Smallville: The Series - worth it?

**ElGuapo** · 10-02-2009, 11:53 AM

So I watch maybe, a few episodes of the first and maybe second season, and wasn't that impressed. Teenage drama angst.

However, in searching for "Green Arrow" on GIS I've noticed that it looks like Clark eventually moves to the city, meets Lois Lane, and Green Arrow, Aquaman, and Black Canary are all in it. There was even some preview for season err ... 7? maybe on the Superman/Batman movie that just came out showing Doomsday.

So are the later seasons worth it? Does it get good later? Which seasons/episodes/discs are worth renting, if there are good stories?

Or does it all suck?

**Bahimiron** · 10-02-2009, 11:56 AM

In my experience it went to crap after the second season and every time I've sat through an episode over the past couple of years, it's been abysmal. In one case, Clark wasn't even in the episode but for three minutes at the end.

**BobJustBob** · 10-02-2009, 12:02 PM

It pretty much all sucks.

**stusser** · 10-02-2009, 12:48 PM

Terrible show. Hot chicks, though. But you're better off watching gossip girl for that. I do!

**Nawid A** · 10-02-2009, 12:55 PM

It's essentially the opposite of what Superman is supposed to be (angsty).

**Adree** · 10-02-2009, 01:50 PM

Youtube the scene where Lex sees a vision of his future. There you go, you've seen the only good part of that show.

**stusser** · 10-02-2009, 01:54 PM

Yeah, shortly thereafter the actor quit the show, so they had a whole season with him as the bad guy but never actually showed him, then about 3/4 of the way through they covered him in a cyborg shell to hide the fact that they didn't have the actor and and blew up his van, killing him. Unless he decides to come back, in which case he will be ressurrected. Terrible, terrible show. And I watch Gossip Girl.

Don't judge me!

**Nawid A** · 10-02-2009, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by stusser

Yeah, shortly thereafter the actor quit the show, so they had a whole season with him as the bad guy but never actually showed him, then about 3/4 of the way through they covered him in a cyborg shell to hide the fact that they didn't have the actor and and blew up his van, killing him. Unless he decides to come back, in which case he will be ressurrected. Terrible, terrible show. And I watch Gossip Girl.

Don't judge me!

That sounds awful.

**SteveS** · 10-02-2009, 02:06 PM

Agree with the other comments. Terrible show. Good looking women.

I imagine superman as strong, mature and confident. And his family and friends equally strong and confident. Instead they are all an angsty mess. And over the years there is no growth. It's always the same "you might get hurt", "someone might find out", "blah blah blah". You could pick any episode and have a hard time guessing the season since the dialog is essentially unchanged.

**Warning** · 10-02-2009, 02:34 PM

I made it through two seasons somehow and gave up a couple of episodes into the 3rd. They were all samey and not in a good way.

**stusser** · 10-02-2009, 03:00 PM

Yes, clark's friends, families, and acquaintances all get knocked on the head when he comes to save the day, and are either knocked out, get amnesia, or go back in time so they don't know he's superman. You'd think at this point half the population of metropolis would be brain damaged and talking like muhammed ali. It's not entertaining-bad, it's bad-bad.

But, hot chicks.

**corsair** · 10-02-2009, 03:10 PM

The show kind of has two period. The first is the more logical one: Clark in high school, still not sure of himself, who he is, where he is going, and fighting a destiny he didn't want (as noted, teen angst). Make it through four years of that and they have enough for syndication. On the flip side was a young Lex Luthor, equally fighting his fate of going down a dark road, trying to find the light. Not exactly by the book, but it wasn't too bad (helped to watch it with my son, who was about four years younger than the characters were supposed to be). Some good supporting actors in Michael Rosenbaum, Allison Mack, and John Glover, balanced by some annoying ones in Kristen Kreuk and Sam Jones III.

After high school, it seems they wanted to skip over college and put them into more adult situations. The whole Clark-Lana relationship got more and more contrived and overblown, until the actress finally did the fans a favor and quit. The logical end to the series was Lex completing his journey to the dark side (which he did, and the actor recognized, and wanted to move on because of that), while Clark completed his jounery to becoming the guy in a cape (which hasn't happened). Basically because the CW doesn't have a whole lot going for it and they seem to be able to at least make money off this series. Basically, it's burned out its main thematic elements and all but two of the original cast, though, Lois (Erica Durance) was an upgrade over Lana. But it is more of a superhero comic book now than originally.

**Jakub** · 10-02-2009, 03:24 PM

So Lex and Lana left? Nice.

**seventimessix** · 10-02-2009, 03:36 PM

So with this being trash pretty much from the start and Heroes tanking after season 1, does anyone know if there's been a superhero show of this format (hour long drama) that has been worth watching? I'm assuming the answer is no, since if there was it probably would have been so awesome it would be impossible not to know about it, but maybe there's one out there.

**stusser** · 10-02-2009, 03:41 PM

I thought Blade: The Series from a couple of years back was pretty good. Canceled after one season.

