Lois begins treatment at Mannheim’s hospital and just can’t help but go getting herself right in the thick of things. The town prepares for the high school dance, but Lana has some thinking to do with regards to her predecessor. Nat gets a surprise visit.

I know I say it a lot but oh boy do the writers of this show manage to juggle an awful lot going on in each episode. That said, the main focus here continues to be Lois’ illness and the impact it has on those around her. For all that Tyler Hoechlin looks every inch the part for the big blue boy scout, it’s as Clark that he’s always managed to nail the sensitivities and challenges faced by the character, and never more so than here. While Lois is charging off trying to get her story and determined not to let a little thing like stage 3 cancer get in the way, Clark is reflecting on just how he can best help his wife. An encounter with some other patients at the facility brings into focus something he’s known but not acknowledged for a while, and leads to difficult but necessary conversations.

Speaking of difficult conversations, an encounter with the deceased former mayor’s son in the local diner has Lana considering whether or not to air some of Dean’s dirtier laundry, encouraged by Chrissie. It’s a fair reaction – despite all of Dean’s dirty tricks, he’s been somewhat canonised by the population of Smallville since his death and Lana, who was already up against it trying to fix the mess he left behind him in the Mayoral office, now feels she’s suffering unfairly by comparison to the legacy the town thinks he left behind. It takes Sarah’s own compassion to make Lana really see things for what they are, and remind her of who she is as well.

Mannheim sends one of his creations to the DOD, on a mission which may well have horrifying consequences for both the Kent family and the world at large. When he’s not planning evil mastermind stuff, he’s verbally sparring with Lois, proclaiming his innocence of the things of which she suspects him while proving in his manner, tone and threats that he’s every bit as dangerous and ruthless as she estimates him to be. Chad L. Coleman brings a brooding intensity and quiet menace to the role and never more so than here, casually telling Lois he’ll do everything he can to save her but leaving no doubt that she’ll suffer dire consequences if she gets in his way.

Chrissie and Kyle end up hopping on the good foot to do the bad thing again which causes issues for Chrissie who is getting closer to Lana as a friend and feels somehow she might be betraying that by jumping into bed with her ex-husband. For Kyle’s part, he doesn’t seem that worried about that, but he is interested in recruiting Jonathan for the Fire Department, which is all well and good until Jonathan is forced to make a difficult choice between his career aspirations and his personal life.

And Nat gets a surprise visit from Matteo, which causes her all sorts of confusion and, if I’m honest, me as well. He seems like a nice enough kid, but just like Sam Lane (who seems to have unofficially just become Nat’s grandfather in this world now) I remain sceptical of his exact intentions for now.

Per usual, the show prefers to focus on the small scale, personal stuff more than the action, though manages to do the latter justice when it arrives. It’s the gravity of Clark and Lois’ personal life and the lives of their friends and loved ones which lends weight to the big scale stuff. Something the next movie iteration of these characters could learn many lessons from the show about.

Verdict: Moving, emotionally resonant and involving. Perfect TV. 10/10

Greg D. Smith