"I hope I dont end up wearing a suit flying everywhere" (Smallville)

Member Name: mvwmail

Product:	Smallville
Date:	14/01/03 (3730 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Addictive, Lex Luthor is Great, Great stories

Disadvantages: None (Sorry)

Superman, the man of steel, who fights for Truth, Justice and the American Way,.. Wow that statement just oozes pure cheesyness! However this has not stopped Superman from being with us for a very long time.

My first encounter with Superman was when I saw the first film way back in '78 with my dad at the Odeon in Blackburn (now been demolished in favour of a BT car park), a truly amazing experience, and as I recall the tag line was 'You will believe a man can fly'.. and I did. I still did not become too big a fan, I got a couple of superhero annuals which had Superman in, and I do recall watching the cartoon series (the ones with Superdog), but other than that I was still more of a Spidey Fan!

Until Smallville... but more about that later.

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, childhood friends and both sci-fi fanatics created superman. They had just graduated from High School in Cleveland (in 1934) when they created "The Man of Steel," a gentleman more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and move faster than a speeding bullet.

It took them four years to sell the idea to National Allied Periodicals, who also bought the rights (for $200!) to the character's Siegel and Shuster created. The two men earned a lucrative salary drawing and writing the comic books until 1947 when they asked for more money and were fired.

They never wrote / drew the Superman comic books again and were reported near poverty in the early 1970's when the first of major new series of Superman films came out. After protest by comic book artists around the country, Warner, which owned DC Comics, put the two men on a pension, which rose into six figures over the years.

At this point I have to be careful.. to go into detail about every aspect of superman would be folly, it is simply to big to put down in one opinion, and many others have already done so in dedicated Superman sites all o

ver the WWW. To finish the history here is a quick timeline breakdown of how we have watched the Man of Steel


1938 - Creation of Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (Action Comics #1)
1941 to 1943 - SUPERMAN cartoons produced by Paramount Pictures and Fleischer Studios, and Famous Studios (last eight cartoons). 17 cartoons originally released in movie theatres.
1948 - Superman Movie Serial
1950 - Superman movie serial : Superman vs. Atom man
1950 - Adventure of Superman TV Series
1966 to 1969 - The New Adventures of superman cartoon
1976 to 1981 - Superfriends cartoon
1978 - Superman : The Movie
1981 - Superman II
1983 - Superman III
1984 - Supergirl
1987 - Superman VI : The Quest for Peace
1988 - Ruby Spears Superman cartoons
1988 to 1992 - Superboy TV Series
1993 to 1997 - Lois and Clark : The new adventures of superman
1996 to 2000 - Superman TAS
2001 onwards - Smallville
2001 onwards - Justice League: The Animated Series


As I have already stated, not since the Superman movies have I paid much attention to anything Superman, the Lois and Clark series got a few cursory watches, but I was never impressed. However whist visiting an older relative, we ended up watching Smallville after lunch and I was hooked. Due to my incredible timing I missed most of the Channel 4 schedule, so it was onto the web to download the episodes (hey its no different than using a bleeding video recorder) and watched all 21 episodes in 3 days..

WOW, great stories, brilliant acting (Lex is TOPS), wonderful continuity.

Smallville Blurb - No flights, no tights! Clark Kent takes on a whole new dimension in this precursor to the Superman legend. You know how the story ends; now watch the journey begin. The idyllic town of Smallville, Kansas, never seemed the same after the meteor shower that rained down 12 years ago. That was the day Clark Kent arrived on Earth - and the d
ay st
range things started happening in Smallville

With realistic portrayals and state-of-the-art special effects reinterpreting the Superman mythology from its roots, Smallville was written and developed by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (Shanghai Noon), based on the DC Comics characters. Gough and Millar serve as executive producers, along with Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins and Joe Davola. David Nutter (The X-Files, Roswell) directed the pilot. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television and Tollin/Robbins Productions.

Essentially, everyone who I have persuaded to watch this series has become and instant addict (i.e. most of our office), and we all now eagerly check the progress of a laptop connected to DSL for the latest downloaded episode of season 2.

Lets look at who is in the series, and then look at season one in more detail


Cast
++++

Tom Welling (Clark Kent)

Tom Welling is more familiar to American television audiences from a recurring role on "Judging Amy,". He was born and raised in New York, Welling is fairly new to the acting world. British people may recognise him from a Frosties advert! He performed in a few high school productions before moving to LA to pursue a professional career. He won the role of Clark after the producers conducted a nation-wide search.

