What's up with Clark? Clark is thrilled to meet his granddad, until he realizes a conflict between Jonathan and granddad can't be resolved. There's a new principal at Smallville High, Principal Reynolds. When he sees Clark with Lex together, he gives extra attention to Clark, feeling he's a slacker with untapped potential. Principal Reynolds asks Clark to write an essay on where he wants to be in five years. Clark decides to follow a career path to journalism.
What's up with Jonathan? "Bad blood" between Jonathan and Martha's father stems from rejection by Martha's father when Jonathan asked to marry Martha. Life on a farm is not what Clark's granddad wanted for Martha, who had potential to be a successful attorney like her dad. Despite Clark's intervention to have them resolve their differences, nothing improves in the relationship that has been nonexistent for 20 years.
What's up with Lex? Principal Reynolds was the headmaster at the exclusive Excelsior Prep School attended by Lex. Although he was a good influence on a teen Lex, Reynolds holds a grudge against Lex. When Lex offers a donation to the school so Principal Reynolds will stop turning his antagonism for Lex on Clark, Reynolds reveals that Lionel Luthor also tried to buy favors. Lionel used a large donation to persuade the administration of the prep school to keep Lex as a student years ago, and used his influence to have Reynolds fired.

Guest-star Maggie Lawson portrays "Krissy." In TV she's appeared in "Inside Schwartz," and "Unhappily Ever After." She's now working on several TV movies and films.

Who is the cheerleader Krissy Parker? Two Smallville High boys have died mysteriously since new student Krissy arrived. The boys were found looking very old in death. Krissy has a problem hiding her wrinkles and fears getting older. Clark has his suspicions about Krissy. Chloe's research makes her suspect that Krissy has been feeding on high school youth to keep herself young since 1921.
What's up with Lana? Lana finds photos of her mother smiling happily with another man. The photos are dated the year before Lana was born. Aunt Nell says the man is probably an old boyfriend, and tries to dismiss Lana's curiosity with assurances of her mother's love for Lana and her father. Still curious, Lana asks Lex for help investigating the mystery man in the photos. The report comes back that Lana's parents were separated, heading for divorce the year before her birth. They got back together right before Lana was born. Now Lana thinks the man in the photo may be her father.
How it ends: Clark and Pete rush to find Krissy. She is already aging fast. Krissy is about to feed on Principal Reynolds to regain her youth. Clark stops her, throwing her across the room. She falls to the floor, turning to dust.
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The episode starts with Clark Kent diving into pool water. We see him from below the surface and he swims toward us. Steady now...The camera breaks the surface nicely and some boppy arena music is playing as Clark paddles under the camera. It swivels and follows. Pete is in the swim lane next to Clark, and he's lagging. Where's your smart remark now, swim boy? There are actually people in bleachers watching these not-particularly-talented swimmers go at it. Clark, I know you're gay and all, but you're no Greg Louganis. Clark and Pete stop at the lane as a whistle blows. A couch with a whistle tells them that Clark and "Turner" -- whoever that is -- are in the final. Pete says he needs a rematch because his foot slipped on the dive, and he lost his rhythm. You let Clark beat you at something involving rhythm? "It's funny. I thought you were just slow," Clark says. Pete breaks the Rule of Trash Talk by laughing at Clark's remark instead of having a Yo Mama comeback ready. Clark gets out of the pool. Brief glimpse of red swim trunks. Not that I was looking.

Bleachers. A blondie in a Smallville High jacket is talking to Lana. "He's a hottie, isn't he?" she asks. Why, yes I am. Oh. She's talking about Clark. Well, fine. Shot of Clark and Pete out of the pool. Clark -- who has last season's lack of a tan -- gets up, grabs a towel, and prepares to dry off. "Who, Clark?" Lana asks, focusing more on the huge, oversized marker she's holding, which is thicker than her waist. Lana tells Perky Girl that she and Clark are just friends. Is that going to be the incantation for the whole season? Clark playfully throws a towel over to Pete as a bunch of red-shorted, bare-chested guys walk by. This is just like that "Schmitts Gay" beer commercial from SNL. Lana asks Perky Girl what she thinks. Shot of a very bland sign that reads, "Spirit Week 2002" in black letters and "Go Crows" in red. Blahna. Perky Girl says it's awesome, adding that she'll ask the principal if they can hang it in the middle of the cafeteria. She's treating Lana like the slow kid at camp with the deformed macaroni art. Lana tells Reese Witherspoon Lite that she's really thrown herself into spirit week. Reese Lite says these are the best times of their lives. Then God help them all. Lana says she's really looking forward to the week. An ox of a teen comes up to Reese Lite and calls her "baby." She gets after him for dripping on her signs. He's the only wet guy with a shirt on. He must have man-boob shame. He says he has another race -- finals -- and needs a good-luck kiss. Reese Lite looks to Lana. "Go. I can finish up here," Lana tells her. With her suck-ass signs. Reese Lite and her himbo go off for a tryst. Lana underlines "Crows" over and over, obsessively. (more...)
-- Omar G (TWoP)

After realizing the farm is in financial trouble, Martha goes to her estranged father for help. Clark is thrilled at the prospect of meeting his grandfather but Jonathan's refusal to see the man prompts Clark to force a reunion that doesn't go exactly as planned. Meanwhile, Lana discovers an old photograph that suggests her father may still be alive. Michael Rosenbaum, Sam Jones III and Allison Mack also star.

Lana: A Kent, secretive? That's shocking.

Clark: What happened that's so bad? It can't be any worse then what's in the storm cellar.

Lex: I'm sorry being friends with me comes at such a high price.

Lex: C'mon, Clark, I'm the king of family dysfunction.

Lex: "The Count of Monte Cristo." Interesting tale. Classic tale of a man whose past comes back to haunt him.

Principal Reynolds: Are your parents here, Chrissy?
Chrissy: Actually, Mr. Reynolds, they died over a century ago.

Chrissy You will never be this young, or this perfect, ever again. But I will.

Clark: The principal actually warned me about being late as they loaded him into the ambulance.

The effects were sparse, but well executed. This is likely due to the fact that it was done as a cheap episode that could be plugged into this season somewhere without knowing exactly where. (It was filmed the week after the season finale last year. That gave them extra time for post-production on Tempest without rushing into writing Vortex.) I give the effects 5 out of 6.

The story was hurt by when this episode was made. Although it was good to see evidence of some forethought into the next season (in Martha's comment about her job with Lionel) it still seemed obvious that some things (such as the changes in Clark and Lana's relationship) were not yet planned (more...)
Review written by fiziko.