Smallville "Pilot" Talkback (Spoilers) [Archive]

Failure

10-17-2001, 01:49 AM

AH CRAP! I timed the recording. Apparently the show went a bit longer. Can anyone tell me what happened in the last 10 minutes?

Well from what I saw, I liked it. I thought it was pretty good. Casting all around was solid, I still dont really see Kristen Kreuk as Lana. Nothing against her, she did fine, but I keep seeing a redhead in my mind. I kept thinking she was more like a friend like Joey from Dawson's Creek instead. There was minimal teenybopping going on which was a plus. I'll keep watching for now, I think it's got good potential.

A few points:
I really liked Lex's character, maybe too much. He might've been a bit too likable, but I can see how they can quickly turn him into a villain. It'll be interesting to see their relationship evolve.

I thought the 1st scene where Clark collapsed while approaching Lana because of the necklace was hilarious.

Did the graveyard seen with Lana remind anyone of the graveyard seen with Bruce and Andrea Beaumont in MotP? "Mother wants to know..."

With all the Kryptonite present, (several huge rocks and all) I hope the writers dont keep using that as a cop-out for plot development. I dont want to see Clark get weak from Kryptonite every week, only to shake away from it and beat the bad guy.

Speaking of which, I also hope the show doesn't turn out to be a bad guy of the week type thing. That could make things a little too formulaic. This week's villain was probably the worst part of the show. Unless aliens start visiting Earth, although who knows what the heck they'd be doing in Smallville. The question is how much evil should be going on in Smallville? it's not a hel-lmouth or anything. It's just a little town.

I need Tivo or something.

Kristen Kreuk, one word: yow!

Damien Oujia

10-17-2001, 08:53 AM

Originally posted by Failure
AH CRAP! I timed the recording. Apparently the show went a bit longer. Can anyone tell me what happened in the last 10 minutes?

Lex saved Clark from the scarecrow post, Clark went back to Smallville and wound up fighting with the electric kid, and the electric kid tried to kill Clark (in a pretty awesome scene, I might add...great action) and the electric kid wound up getting zapped by a lot of electricity at the end, which took away his memory. Which was a good thing, because he had just witnessed Clark surviving being hit by his (the electric boy's) truck and by being driven thru a brick wall. Great action all around.

The episode wound up for the most part with just him loning for Lana.

Next week's episode looks like we will start to see some of Lex's evil mastermind ways come thru. Should be interesting!

Failure

10-17-2001, 09:50 AM

Thanks BD!

Kal-el

10-17-2001, 12:23 PM

I was very impressed with the stunts and visual effects. The scene when Clark plunges into the pond after being hit by Lex's car...very well done. Clark being smashed through a brick was...pretty believable.
Clark is a young Christopher Reeve look alike. Casting him was very smart.
I, too, hope that there isn't a villian or superbadguy of the week. The show doesn't need that, especially with Clark still figuring out his powers and abilities...lots of potential there.
I enjoyed the symbolic gestures to Clark's destined alter-ego. I will be watching closely for further symbols in future eps.
Before the premiere, I was unsure of how the involvement of Lex during Clarks pre-Superman years would work. The way that was done, I feel, will work and give the mythology of Superman a new look and direction.
I'm very excited about this series.

James Harvey

10-17-2001, 12:43 PM

I'm moving this to the JL Board since this is a Superman show, and this show should be discussed there.

demon's head

10-17-2001, 01:07 PM

So Clark was supposed to be 14 yrs old or somewhere close to that right...?
And i agree that i hope that this doesn't become a villian of the week series...because elevtric guy didn't really do it for me.
I'd like to see more of Clark developing powers and his lusting (cause guys who long don't spy on girls with telescopes) for Lana...oh and him dealing with holding back his powers...

DR.MID-NITE

10-17-2001, 01:39 PM

I enjoyed it.

PROS:
-You can feel for Clarks prediciment. Being so powerful, yet having to pretend he cannot do things (ie-play sports)
-Great effects.
-Cast was good (although, Clark did look a little older than 14. But, he might be older on the show. Lex does give him a truck).
-The guilt he feels for the effects of the meteor shower on Smallville, especially the death of Lana's parents.

Cons:
-One problem with having Lex there and Clark not being in disguise yet. When he becomes Superman and meets with Lex. Lex will ask "Aren't you that kid from Smallville who save my life?"
-Smallville had a population of 45,000. Thats a large town. I thought Smallville was suppose to be a small little nothing.

ThOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE:
-It looks like it might be the supervillian of the week. From the episode synopsis' I've read. Their will be other people who get powers from the meteor.
-Also, we will see other powers manifesting themselves in Clark (ie-x-ray vision) and their consequences.

Gpoliceman

10-17-2001, 04:25 PM

I thought the first episode of Smallville was pretty good. I'm still a little bent that the WB decided to make a Superman prequel series than the long rumored Bruce Wayne series. I think the WB is once again screwing Batman fans cause "ohhhh, he's just too violent. The children! The children! We need a sugar coated superhero on our tv station!"

Superman is just so........happy.........ho hum.......

Anyhow, the first episode was PRETTY GOOD. Not amazing. Not HOLY CRAP material. I thought it was above average. I thought there were some story telling holes, like exactly when Clark realized he was "different" aka being stronger than everyone else and up to where he learns he's an alien. The audience only sees him get hit by a car and live, and right after he's sticking his arm into a woodchipper. However, he does give some inclination that he already knew about it with the whole football try outs conversation, but still though that conversation didnt make it seem like he was fully aware that he was a DIFFERENT human being than those around him.........any ways........I just thought his alien discover was a little rushed. If the opener to the series could have been two hours, or like Alias one hour without commercials it should have been played out more.

