John Glover

Fed up with American women and determined to procure a docile Asian wife, an angry L.A. misogynist gets a mail order bride in this romantic re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast starring Patrick Warburton, Marie Matiko, and Jennifer Tilly. Max Bright (Warburton) is fed up with independent, strong-willed women, and now all he wants is a wife who doesn't know the meaning of the word "no." Despite the fact that he's completely ignorant when it comes to the subject of Eastern cultures, Maxwell decides to marry a mail order bride. Later, after Mai Ling (Matiko) arrives in L.A. to discover just what a brute her new American husband truly is, the couple is forced to contend with a devastating development that could bring them closer than ever while profoundly affecting the way that Max perceives the opposite sex. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The two-part season-three opener of Smallville picks up three months after the cataclysmic events that brought season two to a close. Feeling responsible for the series of disasters that culminated in the death of his adoptive mother Martha's (Annette O'Toole) unborn baby, troubled teenager Clark Kent (Tom Welling) has bolted Smallville and exiled himself in Metropolis, still under the influence of the dangerous, addictive red kryptonite. Under the alias "Kal" (as in Kal-El, which had been his name when he was born on the planet Krypton), Clark is living the life of a rebellious street punk, and has fallen in with criminal boss Morgan Edge (Rutger Hauer). Following the leads given him by Clark's high school friend Chloe (Allison Mack), the boy's human adoptive father, Jonathan Kent (John Schneider), armed with temporary superpowers bestowed on him by Clark's real dad, Jor-El, is determined to bring his adopted son back to Smallville -- and back to normal. Meanwhile, it seems that Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) did not die in that plane crash at the end of season two -- but he may wish he had. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the concluding episode of Smallville's two-part season-two finale, Clark Kent (Tom Welling) has made contact with the spirit of his real father, Jor-El of Krypton (his voice supplied by Terence Stamp, who played the villainous Zod in the 1978 and 1980 theatrical features Superman and Superman II). Now Clark must choose between leading a normal "human" life with his friends and loved ones, or accept his destiny as the supreme ruler of Earth. The episode's chaotic cliffhanger conclusion involves a wrecked spaceship, a ruined farmhouse, a tragic miscarriage, and a disastrous personality change -- not to mention a marriage that may be literally brought down in flames almost as soon as it begins. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season three of Smallville brought several more hidden facts about the Kryptonian heritage of young Clark Kent (Tom Welling) to the forefront -- and also provided a few additional links to Clark's future life as Superman. The series also found the unsavory past of billionaire industrialist Lionel Luthor (John Glover) catching up with him, profoundly affecting his mixed-up son, Lex (Michael Rosenbaum), who had already been battered about when a team of doctors attempted to purge him of his "delusions" (read: his memories of Lionel's perfidy). The season began with Clark, still under the addictive influence of red kryptonite, angrily renouncing his friends and family in Smallville and exiling himself to Metropolis, where he briefly entered into a life of crime under the tutelage of sinister Morgan Edge (played variously during this season by Rutger Hauer and Patrick Bergin), who, like many villainous characters on the series, was an associate of the redoubtable Lionel Luthor. In order to rescue Clark, the boy's adoptive father, Jonathan Kent (John Schneider), entered into a strange bargain with Clark's Kryptonian birth father, Jor-El (Terence Stamp), the ramifications of which would permeate the action for the remainder of the season. Once safely returned to Smallville, Clark underwent the by-now-standard curious experiences wherein he was obliged to utilize his unique powers wisely and without giving his dual identity away. He also discovered a few new powers, among them super-hearing and (it was implied) the ability to fly. On the romantic front, Clark's relationship with Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) went through a variety of ups and downs -- especially during a rather harrowing story arc involving a mercurial young man named Adam Knight (Ian Somerhalder) -- reaching a climax of sorts at season's end when Lana decided to leave Smallville in order to study art in Paris. Meanwhile, another of Clark's female acquaintances, budding girl reporter Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) drew ever closer to unearthing a number of secrets involving both Clark and Lex. She also revealed something that many viewers had long suspected: she was related to a certain high-profile Metropolis reporter named Lois Lane (who would become a regular character in season four). Not satisfied with dangling this tantalizing foretaste of things to come for young Clark Kent, the Smallville producers also used season three to introduce Clark's future boss, Perry White, here played by Michael McKean -- the real-life husband of Annette O'Toole, the actress who played Clark's adoptive mother, Martha Kent.

