Smallville: Celebrating 22 Incredible Years of the Iconic Superman Series!

Summary

Fans are celebrating Smallville on the show's 22nd anniversary.

Smallville garnered success for a remarkable span of ten seasons, serving as a precursor for subsequent series within the Arrowverse.

The enduring popularity of Smallville stems from its distinctive interpretation of the Superman mythology.

Smallville, the Superman prequel drama, is being celebrated by DC Universe fans on its 22nd anniversary. It holds the record as the longest-running show centered around the Man of Steel. While the Arrowverse has become a hugely popular superhero franchise for The CW, it was Smallville that paved the way for Greg Berlanti's DC TV Universe. Tom Welling played the role of Clark Kent for a decade, telling the story of Superman's early days. Smallville arrived at a time when the comic book genre was not as prominent on TV and in films as it is now, with an increasing number of upcoming superhero movies and shows.

On October 16, 2001, Smallville premiered on The WB (prior to its merger with UPN to become The CW in 2006). The first episode attracted an impressive 8.35 million viewers, making it one of the network's most-watched pilots ever. Today, on Smallville's 22nd birthday, fans of the DC TV show are celebrating its enormous success and reflecting on its significant impact on the superhero genre.

@JesseRyan_11E referred to one of the renowned quotes from the concluding episode of the Smallville series, "Always hold on to Smallville," emphasizing its significance as "the leading show" prior to the emergence of the Arrowverse.

@SEMScorpio conveyed that when "Smallville premiered on The WB network," it permanently altered the mythological background of the iconic superhero, Superman.

@DiggingForKRPod, a podcast dedicated to Superman fans, expressed that Smallville holds a significant place in their admiration for the iconic superhero. Over the course of a decade, they faithfully watched the show every week.

@Luly_Ryu, despite not having watched Smallville during their childhood, has developed a strong affinity for the series. They find it highly entertaining, filled with enjoyable characters, and commend the exceptional quality of the writing. Few shows manage to maintain consistent quality over a span of ten seasons, and the last two seasons of Smallville are particularly exceptional in this regard.

@3Freel posted a GIF moment of the Smallville finale, featuring Welling performing the iconic Superman shirt-rip. He described it as "the greatest Superman project."

@AJHJR praised Smallville for maintaining the title of "the Longest-running Comic Book Based Superhero TV Show in history," with an impressive total of 218 episodes throughout its duration.

GrayzeTV proclaimed Smallville to not only be the finest live-action Superman television series in history but also deemed it as "the ultimate comic book show ever produced."

In celebration of Smallville's 22nd anniversary, chriwankenobi credited the show for inspiring them to delve into the world of comics, as it marked the pivotal moment when they eagerly read their inaugural comic.

Will A Smallville Sequel Ever Happen?

Smallville, which ran for ten seasons and had a season 11 tie-in comic, leaves fans wondering if the series will ever return in any form. With the growing trend of TV reboots, revivals, and sequels, Smallville would be an ideal candidate for a continuation, especially since several actors have expressed their interest in continuing the characters' stories. In fact, actor Tom Welling made a special appearance alongside Erica Durance as Lois Lane in the Arrowverse's Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, paying homage to Smallville's significant contribution to the franchise.

The prospects of a live-action sequel for Smallville may be challenging due to the new DC Studios regime, which is currently focusing on developing a connected superhero franchise with numerous DC Universe movies and TV shows. However, Tom Welling and his co-star Michael Rosenbaum, who portrayed Lex Luthor, have been collaborating on an animated continuation that takes place after the events of the series finale in 2011. Unfortunately, the status of this project remains uncertain due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.

It would be truly fantastic to witness the return of Smallville, even if it were to come back as a limited-event series. The opportunity to see Welling embodying Superman once again, this time equipped in his full attire for an extended duration, would be immensely satisfying. Additionally, it would be intriguing to explore the narrative thread of Crisis on Infinite Earths, wherein Clark and Lois have now become parents. However, until that becomes a reality, fans can delight in reliving Smallville through streaming on Hulu in the U.S. or by obtaining the Blu-Ray/DVD versions.