Smallville - General Discussion

[GHScorpiosRule]

3 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

@GHScorpiosRule I never even WATCHED the Kara stuff. I was kind of in and out those seasons due to night classes. 

Can I ask what the point was portraying Jor-El and the Kryptonians as evil conquerors in season 2/3 when the writers were just going to retcon it all away at the end? Goes completely against canon! Krypton was always an advanced civilization, which made its downfall all the more tragic. That was the mythology of Superman, which added poignancy that his S symbol on his chest meant “Hope.” It also kind of ruined the Professor Swan/Christopher Reeve episode: the first time I watched it, I was so sure that the Big Dumbass Alien misinterpreted the “god among men” bit of the message. I was screaming “THATS NOT WHEN THEY MEANT, YOU MORON!” but apparently I was wrong. Stupid writers.

No clue. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Somebody KILL ME NOW.

I loathe and hate the last two seasons so so much. Especially 9 because the asshats destroyed 10 years of friendship between Clark and Chloe just so they could have their Not!Lois and Clark show. Where the only person important to the BDA was Lois. And only SHE knows him? 🤬🤬🤬🤬Conveniently forgetting that they had written-if not for Lana swallowing all that kryptonite and turning into one big Kryptonite bomb, Clark chose to be with her, and Lois was sloppy seconds.

Plus the FACT that Clark knew more about being a journalist than this, barely graduate of high school, one week college drop out, tabloid writer who only became a “journalist” by sleeping with her editor. That Clark, yeah, also a one and half semester college dropout, would need or FRAME, the idiot who had so many typos, “Rules of Journalism” hidden in his desk.

These same “writers” had been with the show since seasons one and two, so there’s no excuse. Or that they forgot Tom played a young Jor-El, yet when his replicant shows up in season 9, he’s an English speaking BLONDE Julian Sands.

I also HATE how this show subverted and distorted original characters for…reasons. Like Metallo is any kind of hero. Or Zattana-putting spells on Clark because without them, he wasn’t fucking interested. She had feelings for Bruce, anyway. 

And pretty much bringing in villains that SUPERMAN would fight and defeat. Not idiot, whiny, depressive Clark Kent. And FAILING MISERABLY.

I’m taking a break. And even after, I’m only going to watch the alternate universe where I see Jonathan again and the finale with Rosenbaum. Even though that whole dialogue by AI Jor-El was a bunch of BULLSHIT that enabled Clark to finally fly.

And even MORE bullshit that he was Supes for only 7 years before giving it up, after EVERYTHING he was put through on this show?

[Spartan Girl]

3 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I’m taking a break. And even after, I’m only going to watch the alternate universe where I see Jonathan again and the finale with Rosenbaum. Even though that whole dialogue by AI Jor-El was a bunch of BULLSHIT that enabled Clark to finally fly.

Honestly, the finale only works if it’s literally the only episode of the show you ever watch.

3 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

And even MORE bullshit that he was Supes for only 7 years before giving it up, after EVERYTHING he was put through on this show?

Ah yes, the Smallville BDA equivalent of Steve Rogers giving up everything and abandoning his undusted friends to live in the 40s with Peggy.

Edited May 31, 2022 by Spartan Girl

[GHScorpiosRule]

11 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Ah yes, the Smallville BDA equivalent of Steve Rogers giving up everything and abandoning his undusted friends to live in the 40s with Peggy.

Not really. He just gave up his powers, but Lois knew about it. He didn't travel back in time to be with Lois, and leave everyone. Yes, he's no longer part of whatever league they formed, if they ever did.

What irks is that it was the writer from this show that wrote where this show's Clark and Lois are; and that Lois thinks Clark is joking when he was telling her about what was happening, as if she didn't live through what happened on their show, including "Absolute Justice" to name one.

But that's it for me. Don't think I'll be doing a rewatch anytime soon again. Maybe the first season, but that's it.

It was horrible how one note they turned Lex into by the time Rosenbaum left.

