Not watching Smallville this season? I hear you.
Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor is history, the great John Glover is no longer chewing the scenery, and the last few seasons seemed to stretch the "Young Man of Steel" concept about as far as it could go. If you're like me, you stopped DVR-ing Smallville even before last season's dismal Kryptonite gum episode, "Hero," which brought the show's penchant for product placement to an all time low. But, for me, Smallville has always been like a Quarter Pounder value meal from McDonalds -- cheesy, full of fat and empty calories, but wholly familiar and comforting. That's probably why I tuned in to watch this season's opener back in September, and I'm glad I did.
It seems like the exit of creators Al Gough and Miles Millar might have been the best thing for Smallville. With newer blood taking the reins, this eighth season has delivered some of the most enjoyable episodes in years. It almost reminds me of the last season of Joss Whedon's Angel, in which the creators re-tweaked almost everything to grab new viewers and send the show in a new creative direction. While Smallville is still nowhere as engaging or subversive as Angel's last season was, season eight's new characters and plot elements have brought me back to the show week after week.
So, former Smallville fan, the show isn't perfect -- it never was -- but trust me when I type that now is the time to catch up with Clark Kent and crew (especially since you can stream new episodes for free at CWTV.com, and buy them from places like iTunes.) For the unconvinced, here are the five reasons you should be watching Smallville's season eight:
1. Clark's a big boy now
Seven years of watching Clark slowly become the Superman we know and love is finally starting to pay off. When we first met him, Clark was a flannel-clad farm boy who couldn't even control his X-ray vision. Now, he's a smart big city reporter with years of hard life experiences, including a broken heart, behind him. The show has allowed Clark to evolve into a mature and, more importantly, wise young man. He's not afraid to make the hard choices, like leaving his friends (even Chloe) in the dark about his secret in order to protect them. He also seems to be reconciling with Jor-El, who's finally acting like the benevolent mentor we met in Richard Donner's Superman. With Clark maturing and becoming a real hero, the show is moving further into Superman territory than ever before, and it's pretty thrilling to see that happen. (It's season eight already. Isn't that what we all want?)
2. Lana is out; Lois is inErica Durance's Lois Lane has to be one of the best versions of the character to hit any screen, big or small. Durance plays it tough, brainy, sexy and catty -- worlds away from Kate Bosworth's drab turn in Superman Returns. This is a Lois worthy of Clark Kent's/Superman's affections. Part of the charm of season eight comes from watching Lois and Clark butt heads, compete for stories at the Daily Planet (a la Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) and try to hide their budding attraction to each other. Plus, Durance's Type-A performance is a welcome change from Kristen Kreuk's mopey Lana Lang. Kreuk is slated to return this Thursday, but word is she'll be back out the door after a few eps.
3.
Doomsday/Davis BloomeLike many Smallville fans, I thought adding the only DC Comics villain to ever deliver the death blow to Superman was a big mistake. It makes no sense to introduce Doomsday when Clark has yet to don the cape, I first thought. I'm glad to admit that I was wrong. So far, Doomsday/Davis, or BloomesDay, has been a welcome addition to the cast. Re-imagining the character as a likable do-gooder paramedic with a deadly dark side, and throwing the better parts of his comic book origin into the mix, was a smart move. It leaves room for mystery while paying homage to the comics. Sam Witwer (Battlestar Galactica's Crashdown) is proving he can handle the character's duality, and I think he's better suited to play Chloe's (Alison Mack) love interest than Aaron Ashmore. Don't forget to catch the Doomsday reveal on this week's ep, "Bride."
4. Cassidy Freeman as Tess MercerLex Luthor's leggy successor is almost as fun to watch as the big bald baddie himself. I didn't know what to make of Freeman after she vamped her way through the season premiere, but she won me over by episode three. The minds behind Smallville are clearly smart enough to realize that no one can truly replace Rosenbaum. That's why they hired a capable performer who brings a surprising, and welcomed, vulnerability to the token villain role. Yep -- vulnerability. Tess Mercer isn't all eye shadow and bad attitude. She's a jilted former good girl with a deep connection to our number five ...
5. Justin Hartley as Green ArrowI didn't care for Green Arrow when he was introduced a few years ago. It seemed obvious that the show runners were shooting for Batman but wound up with Arrow (a.k.a. "Psuedo-Batman" to many comic book fans). So, it was surprising when Hartley became an essential part of the show. His charismatic performance added a nice light counterpoint to the doom and gloom usually surrounding Clark. Sadly, he was gone for most of season seven, but Hartley is back as a full-fledged cast member this year. The Arrow-centric episode, "Toxic," is a season highlight.
Smallville's mid-season finale airs Thursday, at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Central) on The CW. There won't be an new episode until 2009 -- just another reason to catch up now.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
11-19-2008 @ 12:12PM
Tunneler said...
Cassidy Freeman is basically the only reason one should watch. HOTT
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12-09-2008 @ 10:15PM
tom-el said...
lois is the WORST actress in history.
if i ever meet Rosenbaum, im going to beat the living crap out of him for bailing out on the last season. He made the show. The only show that ever existed. The only one I watched
11-19-2008 @ 12:16PM
Josie's on vacation far away said...
