So here’s the thing. I reviewed Smallville solely because readers wanted me to do it, not because I wanted to do it. I liked the show and I probably would have watched the entire run, but I didn’t love it. And because I didn’t love Smallville, I got very tired of writing about it and some of my reviews are riddled with snark. I’m really sorry, I just couldn’t help it.
But there was a lot of great stuff to love in Smallville. I was very fond of Lex and Lionel Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum, John Glover), as well as Allison Mack’s character Chloe, long before Mack's poor life choices made her a headline. I outright loved Erica Durance as Lois Lane, too. And yes, I was fond of Tom Welling as Clark.
And there were several truly outstanding episodes (my personal favorite was the one where Clark and Lionel switched bodies), and guest appearances by a lot of famous actors, most notably Christopher Reeve as a continuing character. In ten seasons, practically everyone guest starred on the show.
The producers and writers did their best, but ten seasons were too many for me. By the time the series ended, reviewing it was an albatross around my neck. If I could do it all again, I would probably not review Smallville at all. But then, it’s brought so many readers to Doux Reviews... I’m torn.
Although it did teach me not to take on a show I don’t absolutely love. Because you never know. It could run for ten freaking seasons.
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.
I found Smallville here and loved it. As usual, having Billie's reviews to read after every show just enhanced the entire experience.
ReplyDeleteI was and am a big Smallville fan. It did run on a little too long, but the Lois/Clark relationship was so much fun to watch that it kept me going. Still one of my favorite TV romances.
ChrisB, I wish you'd joined us early enough to have reviewed it. I'm sure you would have done a better job than I did. :)
DeleteNot sure about that, Billie! My dislike of Jonathan started early and grew so strong that I am sure my reviews would have ended up out snarking yours. :-)
Deletethe americana small-town life is what i really liked about the show so s1-4 is what i tend to rewatch... as a complete season i mean, i still have a long list of episodes for the metropolis stuff. also i watch a considerable chunk of s5 because i rather liked the semi-isolated feel of clark in college... the stuff with milton fine, before they dropped all that
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I totally understand. Some of the earlier episodes, when we were still getting to know Clark and the gang, were the best.
DeleteSmallville is still one of my favorite shows of all time. It's not my number 1 or even 2, but it is definitely in my top 10. I loved everything about Smallville, and I have rewatched the entire show several times since it ended, but I tend to do that a lot. Right now, I am rewatching Supernatural in its entirety, and that's 15 seasons!
ReplyDeleteJBA, do you think it ran a little too long, though? Or were you cool with ten seasons?
DeleteI've never seen an episode of this show, but one of my favorite people in the whole world reviewed 217 of them. She's amazing!
ReplyDeleteThat is so sweet. You're one of my favorite people in the world, too. :)
DeleteI enjoyed Smallville for a while, but got fed up with it and quit partway through Season 8.
ReplyDeleteI really should check this show out someday. I always wanted to, but it's just so damn long! This is exactly the type of show I would have loved back when I was a teen, but for some reason, it flew completely under the radar for me when it was airing.
ReplyDeleteSo, about Smallville:
ReplyDelete- In Brazil, it premiered against the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Smallville aired on Warner Channel and Buffy aired on Fox (we never got Buffy and Angel separately here). To this day, I wonder which show had the biggest audience (I think Smallville did, because of the Superman hype).
- During its fifth season, Buffy was the most watched series on Brazilian cable television. When Fox combined the promos for Buffy and Angel, they would finish them up saying "an exciting episode of Buffy, followed by Angel." Then, there was a promo that said "Buffy, always exciting, followed by Angel." Good days.
But, Lamounier, this post is about Smallville.
Sorry, I'll get back to it.
- So, During its fifth season, Buffy was the most watched series on Brazilian cable television. During its sixth season, with Smallville airing against it, it dropped to Fox's 4th most watched series (24 became the 1st, if I recall correctly). Smallville was tough competition for out little slayer.
- I used to hate-watch Smallville. I never really liked Superman as a character, and I think Smallville made him even less interesting. But I loved Chloe, and eventually I did look forward to watching Smallville just for Chloe. The Luthors were also fun to watch.
> My dislike of Jonathan started early and grew so strong that I am sure my reviews would have ended up out snarking yours.
- Dear lord, Chris, did I hate him too. Jonathan Kent is the most boring and annoying character ever, and that's saying a lot when he existed alongside that version of Lana Lang. I actually cheered when he died.
- I was appalled by the writers ineptitude to write a decent love story for Clark and Lana. Just have them be together already, break them up and move the hell on. No, they even brought Lois Lane into the fold (a great version of Lois, by the way), and still dragged the non-relationship of Clark and Lana for ages.
- Since I loved Chloe, I was so annoyed when they billed Jensen Ackles and Erica Durance before Alison Mack on the opening credits. It took them several seasons to place her where she deserved: jail.