Episode 3.05 - Perry

Written By: Mark Verheiden
Directed by: Jeannot Szwarc
Original Air Date: October 29, 2003

Perry White (guest star Michael McKean, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show), a once- promising journalist whose career was destroyed by Lionel Luthor (John Glover), arrives in Smallville in search of alien stories for a tabloid news show. In spite of being constantly inebriated, Perry believes he has witnessed Clark (Tom Welling) using his extraordinary speed, so he devises a dangerous scheme to expose Clark’s superpowers. Meanwhile, Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) learns that Perry has powerful incriminating evidence of Lionel’s shady past.

“I Love This Bar” by Toby Keith — Played at the beginning of the episode when we’re given our first introduction to Perry White (shown drowning his sorrows).

“Blue” by LeAnn Rimes — Heard playing in the background of the Wild Coyote, when Clark goes to find Perry and confront him with who he really is and how he came to be this, given his brilliant former career.

“Walking in Memphis” by Lonestar — Played at the end of the episode during
Clark and Perry’s final conversation, when we get a reference to how these two will one day meet again, and how Perry White already saw the promise of Clark’s journalistic talent.
 

 

Perry: You pulled the door right off the car with your bare hands? You walked right through the power lines.

Clark: You’re a little drunk, mister…

Perry: White. Perry White.

Lex: What I understand, Doctor, is that LuthorCorp’s insurance carrier
insisted that I submit to five psychiatric therapy sessions. [He sits at his
desk.] So I’ve submitted. And, sadly, our final hour is up. I’ll miss our sessions.

Perry: [to Lana.] Hi. Perry White. I’d like a triple cappuccino and a
couple of those glazed crullers, and… an interview with Smallville’s very own
cover girl.

Perry: Boy, I thought our stuff was off the wall This is incredible.
[about the Wall of Weird]

Chloe: It’s also all true.

Chloe: You’re the Perry White?

Lex: When I was on the island I came to hate the roar of the ocean. Since coming back I find it’s the only thing that relaxes me.

Lex: So you want me to run him out of town?

Lana: I want him to stop.

Lex: He must’ve been very persistent. What was his name?

Lana: Perry White.

Lex: [intense pause] I’ll make sure he never bothers you again.

Lex: It’s all right, Clark. I’ll deal with Mr. White from here.

Perry: [to Clark] I may have underestimated you, kid.

Lex: Clark doesn’t have anything to do with this.

Perry: Look, Lex, if this is your old man’s idea, tell him I got the
message back in Metropolis. I have no intention of revisiting the past.

Lex: This isn’t about my father, White, it’s about you.

Clark: Lex, don’t you think you’re overreacting?

Lex: Considering the way he went after Lana, I thought you’d admire my restraint. [to Perry] Let’s go.

Perry: You know the only thing that’s worse than never landing that story of a lifetime?

Chloe: What?

Perry: Having it and being afraid to write it.

Clark: That’s exactly what’s been happening to me. One second I’m
helpless and the next I’m in overdrive.

Claire: Lex, if you don’t let your demons out, they could consume you.

Clark: I know. One second I’m racing across the country, the next I can barely jog. I tried to make it home. My super speed gave out again around
Colorado Springs. I barely had enough money for a bus ticket.

Perry: Oh. Sorry to hear that. Now, I guess you’ll never find out what I have on your father.

Lex: If it’s personal, I don’t care. If it’s legal, the statute of
limitations must’ve passed long ago.

Perry: [turning back] That depends.

Lex: If this information is so damning, why did my father stop at simply destroying your career?

Perry: Multiple copies, plus multiple attorneys all with, in the event of
my death, instructions to disseminate– well, you do the math. It’s all yours. I
just want one thing in return.

Lex: What did you have in mind?

Perry: Everything you know about Clark Kent.

Lex: Clark.

Perry: I’m betting you’ll save me, Clark.

Clark: [frustrated] No, I can’t save you!

Perry: Well, I guess we’ll find out, huh?

Clark: I bet your parents were happy to see you.

Lana: Suddenly I realized I hadn’t been there for months. At first I felt guilty, you know, like I’d done something wrong. But then I realized that that is the last thing they would’ve ever wanted for me.

Clark: So what did you tell them?

Lana: The truth. That I never meant to ignore them, but… there’s
someone else in my life now, someone I really care about.

Clark: Lana–

Lana: Clark. It’s okay. I also told them that we were in a kind of
strange place right now. But I am still hoping that we can work it out. The
important thing is, they know they will always be in my thoughts.

Perry: [to clark] You really are kind of a freak, you know that?

Clark: Mr. White–

Perry: I’m serious. You try to help people, even fools like me, and you
never ask for anything in return. When I saw your face up there after it was all over, I suddenly realized I was about to tear down a good person. I just
couldn’t believe there was actually anyone like you out there.

************************************************** ****

Quote of the Week:

Perry: Oh, uh, by the way, I, uh, I went over a couple more of your Torch stories.

Clark: And?

Perry: Well, they’re rough, and half the time you buried the lead, but I see a glimmer of hope. If you ever make it to Metropolis, look me up. I owe you one.