I can see how Davis Bloome might be a better match for Chloe-mostly because Jimmy is way too cool for her and if we're lucky Davis'll give her the backhand.
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11-19-2008 @ 12:20PM
Adrian said...
I agree with your 5 reasons but for me number one would be no more phantom zone(except that one episode) and no more supergirl (she was good eye candy but then again so was Lana and Im glad she is gone).
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11-19-2008 @ 12:24PM
jalfrdprfrck@aol.com said...
I was never a big smallville fan, but I've really enjoyed this season. It's quite good and even spooky at times.
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11-19-2008 @ 3:19PM
izikavazo said...
I agree Smallville is doing great, and I think that's because they got rid of the character (and actors) that were holding them back. Lana, Lionel and Lex were dragging the show down. And now with new showrunners there's a chance that Clark might actually become superman, which is exciting.
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11-19-2008 @ 1:44PM
CRVBOY said...
It ain't gonna come anywhere near Angel until they turn Clark into a puppet. :-)
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11-19-2008 @ 2:21PM
josie's on vacation far away said...
I do think Bloome is better suited for Chloe. Jimmy is just way too cool for. If we're lucky maybe he'll give her the back hand.
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11-19-2008 @ 2:55PM
Petey said...
Did you say Smallville? With a character lineup like that, it seems maybe it'll be worth watching after all. I just might consider it a little more than small...
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11-19-2008 @ 2:55PM
ralm51 said...
I think its the greatest season
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11-19-2008 @ 2:46PM
ralm51 said...
I really enjoyed this season.
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11-19-2008 @ 2:56PM
Lana fan said...
As my name suggests I thought that Lana was a great part of the show. I think she provided an extra layer of insight and intrigue. Now I feel the show is just moving into a prequel of the movies.
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11-21-2008 @ 1:31PM
Ashley said...
Well ultimately that's kind of the point...To show Superman's journey into the full fledged caped superhero, but with originality and without taking away too much from the original Superman legend. I liked Lana too, but they have overplayed that storyline and it's time to move on to Lois I think.
11-19-2008 @ 2:56PM
Jimmy said...
I agree with most of what you've said; however, I'm not liking the Doomsday storyline at all. It's rather boring and I don't really like Sam Witwer's performance. The loss of Lex and Lana has actually been good for the series. Both characters became a crutch for the writers and stopped any sort of character growth in its tracks. The addition of the Tess Mercer character and the return of Green Arrow have been great. Mercer is any many ways just a female Lex, but unlike Lex she hasn't completely gone over to the dark side. Her character is the most interesting for me this season.
All that being said, I still think the series needs to start winding down. Either that, or Tom Welling needs to get over his phobia of tights and the series needs to introduce Superman.
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11-19-2008 @ 2:56PM
Petey said...
So, what's up with the Superman Curse? Did anyone see the special on the tragedies that have subdued actors who've played the Superman role?
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11-19-2008 @ 3:44PM
DanGarion said...
Tess Mercer is a useless character in my mind. She comes out of nowhere as Lex's allegedly right hand man and now owns/runs everything? I've watched the show since day one and I just can't get into her.
I love the fact that Lana is gone, and it's actually sort of nice without Lex, although I really liked Rosenbaum and wished they could have kept him.
This has been one of, if not, the best season.
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11-19-2008 @ 4:00PM
chumpy said...
This article nailed every reason as to why season 8 has been far superior to previous seasons. Ratings don't lie. With the new direction Smallville has been snagging some of it's highest ratings in years.
I'm especially glad to see Erica Durance getting the credit she deserves for playing such an awesome version of Lois Lane. She breathes life into the show, and deserves to have a full season. (all 22 episodes) I've especially enjoyed seeing a more grown up version of Clark Kent taking some initiative and finally taking those crucial steps to becoming Superman. Both Tom Welling and Erica Durance have an amazing onscreen chemistry and you can just tell that they are really enjoying the new direction of the show this year.
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1-19-2009 @ 6:19PM
CC said...
Completely agree!
11-19-2008 @ 4:06PM
Anita said...
Hmm, I was just checking in to see what other people had written, but it seems like my post at 12:19 disappeared and I'm wondering why as I didn't post anything flaming or incendiary -
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11-19-2008 @ 4:47PM
RockieRoade said...
Nailed it! I have to agree with everything here. I only watched the show as long as I did (half way into the 6th season) because I loved Erica's Lois and the Chlo-Lo interaction, but in the final hours of AlMiles' run, I just couldn't take it anymore. This season has brought me back into the Smallville fold. It's the best season of the show by far, in my opinion. There's a balance to it in terms of tone and continuity that is absolutely fantastic. Lois brings comedy and emotional maturity to the show, which has had a general deficiency of such qualities in the past. The new sense of continuity is a pleasant surprise, too. Add Clark actually acting Supermanish to the mix...well, I'm a happy fangirl right now.
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