Character - Clark Kent as we all know is Superman. In Smallville we watch his lonely adolescence, never able to fully commit to anyone due to his double life. He has a few very close friends, but due to his powers is restricted as to the school activities he can take part in. After saving his life, Clark becomes very close friends with the young Lex Luthor. Only Clarks adopted Mum and Dad know of his powers.


John Schneider (Jonathan Kent)

John Schneider is a multi-talented performer. Best known for his role as Bo Duke on the popular television series The Dukes of Hazzard (Yeee Haaaaa), whi
ch lasted
six seasons. Schneider has starred in numerous original television movies, including Michael Landon, the Father I Knew, Night of the Twisters, Texas and Desperate Journey. He also voices a lead character in the new animated series 'The Mummy'.

John is also a respected singer and songwriter and did 487 performances of the Award-winning musical 'Grand Hotel'. He has a discography of 11 solo albums, which includes a No. 1 album and four No. 1 singles.

John Schneider is co-founder of the Children's Miracle Network, the only annual fundraising event of its kind in the world. All monies raised are given directly to children's hospitals located throughout North America. Since its inception in 1982, the telethon has made over $1 billion for hospitals in the United States and Canada.

Character - Jonathan Kent is a hard working man of very high scruples. He is usually a very good judge of character, and contiguously knocks back Lex Luthor's attempts at friendship. He will do anything to protect his adopted son, his wife, and his way of life. He is a highly respected member of the community, but can have a nasty temper.


Annette O'Toole (Martha Kent)

Born in Houston, Texas, O'Toole started dancing at the early age of 3. At 13, her family moved to Los Angeles and she began taking acting lessons. Her first big break came when she starred in the 1975 feature film Smile as a conniving beauty pageant contestant. Since then, O'Toole has appeared on the big screen in 48 Hrs. She also ironically played Lana Lang in Superman III.

She was nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for her portrayal of Rose Kennedy in 'The Kennedys of Massachusetts'. Her numerous tv movie credits include Stand By Your Man, in which she showcased her singing voice playing music legend Tammy Wynette; The Entertainer, Stephen King's It and Danielle Steel's Jewels.

Charact
er - Martha Ken
t is a devoted wife and mother, she gave up a very promising business career to live with Jonathon Kent. A highly intelligent woman, she manages to combine the family farm business, a mothering a super teenager with ease.


Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang)

A fresh face to television. Born in Vancouver, Kreuk began acting in school plays, but mostly focused on her schoolwork rather than the stage. At the beginning of her senior year when a casting director looking for new talent for the US television series Edgemont tapped Kreuk for a starring role. It was her first professional audition. Since then, she has starred on the Smallville series for two seasons and will continue her role while filming Smallville in her hometown of Vancouver.

Kruek is fast becoming popular with the male fans of Smallville (I personally rate Chloe over Lana), especially after her pool scene in episode 15.

Character - Kristin Kreuk stars as Clark Kent's fantasy love Lana Lang in Smallville. She is dating the Star Quarterback Whitney, and for a time was one of the cheerleaders for the school team. However Lana wants more from life, and does not want to become a fixture in Smallville. She is very 'straight' and very much the 'sweet girl next door' type of person.


Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor)

Self-assured and with a rapid-fire sense of humour, Michael Rosenbaum shaved his hair for this role, Lex Luthor in Smallville. Born in New York and raised in Newburgh, Rosenbaum excelled in school drama. Once hooked, he took on lead roles in college stage productions such as The Heidi Chronicles while attending Western Kentucky University and performing in regional theatre during his summers.

Upon graduation with a degree in mass communications and theatre, he packed his bags and headed for New York to pursue acting. He quickly landed roles in off-Broadway productions and small independent films.


Most recently, R
osenbaum appeared on the big screen in Sweet November, which starred Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. He will be seen starring in the college sorority-set comedy Sorority Boys opposite Harland Williams. He also starred in the hit thriller Urban Legend and appeared in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Kevin Spacey and John Cusack. Cartoon fans may have spotted him providing the voice of 'The Flash' in the series Justice League.

Rosenbaum currently resides in Los Angeles. When not working, he belongs to an ice hockey league, a sport that he has played since childhood, and is a dedicated New York Rangers fan.

Character : his father, a ruthless businessman, brought up Lex Luthor. Lex had a childhood with little love, his father preferring to treat him harshly so Lex could be strong. It worked. Lex is a highly efficient, ruthless, intelligent man. He was sent to Smallville by his father to learn how to run a business, however after a near fatal car accident, Lex forms a bond with Clark Kent. The young Lex Luthor is not like the Lex Luthor, arch nemesis of Superman that we know and love.. but the path from Light to Dark is a road, not just one step. In Smallville we will be able to watch the journey down that road.


Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan)

Allison Mack has already amassed numerous credits spanning light-hearted comedies to serious dramatic roles. She brings her many talents to the new action-adventure series Smallville portraying Chloe Sullivan, a teenage Clark Kent's close friend. Mack was born in Germany but moved with her family to Southern California at age 2, beginning her acting career at 4 with print work and commercials. At 7, she began studying at The Young Actors Space in Los Angeles, where she currently attends classes in improvisation and scene study.

Mack has starred in many prestigious movies for television, such as '
;A Private Matter' wi
th Sissy Spacek and Aidan Quinn, and 'unlikely Angel' with Dolly Parton and Roddy McDowall. On the big screen, Mack appeared in Camp Nowhere and starred in the video release Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves.

Allison is an accomplished dancer / singer currently living in LA, Mack enjoys reading, the movies and spending time with her friends and family.

Character - Chloe is a 'larger that life' character who is a joy to watch. Her enthusiasm for reporting is fabulous, and usually lands herself, Pete and Clark in much trouble. Chloe is convinced that all the strange events that occur in Smallville are as a direct result of the meteor strike, and has started a 'Wall of Weird' which is a collection of every newspaper and magazine article of bizarre events. Chloe is very attracted to Clark, and frequently upset over his obsession with Lana.


Sam Jones III (Pete Ross)

Having been in Hollywood only two years, Sam Jones III is already making quite a name for himself. His role as Clark Kent's best friend Pete in Smallville marks his series-starring debut. Growing up in Boston Sam acted in local commercials. After spending a summer holiday with a friend living in LA, he caught the showbiz bug and decided to pursue a career in acting. Soon after he graduated from high school, Jones moved to Hollywood to follow his dream.

His first job was a memorable guest-starring role on NYPD Blue in which he portrayed a troubled teen who stole a gun and hid it in his daughter's crib. From there, his career began to grow. His credits include an emotionally charged recurring role on CSI in which he played a teen who accidentally killed a girl and then watched as his grandfather attempted to take the blame. He also guest-starred on Judging Amy as a sexually abused teen who gets mixed up in a drive-by shooting.

On the big screen, Jones is poised to make an auspicious debut. In the g
ritty independent drama Zigzag
, he plays the autistic 15-year-old title character opposite Wesley Snipes as his crack-addicted father. The film also stars Oliver Platt, Natasha Lyonne and John Leguizamo as his terminally ill mentor.

When he is not working, Jones spends his time on the basketball court. He currently lives in Los Angeles and will be relocating to Vancouver for the filming of Smallville.

Character - Smooth talking Pete Ross is Clark's best friend. He is a charmer, frequently having many different girls on his arm, but yet is not a love-rat. Pete has known Clark since very early on, and their friendship is rock solid.


Eric Johnson (Whitney Fordman)

Making his television series debut, Eric Johnson stars as Lana Lang's football jock boyfriend Whitney. Born and raised in Edmonton, Canada, Johnson enrolled in a theatre school at age 9 and soon began performing in professional theatre and landing small film and television roles. At 14, he appeared in the epic Western drama Legends of the Fall playing Brad Pitt's character Tristan in his youth.

On television, Johnson appeared in the movies Atomic Train with Rob Lowe, Kristin Davis and Mena Suvari; Oklahoma City with Kathy Baker as a survivor of the Oklahoma City bombing; and Children of Fortune.

When not working, Johnson enjoys playing guitar, camping and playing basketball, football and baseball. He is relocating to Vancouver to shoot Smallville.

Character - Whitney Fordman has it all, he is an all star player, has a beautiful girlfriend, loads of friends, a scholarship and a guaranteed future with the Metropolis Football team. However certain personal events will change Whitneys life in a big way. Whitney does become a friend of Clark as the series progresses, and soon starts to realise that Clark and Lana have a growing friendship and that he had better be on his toes. Not my most favourite character, though he is in one
of the cracking episodes 'Kine
tic'


Season 1
++++++++

1: Premiere

A meteor shower rains down on Smallville, Kansas, reeking havoc upon the inhabitants. However one of the meteors is more than a fragment of rock.

Notes : This is more of a 'Getting to know you' episode, with a minor 'super villain' plot attached. It was actually filmed twice, as the original pilot had a different actress for Martha Kent.

