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My thoughts on Smallville....

posted 7 years ago by Irradiata
5 replies | jump to latest

My thoughts on Smallville…

Well, most of my thoughts on Smallville are wrapped up in my thoughts of this board. I spent a lot of time here, from midway through Season 6 to the end. On this board I met a lot of people whom I like, respect and admire. I have said it before and say it again, but I would rather spend time with the people on this board in its heyday than with most people I have met in real life. The intelligence, manners, humour and humanity I witnessed here were inspiring.

But the devil is in the details, so here goes….

I started re-watching Smallville with my daughter this fall, and it is the first time I have watched it from beginning to end in order with no skipped episodes since the first time through. We just watched Season 6 'Labyrinth'. We have also been watching Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow.

Firstly, Smallville has maintained a high level of quality throughout. Yes, there have been some dodgy episodes, but Arrow faltered in season 3, stumbled badly in season 4 and has been disastrous in season 5, while Smallville was really good in season 3, odd in season 4 (but it's still my favourite!), depressing in season 5 and great in season 6. Sure, the pace is glacial (compared with the number of people who found out Barry's secret in The Flash by season 2), but once I accepted that the show had three equal leads - Clark, Lex and Lana - I embraced the whole Clexana drama-rama, and even managed to feel sympathy for Lana. I wish Scorch was still on here, because Clark dumped her so harshly that she was weak and ripe for Lex to ensnare her in his web of twisted love, and thus, it was partially Clark's fault. So there.

John Glover as Lionel Luthor is about the best thing ever. John Glover as Lionel Luthor interacting with Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor is better than the best thing. The banter! The sparks! The gleeful evil between the two warms the cockles of my heart.

And, comparing SV to the other DC shows out there : Supergirl has pulled a 180 since its first season (SV stayed consistent in tone until it found humour in season 4) and has completely altered its characters' characters. Legends of Tomorrow has always been campy, but the actors are all likeable so whatever, and I swear I watched Arrow jump the shark in real time last week when they introduced their umpteenth new character this season and their third Black Canary overall. Thus, comparatively, SV is holding its own.

I look forward to watching the later seasons with a clear, unbiased eye, but I am just sad that I can't post about it here anymore. Perhaps on Facebook?

P.S. Because of my family's history, believe it or not, but 'Ageless' has become the most emotional and poignant episode ever.

P.P.S. Thanks for all the memories.

Give them the respect they deserve.

DCAC! Abayo!

[–] erikjestrada-104-474363 7 years ago

Well Said! I actually dindge watched Smallville, commercial-free on HULU, and felt a new respect for the show. I Never really watched it in its entirety when it was on the air; mainly schedule conflicts and pre-streaming but I have to say, it is truly iconic. This is the first television show on the CW to successfully put the spotlight on a DC Comics character for a 10 year run; non offense to The Birds of Prey. Superman is an American Icon and putting a modern spin the way The CW did was absolutely genius!

[–] DoctorModernMan 7 years ago

I agree that SV had maintained a better balance of consistency in the longrun than Arrow for instance (that show is a mess). I think if you were to compare the two in terms of their flaws and their benefits, Smallville had a handful more of good and interesting characters and arcs to keep viewers interested while having more overall annoying factors (Clana, Clark stalling to be Superman, etc.) whereas Arrow has less interesting characters and arcs that lead to crap (Good Lord... Olicity... Gag...), but more overall "cool" factors to keep it afloat (the action scenes, the crossovers, etc.).

It's an interesting dynamic to be honest, but not surprisingly every time the Arrowverse tries to copy Smallville, they always manage to copy its irritating factors (Again... Olicity... It REEKS of all things that made Clana, Chlollie, etc. suck).

Supergirl.... I don't even know why I bother anymore. Maybe I'm just a glutton for anything related to Superman no matter how awful it is, but that show is GARBAGE.

How does it feel to be deconstructed?

[–] stephen-63895 7 years ago

I think one thing that aggravates me is someone correct me if i'm wrong is in the comics clark was not this worried about what Lana would think and i'm pretty sure he had np dating her in high school and she was not that insecure

[–] Scorpio_Sewer_Moon 7 years ago

I think the three equal leads is the most important reason the name Smallville fits for the show so well, and not because it was a a chronological prequel of sorts, to the cape and tights and yada yada, but because the drama was about the lives people lived inside that town.

I couldn't imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter! 

[–] Wint3rFir3 (6911) 7 years ago

Agreed with everything you said. Your post warmed the cockles of my heart, along with John and Michael's shared performances.