Prey (23 Oct. 2008)

A serial killer is on the loose in Metropolis, and Clark always seems to be one step behind him, while Chloe's paramedic friend seems to think he blacks out and performs the dirty deeds, himself.

Director:

Mike Rohl

Writers:

Jerry Siegel (character created by: Superman), Joe Shuster (character created by: Superman),

Stars:

Tom Welling, Allison Mack, Erica Durance

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Welling	...	Clark Kent
Allison Mack	...	Chloe Sullivan
Erica Durance	...	Lois Lane (credit only)
Aaron Ashmore	...	Jimmy Olsen
Cassidy Freeman	...	Tess Mercer (credit only)
Sam Witwer	...	Davis Bloome
Justin Hartley	...	Oliver Queen (credit only)
Phil Morris	...	John Jones
Tyler Johnston	...	Randy Klein
Anna Williams	...	Eva Greer
Julia Maxwell	...	Mary Pierson
Max Train	...	Jesse Watts
Mitchell Duffield	...	Travis Black
Aubrey Arnason	...	Jessica Holm
Jay-Nicolas Hackleman	...	Jewelry Store Owner

Storyline

A serial killer with special powers is on the loose in Metropolis killing people. But Clark and Chloe find themselves on opposing sides when Clark believes that the EMT Davis Bloome is responsible, while the skeptic Chloe defends her new friend. John Jones, now working undercover as a Metropolis police investigator, returns to help Clark find out who or what is responsible. Jimmy attempts to find the killer on his own... with Davis' help. Although, the killer is revealed, Davis continues to hide his own mysterious powers from everyone.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 October 2008 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Smallville Films, Tollin/Robbins Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

42 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Jimmy met Davis looking to get more info on the killer, he said the best description a witness gave was that the killer was "a monster with bony eyelids." In the comics, Doomsday is exactly that.

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Quotes

Davis Bloome: I've always felt like... kind of like there was this darkness inside me... just fighting to get out.

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Connections

References Superman III (1983)

User Reviews

All he needs now is the suit and the power of flight.

I had a geekgasm watching this episode. While last week's trailer promised more Doomsday (did I miss the scene when Chloe discusses how this new creature can kill Clark?), the beginning moments of "Prey" arrived as the quiet fruition of seven seasons of solid character development.

A few stinker episodes and story arcs aside, this series has been built on a solid foundation of its characters, especially in the parallel evolution of Clark, Lex, and Chloe. Now that Lex, Lionel, the Kents, and Lana are gone, we see Clark more isolated and establishing himself as an adult. More and more, through costume choices, dialog, and Tom Welling's presence and delivery, he has become Superman. It's been a wonderfully slow and logical progression that simply can't be accomplished in any other media like it can in long-running serial television. There isn't a cheesy "moment" or "even" when he decides to become Superman. It's been built up with great skill and purpose from Season One through everything that has happened to him. His relationships, his decisions, and his mistakes have shaped him to be the hero we're expecting. I applaud the show.

These accolades come from watching Clark in the beginning of this episode. He's listening to the police scanner and responding to calls. We get an amazing downward aerial shot of the streets of Metropolis as his red and blue streak travels about the city. We're treated to a couple of Richard-Donner-Superman "first night" moments, when Clark is rescuing people not because they're tied to this episode's plot line, but because he's a hero and they need rescuing. I was giddy. Without fanfare or advertising, Smallville has introduced Superman in a very real way.

Chloe and Clark's relationship continues to sparkle. Allison Mack is a treasure, and I frankly can't wait to see where her career goes once she's free of the show. She brings so much depth and subtlety to her scenes that she often covers the writers' butts. She can make the cheesiest moments feel genuine.

My favorite dialog was between Clark and John Jones (sorry, I don't know the DC spelling) regarding keeping his identity secret. I'm very curious to see how the writers are going to handle the transition from anonymous hero to globally-known Superman without anyone realizing that it's Clark, especially now that he's established in Metropolis and *gasp!* without his glasses.

Of course, we all just sort of accept it in every other incarnation, so in a way we can't apply logic only to Smallville. Still, I have a feeling that they have something clever and deeply character-based up their sleeves, or at least some kind of gimmick we weren't expecting.

Great episode. And I didn't even talk about the plot.