IGN: What Smallvile got right/What Smallville got wrong

[Binker]

IGN posted these articles back in September 2010 as Season 10 was about to begin, and I didn't know if you guys read them yet. Even though we know how we feel about the show, I felt these two articles summed up what we liked but also what we don't like.

The links are here:
Wrong:
http://comics.ign.com/articles/112/1122865p1.html
Right:
http://comics.ign.com/articles/112/1123300p1.html

If you want to get a cliff-note version, here you go:

What they got wrong:
- Poor Production values
- Didn't know when to stop
- Increasingly Convoluted
- Depleted Supporting Cast
- Where's Batman?
- Rough Later Seasons
- Late to the Hero Party

What they got right:
- The DC Universe Lives
- Bringing in the Creators
- Lex & Clark
- The Supporting Cast
- Long-term stories
- A Sympathetic Clark

 

[Indy Flash]

I agree with all of that. I WANT BATMAN.

 

[Webhead2006]

Blah to them really. Sv I think has done alot of good. Even through the last few yrs with crap budgets.

 

[Indy Flash]

Yeah It Really Never Disappointed Me overall Except for no bats but oh well.

 

[Johnny]

Most of the times IGN are idiots when it comes to Smallville. You want better production values? Invade CW's offices then.

 

[vantheman77]

It's an interesting article of what the show did right and wrong and sums up the things we liked about the show and the things we're frustrated with at the same time.

 

[Zachhelms]

I have one seen the first 6 seasons, so I can't say much for everything but I think Smallville's great. I agree with IGN on how Smallville should have stayed in Smallville. Not have Clark move to Metropolis. I also agree on how Batman should have come into the picture in the show. It would have made it much better.

 

[Webhead2006]

Well we do have to remember every yr they had many many restrictions on superman character, and then other dc characters. Now through the yrs they were given rights to use things. But still certain things are off.

 

[Binker]

Look, even I hate IGN at times, but it just that what they said here were the same thoughts I had. Well, maybe mostly. I wasn't bothered by the production values, though maybe a little more creative would've been better. And while I agree with the "Didn't know when to stop", and the the "Sympathetic Clark", there is more that they didn't talk about.

One is a huge drawback of Clark being sympathetic, because I always had a hard time with Clark because it felt like he was...well, lack of a bettrer term, stupid. I didn't agree with him and every time he did something like in Season 5 where he lost his powers on purpose, I was like "really?" Even after a meteor shower and superpowered villains, this time from space, that wasn't enough for him to realize how important he was?

Secondly was the evolution of both story and character. Even as we're in the final season, it still feels dragged, and I think I know why: even THEY KNOW this show must've been done by now, or at least become something else. I mean in all of the seasons, I always felt like, and going back to Clark, that they would take a step first in development, only to take a step, or maybe 5 steps, back just so the show could continue. You know what I mean? I believe this was said best "it seems like they had a great idea for what they wanted to do with Clark, but by 5 or 6, they were told not to so in the end you had a character no one knew what to do with, so they focused on others like Green Arrow and Supergirl." It felt frustrating watching this.

Third and final just happens to be the same thing we've been talking about since...day one? Or maybe day one of when the problem started; the no tights, no flights rule. It made sense in the beginning, establishing a realistic Superman by exploring the bare essentials. But then, it became a problem, because this rule worked as a temp rule, not a perm one. Plus, I gotta say; even though Byrne went this way by having the flying be the last power Clark had before becoming Superman, it happened in his high school years. This show's take; there's alot about Superman to be explored, and I felt this show could've been creative in that regard, but showig the evolution of how a boy became a man, and how a man becomes a hero/icon that Superman embodies. That would've been fun, but they thought removing the costume and flying was the only way. That's...stupid.

Overall, even as we approach the end and looking back at the same time, I feel this show was both interesting and dragging; had promise but fell in its execution. Plus, didn't I mention it feels like they are doing this because they know this show should've ended or become something else?

 

[Zachhelms]

Look, even I hate IGN at times, but it just that what they said here were the same thoughts I had. Well, maybe mostly. I wasn't bothered by the production values, though maybe a little more creative would've been better. And while I agree with the "Didn't know when to stop", and the the "Sympathetic Clark", there is more that they didn't talk about.

One is a huge drawback of Clark being sympathetic, because I always had a hard time with Clark because it felt like he was...well, lack of a bettrer term, stupid. I didn't agree with him and every time he did something like in Season 5 where he lost his powers on purpose, I was like "really?" Even after a meteor shower and superpowered villains, this time from space, that wasn't enough for him to realize how important he was?