Mog Rating 7/10


2: Metamorphosis

This episode follow on immediatly after the pilot. Greg Arkin, an acne-ridden, insect-loving teen, secretly videotapes Lana. At home, Greg finds his mother, Arleen, watching one of his old videos of Lana. She's angry and disgusted at both of Greg's habits, his stalking Lana and his insect collecting. Greg decides to run away as he does not want to go to military school, but as he drives out of town, some of his insect cages break open, Greg crashes into a telephone pole, and the insect’s swarm around him, stinging and biting. Later that night, we see Greg in his room, covered with bug bites, clinging insect-like to the ceiling...

Notes : Pulls no punches in the 'urghh' stakes, and a great example of what is to come. This episode is not usually seen as a separate entity, and has been merged on the first Smallville DVD with the pilot episode.

Mog Rating 9/10


3: Jitters

Clark and Lex team up to rescue Clark's high school class after a janitor takes them hostage in LuthorCorp. He claims his deadly "jitters" were caused by a mysterious contaminant and threatens to kill everyone unless he is shown a secret sublevel - which Lionel Luthor (guest star John Glover) denies ever existed.

Notes : We get to meet Lex's dad properly here, and what an unscrupulous cad he is. Lex shows he has some honour, which makes us wonder how he can possibly be the ma
ster criminal that he becomes in later
life.

Mog Rating 8/10


Coach Walt is heading for his 200th football victory, and when he see's Clark throw a football he wants him on the team. This causes friction between Clark and his father. However soon most of the football team are accused of cheating exams so they can play football, but who is providing the exam answers?

Notes : Super episode, with a rather nasty PE teacher with a 'hot' temper who will stop at nothing to win his 200th game.

Mog Rating 9/10


5: X-Ray

Smallville is shocked when Lex Luthor robs the Smallville Savings and Loan. However Clark is not convinced when a new power shows him that something is wrong with Lex.

Notes : The makers of the show say that Clark Kent will be gaining one superpower per season, and here we see his first (not in
cluding speed, strength etc).

Mog rating 9/10


6: Cool

Sean Kelvin, a womanising football player, has ventured out onto the icy surface of the lake after an errant football. Suddenly, the ice cracks and Sean plunges into the freezing water below. Unfortuantly the lake is lined with, yep you guessed it, Green meteor fragments which enable Sean to suck the heat out of anything alive or dead.

Notes : Smallville continues to show its lack of regard for human life as we see a rather nasty death in this episode.. not bad for an early afternoon show.

Mog Rating 9/10


7: Hourglass

Clark arrives with Pete at the Old folks home to do volunteer work and to be closer to Lana, who also volunteers at the centre. They meet Cassandra, the blind senior citizen they've been assigned to. It's rumoured that Cassandra can see the future of those she touches. Meanwhile, Lana takes her charge, Harry Volk, outside for fresh air. Harry accidentally tips over his wheelchair and falls into a pond lined with glowing green stones
. Harry comes out of the water, and is miraculously changed from an old man to a young one. This allows Harry to end some unfinished business

Notes : Excellent stuff, and more deaths. We get a glimpse that L
ex is not as nice as he appears.

Mog Rating 9/10


8: Craving

Clark must save Pete from being devoured by a female classmate whose crash diet of kryptonite-infected vegetables causes her to shed weight faster than she can handle and must somehow satisfy her ravenous hunger.

Notes : Reminds me of the film Lifeforce. Great episode in which a school bully really gets what he deserves.

Mog Rating 9/10


9: Rogue

Clark's secret identity is at stake when a bad witnesses him use his superpowers and forces Clark to join forces with him; however, when Clark tricks the cop, he is not prepared for the consequences for him and his family.

Notes : This episode shows clearly why Clark must hide his powers, especially when he has vulnerable loved ones who can be used against him.

Mog Rating 9/10


10: Shimmer

A teen girl's (guest star Azura Skye) obsession with Lex turns life-threatening when invisible attacks in Luthor Mansion pits Clark against an undetectable enemy. Meanwhile, Clark is thrilled when Lana looks to him for companionship after Whitney inexplicably pushes her away.

Notes : OK episode

Mog Rating 7/10


11: Hug

Clark is stunned when a businessman who has kryptonite-enhanced powers of persuasion somehow convinces his father to sell the family farm to make way for a new pesticide plant. Clark teams up with the local hermit whose mysterious past holds the key to the town's future.

Notes : More murders (have lost track of the Smallville bodycount!) and a great episode where Clark realises just how powerful he is bec
oming.

Mog Rating 9/10


12: Leech


When Clark rescues his classmate from harm during an fierce storm, they are both struck by lightening, resulting in all of Clark's superpowers transferring to Eric. Eric relishes his new life as "Superboy," Clark is torn between his happiness at finally being normal and his growing concern for the town's safety as Eric starts to abuse his powers.

