Smallville: Uncovering the Intriguing Truths of Rewatching, 12 Years Later

Summary

The Clark and Lana romance storyline was repetitive and went on for too long, overshadowing other character development.

Allison Mack's real world charges make her scenes as Chloe in Smallville distracting.

Smallville lasted for too many seasons, with the show changing significantly after its seventh season.

Rewatching Smallville 12 years after its series finale reveals some harsh realities. Smallville, the Superman prequel series that premiered in 2001 on The WB and later became The CW, followed Clark Kent (played by Tom Welling) as he navigated his life in Smallville while discovering his powers and uncovering his past on Krypton. As a powerful Kryptonian living a dual life, Clark had to come to terms with his identity as both a superhero and a regular teenager.

Although the series initially revolved around Clark's high school experience, Smallville season 10 in 2011 diverged from this premise, presenting a different dynamic. Throughout the show, Clark encountered various characters who would eventually become iconic DC heroes, including Aquaman, The Flash, Green Arrow, and more. Additionally, numerous Superman villains, particularly Lex Luthor portrayed by Michael Rosenbaum, played a crucial role in Clark's transformation into Superman. While Smallville had its strengths, not all elements of the series were successful. Consequently, upon rewatching the show, ten reality checks become apparent.

10 Allison Mack’s Case Makes Chloe’s Scenes Distracting

9 Too Much Time Was Wasted On Clark & Lana’s Romance

In addition to Welling's portrayal of Clark Kent, the sole main cast member to appear throughout Smallville's ten seasons was Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan. From the beginning of the series, Chloe served as Clark's loyal best friend, utilizing the Wall of Weird in the school's newspaper room to document the emergence of metahumans in Smallville. Over the course of the show, Chloe not only discovered Clark's secret but also took on the role of the heroes' indispensable "woman in the chair" in Smallville. Unfortunately, several years after the conclusion of Smallville, Mack's involvement with the NXIVM sex cult resulted in her arrest, which has made Chloe's scenes somewhat distracting.

Lana Lang, played by Kristin Kreuk, initially portrayed the quintessential girl next door whom Clark Kent, played by Welling, longed for. However, as the series progressed, Lana and Clark's relationship became an incessant cycle of getting together and breaking up, ultimately leading to a tediously repetitive character arc. What made matters worse was that Smallville seemed uncertain about how to develop Lana's character, relying mostly on her romantic entanglements with Whitney, Jason, Clark, and Lex to drive the narrative. As Clark and Lois Lane were destined to be together, Smallville unnecessarily dragged out the "will they or won't they" dynamic between Clark and Lana for a staggering eight seasons.

8 Smallville Lasted Far Too Long

Smallville remained consistently entertaining throughout its 10-season run. However, it is undeniable that the series overstayed its welcome and would have benefited from ending after season 7. Season 7 marked a significant year for the show as it not only bid farewell to Rosenbaum's captivating portrayal of Lex Luthor, dealing a major blow to the series, but also saw the departure of its creators, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. From season 8 onwards, Smallville underwent noticeable changes, with a significant decrease in scenes that took place in its namesake town.

7 Clark Kent Was Fighting Many Superman Villains Ahead Of Time

In Smallville's early seasons, Clark faced off against regular people who had gained metahuman abilities from the meteor shower that brought him to Earth as an infant. However, to maintain the audience's interest over its ten-season run, the DC series delved into the comics and introduced a number of Superman's archenemies in Smallville before Clark even became the Man of Steel. Throughout the series, Clark battled and triumphed over iconic villains like Brainiac, Bizarro, Doomsday, and even Darkseid. This presents a dilemma for his future as Superman because it begs the question of which adversary could possibly pose a threat to him.