I thought the villain of this episode was TOTALLY FREAKING STUPID. Nuff' said.

I thought Lana and Lex were accurantely portraited. They seemed dead on I guess.

The only thing I didnt like about Clark's character is just the fact that I AM ABSOLUTELY FREAKING TIRED of seeing the HOTTEST GUYS or the HOTTEST girls playing so called "dorks" on tv. Clark Kent did NOT AT ALL come off as a dork to me in the show. The guy is far too pretty. Everybody in here knows that in a real high school situation that guy who plays Clark would be getting all the girls.

It's just like Julia Roberts playing a so called "ugly duckling" sister to Catherine Zeta jones in her last flick. It's no longer coming off right if hot people are supposedly losers. It's not realistic anymore, and so that was my problem with Clark and another with the show. I'll be the first male to admit the guy who plays Clark is far better looking than I am. That guy in my high school (I'm a senior) would be getting every girl I know. That guy is not a dork and so I dont like how he's suppose to be one on the show too. When he told his parents he didn't want to be a loser I was like "oh yeah right!" I'm a loser dang-it! Not that guy!

I have to say that the special and visual effects were very good for a television show. They must have put in extra effort. the music was also good. I was really hoping for some kind of superman theme when Clark fought the stupid villain but I guess this just aint the show for that. darn.

I felt as if the episode lost flare as it moved on. So much energy was spent in the opening, and it dried up as you went along with that really dumb villain.

Lastly, Clark's two friends, the african-american and the blonde haired girl were kinda strange. The part in the show where they discuss all the jocks being beat up by dumb dumb head the villain and then switching to a scene where they investigate the yearbook came off weird. They seemed really cruel to pick the skinny guy out of the crowd and all of a sudden suspect him as being behind it all, and then Clark and his buddies all of a sudden become Sherlock Holmes trying to piece together these so called "crimes". Like I said before, if the episode was longer it could have worked. Perhaps the friends came off as so-called dorks, but Clark still to me was totally hanging out with the wrong crowd. I never felt he was dorkish.

So all in all, the episode felt rushed in some areas. The villain was no better than Farmer Brown, and I cant see anybody in here actually believing he was a great villain. Get your heads on straight. Wake up from the excitement of a new series and get critical again. Recall all the Batman animated villains. This villain deserves to be up there with the worst of them, I hope we don't ever meet him again. And then after Superman beats him he doesn't even remember who he is. STUPID. The guy sucked.

And the last complaint I have about this show is that I find it to be FAR TOO MUCH LIKE Upn's "Roswell". If Smallville turns into a high school show about a boy trying to figure out where he came from and who he is then I dont see how it's any different from Roswell. True, Superman is much cooler than anything Roswell will ever do (and decades of comic fascination proves that), but Roswell DID come out first (with a series) and so Smallville is the one that has to be different.

And if villains like the one on the first episode are the kind we're always going to see then Smallville might fall off my list of shows to watch.

I am very iffy about Superman. I didnt see ever episode of the animated Series. I'm not so big a fan of the Superman animated series. I dont like Superman for the same reasons Batman doesn't (ironically enough), and so this show NEEDS to be improve if it's going to keep me onboard.

A dedicated Bat fan,
Gpoliceman

PS: The Justice League series on Cartoon network is going to be TEN TIMES better than Smallville. I am planning on taping every episode.

Stupendous Man

10-17-2001, 04:35 PM

Hello Friends...

Smallville.

Definitely has potential.
I will be TIVO'ing this ever week without fail.

I thought the show handled characterization
very well. Liked the actors playing both
Lex and Clark.

I agree with someones prior statements that
Lex is so likeable you have to wonder who you'll
be rooting for come season II.

I liked the interplay between the characters ..
I liked the whole Dawsons Creek/ Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibe
the show was giving off.

I thought the imagery was powerful ..
I liked the scene of Clark crucified in a cornfield with
a red S painted on his chest .

cool.

My only complaint / concern was the minor subplot involving
the"super-villian". It was slightly cheesy and too quickly resolved.

Id almost rather they avoided the whole powered villain stuff and
stick to the teen angst drama .

If they insist on sticking to the villains though I hope they do so more in line with X-files ..where the villains are more cerebral , they show less but are twice as menacing cause your mind fills in the gaps in the special effects.

* * *

Regarding changes to the Superman mythos.

The meteor storm was kinda of a cool concept.

Actually an improvement over the whole DC comics
continuity . It makes sense that Clarks arrival on
Earth heralds the begining of super powered biengs.
That humans gain powers due to Kryptonian Radiation
makes more sense than people suddenly bieng
bitten by radioactive spiders etc ( oops wrong universe).

Lex in Smallville is a cool idea for this show , but is impossible
to reconcile in the current Superman Mythos.

As someone pointed out its impossible for someone as clever
as Lex not to figure out Clark is Superman ( when Clark
eventually becomes Supes.)

I think you have to accept this as an 'elseworlds' type
continuity and accept that Lex and Superman are going to
have a different kind of rivalry then youve ever seen depicted
before.

I imagine a rivalry closer to that of Daredevil and the Kingpin ..
where Lex knows Clark is Superman and uses the information to
torture Clark and to protect himself and his criminal activities.

Does anyone else hope Clark wises up and goes for the
blond over Lana?

Also this show is suffering for 90210 syndrome ... 30 somethings
in high school. They all look like college students rather than
HS. At the very least they should be seniors...Is clark supposed to be a freshman ? Except for petey ross who looks like a freshman ... so much so that he seems out of place hanging out with the much older looking Clark and Chloe.

Overall Cool A@@ show.

Quite happy so far with Smallville & Enterprise.

Lets hope the TICK kicks butt !

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 04:44 PM

The meteor shower also makes sense in regards to the space ship that carried Clark would have been bound to be picked up in some kind of gravitational field, and that gravitational field was of Krypton, post mortem. So I think that was a quite logical addition to the Superman mythos. One thing I hope to see in the first season is Clark discovering more about that alien box his adoptive father showed him. It surely contains the secrets of Krypton, and I can't wait to see the flash back episodes.

As for Lex recognizing Superman later on....why wouldn't he? Clark Kent does a crappy job in "protecting" his secret identity. It always bothered me that he needed one in the first place. Maybe in this revision, he won't have a need for one? Or won't have the luxury of having one? It could add an intersesting twist to the mythos either way.

optimal321

10-17-2001, 04:53 PM

Here's my input:

It was better than i thought it would be. Well, i guess it started looking good before i actually saw it, but it sure didn't let me down.

I loved the symbolic forshadowing. Like all the S's spread around (on his chest as a scarecrow, and i'm not sure if anyone noticed but on Lana's jock boyfriend's scool jacket there was an S resembling the Supes logo. Probably stood for "Smallville"). I also really liked how when fighting that villian Clark said something about his destiny (which we all know;)).

The acting seemed a little off at times. Was it just me, or did it seem like Pa Kent always had a nervous smile on his face? But, for a TV show, it was okay.

At the end when Clark piled all the jocks' trucks on top of each other, it seemed a little beneath him. It wasn't exactly the boyscout "Superman" thing to do, but he is just a kid. And he could have gotten back in a worse way.

But, over all, it was a good show. Got me really hyped. I'm excited to see were it goes from here...

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 04:58 PM

Anybody know why it ran ten minutes long last night? Was it supposed to do that or did they screw up in programming? And was it just for the premier? I was hoping that maybe it was gonna be a two hour premier when I realized it was going past an hour, and that WB was going to start broadcasting three hours a night instead of two (mainly because all that's on after it in my area is Jerry Springer. I'd take Gilmore Girls over that!) I am hoping this doesn't go every week, because next week I will have to set my VCR to get it and I don't want to miss a minute of this show!

Stupendous Man

10-17-2001, 05:01 PM

Hey G ...

Read your post.
Liked it , agreed with most of it.

Im also really looking forward to the animated Justice League.

I hope it lives up to the hype.

As for your comments regarding WBs decision to go with
a prequel Superman series rather than a prequel Batman show.

I think i can explain that ...

To me Ive always found the premise of how Clark became Superman more interesting than his adventures as Superman.

Superman adventures are always boring because hes so powerfull that no one ever poses a threat to him.

Is Superman really such a hero ? Hes never in any physical
danger . Batman goes out in to the gotham streets every night
knowing this is the night that someone might get lucky and
put a bullet through his skull.

The interesting thing about Superman is how he copes with his
great power . How he longs to just be human and his
inability to get the women he loves because he alienates himself from them.

Not the fact that he stops bankrobbers who toss their guns at him innefectively.

Batmans a different story ...

Batman only becomes interesting once he puts on the cape and cowl.

I think youve missed the whole point to Batman if you want to see a young bruce wayne.

See the difference between Superman and Batman is that

Clark Kent is the man and Superman is the act ..
Whereas Bruce Wayne is the act and Batman is the real person.

Batman doesnt feel comfortable outside his batman persona ,
in effect Batmans life doesnt begin till he puts on the cape.

A young Clark series should be far more interesting than a
series about a young Bruce.
And this is coming from a much bigger Batman fan than Supes.

optimal321

10-17-2001, 05:02 PM

It was a great premire!

Stupendous Man

10-17-2001, 05:06 PM

The reason Clark needs a secret identity Cal is cause...

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 05:07 PM

I am more of a fan of Batman than Superman, too. I also was disappointed when they scratched the Young Bruce Wayne series in favor for Smallville (I think I said I would check out the first eppy but doubted I would be hanging around for more) but I also think that a series about a young man coming to grips with a destiny he doesn't really want is going to be remarkably more interesting than seeing a series about some kid who is ate up about his parents being murdered and spending all his waking hours training in to be Batman. I am not saying I don't want to see the young Bruce series to come, or maybe they could do it as a movie (YEAR ONE, preferably) but I am rather satisfied with the direction WB took with Smallville.

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 05:09 PM

Originally posted by The Spirit
The reason Clark needs a secret identity Cal is cause...

We all know why he needs one. The question I bring up is will he be afforded the luxury of one? Or will he have to be more creative to come up with one than combing his hair differently and wearing glasses from persona to persona?

James Harvey

10-17-2001, 05:09 PM

I thought it was a real good premiere. The sequence with the meteors bombarding Smallville was just amazing. The special effects looked really good in that sequence. A bonus about the show being 70 minutes long is the possiblity of a DVD release (Like what WB is doing to WITCHBLADE in 2002). While I can overlook a 24 year old model playing a 16 year old teenager, the pilot was very enjoyable. Rosenbaum is a great lex Luthor, and I can see him being molded into the S:TAS Luthor easily.

I bet we'll get at least 2 more seasons of the show.

Stupendous Man

10-17-2001, 05:17 PM

The reason Clark needs a Secret ID is because ...

a ] Clark longs for a normal life.

b ] He doesnt want to endanger his loved ones by having
his enemies try to get to him thru them.

c ] Because unlike Batman he considers the Superman persona
a means to an end and not the real him.

Some explanations according to the comic books as to how
hes gotten away with a secret identity so long are ..

1] Everyone assumes Supe is Supe 24 hours a day and no one
is looking for a secret id. Having his face out in the open kind
of avoids the suspicion that masked heroes arouse.

2 ] Clark supposedly alters his posture and the glasses and
combing of his hair alter his appearance. also Supes doesnt
stand around for pictures or Kudos avoiding people getting to
familiar with his appearance , people are expecting tights and
a cape not the guy in shirt and tie behind you in line at Starbucks.

3 ] How do his friends ..Lois, Jimmy etc not catch on?
Its been implied that Supes has an empathic ability that
even he is not fully aware of ... it kind of acts as a hypnotic
suggestion preventing Lois , Jimmy , Perry etc from arriving
at a logical conclusion.

Wouldnt it be cool though if in this version of Superman his little
Jedi- Mind trick doesnt work on someone as strong willed as Lex.

Hope this answers your question or sparks interesting discussion...

Toodles.

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 05:21 PM

Well...the show was probably 50 minutes long without commercials.

Lex should be grateful to heaven above he had that red hair burned off his head!

The day dreams don't bother me as much as Clark's voyerism. I think when he discovers he has telescopic vision and X ray vision, he will use those to...well...really watch Lana!

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 05:24 PM

Some of those things you brought up were introduced in John Byrne's revision of Superman. I get the feeling WB will handle his secret identity needs in a different way in this new series. They already took away the memory of the kid who drove him thru the wall, so I hope they don't resort to that as a fall back in future episodes.

Stupendous Man

10-17-2001, 05:24 PM

I think the only alternative to glasses would be a mask.
Do we wanna see Supes in a mask? Dont know.

I'll tell you what ive always wondered about ..

Shouldnt he wear gloves? Doesnt he worry about finger prints?
The man touches everything ... hes tearing off car doors ,
crushing guns with his bare hands.

Lets face it Supes isnt subtle.

Wouldnt anyone have dusted for prints at this point ?

Do Kryptonians even have fingerprints?

Stupendous Man

10-17-2001, 05:27 PM

Sigh ...

A girl who can reference John Byrne .
I think im in love .

How old are you Cal ?

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 05:28 PM

Right now the only person who could blow the lid off of Clark's future secret identity is Lex Luthor. They have a close relationship right now, and perhaps it is a secret that Lex will keep to himself as his way to thank Clark for saving his life? Kind of like repect for your enemy. That would be an interesting way to handle it, and I think in the end it would make Luthor a far more interesting villian than he was in any previous version of the Superman story, because we all know the person closest to the hero makes for the most intersting villian.

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 05:29 PM

Originally posted by The Spirit
Sigh ...

A girl who can reference John Byrne .
I think im in love .

How old are you Cal ?

LOL! Sorry to burst your bubble, guy, but I'm a guy! Just using a Sylvia Plath avatar!

Failure

10-17-2001, 05:30 PM

I thought Clark/Superman/boy was pretty good. Except for the fact that he was kind of old looking. Hard to believe he's a freshman, I'd say a junior or senior at least and that's pushing it. Also I dont think he was that gorgeous. Good looking, but not Hollywood glamourous. Clark Kent/Superman is a pretty good looking guy anyway.

I've also never really thought of CK as a dork, just different in a way midwest country is different from NY hustle and bustle. CK knows what he's doing, I think maybe the movies made him seem a little too dorky. I dont think they're trying to make CK a nerdy outsider, he's just not an "insider," which I find pretty believable.

As for the Bruce Wayne show, I was just wondering, but how much of the proposed Year 1 movie, if it got off the ground would coincide/conflict with the potential BW show? Is it possible WB is sitting on the BW show to wait and see how the Y1 movie turns out?

Shriek

10-17-2001, 05:31 PM

I thought the episode was really awesome. I really liked it. Lana was really hot, but I really can't stand all this kryptonite crap that is going to be happening with him. And I hope we actually get to see him use his powers.

Stupendous Man

10-17-2001, 05:31 PM

lol ..

FIGURES... LOL .. NO CHICK CAN QUOTE THE
GREAT BYRNE .

Nice to meet you dude.

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 05:44 PM

Nice to meet you too! I think for the most part, people here pick avatars that are the same sex as them, but I understand the confusion. There is a poster here (who hasn't been on as much lately cuz he's busy) named Inque that many of us thought was a girl at first cuz he has Inque as his avatar. Never judge a poster by their avatar is the lesson we learned today!

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 05:48 PM

Originally posted by Failure
I've also never really thought of CK as a dork, just different in a way midwest country is different from NY hustle and bustle. CK knows what he's doing, I think maybe the movies made him seem a little too dorky. I dont think they're trying to make CK a nerdy outsider, he's just not an "insider," which I find pretty believable.

I don't think he is a dork in this series either. He is precieved that way because he stumbles and falls all over himself when he gets near Lana, but that's because of her kryptonite necklace.

The only thing I was wondering...why don't other people wear kryptionite jewlery in this town? There was obviously quite a bit of it that fell and I am sure more got made than a necklace here and there. I bet a lot of residents of Smallville have kryptonite keepsakes on their persons, or at least in their houses.

Failure

10-17-2001, 05:49 PM

Originally posted by calhoun07
Never judge a poster by their avatar is the lesson we learned today!

Does anyone assume the poster looks like their avatar? That's what I keep thinking. For example, I assume DG looks like DG and Maxie Zeus looked like Zeus until he changed his avatar to an eagle. I know he's changed it since then, but I keep thinking he's a big eagle now.

James Harvey

10-17-2001, 05:55 PM

I'm hoping the series won't fall into the 'villian of the week' mode, which is seems to be from the episode description I've read. I'd like to see more than just Clark fighting a different freak every week. And it's weird that these freaks are just popping up now even though it's been 13 years since the Kryptonite hit. Then again, the kryptonite has been in the soil, water, grass, etc...so I can partially understand why it's coming up just now.

And myself I'm a mix of DG and underGRAD's "Nitz" character.

witness

10-17-2001, 05:57 PM

Hey all!

Fisrt of all, I think this show rocked! There were only two things that I didn't like.

1. Smallville's apparent timeline. Here's how it works. We find out that Lana Lang is three years old when the metoer shower hits. Clark Kent is not a baby in the spaceship when he is found. (He was a baby in the animated show. Is this true for the comics too?)
I'm guessing that Clark would also be three years old. Fast forward twelve years and they're in the present day. Which means that they're supposed to be fifteen. Of course, they all look like they're in their twentys. If they are going to have Clark be fifteen, get someone who's actually still in his teens. That goes for everyone in the high school.

2. The "villian" of course. This does look like it will be a villian of the week type show. Hopefully, as it progresses, it can have a major villian running throughout the season like the Buffy and Angel shows. We all know Lex will be like that, but it wouldn't hurt to have another real villian to last the season. Hopefully, one with powers. I think making Conduit show up would be a great idea for this series. Maybe even have a cameo from Gotham. I already have an idea for that, so if anyone would like to know, just write me and i'll tell you.

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 05:58 PM

I think the avatar that I had that I felt most resembled me, in character at least, was Nitz.

Geez....That's what DG said...I guess that's why we meet together here so often! We just have alot in common!

Of course, I think in the end, maybe all my avatars make up some part of my personality as a whole. Sylvia Plath strikes something in my darker and creative side more than the other avatars I've had.

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 06:04 PM

Originally posted by witness
Hey all!

Fisrt of all, I think this show rocked! There were only two things that I didn't like.

1. Smallville's apparent timeline. Here's how it works. We find out that Lana Lang is three years old when the metoer shower hits. Clark Kent is not a baby in the spaceship when he is found. (He was a baby in the animated show. Is this true for the comics too?)
I'm guessing that Clark would also be three years old. Fast forward twelve years and they're in the present day. Which means that they're supposed to be fifteen. Of course, they all look like they're in their twentys. If they are going to have Clark be fifteen, get someone who's actually still in his teens. That goes for everyone in the high school.

2. The "villian" of course. This does look like it will be a villian of the week type show. Hopefully, as it progresses, it can have a major villian running throughout the season like the Buffy and Angel shows. We all know Lex will be like that, but it wouldn't hurt to have another real villian to last the season. Hopefully, one with powers. I think making Conduit show up would be a great idea for this series. Maybe even have a cameo from Gotham. I already have an idea for that, so if anyone would like to know, just write me and i'll tell you.

I think the reason they try to pass off older people as teenagers in these shows is because they can get locked into a series easier? I don't know for sure, but look what happens when you get a real teenager playing a teenager in a show in the example of that kid from Sopranos! They screw up, wind up in juvie, and you have to write them out of the show! Using young adults as teens is nothing new and I doubt the media will change that any time soon.

As for the villian of the week...I don't want that either. I want the plots to develop in other directions as well. But the villians they do have on the show should be quite interesting.

As for Gotham, yeah, some kind of reference would be great, but I want to see Krypton in this show first.

Failure

10-17-2001, 08:13 PM

Originally posted by calhoun07
I think the reason they try to pass off older people as teenagers in these shows is because they can get locked into a series easier? I don't know for sure, but look what happens when you get a real teenager playing a teenager in a show in the example of that kid from Sopranos! They screw up, wind up in juvie, and you have to write them out of the show! Using young adults as teens is nothing new and I doubt the media will change that any time soon.

Well, Hollywood has strict laws for people under 16 or 17. They are limited to a certain amount of hours to work and they always have to have a guardian present I believe. So for an underage person to be a star of a 1 hour drama might be difficult to do.

Originally posted by calhoun07
The only thing I was wondering...why don't other people wear kryptionite jewlery in this town? There was obviously quite a bit of it that fell and I am sure more got made than a necklace here and there. I bet a lot of residents of Smallville have kryptonite keepsakes on their persons, or at least in their houses.

I was wondering about that too, as the "meteor capital of the USA" you'd figure they'd have little kryptonite trinket stores all over the place. I suppose the government could have taken all of it though. My question is why didnt Clark die when he first came out of his spaceship, there were several huge chunks of kryptonite in his vicinity. Was it just not radioactive yet?

The Mad Hatter

10-17-2001, 08:27 PM

I'm pretty happy with it. I wish they hadn't have picked a 25-year-old to portray young Clark, but that's really my biggest gripe. Great action, nice nods to the comics, and damn Lana's a cutie.

Everything else has pretty much been said.

Calhoun07

10-17-2001, 08:35 PM

Originally posted by Failure
I was wondering about that too, as the "meteor capital of the USA" you'd figure they'd have little kryptonite trinket stores all over the place. I suppose the government could have taken all of it though. My question is why didnt Clark die when he first came out of his spaceship, there were several huge chunks of kryptonite in his vicinity. Was it just not radioactive yet?

My estimation is that perhaps since he hadn't fully developed many of his powers yet, since he grew stronger the more time he spent under our yellow sun, perhaps his immunity to kryptonite hadn't yet developed either. His weakness towards kryptonite seems to be relational to his strength level. Does that make sense? The more time he spends on earth getting stronger, the more sensitive he is to the affects of kryptionite. After all, if Kryptonite had been deadly to him right away, there would have been no way he would have survived the trip here, since it was always in close vacinity to his ship, not to mention how would his people survive on a planet where that stuff was in their very soil. So I think the longer he spends under our sun, the more kryptonite weakens him.

Joker85

10-17-2001, 10:12 PM

I wasn't home last night and had to record it,so I just saw the premiere. I LOVED it!! It wasn't too heavy on the Dawson's Creek drama like I thought it would be, and I thought it was really cool how they set everything up. The cast is great and I swear that the kid playing Clark looks just like Christopher Reeves!!! They could be father and son. I thought that was a nice touch. The electro guy I could have done without because it seemed he just didn't fit, but whatever! I look foward too it next week!:)

Joker85

10-17-2001, 10:14 PM

I thought it was great! Especially for a WB show. I imagine that it will last a good 4 seasons or so.:)

Failure

10-17-2001, 11:53 PM

Originally posted by calhoun07
The day dreams don't bother me as much as Clark's voyerism. I think when he discovers he has telescopic vision and X ray vision, he will use those to...well...really watch Lana!

I liked the daydreams, I've always though CK would be a daydreamer in his younger days. I mean, who hasnt dreamt about doing some superhuman feat, or winning the big game all by yourself, or getting the girl, etc.

As for the voyerism, I'm sure Lana wouldn't find that a little bit umm... creepy. The X-Ray vision ep should be classic.

Russkafin

10-18-2001, 12:01 AM

For anyone wondering about the ages, Clark, Lana, Chloe and Pete are all supposed to be 15 year old freshmen, Lex Luthor is supposed to be 21. Tom Welling (Clark) is actually 24 years old! The other actors are a little closer to the ages they are supposed to be... Kristin Kruek is 18, and I believe Sam Jones and Allison Mack are about the same.

And of course Michael Rosenbaum (Lex) also lends his voice to The Zeta Project, Ghoul in ROTJ, and The Flash in the upcoming Justice League. Think he might be a DC comics fan??

Kal-el

10-18-2001, 12:32 PM

I was wondering about something while watching the premiere and the thought was again sparked by the question of why don't more Smallville residents have their own kryptonite chunks/jewelery.
If I remember correctly, didn't one of the comic interpretations of Superman have Lex Luthor wearing some kind of kryptonite ring or something that eventually led to him suffering an illness from the effects of the (albeit low) radiation levels? As it has been explained in a number of Superman incarnations, kryptonite is radioactive, the levels of which can possibly kill Superman. Radioactivity, regardless of the level, would eventually harm humans, right? I wonder if all of Smallville will either die from eventual, slow radiation poisening or become a town of mutated people?
Thoughts anyone?

Stupendous Man

10-18-2001, 01:04 PM

As many of you allready know,

In the comic books there are two Superman Histories.

Superman from creation to 1980 ... and Superman Post 1980
John Byrne refit which is the Supes currently in continuity.
This is the Superman Lore DC sanctions as Legitimate.

In current continuity Lex did have a ring with a kryptonian stone.
He used it to torment Supes and gain the upper hand in the
case of a physical confrontation.

However the ring gave him cancer and killed him (or his body ..he later transferred his mind into a cloned body of himself , albeit several years younger , and passed as his own illegitimate child)

Turns out while kryptonite is immediately harmfull to kryptonians ..
it is harmfull to humans who are exposed to it long term.

In current superman continuity there is only one type of kryptonite .. green.

However in Pre - 1980 Superman kryptonite worked a litte differently.

There were a ridiculous variety of kryptonite ... aqua-marine kryptonite turned him into a fish etc.

The interesting thing about Pre-1980 kryptonite though was that
after a certain amount of time in earths atmosphere it would turn into ordinary lead.

Whats more this was the explanation of why Supermans Xray vision worked thru everything but lead ...lead bieng kryptonites
bastard cousin so to speak.

I dont think the Krypto to lead is still used in current continuity
but theyve kept the 'cant see thru lead weakness'.

As for how this all relates to Smallville...well we should look to the comics for answers to questions since that were the producers are getting there inspiration.

Logically though there are lots of things in nature that give off radiation .. most things your body can handle unless over exposed . like microwave ovens or my guess kryptonite.

I hope kryptonite doesnt become like a cast member though
that every week comes to plague Clark .. that the writers use
as a crutch for poor storytelling.

If Lex keeps some Krypto to level the playing field ...cool .

Hopefully though its not every schmuck in kansas holding it
over Clarks head.

Nightwing

10-18-2001, 05:29 PM

I gave the show a few demerits (three actually. I counted. Although that's not half bad for an hour plus ten minutes of show) but overall it was good.

These are in the order of bad to worst...the top three!

3 - Lex's loss of his hair struck me as odd, but it's the kind of odd where I think it's just me and I'll get used to it. But in any case, I guess it just caught me off guard. :)

2 - In my mind Clark's FIRST exposure to Kryptonite is always supposed to be the worst. I guess they couldn't fit it in to the one episode, because that would had to have been a sub plot of sorts.

But unlike the others, our NUMBER ONE is a doosy without any feelings of sympathy from me....

1 - Killing Lana's Parents. Now I'm sorry I never got a chance to meet them, and this COULD POSSIBLY be an interesting hurdle in the two of them getting together, but

(1) that's not my Clark. My Clark isn't Peter Parker clumsy around girls or anyone else he comes near, he's Clark Kent clumsy. A dork. This is supposed to be a young man who is desperately admired by the most beautiful girl in school, but he's too brain dead on being such a sweet dork to notice. I've always loved that aspect of Dorky Clark, and I'm sorry to see it go. Maybe they'll bring it back...

(2)I saved the obvious for part two. Lana's parents seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when the meteor killed them, but it appeared as though they LIKED it. I probably shouldn't have felt this way, (maybe it was because the part of the scene happened so quickly) but I laughed my rear off when I saw that happen. "Wooooow, pretty flying thing..."

Calhoun07

10-18-2001, 08:52 PM

You know, when an asteroid hits this Earth in the near future (and I believe it will happen, as both scientists and prophets forsee this even taking place), Hollywood will have to go back and remove references from meteors and asteroids from their movies, too!

As for Lana's parents being killed...I didn't think they enjoyed it! How did you percieve that? Did Lana's parents die in the comic book continuity?

Failure

10-18-2001, 09:22 PM

Originally posted by calhoun07
As for Lana's parents being killed...I didn't think they enjoyed it! How did you percieve that? Did Lana's parents die in the comic book continuity?

I remember there was a little spinoff comic miniseries several years back called Smallville. I have a couple issues, although they're not with me right now, so I'm not sure about the details, but I think Lana was an orphan in that. But I'm not sure how it ties in with the "normal" continuity at the time, if at all. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Nightwing

10-19-2001, 02:28 PM

I don't know if Lana's parents died in any other continuity, but in the two seconds that scene sped by in, Lana's parents seemed to look up at the meteor absolutely fascinated. I guess I found it funny because it was kind of rushed. :)

Stupendous Man

10-19-2001, 03:11 PM

For anyone who finds this useless trivia interesting ...

In the Previous Superman continuity (Pre-Byrne 1980)

Lex was a conducting experiments as a teenager in his home
lab and the chemicals caught aflame.

Superboy came in to save his buddy Lex with his Superbreath
and blew out the flames but his breath blew some of the chemicals on Lex's head and made him go bald.

Lex blamed Superboy for his baldness and thus began the
Lex vs Superboy fued.

Its stuff like this that made it necessary for DC to trash their
Superman continuity and start from scratch.

I think Smallville is definitely paying homage to these old Superboy stories as they've once again inadvertently made Clark
the cause of Lexs baldness.

Anyone want Clarks home address in Metropolis or
his Social Security number ?

Sheesh I need a life.

DisneyBoy

10-20-2001, 12:42 AM

I really enjoyed Smallville, even though the commercials and rumours on the net gave too much away. Maybe I should just boycott the net, it ruins too much of the surprises in life. But the previews are soo adictive!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!! THE CRAVINGS!!! HELP ME, HELP M....

(ahem)

Yes, I did enjoy the show, especially Clark's vivid imagination and visualization! I don't think there is a single guy on the planet that hasn't had that "Dream Girl Dance" fantasy play out in his head over and over while she dances with some one else. As for ages, I do think that Clark looks waaaaaaaaaaaaaay to old to be playing a "geeky/puberty" character when he looks like he's already heading to Metropolis. Actually, there is a sort of boyish look to him. I wonder how long he'll play this "teen" character before he calls it quits or his age begins to show. I like Lana, though I thought she was a red-head in the comics. Lex's character development will have to be handled carefully, especially if the show lasts a few more years. They won't want to jump the evil-genious-gun so to speak. Then again, how many years will we be interested in watching he and Clark be friends?

Two things I really don't like are Clark's "friends" at school. No offence, but the girl acts like she should be on some poorly-made YTV show and the other guy is a typical "racial diversity" character whom we've never even heard of. No offense to any races or the notion of intergrating all members of society into shows, I fully support that. It's just the fact that they seem like such flat, poorly-thought-out new characters thrown in for good measure that rubs me the wrong way. That, and they weren't at all believable, except maybe the girl in the "Wall of Wierd" scene, but that was probably just the way it was filmed.
The second thing that I don't like is the impending fear that Smallville will become a "Villain of the Week" thing. Lois and Clark, though I love that show, did fall into that trap and it seems like Smallville already has. That lightning guy was a poorly thought out, one-time villain. I would have preferred that the episode begin a on-going storyline, laying down plot threads rather than giving Clark someone to fight. I realize that they layed great foundations for the main characters, but the villain was kinda dumb and useless. I also felt that Clark coming to terms with his "Destiny" was too rushed and awkward. Heck, he knows nothing of Krypton or the rest of his powers yet, so what exactly clued him in to the fact that he would grow to be something special? Nothing.

All this aside, I am very happy that the show feels like "Lois and Clark" and flows with the same style. Tom Welling is doing a good job, as are Lex and Lana and it's cute to see the ex-Lana playing Martha! All in all, I an greatful to once again have a show that my Dad and I can sit down and watch togther, especially since it means I won't have to argue to tape it! :)

Eldermount

10-22-2001, 11:46 AM

Originally posted by DisneyBoy
Two things I really don't like are Clark's "friends" at school. No offence, but the girl acts like she should be on some poorly-made YTV show and the other guy is a typical "racial diversity" character whom we've never even heard of. No offense to any races or the notion of intergrating all members of society into shows, I fully support that. It's just the fact that they seem like suchflat, poorly-thought-out new characters thrown in for good measure that rubs me the wrong way.
Actually, Pete Ross isn't a new character. He's always been Clark's best friend from Smallville, both pre-Byrne and post-Byrne. In fact, pre-Byrne, he was the only one outside of the family that knew Clark was Superboy, and never let on that he knew the secret.