Secondly was the evolution of both story and character. Even as we're in the final season, it still feels dragged, and I think I know why: even THEY KNOW this show must've been done by now, or at least become something else. I mean in all of the seasons, I always felt like, and going back to Clark, that they would take a step first in development, only to take a step, or maybe 5 steps, back just so the show could continue. You know what I mean? I believe this was said best "it seems like they had a great idea for what they wanted to do with Clark, but by 5 or 6, they were told not to so in the end you had a character no one knew what to do with, so they focused on others like Green Arrow and Supergirl." It felt frustrating watching this.

Third and final just happens to be the same thing we've been talking about since...day one? Or maybe day one of when the problem started; the no tights, no flights rule. It made sense in the beginning, establishing a realistic Superman by exploring the bare essentials. But then, it became a problem, because this rule worked as a temp rule, not a perm one. Plus, I gotta say; even though Byrne went this way by having the flying be the last power Clark had before becoming Superman, it happened in his high school years. This show's take; there's alot about Superman to be explored, and I felt this show could've been creative in that regard, but showig the evolution of how a boy became a man, and how a man becomes a hero/icon that Superman embodies. That would've been fun, but they thought removing the costume and flying was the only way. That's...stupid.

Overall, even as we approach the end and looking back at the same time, I feel this show was both interesting and dragging; had promise but fell in its execution. Plus, didn't I mention it feels like they are doing this because they know this show should've ended or become something else?

You have truly great points
I agree with you when you said Clark was a bit stupid. In the show, he never thinks out the decision's he is making.

About the no flight no tights rule, from what I heard, Clark will finally wear the Superman suit on the last episode. Which is incredibly dumb. He should have started wearing the suit after he moved to Metropolis full time.

However, I love how in the show, Clark is Clark. In the movies, Clark is Superman pretending to be Clark.

 

[Binker]

I forgot to mention another: Lana Lang. I know she is the childhood sweethart, but what was wrong by showing or accepting why Lana wasn't Clark's love and why Lois was? Or why not have Clark say to her, most likely in Season 8 when she came back or even before, that she was everything she use to want? So that Clark going after Lois would make sense?

Anyway, I forgot about the thread here about this stuff, so I'm gonna repost all this there.

 

[SV Fan]

What they got wrong:

- Poor Production values
- Didn't know when to stop
- Increasingly Convoluted
- Depleted Supporting Cast
- Late to the Hero Party

Can't really deny these

- Where's Batman?

honestly who cares

- Rough Later Seasons

I would argue rough middle seasons(S5-7)


What they got right:

- The DC Universe Lives

not sure this a big selling point but it wasn't a negative. Too often in later seasons it seems like bringing in DC character was a crutch instead of writing a good Clark based story.

- Bringing in the Creators

Geoff Johns is overrated when it comes to SV, seems he is there more to push his agenda then write a Smallville episode

- Lex & Clark

I am not going to say this is a negative but I am not the biggest fan of the way Lex was written at times. For my money S1-3 Lionel by far was the best villian character on the show(ie he was bad and had no bones about it). I am not a fan of the morally ambiguous stuff they did with Lex(is he good/is he bad), also the way the Lex/Clark relationship happened they set up a huge plothole for how it is in later years. I think it might have been better if they casted Lex the same age as Clark and had him go to school with Clark(make a storyline he got kicked out of boarding school and Lionel wanted him to go to Smallville High to keep an eye on him)

- The Supporting Cast

I would argue the supporting cast many times was a negative. To often they tried to fit them in stories because they need something to do and that's when the show went wrong(S5+ especially). I think the show would have been better if they focused on Clark and had a revolving supporting cast for the different stages in Clark's life(High School, College, Daily Planet) instead of trying to find ways to fit characters from Clark's High School life into the later years

- Long-term stories

The more the show stayed away from long term stories the better. The only season long story arc that worked from beginning to end was the S3 one with Lex and Lionel but overall anytime they show did a season long arc Clark usually ended up sad/depressed/mopey/at fault for whatever happened/etc and it got annoying. Most my least favorite episodes on the show tie into season long arcs.

A Sympathetic Clark

While I agree sympathetic can be a good thing, Smallville went overboard.

 

[vantheman77]

Rough middle seasons, but the later seasons (s8-10) were better in that Clark was moving forward.

 

[Kal-El Fan]

IGN pretty much nailed it with these articles.

 

[Stallion9979]

dbl post

 

[Stallion9979]

I am an avid fan of the show and what they are trying to achieve but I have a ton of gripes with how they handled it.