6 The Meteor Shower Giving People Powers Was Overused

5 Smallville Could Have Used A Bigger Budget

: The meteor shower in Smallville served as an evolving plot device throughout the series, presenting several stages of development. Utilizing the meteor shower as a means for granting ordinary individuals extraordinary abilities was an ingenious and imaginative solution to the predicament of introducing adversaries for Clark Kent during his pre-Superman years. This celestial event allowed for the inclusion of a "villain of the week" concept, which facilitated Clark's exploration and maturation of his Kryptonian powers, while also providing insight into his vulnerabilities. Nevertheless, the meteor shower's repeated explanation as the source of these powers eventually became monotonous, as every hero shared the same origin story.

Smallville's special effects were impressive throughout most of the series, particularly in depicting Clark's heat vision as actual flames instead of typical energy beams seen in other Superman adaptations. Additionally, the show showcased superb super speed effects that would later influence The Flash's visuals. From decent to astonishing, the VFX truly enhanced the viewing experience. However, it is unrealistic to expect movie-level CGI in a television series. Consequently, when the storyline introduced major villains like Zod, Doomsday, and Darkseid, it became apparent that Smallville's budget was insufficient to accurately portray these iconic adversaries and their battles against Clark.

4 The “No Tights, No Flights” Rule Hurt Later Seasons

Smallville's most important rule of "No tights, no flights" ended up being detrimental to the show. The intention behind this rule was to emphasize Clark's journey to becoming Superman and prevent the show from losing its focus. While this rule made sense for the majority of the series, Smallville eventually shifted its setting to Metropolis, where Clark started working alongside other heroes and essentially embodying Superman, except for the absence of his iconic suit and the ability to fly. If Smallville had allowed Clark to fully embrace his role as Superman before the final season, it would have felt more natural and less like the show was intentionally holding him back.

3 Smallville Laid The Path For The Perfect Superman, Only For Man Of Steel To Stray From It

Director Zack Snyder's Man of Steel made its way to the big screen in 2013, only a mere two years after Smallville had concluded. Although Man of Steel did borrow certain elements from Smallville, the film ultimately diverged from the show's interpretation of Clark Kent. In terms of staying true to the comics, Welling's portrayal of Clark aligns more closely with the original source material compared to Cavill's rendition in the movie. Both projects strive to instill a sense of hopefulness, but it is Welling's portrayal that truly captures this essence. Unlike Cavill's Superman, who allows his father to perish in order to protect his secret abilities, Welling's Clark would never make such a choice. Moreover, whereas Man of Steel depicts Superman killing Zod, Welling's Clark banishes the antagonist to the Phantom Zone.

2 There Are Three Different Shows In One

Upon rewatching Smallville, it becomes clear that the series can be categorized into three distinct phases. In seasons 1 through 4, the focus is primarily on Clark's high school adventures, where he regularly confronts a new villain and showcases his close friendship with Lex. The following seasons, 5 to 7, witness Smallville's evolution into a more mature series. During this phase, Clark delves deeper into his Kryptonian heritage, Lex transforming into the destined villain, and the introduction of Oliver Queen. Lastly, seasons 8 to 10 witness significant character departures, the blossoming of Lois and Clark's romance, the shift in setting to Metropolis, and Clark's transformation into Superman without the official title or costume.

1 Tom Welling’s Crisis On Infinite Earths Cameo Undoes Smallville

Clark Kent, portrayed by Tom Welling, made a long-awaited return to the Arrowverse's Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. This crossover event, being heavily influenced by Smallville, which served as the foundation for the Arrowverse, logically featured Welling reprising his role as Clark Kent. However, the consequences of Crisis on Infinite Earths ultimately undermined the culmination of Smallville's narrative. Smallville eloquently chronicled Clark's journey towards embracing his destiny as Superman, culminating in the series finale where he finally dons the iconic Superman suit and gains the ability to fly. Consequently, the revelation in Crisis on Infinite Earths that Welling's portrayal of Clark had relinquished his superpowers effectively nullified the satisfying payoff that Smallville had carefully crafted.