Smallville - The End Of An Era (My Retrosepctive)

Text-only Version: Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.



Baki
Hi guys/girls.

This thread is here to discusss Smallville from season 1 to season 8. Like many of you, I started watching Smallville when it first premiered in 2001 and I remember all the hopes and promise that came with it. It was Superman the early years done in modern times! This was the opportunity to finally see a good Superman TV series since The New Adventures Of Superman which I grew up on (It was called Lois and Clark in the U.S.A!)

The first season was amazing and although they had one too many kryptonite bad guys, I was more than content with it. I felt as though they were building up a strong and rich back story for Superman (I always secretly hoped that they were going to use Smallville as a launch platform for a fully fledged Superman TV series).

Season 2 seemed to follow the trend of the kryptonite bad guy, but the developing relationship and foreshadowing between him and Lex was absloultely amazing and kept the quality of the show high! And the revelations regarding his origins not to mention his relationships with his friends (Chloe and Pete) and love interest (Lana) made the show even better!

This level of quality was continued with Season 3, and the finale is where it climaxed! I mean wow, talk about an amazing finale.

This continued with Seaons 4 premier which did justice to the finale before it (Not to mention we finally get to see Clark fly! Something that everyone had been waiting for since Season 1, Episode 1!)

However as Season 4 trudged on, the departure of Pete could be felt. The quality of the show dipped a bit. But there were still quite a few gems (The introduction of Flash being one).

To be honest, after Season 3. Smallville felt different and had taken a new direction. It felt as though that they were trying to stretch the story!

There were quite a few good episodes in those seasons, but it became increasingly frustrating that everyone except Clark could fly. It was if he was being held back because the writers were not ready to make him into Superman but yet they kept throwing iconic Superman villains at him! Not to mention that the Season 7 Veritas plot didn't seem to align with the rest of the series canon. Although Season 7 finale was quite impressive.

They also messed up the return of Pete. An episode with so much expectation but so little deliverance.

With Season 8 I think Smallville has taken a turn for the better, but the absence of his mother, father and Lex can be felt. Although there a very few *filler* episodes now. I feel as though the show is taking a positive step forward.

However if I were to say one thing. It would be that I don't see why the creators keep trying to push Lois and Clark together. Its clear that they are far from the cannon of Superman and Smallville is a show unto itself. So why not let the whole Lana and Clark thing happen (Although admittedly, Lana is a vastly different character than she was from Season 1. She's a less likeable character, unfortunately!)

However I do have to admit that the last episode of Smallville has the whole Lois and Clark thing growing on me.

I just hope they go ahead and make him Superman already.

Although I do admit the show no longer holds the promise and excitement that Season 1 to 3 had. Those truly felt like the wonder years of Superman.

So thats my impression. After 8 years of sticking with Smallville.

A show with great sentimental value for me, personally.

Neo_Version 7
I agree with the presence of (past) major players being felt.

I can't imagine this show being cancelled. I've been watching it since I was in 8th grade. If all goes well, I'm about to graduate college next year. I've grown up with these guys as sappy as that sounds.

Glad we at least have a Season 9.

rogy31
I personally hold it as one of my fav shows, and gave me a more appreciation of the Superman lore. Justice league Unlimited, is a good example, if you like cartoons, and it is a good interpretation of superman.

Baki
To be honest, Smallville used to be the bar that I used to rate other TV shows against. Unfortunately, this isn't the case anymore. Although Season 8 is a big improvement from previous seasons.

MysteryRidah
um best show on tv , i been a fan since season 2. smile

starlock
I was a huge fan untill season 4...so season 3 is my last consistant vewing...though i have seen most of the episodes from a friend who d-loads them...the show got bad...very bad...even as i watch season 8, i roll my eyes all the time....this is the problem i.m.o..they stretched the series...it should have eneded sooner

The Pict
Season 4 was terrible. But I've been watching since I was a kid and will watch it until the end. I still enjoy it as much as ever.

Raoul
i watch it cos of the superman connection (however much they twist it).

once they brought in the lana witch, it really went downhill imo.

hopefully doomsday will perk things up a little...