**Kevin Grey** · 10-02-2009, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by seventimessix

So with this being trash pretty much from the start and Heroes tanking after season 1, does anyone know if there's been a superhero show of this format (hour long drama) that has been worth watching? I'm assuming the answer is no, since if there was it probably would have been so awesome it would be impossible not to know about it, but maybe there's one out there.

The 4400 was kind of a superhero show but USA canceled it prematurely. I didn't see the later seasons but I quite liked the first two seasons.

**BennyProfane** · 10-02-2009, 04:04 PM

4400 was pretty solid throughout imo, mainly because the writers/producers "boggle" actually insisted on sticking to the story, and didn't let it devolve into a soap opera.

Which is, of course, why it was also ended prematurely.

**Robert Sharp** · 10-02-2009, 05:59 PM

I like the first few seasons of Smallville, and even somewhat enjoyed the others. But you shouldn't be watching it as a superhero show, per se. It's more like Dawson's Creek (which I also enjoyed, so keep that in mind). I would never use my tastes in TV to recommend shows to other people though. I like some bad shit. Oh, and I don't find the chicks on Smallville hot, so there you go. Except Allison Mack, who is more cute than hot.

**Jafisob** · 10-02-2009, 07:55 PM

I found the first couple of seasons entertaining. The angst, especially in later seasons, does get rather heavy.

Lana is hawt. Lois Lane, not so much.

**bloo** · 10-02-2009, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by Jafisob

Lana is hawt. Lois Lane, not so much.

I beg to differ. Erica Durance is much hotter.

**kerzain** · 10-03-2009, 02:43 AM

Chloee is actually the hottest of the three (great smile), but whatever.

The best parts of the series are all the season premier, midpoint and finale episodes. The villain-of-the-week episodes don't stand as well on their own. It's sort of the opposite of X-Files, where all the monster-of-the-week episodes were great, but the overall story arch just kept dragging on and on until it simply became an overly complex and confusing mess.

The highlight of the series for me was the growth and transformation of Lex Luthor. Yea, the show is mainly about Clark and all, but watching him learn to shoot lasers out of his eyes when a particularly sexy teacher gives him an erection was an awkward moment.

You have to shovel through a lot of garbage to see any real gems, but they are there if you care enough to do the sifting. The worst plot-lines over all, for the seasons I've seen, pretty much all involve Lana (Witchcraft/Magic, Ghosts, love affairs etc)

**Nawid A** · 10-03-2009, 02:54 AM

Originally Posted by kerzain

Yea, the show is mainly about Clark and all, but watching him learn to shoot lasers out of his eyes when a particularly sexy teacher gives him an erection was an awkward moment.

I'm sorry but I'm going to need to see a clip of that.

**FoRmaT** · 10-03-2009, 03:06 AM

Of the erection or the laser?

**Nawid A** · 10-03-2009, 03:15 AM

Originally Posted by FoRmaT

Of the erection or the laser?

Both.

**Brad Grenz** · 10-03-2009, 04:35 AM

The highlight of the series for me was the growth and transformation of Lex Luthor.

Totally. I mean, some of the kryptonite monster of the week episodes were shameless, shameless ripoffs of Buffy episode, down to using the same musical cues at times. Really embarrassing stuff. But Michael Rosenbaum and John Glover as the Luthers were just sublime. They were the only good reason to watch the show and at times they elevated it to epic heights.

**Warning** · 10-03-2009, 05:27 AM

Originally Posted by kerzain

Chloee is actually the hottest of the three (great smile)

With lots of gums showing. That's always weird.

**StGabe** · 10-03-2009, 12:56 PM

Smallville is fun and light. I enjoyed the first 5 or 6 seasons. The last two seasons have really gone off the rails and I stopped watching but it was a solid show for a while, given the natural limitations of what it was trying to do. What it offers is some silly teenage drama in a fairly well done comic book setting. You have to deal with the fact that a major character will get shot in the stomach one episode and then be completely healed the next episode or that Lana is cast in the role of damsel in distress pretty much every single episode but it sort of works if you just buy into that sort of episodic content.

The character development is itneresting and the dialogue is usually pretty good. It helps a lot to start at the beginning because you'll be more invested in the characters. The Green Arrow stuff later on is definitely fun but I don't think it'd that be interesting if you just skipped ahead to it.

Yes, the girls help the show. Chloe is a great addition and really cute. Lois is funny but I could do without the fake boobs. Lana is a bit overrated but hey, whatever.

**FoRmaT** · 10-03-2009, 03:08 PM

Also, every time I hear the damn theme song, I have to sing "somebody saaaaaaaave meeeeeeeeee" for the whole day. Stupid ear worm!

**stusser** · 10-03-2009, 04:29 PM

Try singing the theme to airwolf instead.

Gotcha!

**malkav11** · 10-03-2009, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by Brad Grenz

Totally. I mean, some of the kryptonite monster of the week episodes were shameless, shameless ripoffs of Buffy episode, down to using the same musical cues at times. Really embarrassing stuff. But Michael Rosenbaum and John Glover as the Luthers were just sublime. They were the only good reason to watch the show and at times they elevated it to epic heights.

If they had made a whole show about that version of Luthor, I'd watch it. Unfortunately, it's not.

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