TVSquad

By now, if the series hasn't changed for the better, it won't.

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I think your ideas are dead-on. As much as I hate to bring up a show like Ghost Whisperer, there was an entire episode when she was on the road and different ghosts kept talking to her as minor points of humor. The real story was back in town with the minor characters. It seems like they could do something very similar with Clark. Stick him in a car and have him to silly crap, which Chloe does some badass stuff in Smallville. If anything, it will add freshness to an episode.

I feel like this series actually falls too much in the category of Season 7 of Buffy. As much as I love Buffy, Season 7's flaw was that it got too wrapped up in the story arc--something Smallville's been doing for years. It comes out dry, and even if the story arc is awesome, it makes the episodes leading up to it repetitive and a little painful.

Honestly, I still think this show should have ended when Clark joined the Daily Planet. That would have been the perfect end. He sits across from Lois, chides her a bit, and then walks off. And the final scene is her picking up his name plate and seeing his name there. Boom. End of series.

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The only thing to fix this show is to cancel it. It's too late.

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I really like your idea of the characters being less serious. One of my favorite Smallville episodes was Crimson because it had so many humorous parts in it.

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I completely agree, but I would add one more to your list...

The characters on Smallville are way, WAY too safe.

And by this, I mean that not one main character has ever been properly killed off. OK, his dad was*, which was built into the mythology already, but other than that not a single significant character has ever really been at risk. And not to continue the Buffy comparison, but NOBODY was safe on that show, and when someone bit it (or lost an eye), you were so emotionally invested in the character that it was crushing. I can count on one hand the number of characters on Smallville that have been given that much development.

I was so disappointed with the recent Lana story "ending". She should have been killed, killed, KILLED years ago, and it would have made for a much better story line (and made more sense too). Clark could have mourned for a season and then started to move on to Lois without having his precious Lana always lurking. But NO, they "infect" her, and now she can't come back... probably. What an absolutely PUSSY way out. By trying to give everyone a happy ending, they've dug themselves into a hole I'm not sure they can get out of anytime soon.

Also on my hit list:
Chloe (should have died last year)
Pete (should have been killed instead of just leaving)
Tess (at the end of this season)
Oliver/Green Arrow (Ok, now It's just blood lust)

*And to further hammer my point home; The episode where his dad died was one of the VERY BEST of the series.

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The producers have stated that we will never see Clark don the tights and fly off into the sunset. So, even though, they may do the occasional interesting episode, there is no satisfying end to be had.

So all Smallville will be is a bunch of somewhat interesting "mini-pilots" for whatever DC Comics characters the producers have the rights to use. (Translation: no Batman, no Wonder Woman, no Flash, no Green Lantern)

Go ahead. Think of the DC characters that Smallville hasn't used yet and there's your story list for one-third to one-half of your episodes. Let's see...Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, the Atom, the Question...

Now do you want to watch Season 9?

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Can someone please stop letting this guy post about Smallville. He's clearly insane. And the people posting are less than intelligent as well. If you all have watched every episode and can provide intelligent conversation regarding the Superman/Smallville mythos, then post. Don't otherwise.

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Chloe WILL die saving Clark's life before the end of the series. Using her healing power on the person who means most to her and to the world. Awesome.

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I totally agree with your suggestions and I'm going to add to/build upon them. I think the series can be salvaged and if written well, the actors i.e. Welling might have more enthusiasm.

1. Let Clark grow up. Welling seems tired of doing the naive, wide-eyed, corn-grown guy. Superman's strength is in his values, but he isn't supposed to be mentally oblivious. Let Clark act more like an adult.
2. Make the characters more real. I liked Smallville in the first 2 seasons where he dealt with parents, cliques, and schoolwork. If Clark's a reporter, can't he deal with the difficulties of trying to achieve his goal contrasted with his Supes-life?
3. Broaden storylines. Must everything deal with the big conspiracy? I liked Smallville the early years because not everything was about the 'Wall.'
4. Give Clark a life. Seriously, doesn't he have any hobbies? Compared with Chloe he seems increasingly 1-D.
5. Flesh out the Daily Planet and its characters for more storyline variety.

On a side note, I still wish they'd a) kill off Lana (or just give her a life outside her obsession with Lex) and b) stop filming things in the dark/shadows -

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The whole Lana thing took up way too much time. With Lex and Lionel gone, the show is just boring. I've been a Supe fan since the sixties. To see the show, yes, as a 90210 type thing was irritating. Ok, I admit, I love Ollie, and have been a Hartley fan since Passions. I liked the idea of bringing in the JL, but they left out the good ones this season, like Bart, Victor and AC. This would have been a great time to bring in ole Bruce, too. Chloe would be great with THEM. Married to Jimmie? Oh, barf. Doesn't anyone read fan fiction? Some of those stories are awesome, and really could make it on the screen.