Notes : The ultimate horror, a proper teenager with super powers.. what a horrible thought.

Mog Rating 9/10


13: Kinetics

Clark and Lex are stumped when burglars who seem to have the ability to walk through walls rob the Luthor mansion. Lex's curiosity turns to desperation when he discovers the thieves have stolen evidence of his secret project and Clark wonders if his dad was right about Lex's deceit all along.

Notes : We start to learn more than we probably want to know about Whinging Whitney.

Mog Rating 8/10


14: Zero

Lex faces the consequences of his shady dealings in Metropolis years ago when an old enemy comes to Smallville intent on destroying his life, ultimately putting Clark and Lana in harm's way. Meanwhile, Clark has his hands full as he tries not only to protect Lex from the past, but also keep Chloe out of his after she discovers a mystery surrounding his adoption. This is one of the grittier episodes, and also frustrating cos we never actually find out the truth, we can only guess. One of the few episodes with no super-villain.

Notes : Absolutely brilliant twisty turny Lex episode, with no supervillains.

Mog Rating 10/10


15: Nicodemus

Clark must solve the riddle of the mysterious Nicodemus flower and Lex's shady involvement after it infects the resi
dents of Smallville removing their inhibitions - Jonathan becomes a couch potato, Lana puts the moves on Clark as the town Lolita and Pete tries to kill Lex - then puts them into a deadly coma.

No
tes : Famous for its Pool scene, a definite for Kruek fans!

Mog Rating 8/10


16: Stray

After Martha accidentally hits a young boy with her car, the Kent’s take him in until they can locate his parents, unaware that the boy can read minds and has unlocked the secret thoughts of Lex, Lana, Jonathan and Martha, which puts Clark's secret in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Lex must decide if he wants to take his father up on his job offer and move back to his old life in Metropolis.

Notes : Pretty good stuff, with some rather ruthless criminals.

Mog Rating 9/10


17 Reaper

A young man tries to help his mother commit suicide and ends up dying himself. A few years later in Smallville, a terminally ill woman dies in mysterious circumstances, the only clue is some white roses from the new young helper. By using his X-Ray vision Clark discovers the horrific truth, the young man's heart is not actually beating...

Notes : Some rather impressive deaths, but not very memorable

Mog Rating 7/10


18 Drone

Its time to vote for the school student president, and Clark finds himself an unwilling candidate, however soon the candidates start getting attacked by swarms of bee's and end up in a coma.. Is one of the candidates responsible for the bee's actions?

Notes : Great stuff, not for folks who don’t like buzzing insects

Mog Rating 9/10


19 Crush

A young mans dreams of being an artist are shattered when he is involved in a hit and run accident which ruins his hands, however he develops the ability to move objects with his mind. Upon returning to school he develops a relationship with Chloe.
Clark is surprised to fin
d he is feeling Jealous and starts to look closely at the young mans background to reveal all is not well.. then a well-known character is killed

Notes : One of the greatest things about this
episode is the fabulous rendition of Cyndy Laupers 'Time after Time' sung by the Late Eva Cassidy.

Mog Rating 9/10


20 Obscura

After a massive gas explosion Lana starts seeing through someone else’s eyes, and is witness to the kidnapping of Chloe.

Notes : What a chilling episode, and who is spying on Clark!

Mog Rating 10/10


21 Tempest

It’s the time of the school summer formal, and Clark asks Chloe to go with him as his date. However a series of accidents start to befall Clark, and little does he know they are being set-up by an unscrupulous reporter who is determined to prove that there is more to Clark than meets the eye. Just as the Spring Formal gets underway, Whitney drops a bombshell about his future, Season one cliffhanger, and boy does it leave many loose ends!

Notes : Absolutely spot on! Loads of gripping loose ends. I had to wait MONTHS before seeing the conclusion of this one.

Mog Rating 10/10


Season 2 has started in America, and I will admit that I have been downloading these episode cos I just cant wait! And what a cracker it is. The characters have really settled down into their roles. Here are some glimpses of what there is to come

- Clark discovers a new power
- We see the effects of Red Kryptonite
- Far less of Whinging Whitney
- Lex starts to reveal his darker side

and finally

- Clarks secret is out, but who knows?


Links
+++++

The Smallville Torch - http://www.warnerbros.co.uk/web/smallville/torch/h ome.jsp
Luthercorp - http://www.warnerbros.co.uk/web/smallville/luthorc orp/home.jsp
Smallville Ledger - http://www.warnerbros.co.uk/web/smallville/ledger/ home.js
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