[Spartan Girl]

1 hour ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Not really. He just gave up his powers, but Lois knew about it. He didn't travel back in time to be with Lois, and leave everyone. Yes, he's no longer part of whatever league they formed, if they ever did.

True but both endings were lame as hell. And there was no way in hell Supes would give up his powers while LEX LUTHOR was President.

Yeah, for all its good moments, Smallville is a show that makes me more bitter than nostalgic.

Edited May 31, 2022 by Spartan Girl

[Hiyo]

[GHScorpiosRule]

As problematic, or rather, not as good in the last few seasons, as this show was, it was the show that allowed other DC properties to make it to the small screen.

And now I’m 😆😆😆😆 because for all the snark this show gets, it’s still managed to run for 10 seasons, while the others didn’t. Flash comes the closest, but I’ve read how Season nine will be its last.

[Featherhat]

I personally snark because I love these days, I don't both flat out hate watching. Smallville deserves a lot of credit for both what it achieved personally and for what came after it. The Arrowverse does owe it a lot. Arrow premiered only 15 months after this ended and I remember the outrage that JH wasn't getting a spin off but "Green Batman" was. 

I kind of put it in the same category as SG1 which was the longest running North American Sci fi series before SV overtook it. They both ran for 10 seasons, were episodic with long running arcs and were considered somewhat cheesy/goofy even for Sci fi, especially in their later years when grimdark, gritty, serialised was at it's zenith. 

This show survived Dawn Ostroff's attempt to defacto cancel it by moving it to Fridays because they didn't realise it (and Supernatural's) audience would follow it because the CW only focused on women 18-34 at that point. It was pretty impressive. 

Although I will say so many shows including SV would have ended on a higher note if they'd ended 2 seasons + earlier. 

[Camera One]

I really liked "Smallville" at the beginning, but eventually, it just got too repetitively frustrating.  After Jonathan died, and Pete was written off, and Clark graduated from high school, the show sort of lost me.  I managed to stick around until the end of Season 6, and I've been meaning to finish the show but the start of Season 7 was just really boring and I never get beyond a few episodes.

After clicking that Annette O'Toole link posted above, I listened to a few of the podcasts on Youtube that Michael Rosenbaum (Lex) is doing with Tom Welling (Clark).  I didn't know they were doing an episode-by-episode rewatch of Season 1, and I'm finding it quite interesting to listen to with some neat behind-the-scenes details, and also their discussion of each episode.  I was surprised both actors seem to discuss the show in a positive way, since I would have thought they were tired of it by the end of its long run.  Hopefully, they continue with these podcasts.  It makes me want to rewatch Season 1 again.

[Hiyo]

I wasn’t too sad when Pete was written off, to be honest. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

7 hours ago, Hiyo said:

I wasn’t too sad when Pete was written off, to be honest. 

Neither was I. AlMiles SUCKED at his character and how they wrote for him.

[Camera One]

I agree they did a bad job writing for him, but for me, that type of character was an important way the early series stayed grounded in reality despite it being sci-fi.  

[blueray]

9 hours ago, Camera One said:

I agree they did a bad job writing for him, but for me, that type of character was an important way the early series stayed grounded in reality despite it being sci-fi.  

I agree. I liked Pete and at the time was disappointed that he was written off. I find myself preferring the earlier seasons way more. I honestly have never seen season 10 and stopped watching somewhere in season 9... 

The show as good until season 6. Season 7 definitely took a turn. 

[moonshine71]

On 8/30/2022 at 12:53 AM, Camera One said:

I really liked "Smallville" at the beginning, but eventually, it just got too repetitively frustrating.  After Jonathan died, and Pete was written off, and Clark graduated from high school, the show sort of lost me.  I managed to stick around until the end of Season 6, and I've been meaning to finish the show but the start of Season 7 was just really boring and I never get beyond a few episodes.

