitted to a battery of examinations, discovering the cause. Martha Kent invites Lionel Luthor to spend Thanksgiving with her friends and her at the Kent's farm.

In "Rage", the diagnosis of Lana Lang's nausea and migraine, and the feelings of Martha for Lionel are certainly the most important parts of the show. Oliver loses the chance of making his date with Lois worthwhile – priority problems of a superhero – but he will certainly have the chance for another private encounter with her. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Ira" ("Rage")

Roid Rage

[Rcwilkinson123 · 8/10 · 8 October 2007]

An interesting commentary on the downfall of taking steroids is evidenced in this episode.

Green Arrow is taking a supplement that is the equivalent of steroids, which assists him in his healing process. This comes out of jealousy that he isn't invincible, like Clark. Taking these supplements gives Green Arrow a bad temperament and quick to anger, leading him to actions against Lex that he would hesitate from doing if he were his normal self, despite having a long history of bitterness towards the scheming billionaire.

This episode is good because it provides a warning against the side effects of steroids in a stylized way. In addition, we see some great dialog between the two heroes Clark and Oliver about mastering and dealing with the responsibilities of being a superhero.

Unbelievably bad

[andremarek · 4/10 · 20 December 2006]

When I saw the teaser for this episode, I must say I was extremely excited. It looked as this was going to be an episode similar to "Arrow," which I really liked. I was disappointed, to say the least.

Almost everything that could've been good on this episode was done badly. Starting with the fact that the story is full of unbelievably dumb plot points, that could've made even a baby question their motives. First, is the story. The fact that Oliver Queen was getting a vaccine that will make him heal so he can be a superhero without those kind of problems was really good. I think this could've been used to make the fact that Oliver knows he'll never be like Clark relevant (which it is).

Sadly, the performance by Justin Hartley as the Green Arrow is extremely disappointing. I had really liked his work on other episodes, but in this one he was really, very bad. This episode actually made me wonder one thing that I didn't want to wonder... are the writers clear as to who is this show about? As far as I know, this is a show about Clark Kent and his becoming Superman, the Man of Steel. This is NOT a show about Clark Kent and Green Arrow, the latter's just a guest star.

On previous episodes (like Wither, Arrow, or Reunion) I'd really liked how the writers had handled the character, making him important but never deviating from the fact that this show is not about his adventures, but Clark's. In the case of Rage, this was not the case at all.

Then there's the whole Lionel/Martha unbelievably stupid kissing scene- well, almost kissing scene. I can't believe what they've done with the character of Martha. Not a year has passed since her husband died and she's already trying to kiss Lionel... who is incidentally, the man that was most directly responsible for her husband's death. Well, Jor-El too.

Then there's the computer-expert Chloe. She gets absolutely all the information she needs from her source on the chemistry labs, even the woman who manufactured the vaccine. This is so unbelievably stupid.

Todd Slavkin and Darren Schwimmer were one of the best scribes Smallville had ever had. They wrote the episodes that in my opinion had been some of the best in the series. But first they wrote Sneeze, which was an average episode, and now this... they really need to improve whatever it is that they're doing.

The only good thing I can say about this episode is the climax. Lex and Green Arrow pointing at each other, each with their own weapon of choice, and when they fire the crew really managed an awesome special effects job. Well, I guess there's another good thing I can say about this episode, and that is the dinner scene. It really made a contrast between the familiar Kent family reunion and the sad dinner at Lex's mansion.

I guess this is the way Smallville works, right? About 4 really great episodes and then an unbelievably bad one. I just hope things do get better. There really was a good episode in there, I just couldn't find it.