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  1. #1
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    Default Rewatching SMALLVILLE from the beginning

    I've been watching all of season one and currently season two and I have thoughts.

    The two Ryan episodes broke me. This kid really tugged on my heart strings.

    The use of pyrotechnics in almost every episode is a thing. Gas tanks seem to explode routinely, erupting in great balls of fire. Getting blowed up real good is a daily hazard in Smallville.

    I gather, in the first season, they were trying to figure out who were the real stars of the show (besides Tom Welling) and the second season sees those actors carrying most of the show (Kreuk, Rosenbaum, Glover, O'Toole, Schneider).

    Jonathan Kent has two moods--calm, paternal figure and violent maniac.

    They must have cast actors for their eyes--I've never seen so many "like limpid pools." When the camera goes in close on Welling and Kreuk, I'm attacked.

    I never was one of those that shipped Clark and Chloe--and still don't. Knowing what happened in the real world doesn't ruin the show for me. Chloe always seemed sketchy, like she was running her own game--the real world just informs that character. She's a super-villain on the down low.

    Everybody remembers the opening song, but I quite like the closing music by Mark Snow--a beautiful orchestral suite that is unlike the music you usually hear at the end of a super-hero TV show. I always watch right through the end credits, rather than clicking to the next episode, so I can listen to that music.

    Trying to figure out Clark and Lana's timelines will drive you mad. Just how old they were when the meteors came, how old they are in each season, what grade they're supposed to be in--and how old Whitney was in relation to them (how was he able to join the Marine Corps if he was their age?)--if I think about it too much I'll become Charlie Kelly.

    Watching so many episodes together at the same time, the selective memory of the characters becomes much more apparent. Every week something out of the ordinary happens to many people in Smallville, so Lana and Chloe have no right to hate on Clark, when so many others and they themselves do weird, unexplainable things all the time.

  2. #2
    Extraordinary Member superduperman's Avatar
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    I would love to re-watch this again but I just can't. The real world ruined it for me. Maybe someday if I feel Mack has shown some real repentance for what she did, I might be able to but not now. Not yet. And even then I'm not optimistic. This was my favorite show when it was on the air and something like my second favorite version of Superman overall. Even reading the comics is difficult for me. It's too soon for me. Hopefully one day I'll be able to go back to it. But who knows?
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  3. #3
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    I was worried that Mack would ruin it for me, but I found that not to be the case. What concerns me more is what happened in the later seasons--I like the sweet charm of the early seasons and don't look forward to seeing everyone become a little less warm and much more super-villainy. The episode where Jonathan died really killed my interest the first time around and I was only a casual viewer after that.

    I don't know if I have it in me to stick with it into those later seasons--but I'm trying not to get too attached to characters like Jonathan that I know won't be around for the long haul.

  4. #4
    Extraordinary Member DragonPiece's Avatar
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    I did a binge watch a few years ago and honestly while there was good moments at the beginning, I can only watch the last few scenes with focus on Clark’s adventures in metropolis

  5. #5
    Extraordinary Member Lightning Rider's Avatar
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    I look forward to rewatching it at some point. It's kind of only looking back that I realize how much I liked it.

  6. #6
    Uncanny Member Digifiend's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Kelly View Post
    I never was one of those that shipped Clark and Chloe--and still don't. Knowing what happened in the real world doesn't ruin the show for me. Chloe always seemed sketchy, like she was running her own game--the real world just informs that character. She's a super-villain on the down low.
    Unlike her actress Chloe isn't a villain. In fact from what happens later I'd say she's an Oracle expy.
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  7. #7
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    Another feature I appreciate is the use of pop songs from the day in each episode. That's something you don't hear so much on today's CW super-hero shows. But it's something that was common with the WB teen shows. I get a kick out of this because it reminds me what was in the top 40 at the time.

    So far in my rewatch there's only been two pop music groups that happen to show up to play live in the small town of Smallville (they should fire their agents for getting them these crap gigs)--not as much as the other WB shows had.

    It's always fun to see which actors guest appear. Both Amy Adams and Adam Brody now have a history of being in more than one DC show--maybe there are others that I've missed. There's also Shawn Ashmore who is more of a Marvel guy--having been Iceman. And not to be confused with his twin brother Aaron, who wlll later show up as a Jimmy Olsen.