BruceSkywalker
even seeing the girls sometimes show kin, can't help..

season 9 should be the final season.. in the final show tom welling better have on the supes tights and he'd better fly

Red Superfly
I have become totally alienated by this show. Started off well, peaked, and dropped off, big style.

I have no idea where theyre going, or why. It's an absolute mess. They've lost the two most interesting characters (Lionel and Lex) and they messed around too much with Clark Kent's basic premise. The idea that Clark goes around acting quite Superman-like and not putting on the geeky Clark Kent guise means they've painted themselves into a corner: He now cannot be Superman.

And the no flying rule is stupid beyond belief, as they've had other characters flying around. They also had a rule of having no capes or silly costumes in Smallville, which they immediately broke when they introduced the likes of Flash and Green Arrow, who wear unbelievably camp and stupid outfits that make Supermans comic-book outfit actually seem pretty cool. Green Arrow just looks so, so stupid.

This red-blue-blur nonsense is just, well, nonsense. They've tried to take it some other wierd direction. When the series started and up until Lex went fully evil, it actually had promise of working out really well. Recently they've just totally messed up.

The introduction of Supergirl, Bizarro and Martian Manhunter - three flying characters that made Superman himself look like he was just ditherring about like an idiot. Even Clark himself has flown under possession! What does it take??

Lex was awesome. Michael Rosenbaum IS a young Lex. Besides that, they've stumbled and screwed up every major character and their character development - mainly Superman himself. And I now see no way to redeem it. The problems are entrenched.

The fundamental flaw of Smallville is the dilemma: How can Clark now become Superman? How? It's impossible. We're gonna end up with some stupid backwards version of Superman, like their Green Arrow; some douche in a silly outfit doing some Batman impression.

Mindship
The show didn't interest me at first, but then I'd watch an episode here and there. At first, I was kind of put off by their little changes, but then, once I started to appreciate Smallville's spin...I got very interested in what they were going to do next. The show's had pretty good character development, even if it got a little soap-opraish at times. But the show's also had some very good ideas and plot twists (I still rank as one of their best, the one with the old lady who tells Clark someone he cares about is going to die).

It'll be interesting to see how the series ends. My guess is, it will end just as the Superman era begins (final scene of final episode: there's major trouble in metropolis; Clark's running toward the camera, pulling open his shirt: the last thing we see is the "S" shield).

Red Superfly
To be fair there have been some brilliant episodes.

I personally found the one about the kid who Clark practically adopted as his younger brother, only for him to die of a brain tumour, to be overwhelmingly heart wrenching, mainly because it reminded me of me and my younger brother. No TV show has ever made me sob like a little girl, but that episode certainly did, it was heartbreaking. I couldn't believe how much I actually cared for the characters. I thought that these episodes were when Smallville was at its best - when we got to see the little lessons that Superman had to learn in order to become who he is. For instance the one about the young boy was a masisve insight into Superman's caring and forgiving nature, as well as his lonliness on Earth, and he also learned that he isn't able to stop people from dying, and he needs to accept that. The ones concerning his father and Dur'El were also good at this, as were any scenes involving Lex and his small moments of darkness which got bigger and bigger.

The thing was, for every few minutes where it felt like "OK, Clark is doing some important Superman-training of some sort now", there was 30 minutes of utter chaff padding those moments out, often with a load of "been there done that" Dawsons Creek moments concerning Lana.

Shame really, because it had some truly brilliant episodes.

Mr Parker
Glad we at least have a Season 9.

so it really IS true.the nightmare for me isnt over yet like I thought it would be. mad

wiley123
Hi Friends i am new on this thread and want to Discuss about the show Smallville. I am a hug fan of the show and i have seen all the season.

Season 4 is my favorite season.Whenever i missed any episode of the show i usually Watch smallville Online and till now never missed any season. rolling on floor laughing

steverules_2
I've only just started watching, I'm doing it in order though...but already i love the show so it'll be sad when it ends sad

Text-only Version: Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.