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Movie and TV Discussion => Movie reviews => Topic started by: Barry on September 17, 2025, 03:50:51 PM
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Smallville: A Ten Season Blu-Ray Review.
Smallville was a ten season show that premiered in 2001 as the biggest thing the new network, the WB had. The show continued when the WB mergerd with UPN to become the CW network.
First, some technical stuff. The first five or so seasons were released on Blu Ray, yearly as the show was broadcast. The last five seasons were then put on Blu-Rays and not very well. New complete Blu-ray set was released last year, improving from the previous editions. However, and they acknowledge this, the first two seasons of Smallville were not originally photographed for hi-def TV (it wasn’t out just yet and they were still using 35mm) and does not look as good as the rest. The Blu Ray images, however on seasons 3-10 are good, with very nice color and detail and the images actually get better as the seasons go on. The sound is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and it sounds very good.
The show is, of course, about Superman’s, Clark Kents, early years in Smallville, where his rocket from Krypton landed. The show is not just comic book sci-fi, but there are strong elements of horror and supernatural. Aided by Kryptonite, in Smallville, anything goes. However, the strongest element in Smallville storytelling is that it is a SOAP OPERA. It is a story of how these people relate with each other. However, one question is never answered: WHY THE HELL ARE YOU STAYING IN SMALLVILLE! IT’S NOT SAFE!!!!
The best part of the show actually is the cast: Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum, Allison Mack, Annette O'Toole, John Schneider, John Glover and Erica Durance. They are the reasons, not the silly and far out plots and coincidences that drive the story, to stay tuned.
I like th idea that it didn;t start off with time on Kyrpton, making Kal-Els landing on Earth a mystery. It also did not introduced Lois Lane. And for the first time, Lex Luthor just does not pop up and be smart, rich and evil, he is given a back story.
The weakest part of the series, is how these 15 and 16 year old students are really all in the 20s and look, act, talk and move like they are in the 20s. And that Lex Luthor, who is 25, wants to hang out with them.
They all drive cars; at age 16 Lana runs a coffee shop and makes business and legal decisions. But the worst is Chloe. School newspapers ALWAYS have adult, teacher, supervision who reviews the paper before press. They are published occasionally, have a few pages, and are just about the school and local neighborhood. Here, Chloe is completely in charge, works until midnight in a school that is open, with no supervision, publishes daily or weekly a large paper. She even attacks the principal, which no supervisor would let happen. Worse, she meets with and negotiates school policy and acquisitions, with Lionel and Lex Luther, alone in her office.
Lois Lane was never a reporter for the Daily Planet. A reporter interviews the investigators of a crime. Lois, always became the investigator and got in trouble. Well, 16 year old Chloe does the same thing. A no one, no teacher or parent, stops her.
Also, the two Luthors, Lex and his father, are everywhere and get into everything without ever being stopped. This includes getting into Smallville High anytime, day or night, they want. And 25 year old Luthor keeps hanging out with 16-18 year olds.
While I did grow a bit bored of Kryptonite, which is supposed to be rare, giving strange powers to people almost every week, the show was often entertaining. Until…..
The original producers left after the seventh season. By then, virtually all the original cast, except for Welling and Mack, had also left. The show became a shadow of itself. Welling didn’t want “tights and flights” so he didn’t become Superman until the very end of the last episode. Instead he became a mysterious and sill figure, “The Blur.” The last three years should have been called, “Metropolis” and introduced Superman.
A tear did come to my eye though. In the second season, “Rosetta” Christopher Reeve guest starred. That got to me. You see, Reeve really made me believe a man could fly.
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I never watched this...I figured it was a version of "Superman 90210" given the cast ;)
Thanks for the review Barry.
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I never watched this...I figured it was a version of "Superman 90210" given the cast ;)
Thanks for the review Barry.
I like that 90210 reference because it is very much a soap opera designed to bring in teenagers and young adults. I used to be a young adult.
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I like that 90210 reference because it is very much a soap opera designed to bring in teenagers and young adults. I used to be a young adult.
Me too...but that time looks very small in the rearview mirror ;)
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Wow didn’t realize this was on for 10 seasons. I never watched it