Fans of Smallville have long been frustrated by the “no flights” portion of producers Al Gough and Miles Millar “no flights, no tights” policy established 7 years ago at the start of the first season. As a matter of fact, as the series has evolved, the fact that Clark (Tom Welling) still does not fly on the show has become pretty ridiculous.
Many other characters on the show have had the ability to fly, including Clark’s cousin Kara (Laura Vandervoort) and other Kryptonians. On toleapsp of that, portraying Clark, who is virtually indestructible as having a fear of heights is at this point ridiculous – especially as we enter Smallville’s 8th (and supposedly final) season.
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Sure, they’ve thrown us a bone here and there with him making giant “leaps” and actually showing him flying when he was possessed by other characters, but the producers have stubbornly clung to their original premise. As long as they were in charge we weren’t going to see Clark fly.
But they aren’t in charge any more.
Now we have Kelly Souders, Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer, and Brian Peterson running the show. Between them they’ve written 100 episodes over the course of seven years. That’s the equivalent of four full years of Smallville.
Comic Book Resources interviewed them recently and they had some interesting things to say about this upcoming season. While season 7 started to pull away from the arc of the previous six years and finally showed Lex go over completely to the dark side, it’s looking like season 8 will be a big leap forward in the evolution of the characters and the series.
Here are the highlights:
- They will not attempt to bring in a character to replace Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) as the prime antagonist.
- All of the characters will be moving on to the next phase of their lives.
- The show will be moving on to the next phase in the Superman mythology.
- They want to bring Clark closer to the traditional Superman character that we all know.
- There will be an episode that explores the relationship between Clark and Chloe (Allison Mack), and the underlying sexual tension that’s been brewing there for so long.
- On the other hand the season will move Clark and Lois (Erica Durance) towards the relationship that is well established in the comics and films.
- They will highlight the need for Clark to maintain a dual identity and move heavily in that direction.
Ah… but what about Clark flying?!
They dropped a couple of hints that leave me no doubt that he will indeed be finally taking to the skies this year:
“We have a lot of conversations [about flying and the costume], the only thing that we are saying is that we can absolutely confirm that there is no tights, so that’s pretty much all we can say on that.”
And:
“Saving people in Smallville was one thing — when he had to run to the factory to save Chloe the roads weren’t very crowded, the streets weren’t very crowded. Being alive in Metropolis as Superman is a very different experience and you will find very quickly in this season he discovers it’s not so easy when you’re running through crowded streets or your having to run into a crowded crisis situation.”
Take those two comments, along with their plan on moving the story towards the traditional Superman mythos and I’d say we’ll finally get our wish in the flight department.
Here’s what I’m hoping: This team of writers wants to really put their mark on the show as producers and will really hit it out of the park this year. It would be fantastic if this turned out to be the equivalent of Manny Coto coming on board Star Trek: Enterprise in its final season. That show had been ruined by the direction its producers had chosen, but Coto came in fresh in the final season and turned the show around big time.
And of course they’ve finally decided to get rid of Lana (Kristin Kreuk), thank goodness. That can’t do anything but help make the show better. And that’s NOT a slam on Kristin – they just ran the whole Clark/Lana thing so far into the ground that it became nauseating. Also gone is Kara, who never really worked for me as a character on the show.
Here’s hoping that season 8 of Smallville brings us better things than last season did.
Source: Comic Book Resources
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154 Comments
Rob,
You should definitely check out the first season of Smallville. Either rent it or buy it (I think you can find it for less than $20 now). If you don’t like the pilot and first season, you won’t like the rest of the show.
Smallville is definitely NOT in continuity with the comic (which I am not a big stickler about) or even the movies. It’s more like an alternate-universe type of Superman, but not Bizarro Supes…LOL…
I think you will enjoy it. I love the show, it’s one of my favorites and I have all the seasons on DVD so far (except for #7). True, it can get a little “90210″ at times, but for the most part we get to see Superman becoming Superman.
ya, if I can just accept that its not in continuity (which like you, is hard for me) I’m sure it’ll be enjoyable. My buddy has the first 4-5 seasons on DVD, I actually bought him 2 of them so I’ll borrow it off him when im finished school in a few weeks.
thanks 790, and enjoy the graphic novel
I am a long time fan of Smallville and I have to say if Lana had not left I was going to stop watching the show.
this season I know that they are going to do an episode with the Legion of Superheroes and Green Arrow is going to be a permanent character but I hope the do an episode or two with Bruce Wayne/Batman and/or Diana Lance/Wonder Woman.
If they do bring in Wonder Woman it would be cool if they made her a temporary love interest.
Can Clark & Lois please have some SEX ! Then let him fly. Then Tom Welling should sign up for the new superman movie. Put Lana on Supernatural she’s pretty hot and deserves to stay on CW shows.
Vic ,
If i recall correctly during one episode
in season 1
He woke up one morning FLOATING in mid air!
@Gary
Yeah, I mentioned the specific episode in a comment above.
Vic
I am so glad that Lana isn’t there anymore. For years I’ve been waiting for her to get killed off and (I don’t know which season) they supposedly killed her off at the end of one season, which I was thrilled about, but then the next season, it was all a fake death, I was pissed. I don’t care if she left voluntarily, Lana was way passed tired and am so happy to know she’s gone. And I’m all for lovey-dovey scenes in other shows, but this is Smallville, they need to cut that junk out, youknowhati’msayin???
YEA i read that directors really want Tom to play superman on the big screen, I hope so even through i really thought that Brandon routh did a really good job as clark kent/superman. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens next but really looking forward to season 8 smallville.
I love the direction that the show is taking in the new season. Maybe they will get a 9th or 10th season out of it.
Well guys. I went throuth the seven seasons in just one week and I really enjoyed myself. I quite agree that it’s about time Clark starts flying.
I did sooo look fwd to this series and I’ve been soooo disappointed that there is NO SUPERman flying yet. Seems like they’ve got all the props they need, now they’ve got to get on the bandwagon before Clark goes grey or bald.
what a joke..
“They want to bring Clark closer to the traditional Superman character that we all know.”
“And of course they’ve finally decided to get rid of Lana (Kristin Kreuk),”
Those are two disappointing news. What made smallville so special was the originality of the previous producers. They did not make smallville another similar superhero story. It kind of sucks that this change is coming. As for Kristin Kreuk, she is fantastic, and personally, i do not know how many times I sat there in many episodes just hoping that Clark and Lana could finally be together. I do NOT want Clark to date Chloe because she already has Jimmy, and Lois is into Oliver Queen. She cannot be with him because she thinks sh would hold him back, and why should it be okay with Clark, who has an even greater calling. I think Kristin is the only one who would suit Clark, and besides they have been in love with each other for a long time, way back when they were kids, and still are. Anyway that is my opinion and it’s disappointing to see many fans happy to get rid of Lana.
@Maria
Sure, making things different WAS interesting, but at some point the two worlds (CW’s Smallville and DC’s Superman) have to merge somehow.
And as far as the Lana/Clark thing, what people got sick of was the never ending “will they/won’t they” get together thing, with all the false starts and teases.
Just gets old after a while.
Vic
okay, enuff of the Lana/Clark Saga. Yes, it was annoying at times, but hey, we all know where his destiny lies….and as for flying, this series, maybe I am crazy, but wasn’t this supposed to be about the boy becoming the man? I mean, go back and watch The Sneeze or any other episode where he discovers a new ability. Can’t all happen in one night. And Clark’s fear of heights….I like that one, it just highlights more of his ‘upbringing’ by humans. Just a thought.
you know what producers didn’t get rid of kristin kreuk she left. I don’t blame her. Every one hated her character, but you know what people still came back all these years to watch the show and it isn’t her fault that producers couldn’t write some of the stories better. But for all those people who didn’t like the lana character, they sure came back and continued watching more. Hope kristin kreuk success
ok looks like i am not alone. Non flying thing, crap. He is what 21-22 now. he is an adult, any powers he is going to get he should have by now.
Clark/Lana thing, just tired and old. Should have ended with her fake death. Kristen a hot and good actor but the character needed to go regardless. Clark/Chloe thing, please writers/producers don’t do it. It is as old and tired as Clark/Lana thing. Chloe has had the hots for him since season 1 and that storyline is old as well.
