Another Take - Smallville - Hypnotic

Jake, you magnificent bastard, you hit the nail on the head with your critique of the direction of this series.
I'll let your words stand on their own there, but I'll add a bit about the episode.
Clark Kent is a weak man. Whenever somebody shows up with the most amateur of magic skills, the greatest superhero in the comic book lexicon folds like a piece of paper. In this episode, he happens to fold over an attractive guest star (whose name is not important) but who is hired by Lex to put Clark under a spell and seduce him in an attempt to bust up the Lana-Clark relationship. Devious.
But Lex doesn't count on the Power Of Love (TM-Huey Lewis) and the seductress ends up falling for Clark and protecting his secret.
Still, the damage is done. Clark and Lana are busted up faster than you can say "freak of the week".
I liked this episode a fair bit better than Jake seemed to, but I can understand how his frustration is begin to taint the way he looks at the series. I too wonder what the hell the plan is for Lana, and why they just didn't off her when they had the chance in the 100th episode.
It appears more than likely that Lex will end up killing Lana and falling over the evil edge into insanity by the end of the series. Still, with Smallville being picked up indefinately as a core show of the new WB/UPN merger, you've got to wonder how long before this show actually DOES end.
I guess until then we'll keep getting episodes like this. One tiny step forward, and often, in the wrong direction.