    Besides the trope of big fiery explosions in almost every episode, there's the fact that all you have to do is slam someone against a wall or to the floor and they get knocked out right away. The main characters suffer more concussions in a season than a hockey player during his entire career.

  8. #8
    Obsessed & Compelled Bored at 3:00AM's Avatar
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    I'd love to see a fan edit of Smallville that trims it down to the good bits, because there was a lot of mediocrity padding out those ten seasons.

  9. #9
    Extraordinary Member superduperman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bored at 3:00AM View Post
    I'd love to see a fan edit of Smallville that trims it down to the good bits, because there was a lot of mediocrity padding out those ten seasons.
    I'd love to see someone digitally replace Allison Mack with someone else.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by superduperman View Post
    I'd love to see someone digitally replace Allison Mack with someone else.
    I've actually wondered about this too. It's not likely but a girl can dream. I wasn't a Chloe fan during the show's run and now she's tainted by the actress, makes me like her even less.

  11. #11
    The Man Who Cannot Die manwhohaseverything's Avatar
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    I've got no problem with watching smallville even now. I don't watch the show for the actors but the characters.

  12. #12
    I'm at least a C-Lister! exile001's Avatar
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    Unfortunately, the horrific crimes of one of the lead characters in the show will always taint it for me to a degree. I'm not saying I couldn't enjoy it again but I definitely need a few years, which is a real shame for everybody else involved (or not, really, as they already have my money for the DVDs and I will be watching & buying Crisis).

    That said, back when I originally watched it Chloe's character went from charming and endearing to grating over a few seasons anyway, Erica Durance's Lois completely eclipsed her. Like Felicity Smoak in Arrow, she started as quirky and fun but overexposure (and to be fair, some terrible storylines) killed her appeal.

    Anyway, onto the positives, the Doomsday, Zod and Darkseid seasons were freaking fantastic. And for once, a show had a great finale!

    Tom Welling was an amazing Clark/Blur/etc, and Erica Durance is perhaps my favourite onscreen Lois. She was so bold and competent (mostly).

    John Schneider was a great Jonathan Kent, and his final episode was genuinely touching. John Glover was magnificent as Lionel Luthor. Good god, that man can play a repulsive piece of human garbage while still making you glued to the screen.

    Michael Rosenbaum was a great Lex, but was hampered by his character's 6 season holding pattern. It didn't feel so much a gradual decent as the producers holding him back. I remember getting so frustrated, and thinking just turn him for f**k sake!

    James Marsters' Brainac had perhaps the best intro in the entire show, and having him rock up with some Depeche Mode was particularly awesome.

    Mark Snow did a great job (I already knew the name from the excellent job he did on the X-Files). I'm not a big pop guy, so I found a lot of the songs to be forgettable but I did buy a few CDs off the back of it.

    And the Christopher Reeve (and to a slightly lesser degree Margot Kidder) cameos tugged at the heartstrings.

    Dang, this is making me want to watch it again now.
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  13. #13
    Astonishing Member stargazer01's Avatar
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    I never really got into this show, only watched some episodes.

    What are the best seasons?

  14. #14
    The Man Who Cannot Die manwhohaseverything's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stargazer01 View Post
    I never really got into this show, only watched some episodes.

    What are the best seasons?
    I wouldn't recommend it. It hasn't aged well. Just watch clips. I would say first four seasons are held together by clark and luthor(both lionel and lex). Last two seasons are held together by lois snd Clark. For me erica durance is the best lois lane. Period. She took the postcrisis army brat lois lane and made it her own.

    Also green arrow was awesome

  15. #15
    Death becomes you Osiris-Rex's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manwhohaseverything View Post
    I wouldn't recommend it. It hasn't aged well. Just watch clips. I would say first four seasons are held together by clark and luthor(both lionel and lex). Last two seasons are held together by lois snd Clark. For me erica durance is the best lois lane. Period. She took the postcrisis army brat lois lane and made it her own.
    Also green arrow was awesome
    And Smallville had a wonderful Zatanna. I think this was the only live action Zatanna I am aware of. Roulette was also much better than the Supergirl version of Roulette. Better tattoos too.
    OTOH Aquaman was sort of terrible.

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