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Honestly, I hadn't watched the show in ages until they had the Legion episode. I had excitedly watched it in the beginning because there was the potential to bring in so many DC characters--and I like the smaller characters that aren't as well-known as Batman/Wonder Woman/etc. My friends & I have been crossing our fingers for a Legion episode for the last eight years! But then the show was just angsty-longing sighs and "Oh, I love her but I can't be with her" "*sigh* Maybe it can work" "*sigh* It's too hard" "*sigh* secret." Now it's pretty much only when they bring in some other DC heroes that I watch it...and yes, I did just recently hear that Green Arrow was a regular now.

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I try to watch this show from time-to-time for the simple fact that it's the only superhero show on TV (classic superhero), and I find myself cringing at the depths of cheesiness and ridiculosity (you like that?) that continue to flow like puss from an old wound from the writer's pathetic excuse of a material recycle bin. I see young actors, some talented, some not so much, struggling to swallow lines that are spoon fed like brussel sprouts and salmon baby food to a teen with a candy-tooth. I'm done with rationalizing its existence to myself. Moving on.

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Here's a great idea....IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE SHOW DON'T WATCH IT! I for one have really enjoyed this year, and even though some folks detest Lana, she is part of the DC lore. They devised a good way to get rid of her without killing her.....and now they can move on.

It is just as good as it has always been, and I for one enjoy it.

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Ah, but in order to comment and have your comments taken seriously on this board, you have to watch the show. There's the rub.

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It's easy as a viewer of the program to sit back and say, "It would be so much better if they change this!"

In reality, you're dead wrong on all accounts.

You're forgetting that you are one person. Who is to say your point of view regarding the show is the right one?

I, for one, have really enjoyed this season just as it is. Now, if you want to talk about a show that has some serious issues, write an article about "Kyle XY".

http://makeasitcom.com

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I have an idea, use kryptonite less. It seems that the writers have trouble when it comes to figuring out ways to stop Clark from using his powers. How can we keep Clark from saving the day right away today? Use kryptonite. Apparently it grows on trees on this show. Seriously, does everyone have it in their kitchen next to the toaster?

In the Superman mythos kryptonite was a rarity. Lex Luthor had to spend millions and years to figure out to make it and it was still hit and miss.

Instead of Green- K, put Clark in a situation where he can't use his powers without exposing them to the world.

Another suggestion, quit using fall back options during sweeps. Bringing back Lana was a horrible idea that did not wrap up her arc like the producers said it would. These four episodes lacked emotion and originality. Having her character on the show makes us like Clark less. He becomes obsessed with her on a boring and annoying level. That ain't love.

And on the subjest of characters, never ever try to make a character into a GI Jane wanna be ever again. Having episodes that take our established characters way outside what they would normally do is amature hour. Lana going on this quest to become a super hero? Don't have the Green Arrow suddenly decide to take up bowling professionally. You don't take the norm and then for one episode decide, well lets make them do something they wouldn't normally do.

Finally, use your other characters more. Lois and Jimmy offer a lot of story potential that is constantly wasted. Especially Lois and Clark, their scenes usually carry a lot of kismit.

I'm not trying to bash on Lana, but when you introduced Lois Lane ( Supermans long time love ) to a show about Clark Kent, you started a timer thats counting down to him becoming Superman. Which makes Lana his past.

Sorry folks, but I'm a die hard Clark Kent/Superman fan so I'm going to love Lois more.

Rant over.

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I thought the series was reinvigorated this year without Lex and Lana bogging it down every week. Lana in particular needs to be gone. That will they or won't they schtick really doesn't work this far in because we all know they don't, so what is the point. Her return this year really disrupted what I thought was a pretty dang good overall storyline they had going. These last few episodes with Lana have just been really irritating because I know the show is capable of so much more.
The return of Lex on the other hand as some creepy Darth Vader-like guy has been interesting. He doesn't need to be the villain every week because just knowing he is lurking somewhere brings a darkness and an unknown variable the show has always lacked.
It is high time we see Clark and Lois move forward and Clark really needs to move forward towards his destiny as Superman. I didn't realize Clark was 50 before he donned the cape??

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