1. Lionel - He is a great character but the problem is they never really knew what to do with him. He was the best character of the show for the first few seasons them bam! he's this good guy out of nowhere... he went from being the "real" Lex Luthor archetype to all of a sudden being this do gooder leading up to his anticlimatic death (seriously begging for forgiveness then dying in the first 2 mins of an episode?).

2. Lana - She was such an unlikable character. Seasons 1-3 you could see what the attraction was but in later seasons she was more like Fem Lex and I can't understand how Clark would've continued to be so in love (In S6 Clark was willing to marry her even though she was carrying Lex's child for godsakes!) They tried so hard to keep her relevant that they shoehorned her into one ridiculous storyline after another.

3. Pete - Pete Ross is supposed to be the one that ultimately ends up with Lana and I can't in anyway see how in this continuity that would make sense. In the show Pete was rather useless and turned into generic male confidant. Not to mention that for a so called life long friend, he routinely would threaten to out Clark.

4. Mrs. Kent - US Senator?!? nothing like she was meant to be...should've kept her on the farm.

5. Ollie - While I get he is supposed to be Bruce but due to the no Bats policy this was the best consolation prize and I even think he is a great addition to the show they managed one HUGE Gripe! He has changed a huge part of Superman's relevance to DCU history. Clark becoming Superman is supposed to spur the modern age of heroism but now Ollie owns that distinction in being the first real superhero. He's on the cover of Time and a target of the government. He is constantly referenced as being one of the poster boys for registration. Now the symbolism of Superman’s emergance has been reduced to following the lead of a B-Level hero.

6. Jimmy Olsen - So Jimmy wasn't Jimmy after all? What was the point of his character then? To show us a really cool updated version of an otherwise dull character just to kill him off and say oh well joke's on us?!?

7. Tess – Mercy, Checkmate Operative, Female Fury, Luthor? They don’t know what to do with her. They keep writing themselves into a corner and at the last min pull off a shocking retcon. I mean in 3 seasons she’s had 3 separate character retcons and that’s way too many.

8. Clark’s Flight – it’s become too little too late. They’ve shown too many superleaps and teases and every other character flying that Clark finally taking flight will be anti-climatic. What would’ve been an iconic moment will now be an “ok what took so long” moment. I thought that they were gonna have him finally fly in the S10 premier when he lifts the globe and everyone cheers and it was a great moment only to be relegated to another leap. Seriously at this point would it really get the same effect when its finally flying????

9. Plot Points - look I know it’s an alt take and I get that, but part of the fun of Superman was Lois/Clark/Superman triangle...it was written well for 50 years and somehow the writers couldn’t keep it interesting for more than a single 22 episode season. No glasses? During “Homecoming” it was established that Clark does the dual identity thing but it’s useless at that point. Every major villain not to mention every established Superman character knows who Clark is including Lex. What is the point of even having a secret identity for him? I mean the only way they can do it now is cause some sort of insane plot device that wipes out the entire DCU’s memory of Clark being Superman which renders the 10 years of SV continuity as useless.

Idk...I’m ranting...and from the above gripes you would think I do hate the show but I love it and my gripes only come my wishing the show could’ve handled these key points so much better.

P.S. Does anyone out there think that any love interest on SV was better or more meant to be with Clark than Alicia Baker? I wish they could bring her back one last time on the way out.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

I'd say 3-7 were ****, with the exception of 6.

 

[Nave 'Torment']

Don't really agree with this thread, Smallville got a lot more right than IGN gives it credit for.

 

[Johnny]

Word.

 

[Webhead2006]

Totally nave but everyone does ha e their opinions.

 

[Kii]

Shouldn't this be merged with the other thread?

 

[Webhead2006]

Probably could since it could fall under the opinions thread. But its up to the mods.

 

[roach]

You have truly great points
I agree with you when you said Clark was a bit stupid. In the show, he never thinks out the decision's he is making.

About the no flight no tights rule, from what I heard, Clark will finally wear the Superman suit on the last episode. Which is incredibly dumb. He should have started wearing the suit after he moved to Metropolis full time.

However, I love how in the show, Clark is Clark. In the movies, Clark is Superman pretending to be Clark.

Yeah to me this was the biggest problem I had...Clark wasnt relatable to me. If I had found out that I had the potential to be able to fly...the whole series would be me in my backyard trying to figure out how.
The show should have stayed in Smallville with a series finally of him going to the Fortress in the North Pole and becoming Superman.

 

[Webhead2006]

Well we do have to remember in the early years clark wasn't sure what powers he would have/develop and took them as it came. Also in those early yrs he did have fear of heights. So that could have also played into the whole subconcious thing jorel/kara where talking about with flying and all that.