As season three drew to a conclusion, Clark had come face to face with another refugee from Krypton, a superpowered girl named Kara (Adrianne Palicki), who urged our hero to renounce his earthly ways and fulfill his "destiny." Meanwhile, the true nature of Lex Luthor was exposed in all its tawdry glory, and two of the series' most stalwart characters, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross (Sam Jones III), were poised to make their respective exits -- and it was painfully clear that at least one of them would never, ever return. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Upon learning that his father, Lionel (John Glover), has placed him under surveillance, a spiteful Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) schemes to plant a bug in his father's office. Unfortunately, the crooks whom Lex has hired to do the job decide to double-cross him and rob LutherCorp -- taking Lionel and his personal assistant Martha Kent (Annette O'Toole) hostage. Meanwhile, Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) braces herself for a meeting with the wife of Lana's biological father, Henry Small (Patrick Cassidy). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Indian caves introduced in the previous episode "Skinwalker" happen to harbor an alien parasite which feeds on the adrenal glands of teenagers. Among those infected by the parasite is Clark Kent's (Tom Welling) best friend, Pete (Sam Jones III). His mind and personality altered by the "invader" in his system, the usually shy and mild-mannered Pete becomes a reckless, extroverted daredevil -- thus endangering not only his own life but those of everyone around him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of Smallville's two-part season-two finale, Clark (Tom Welling) finally works up the nerve to kiss Lana (Kristin Kreuk) -- only to be distracted by a perplexing message from beyond. The message, consisting of the words "The Day Is Coming," has also been received by Dr. Walden (Rob La Belle), a mentally unbalanced linguist. Meanwhile, the wedding between Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) and Helen Bryce (Emmanuelle Vaugier) is called off in a spirit of hearty mutual recrimination. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Christopher Reeve, who played the dual role of Clark Kent and Superman in four theatrical features of the 1970s and '80s, makes a guest appearance in Smallville as Dr. Virgil Swann. Having dedicated his life to studying all things extraterrestrial, the wheelchair-bound Swann is fascinated by a newspaper story regarding Clark Kent (Tom Welling). Using the fragmentary evidence at hand, Swann concludes that young Clark is "not of this world" -- and, as a bonus, both Swann and Clark have simultaneously received a cryptic message in an unknown language, a message that will have a major impact on Clark's future on Earth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rachel Dunlevy (Blair Brown) shows up in Smallville claiming to be the biological mother of Clark Kent (Tom Welling). Not only that: Rachel insists that Clark's real father is none other than Lionel Luthor (John Glover). The only way that the matter can be solved is if Clark agrees to undergo a DNA test -- which will, of course, reveal his extraterrestrial origins. Meanwhile, Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) has a disturbing run-in with her own real father. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Chloe (Allison Mack) is fed up with the fact that Clark (Tom Welling) seems impervious to her charms. Thus, Chloe begins dating Justin Gaines (Adam Brody), former cartoonist for the Smallville High newspaper, who has lost the use of his hands in an accident. Alas, it seems that Justin has been able to compensate for his loss by developing acute telekinetic powers, and he plans to use those skills to wreak vengeance upon the man whom he holds responsible for crippling him -- none other that Smallville High principal Kwan (Hiro Kanagawa). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Unbeknownst to Clark (Tom Welling), his new high-school ring has a red kryptonite setting. The mind-controlling extraterrestrial mineral has an adverse affect on Clark, unleashing all his inhibitions -- and his inborn aggressions. As Clark's behavior dangerously deteriorates, a secondary drama plays out involving fellow high school student Jessie Brooks (Sara Downing), whose father has just escaped from a federal witness-relocation program. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While rescuing the victim of a hit-and-run accident, Pete Ross (Sam Jones III) stumbles upon the spaceship that brought his friend Clark Kent (Tom Welling) from the planet Krypton. Rather than continue deceiving Pete, Clark reveals his true identity, thereby putting a strain on their friendship. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor's (Michael Rosenbaum) employee Dr. Hamilton (Joe Morton) takes drastic action when he finds out that he is dying from kryptonite exposure. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide