Smallville: A new viewer's perspective

[MILatino]

I recently started watching Smalleville on reruns. Overall, I like it. I like the idea that the show is plot-driven rather than bang-bang, shoot-'em-up, pow-BOOM. They do get heavy on the angst, but I can get past it because it makes them all, even Lex, more likeable. When Clark does do something super, the effects are great.

The only writing change is to have more plots like the one where Lex is haunted by his past incident involving the shooting of an engaged girl's boyfriend at the dance floor. The plot was well-written, the villians were ordinary folks, and Clark's rescue was cool to watch.

So far, all other episodes involve Smallville's mystery youth with some kind of special powers, most of whom got that way due to Kryptonite radiation ("meteor rocks" as they call them). Kryptonite is not supposed to affect anyone but Clark, not these "Children of the Corn."

Good characters: Clark, Martha, Jonathon, Lex, Lionel, Lana

Not needed: both Clark's male classmates (best friend and Lana's boyfriend).

Borderline: Chloe. She's needed to be the nosey one and provide Clark with clues. However, given that Clark will someday become a reporter, they should transfer that instinct to him and ditch her. Chloe and those two guys give the show a Saved by the Bell, Saturday morning feel I don't need.

The music is cool on this show and I like how they tell you which artist and CD the songs come from at the end. Nice touch. Miami Vice should have done the same in its day.

Overall: good show. I call it Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets X-Files meets Party of Five.

[Daredevil_2003]

I kind of indifferent to the show. I like it, but not enough to warrant going out of my way to catch it. I especially like that the show is more plot driven (and the plots are actually good unlike some other Superman related shows *COUGH*Lois and Clark*COUGH* ).

I don't mind the "Kryptonite poisoning" because if I remember correctly in the comics Lex Luthor wore a Kryptonite ring on his finger and after a few years it caused him some health problems. I think his hand had to be amputated or something so the Krypto poisoning wouldn't spread and that's also why he became bald, but I'm not really sure about any of that so don't take my word as law or anything.

[Harvey Dent]

Originally posted by Daredevil_2003
I don't mind the "Kryptonite poisoning" because if I remember correctly in the comics Lex Luthor wore a Kryptonite ring on his finger and after a few years it caused him some health problems. I think his hand had to be amputated or something so the Krypto poisoning wouldn't spread and that's also why he became bald, but I'm not really sure about any of that so don't take my word as law or anything.

Luthor had been balding long before he came into possession of the kryptonite. He did wear the ring for a long time, and it did poison him, so he amputated his hand. That wasn't enough to stop the radiation, so he faked his death and had his body cloned.

As far as Smallville is concerned, I don't care much for the kryptonite-induced powers, and I don't like the fact that the whole town is covered in it. The comics had it set up the best when only one 4 or 5-pound chunk of the green stuff was embedded into Kal-El's ship during the explosion and came with him to Earth.