After clicking that Annette O'Toole link posted above, I listened to a few of the podcasts on Youtube that Michael Rosenbaum (Lex) is doing with Tom Welling (Clark).  I didn't know they were doing an episode-by-episode rewatch of Season 1, and I'm finding it quite interesting to listen to with some neat behind-the-scenes details, and also their discussion of each episode.  I was surprised both actors seem to discuss the show in a positive way, since I would have thought they were tired of it by the end of its long run.  Hopefully, they continue with these podcasts.  It makes me want to rewatch Season 1 again.

They're planning on doing all 10 seasons. They have both really embraced the show and the fandom in recent years, they just needed some distance to move on and do some other things w/ their life for a while. They're hitting the convention circuit pretty hard now, which is especially surprising for Tom, plus the animated project they are pitching and this podcast, they are really all in on embracing Smallville and it's legacy. Obviously, the financial aspect of all that is a big motivation, but they seem to really view the show and their work on it in a positive manner.

[DisneyBoy]

On 8/9/2020 at 10:38 AM, Commando Cody said:

Season 8 was horrible.  The series should have ended before this mess.  

The ending of season 8 was horrible. A lot of the season was terrific (Tess, Davis, Chloe as a lead, Clark finally as a reporter, Brainiac in Chloe vs the Legion).

But there was idiotic stuff too (stand-in Lex, Super Lana, Stiletto, Not Jimmy, Suddenly-Credible Lois).

Ratings went up in season 8. I agree they could have ended the show that year though.

On 5/16/2022 at 7:19 PM, GHScorpiosRule said:

And Bo Kent is just soooo hawt.

And a moron too, which is disappointing.

On 12/22/2021 at 12:22 AM, moonshine71 said:

Could these two be trying to generate some interest in a live action Smallville revival project?

Absolutely. Tom isn't getting cast in much now that he's older. MR has also aged significantly and gone the podcast route for a reason.

Honestly, I don't expect any Smallville revamps, reboots or reunions - animated or otherwise - to happen. The show's continuity just became too silly in the end. There's nowhere good to pick up from (especially with that "Crisis" epilogue). And the cast is now too old. Tom doesn't look like Superman anymore. The ship has sailed.

I have zero idea how an animated series would work. Retell the first season? Why?

Keep in mind, there were official Smallville "Season 11" comics out for a while. And they got even nuttier than the show (Tess became a computer program, FFS).

Smallville had a great cast, but little structural integrity. It was like 3 different shows over the course of 10 years. Very frustrating. A lot of squandered potential.

[blueray]

13 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Smallville had a great cast, but little structural integrity. It was like 3 different shows over the course of 10 years. Very frustrating. A lot of squandered potential.

I feel this way too. I like the earlier seasons a lot but once it gets to somewhere in season 6 it loses something.

Edit: apparently I agree with myself from 1 years ago lol.

So new comment: I don't see a continuation happening as the cast is getting to old. The best we'll probably was that random cross over with the current shows (which I honestly haven't seen). But I guess Tom and Erika reprise their roles. So good enough.

Edited May 3, 2023 by blueray

[Tenshinhan]

They could definitely do a reunion series with limited episodes or a movie.  Their age isn't too big a factor.  It's just a matter of finding the right story, but it could be done.  They could also go the animation route as well.

[moonshine71]

On 5/12/2023 at 9:11 PM, Tenshinhan said:

They could definitely do a reunion series with limited episodes or a movie.  Their age isn't too big a factor.  It's just a matter of finding the right story, but it could be done.  They could also go the animation route as well.

Welling and Rosenbaum have been shopping an animated continuation for a while, with the support of Miller and Gough and a lot of original cast members.

[Fool to cry]

I only watched a few early episodes when it started airing  and just started bingewatching and am now midway through season 3. After so many heavy prestige shows and complicated Arrowverse shows Smallville is such a fast watch. You breeze through episodes so quickly.

