Question: In this episode, Lionel falls to his death. While still on the steps, covered with a tarp, the cop tells Lex that she needs a positive identification, so Lex must look at the dead body to confirm it's Lionel. Lionel was a well known public figure, and they obviously knew who he was well enough to get Lex to identify him. I've seen cops do this in other shows, so is it really a policy or practice to get family members to give a positive identification? Would they ever ask for it at the scene?
Smallville (2001)
1 question in season 7
Other mistake: Lois digs up Chloe's grave site to unearth her casket. It is obvious that the casket is not buried six feet deep. You would think, with all that is going on, that LuthorCorp would have at least buried the casket deeper to deter inquisitive eyes and maybe throw in a few scattered bones for good measure.
Jonathan Kent: Are you okay?
Clark Kent: Can I answer that in about five years?
Jonathan Kent: Yeah.
Clark Kent: Dad I'm glad you and mom are the ones that found me.
Jonathan Kent: We didn't find you, Clark, you found us.
Trivia: Jerry Siegel, the co-creator of the Clark Kent/Superman character worked on a school magazine when he was at Glenville High School, Cleveland. The magazine was called The Torch - the same name of Smallville High's school magazine, edited by Chloe Sullivan and with Clark Kent as an on/off contributor.
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Answer: This is a common TV/movie trope that sets up a dramatic "reveal." It mostly streamlines the plot and eliminates the need to film an entirely separate scene. In real life, identity is handled at the morgue. A photograph of the corpse would be shown to family, a close friend, or other associate. This is done in a visitor's room and not in the lab. The family can supply photos that the coroner could compare with the body. A person's identity can be verified by other physical traits-birthmarks, scars, medical conditions, etc. In extreme cases, DNA testing would be used.
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