I started to re-watch "Smallville" from the very beginning. As far, I found this 16th episode the best one. Thank God, there's finally one with abilities who is not villain! On the contrary, little Ryan is one little soul that suffers because of his step parents. He is conscious what he does is is wrong and try to resist. He also have a problem to hide his ability because he is just a little boy, so he comments frankly what he finds out in people's thoughts. He dreams about a super-hero who can save the world. The most touching scene is near the end when Ryan gives his super-hero comic books to Clark and says "I don't them any more.I have you". Desperately needing a protector, he finally found his own one. They almost make me cry.
9 Reviews
Clark's 'brother'
Rcwilkinson12314 September 2007
Episode 1.16 is very touching in that Clark for the first time has a sibling-figure in his life. The same goes for Ryan James, a young boy who escaped from the cruelty of his adopted parents.
This episode is so touching because both Clark and Ryan relate so well to each other. Neither knows anything about their true family, and thus are struggling, albeit on different levels, to find security in their lives. Clark is in a better situation, however, because he does have loving adoptive parents, whereas even Ryan's adoptive parents are inhumanely cruel. In the goodness of their hearts, Jonathan and Martha take the boy in for adoption- though it is for a brief time. However, even with such brief time, Clark and Ryan become very close, as they each have a brother for the first time in their lives. Ryan reluctantly has to leave the Kent home after about a week, though he is (supposedly) headed for an adoption center where he will get adopted by loving adults. Ryan gives Clark his Angel Warrior comics and remarks that he now has a real superhero in his life.
What is also touching about this episode is that Ryan is one of the few, and one of the first, people to know Clark's secret. Clark feels comfortable telling Ryan this secret because they feel so much like brothers and have so much in common. What a wonderful episode.
The "Smallville" writers hit it right on the head with this show.
This episode is so touching because both Clark and Ryan relate so well to each other. Neither knows anything about their true family, and thus are struggling, albeit on different levels, to find security in their lives. Clark is in a better situation, however, because he does have loving adoptive parents, whereas even Ryan's adoptive parents are inhumanely cruel. In the goodness of their hearts, Jonathan and Martha take the boy in for adoption- though it is for a brief time. However, even with such brief time, Clark and Ryan become very close, as they each have a brother for the first time in their lives. Ryan reluctantly has to leave the Kent home after about a week, though he is (supposedly) headed for an adoption center where he will get adopted by loving adults. Ryan gives Clark his Angel Warrior comics and remarks that he now has a real superhero in his life.
What is also touching about this episode is that Ryan is one of the few, and one of the first, people to know Clark's secret. Clark feels comfortable telling Ryan this secret because they feel so much like brothers and have so much in common. What a wonderful episode.
The "Smallville" writers hit it right on the head with this show.
Reading Minds
claudio_carvalho2 April 2006
While escaping from his mean stepparents James Gibson (Jim Shield) and Sky (Courtney Kramer), the boy Ryan James (Ryan Kelley) is hit by Martha Kent's car in a road. She brings Ryan to a hospital, and the boy claims to have amnesia. The Kent's family offers to lodge Ryan in their farm while waiting for the social service. The boy becomes friend of Clark Kent and his friends, and has the power of reading minds. Clark helps the boy against his stepfather.
"Stray" is a good episode, but there are some flaws along the story. For example, when Clark opens the garbage truck, we do not see the consequences. What happened to James Gibson? But I like the character of Clark Kent, and I believe that his solid personality and principles are one of the greatest attraction of this series. Lex Luthor is also excellent, as usual. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Perdido" ("Lost")
"Stray" is a good episode, but there are some flaws along the story. For example, when Clark opens the garbage truck, we do not see the consequences. What happened to James Gibson? But I like the character of Clark Kent, and I believe that his solid personality and principles are one of the greatest attraction of this series. Lex Luthor is also excellent, as usual. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Perdido" ("Lost")
The best of the "bright" episodes
paradux17 April 2017
This review penned in 2017 by a reviewer who is rewatching the entire series, top to bottom, tip to tail.
What both Buffy and Smallville have in common (aside from both being breakout hits in approximately the same time period) is that both series started positive and upbeat, with cherry characters and sunny, brightly colored, locales -- yet, as each evolved, each series grew darker and darker, as the producers felt the need to constantly push the envelope in order to maintain viewer interest.
I get it. That is how the world works. Why should a successful series risk cancellation when, by "juicing" the audience, they can continue for another season? (Actually there are exceptions, but not many. At the dawn of TV, the Dick Van Dyke show voluntarily walked away, as did Seinfeld, as did BANSHEE.) Anyway, back to the review, Smallville ran 10 seasons, the producers made out like bandits and by the later seasons the show was so DARK that it was unrecognizable from earlier episodes.
Like this one.
One of the best of the early "bright" episodes -- gets the message across in a positive way. The weather is sunny as are the dispositions of the characters.
Miss it already.
What both Buffy and Smallville have in common (aside from both being breakout hits in approximately the same time period) is that both series started positive and upbeat, with cherry characters and sunny, brightly colored, locales -- yet, as each evolved, each series grew darker and darker, as the producers felt the need to constantly push the envelope in order to maintain viewer interest.
I get it. That is how the world works. Why should a successful series risk cancellation when, by "juicing" the audience, they can continue for another season? (Actually there are exceptions, but not many. At the dawn of TV, the Dick Van Dyke show voluntarily walked away, as did Seinfeld, as did BANSHEE.) Anyway, back to the review, Smallville ran 10 seasons, the producers made out like bandits and by the later seasons the show was so DARK that it was unrecognizable from earlier episodes.
Like this one.
One of the best of the early "bright" episodes -- gets the message across in a positive way. The weather is sunny as are the dispositions of the characters.
Miss it already.