The only thing is that in the comics, Pete Ross is a blond haired, blue eyed caucasian. :D

doctorcrime

10-22-2001, 02:39 PM

i finally saw it. i enjoyed it. i think this guy plays a young clark kent struggling perfect. he seems really quiet and introspective. lex is good too, because it seems he's trying to be a descent guy. lana serves her purpose as a 2 dimentional love intrest, though, i hope they develop her character a little more. overall, it's not any amazing series, but it is perfect for what it is. and it's better than lois and clark. i really like this interpretation of superman as a modern day high schooler. i think it is a great platform for teens to get into supperman because they can actually identify with the character for once. he's not this squeeky clean boy scout. he's struggling for identity just like every teen, however, he's going to have to develop two identities. i am a sucker for all the cheesy "symbolism." i loved it! the red blanket, the wings in the graveyard and last but not least, the "S" on his chest! shameless, but enjoyable. he works for the school paper! brilliant. i love it! finally a superman for fans and newcomers.

The Penguin

03-10-2004, 09:09 PM

We said it and The WB is playing it. We visit the past with this thread as "Pilot" was the #5 vote-getter in The WB's "You Say It, We Play It" voting.

The other top episodes are (alphabetical) Nicodemus (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=25125), Red (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=52374), Rosetta (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=68491) and X-Ray (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=14914).

Enjoy the episode, as we go back to Smallville—for the first time.

cheungcheung

03-11-2004, 12:08 AM

holy crap, this is an old thread...

anyways, i always loved this episode.

i would even go so far as to say that this is my fave smallville ep ever.

i am more than willing to bet that the final ep of smallville will act as somewhat of a mirror to the pilot ep.. and it will be a fantastic finale...

Simpler Simon

03-11-2004, 12:48 AM

Recently watched this on DVD. Holds up surprisingly well, and the simple, almost cliche teen angst plot is a refreshing contrast from season three episodes, which have sometimes become too entangled in their own mythology.

-Is it me, or does Tom Welling really look like the 20-something he really is in real life in the first few minutes? I got accustomed to him by the episodes end and completely bought him as a "teenager" from episode two onwards, but he just looks so much older in the first few minutes.

-They dropped the "klutzy" Clark angle really early, maybe by about the third or fourth episode?

- Clark gets a kiss on the cheek, and he's only just had his first real conversation with Lana...ever? Hate when girls give kisses away like that ;) Also convinent how Whitney is just there in place to spy on them.

-Whatever happened to that kryptonian message card Jonathan showed Clark? The one he spent years trying to decipher?

-Lana showing up in the loft and the song "Everything" still gets me every time.

Chad Bonin

03-11-2004, 12:50 AM

I figured he was klutzy because of the Kryptonecklace.

Which, ya known, Lana should be chucked for lung cancer.

Simpler Simon

03-11-2004, 12:53 AM

I figured he was klutzy because of the Kryptonecklace.
He was, I'm just surprised the series dropped that idea so early on, when it would've been such an easy plot device for the writers to use.

Not that I'm complaining.

Chad Bonin

03-11-2004, 12:55 AM

Well, wasn't the whole Kryptonecklace plot resolved early on?

Ya know, I think to this day I've STILL not seen this entire episode.

cheungcheung

03-11-2004, 09:22 AM

the necklace thing was resolved pretty early...

very soon after she got the necklace back from whitney, she put it in some lead box and decided that she shouldn't be wearing it or something...

leading the way for much more clana..

who else thinks that the finale will have clark asking lana whether or not she can keep a secret?

as for the everything song, i think they should end the series with that song as well... except this time, it will be lana longing for clark... :(

Chad Bonin

03-11-2004, 12:09 PM

... Clana?

The series can only end with Clark moving to Metropolis. Whether the last shot is of him looking at an "S", or trying to figure out a name (flashback to everyone calling him "a superman"), or flying with Lana in arms...

cheungcheung

03-11-2004, 02:05 PM

him flying with lana in his arms will probably happen in the last episode, but it won't be the end of the episode, seeing as how she is left in smallville to marry pete(!?!)

the last shot will probably be him flying towards metropolis alone...

Master Moron

03-11-2004, 09:05 PM

Ummm...why are we bringing out the old thread of when this episode first premiered back in 2001? That's just stupid.

Redi

03-11-2004, 09:11 PM

...maybe because that was the second episode that aired last night?

But anyway...Smallville had so much potential....or did it? :shrug:

Russkafin

03-12-2004, 01:04 PM

Whatever happened to that kryptonian message card Jonathan showed Clark? The one he spent years trying to decipher?

It shows up again at the end of Rosetta (which, conveniently, is one of the other top five eps that will be airing in the coming weeks!) ...They use it to get the ship to deliver the other half of the message from Jor-El, the one that tells Kal that he is destined to rule.

DisneyBoy

09-06-2009, 02:33 PM

Can I bump this thread? *BUMPS*

No offence, but the girl acts like she should be on some poorly-made YTV show

Who'd have thought that I would become such an avid Chloe and A-Mack supporter after a first impression like that! I can't deny that my criticism still rings true...but Mack's enthusiasm translated into a range that made her one of the more dynamic performers.

The series can only end with Clark moving to Metropolis. Whether the last shot is of him looking at an "S", or trying to figure out a name (flashback to everyone calling him "a superman"), or flying with Lana in arms...

Oh, LOL. If we only knew how LONG the show would go on. And how tiresome Lana would become. And how we'd get to see all these things, plus Clark holding a red cape, proposing to Lana in the Fortress and even fighting Toyman, Doomsday and soon Metallo...LONG before he'd finally get his act together.

-Lana showing up in the loft and the song "Everything" still gets me every time.

Yeah. Even I can't deny that there's still that lost-love appeal between these two in the early episodes. That High School Crush feeling that just...ah shucks, makes you feel like a kid again. Kreuk really found a way to be appealing as Lana back in those days. And yet the writers weren't exactly doing a terrific job of making her out to be this interesting girl - most of the reasons why we relate to Clark liking Lana are because of Kristin's performance, I believe.