There were so many actors before they were famous as "freak of the week". If Smallville High had an assembly where they ask "Who here has powers?" half the student body would have their hand up!

On 5/16/2023 at 6:47 AM, moonshine71 said:

Welling and Rosenbaum have been shopping an animated continuation for a while, with the support of Miller and Gough and a lot of original cast members.

I hope they have insanely long epilogue/codas to each episode too!

[GHScorpiosRule]

27 minutes ago, Fool to cry said:

Arrowverse shows Smallville is such a fast watch. You breeze through episodes so quickly.

I’ve always said that Smallville  paved the way for Berlanti’s Arrowverse.

While I hated what they did toward the last few seasons, and especially the series finale, I loved this show.

[Fool to cry]

4 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I’ve always said that Smallville  paved the way for Berlanti’s Arrowverse.

While I hated what they did toward the last few seasons, and especially the series finale, I loved this show.

I think the original showrunners not being comic book fans or Superman experts allowed for a fresh take or an adherence to established lore.

[Fool to cry]

Me watching "Memoria" early on: This Lilian Luthor is a lot better mom than the one on Supergirl!

Later: I spoke too soon.

[Fool to cry]

Nine episodes into season 4 and Cobie Smulders! Man, everyone has been on this show! 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Fool to cry

[Spartan Girl]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but Jimmy deserved better. Not just because he was fridged and then swapped out for his little brother—an ass-pull plot twist if I ever saw one—but the whole Davis mess put him through the wringer. I hated that he was made out to be a jerkass for rightfully dumping Chloe when she wouldn’t believe him about Davis after he basically gaslit him…and how she still took his side and hid him from Clark and Oliver after she found out the truth, and STILL went off with him after he almost killed Oliver and Jimmy again. I’m honestly surprised Jimmy wanted her back after all that.

I hate that Chloe tried to guilt trip Clark to using that stupid time travel ring to save Jimmy when he was absolutely right not to do so. The last time he tried to change the past, we lost Jonathan and got stuck with Lana for more miserable seasons. And Chloe, the only reason Clark didn’t kill Davis when he had the chance was because you begged him not to. BDA he may be, but every once in a while he used his brain, so maybe listen to him when he’s trying to warn you about messing with time.

[blueray]

Long story short, I decided a month or so ago to finish Smallville. As I had stopped somewhere in season 9, didn't know where (apparently it was Echo). For no reason other then life happening. But I saw it was on Hulu. I thought I'd post my thoughts on this thread, as it deals with all seasons. Hopefully that's okay

Season 1-4: I didn't rewatch these this time, as I've seen them so many times. But these are good seasons, because they are so grounded. It is about the characters doing normal things while dealing with the freaks-of the week. Which the later seasons kind of lack.

season 5 & 6: I started with these as they are my favorite. I love the Clark & Chloe friendship (still do). And this is where it really gets it's start. Chloe shows to be a good friend after she finds out. These two seasons have the perfect balance between the "grounded" first few seasons and the serial story of the later seasons.

Season 7: Or I should say the forgot season. I did watch this one when it aired, but all I remembered was Kara being there and the infamous Pete episode. Now that I've binged past it, I still can't remember most of it. I think Kara was underused which is a shame because she was a good character and this remains true in her appearances after.

Season 8: This is probably the worst season in my opinion. The doomsday stuff goes on to long. They waste Jimmy, like it's awesome that he is the only character to figure the secret on his own (without seeing Clark do anything) only to kill him off right afterwards. The Lana stuff is so old at this point, and I wish they didn't rehash it. And the whole thing with Lex isn't explained well,unless I just missed something. I get that Michael didn't come back, but I feel like they didn't really explain how Lex ended up so disabled.

Season 9: I loved this season a lot. Collum Blue (Zod) was clearly having fun with the role, and it worked. I bought that he was charismatic and why people would follow him. Lois & Clark starting date was great, as was Oliver & Chloe. My really only complaint was a this point Lois not knowing was ridiculous. Every other character knew at this point, and it was insulting her intelligent. Yes I know she learns at the end of the season but that was so late.