I cried too lol
chadwb-4896423 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I have just recently lost my younger brother and the ending, when he gave him the comics. Dude I couldn't
help but cry. I'm only human! Great episode and by far the beat in season 1 so far. I'm starting it from the beginning at just finished this episode, the writing is so good and I can recognize it from teat jerking moments in the Arrow and Flash etc...
Heartwarming Brotherly Tale!
gab-1471228 December 2021
"Stray" is such a heartwarming episode. For the first time, Clark has a sibling...only if for a little while. Still, Clark and the kid, Ryan James have a meaningful connection. They both are struggling with finding their place in the world as adoptive children. Clark has it good with Martha and Jonathan, but poor Ryan has abusive adoptive parents. The two have great chemistry with one another. Enough so where Clark can entrust the boy with his secret. The boy has secret powers himself as he is able to read minds. Everyone that is but Clark's. Which makes Ryan realizes how different Clark is. In addition to this story, Lex continues to provide excellent work especially now that Lionel is around for the episode.
In this episode, Ryan James has evil stepparents who make him use his power of reading minds to commit robberies. Ryan escaped from them and ran straight into Martha Kent's car. She takes him to the hospital where he claims amnesia. The Kents allows him to stay at the farm while social services straighten everything out. Clark and Ryan bond and we learn that Ryan is an avid comic book reader which brings some similarities with Lex. Once Clark learns the truth about Ryan, Clark helps him take down his evil stepparents for good.
Definitely a great episode! One issue is what I had. Clark destroys a garbage truck. How did the driver did not realize anything was amiss? A rare, missed detail for the producers, but did not affect the overall quality of the episode. The heartwarming story between the two "brothers" is enough to drive the story. And Clark, how hard is it to tell that Chloe is smitten with you?
My Grade: A.
In this episode, Ryan James has evil stepparents who make him use his power of reading minds to commit robberies. Ryan escaped from them and ran straight into Martha Kent's car. She takes him to the hospital where he claims amnesia. The Kents allows him to stay at the farm while social services straighten everything out. Clark and Ryan bond and we learn that Ryan is an avid comic book reader which brings some similarities with Lex. Once Clark learns the truth about Ryan, Clark helps him take down his evil stepparents for good.
Definitely a great episode! One issue is what I had. Clark destroys a garbage truck. How did the driver did not realize anything was amiss? A rare, missed detail for the producers, but did not affect the overall quality of the episode. The heartwarming story between the two "brothers" is enough to drive the story. And Clark, how hard is it to tell that Chloe is smitten with you?
My Grade: A.
Someone else finds out Clark's secret...
kidburla29 January 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is a great episode. A boy called Ryan has the ability to read people's thoughts (but only what they're thinking about right at that moment). He lives with his evil stepfather after his mother's death, who is using him to run a crime business. One day he is running away from his father and Martha crashes into him. So he goes to live with the Kents and finds out Clark's secret. The stepfather comes back and kidnaps Ryan, but he doesn't co-operate with him, so the stepfather tries to kill him, and Clark must save Ryan.
Also in this episode, we find out that Lana probably has feelings for Clark, because Ryan asks Clark if he wants to know how Lana feels about him, but he says he'd rather find out for himself. And Lionel tries to get Lex to move back to Metropolis when he realises his son is doing better than he expected.
Also in this episode, we find out that Lana probably has feelings for Clark, because Ryan asks Clark if he wants to know how Lana feels about him, but he says he'd rather find out for himself. And Lionel tries to get Lex to move back to Metropolis when he realises his son is doing better than he expected.
Good but "Strayed" a bit
ZTrainExpress3 September 2010
There's a lot of good material in this episode. The ability this kid has is very cool and it's done well. Also, this is the first time that the "freak" in an episode was a child. That dynamic made it interesting. There are also some intriguing revelations about the different characters.
But this episode was a bit flawed in a few respects. The most glaring flaw is the lack of explanation about how Ryan got his abilities. Up until now, every ability in Smallville was somehow traced to the meteors. However, there is no such explanation here. This alone makes this episode veer into Twilight Zone territory. That's still a great place to be, but give us some logic in this madness. Another flaw was a lack of motivation by the villains in this one. Seems to me that if this kid was helping them out like he was, they'd be a bit nicer. That rage and the violence wasn't explained either. By the end it got very jumbled.
But this episode was a bit flawed in a few respects. The most glaring flaw is the lack of explanation about how Ryan got his abilities. Up until now, every ability in Smallville was somehow traced to the meteors. However, there is no such explanation here. This alone makes this episode veer into Twilight Zone territory. That's still a great place to be, but give us some logic in this madness. Another flaw was a lack of motivation by the villains in this one. Seems to me that if this kid was helping them out like he was, they'd be a bit nicer. That rage and the violence wasn't explained either. By the end it got very jumbled.
Always loved the two episodes with Ryan.
TheMelancholySpirit8 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
They're touching, very heartfelt in a way, in more ways than one actually. Clark would be a very good big brother to Ryan. And Ryan is a good kid, and the lad who portrays him, well, he is a pretty good actor too. As usual with the early, or at least the earlier, episodes, the show is still finding its place, properly anyway. But it was getting there, and I personally, wholeheartedly believe that it found itself by the season one finale. This episode is great. It's a very good relationship-centric episode, and shows how good of a person Clark is, like when he (mild spoiler, won't say what happens) saves Ryan more than once. It's one of the best if not best episodes of the first season. And as usual it was great seeing it unfold because while they're my least favourite episodes, the first few seasons, they still mean a lot to me and they're great. I much prefer seasons 4-6, 8-10. But I'll always love 1-3 and 7 as well. It's good seeing the big brother sort of side to Clark. And it was a great outcome in this episode, and it's just brilliant that they're able to bring in Ryan again in the second season.
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