Season 10: This was a good season as well. Though the Lois knowing (but Clark not knowing she knows) went on way to long. But once that was resolved the season got better. I have to admit (not bring real life crap in), but Chloe's absence was felt. Once she came back for the 4 or so episode arc the show just seemed so much better. I love the team dynamic and wish we saw more of it. The finale, which I literately just watched was rushed. I also feel like we didn't get present day closer. Like why would Clark & Lois not immediately get married. What happened with the farm. Martha guilt Clark (well me) into saying he shouldn't sell it, but this wasn't resolved.The use of Lex, honestly was also a negative for me. At this point it made no sense to bring him back. And despite his good scene with Clark, there was no purpose to him as the threat had nothing to do with him, and his return honestly didn't make sense. He's a part of all the clones I guess?

Overall thoughts:

Tess: great addition. I like how the twist of her going from grey character to good guy happened over the course of the last few seasons. And I'm glad one Luther turned out not to be evil. Just wish she got a better ending.

Oliver: I didn't remember my opinion of him the first time I watched. But he grew on me a lot. I wish we got to see him with his son and wife (Chloe). But at least we got the arrows to show they are still together.

Over use of timetravel/comic book things: Like I said the earlier seasons are so grounded. The later seasons has to much future people. I know it's supposed to be surprising but "Clark becomes superman!". I seriously didn't need this shoved in my face so much. And I found most of the future people annoying. The worst being the ones with the rings.

Suit: This I know was a thing that annoyed a lot of people. I'm not one of them. I didn't care if Tom put on the suit, we get that he grew up and will ware it. We got to see him finally fly, and he has that cute exchange with Lois on the plane. Also, lets be honest Clark had been superman since season 8 or so just without the name.

Overall, I'm glad I finished the show after all these years. I still think the characters are what make this show. And I think they are why I will be rewatching this. Anyhow sorry this is so long but 10 season show there was a lot.

[Tenshinhan]

On 11/10/2024 at 4:46 PM, blueray said:

Season 7: Or I should say the forgot season. I did watch this one when it aired, but all I remembered was Kara being there and the infamous Pete episode. Now that I've binged past it, I still can't remember most of it. I think Kara was underused which is a shame because she was a good character and this remains true in her appearances after.

They really dropped the ball with Kara, but I guess with Al & Miles leaving the show at the end of the season along with Kristin and Michael that Kara got lost in the shuffle.

On 11/10/2024 at 4:46 PM, blueray said:

I get that Michael didn't come back, but I feel like they didn't really explain how Lex ended up so disabled.

Lex suffered those injuries from the fortress collapsing in the S7 finale.

On 11/10/2024 at 4:46 PM, blueray said:

The use of Lex, honestly was also a negative for me. At this point it made no sense to bring him back. And despite his good scene with Clark, there was no purpose to him as the threat had nothing to do with him, and his return honestly didn't make sense. He's a part of all the clones I guess?

Michael only agreed to come back at the very last minute, so the writers probably could only do but so much with the character.  I think that it makes total sense to bring him back since he is Superman's iconic arch-nemesis and was such a big part of the show itself.  It doesn't really matter whether he was a threat or not.  As for the character's revival, Lex survived the explosion in S8 and was recovering in secret underneath the Luthor mansion.  He was using the clone parts to heal himself.

On 11/10/2024 at 4:46 PM, blueray said:

Over use of timetravel/comic book things: Like I said the earlier seasons are so grounded. The later seasons has to much future people. I know it's supposed to be surprising but "Clark becomes superman!". I seriously didn't need this shoved in my face so much. And I found most of the future people annoying. The worst being the ones with the rings.

I agree about the overuse of the comic book stuff in later seasons, however the Legion of Super-Heroes (future people) was a big part of the Superboy comics so I'm glad they included it at least.