Rosebaum not coming back. Although the whole Lex storyline had gotten old as well, simply becuase Clark would not come to terms with him being a bad person, I like the character and anyone but Rosebaum would be bad.
Just let him be Superman for once and for all, he is no longer a boy learning his powers. He needs to man up, i thought the last 2 seasons just were overall and moved his character no where.
They also kept biulding towards this justice league thing but it just faded. Sounds like that is coming back.
Side note; how have they kept Tom Welling looking exactly the same age for 7 seasons, he has got some good genes or good makeup people.
I won’t belabor the issue, but everyone is so correct about getting Lana off the show. She has stunted the growth of “superman.” I agree flying would definitely bring the show to a new level, mainly because it’s what separates superman from all the meteor characters. However, removing Kara is a mistake. The show can use her as a gateway, besides the fortress of solitude, to bring the history of Krypton into the show. This is essential this early on in the mythology of Superman, because little of the Kryptonian race is still understood.
Please lana was a high school thing , clark moved on glad the show is to. As far as the justice leauge hes not even superman yet many things have to happen befor that, and if i remember right clarks dad died after high school he left for the fortress left the fortress able to fly , this show has gone a major screw- ball direction
That is right, he did fly in season 4…but he was not Clark, he was Kal-el.
Review of the season 8 premiere is up:
http://screenrant.com/review-smallville-season-8-premiere-vic-3735/
Vic
the whole show is screwed. lex was a big part of superman. through the superman mythology and now no lex. As for lois smallville made lois seem more like his cousin or sister then his future wife. She never came into his life until he began working at the daily planet
I am a big fan of Smallville and am excited about season 8. I think it is starting to move into a more “superman” type direction. I think this will be a great season for Smallville.
I have been rooting for a Clark/Chloe relationship since the day Smallville premiered. From the sounds of it, my hoping will for the most part have been in vain
Now, do we know if Chloe actually lost her healing power/gained a computer brain or if it just wouldn’t work on Clark?
I am glad Lana’s finally gone. Nothing against Kristin as an actress, it’s just that her charactor has gone progressively down-hill since like season 4. Actually, the 4th season was when the show lost a lot of its flair in general. I have remained faithful to it, of course, but it has not been the same since season 3. Hey, if they go more tha way of the comics, they could always have an episode where they bring Lana and Pete back married to eachother, lol.
Here’s hoping to Season 8 bringing back some, if not all, of what made people fall in love w/ the show in the first place!
Oh yeah, previous comments mentioned the flying/levitating from season one. To clarify, the bed levitation was from episode 2 (Metamorphisis) and the tornado scene was from the finale.
In my opinion the entire Smallville saga has been a great journey. People seem to not like the drama/love stories but drama and romance is what helps build the biggest theme of being a superhero… To truly be a hero one needs to sacrafice his own personal desires. All the heros face this; Batman, Spiderman, and deffintely Superman. It adds to their character. As far as some episode being weaker than others, you need to understand they weren’t all written or directed by the same people. Superman to me has always been a story to help encourage humanity to care for eachother and fight for true justice. I know it will never happen but it would be nice if Smallville never ended.
Well said, Nate. Sounds corny, but I used to be a big TV buff…been going thru some tuff times lately…Smallville caught me eye last season. I purchased the DVD’s to catch up, and I’m hooked. The themes of the show, while rooted in sci-fi, can be reflective of those we face in real life.
I have watched the series from the pilot and I am not watching without Lana and Lex. I am not a comic reader, didn’t watch the show so it would turn into Lois and Clark. The actress playing Lois is just awful, she can’t act. and how could a feminist character be represented with such stupidity. She looks so phoney, those silicone boob implants do not make her look sexy , just dated
Lex will be missed, but I hated Lana from Day 1. And from an actress’ point of view, she’s attractive, but she’s more of a “girl” than a “woman”. Time for the cast to grow into adults, and Lana isn’t it. Time to leave all of the silly high-school romance stuff behind, and step into the grown up world of Metropolis.
Can’t wait to see how this season unfolds.
So far, if you look closely at all the seasons, clark “fly’s” at least once every season, whether it be floating, flying, or being under the influence of red kryptonite.
I know all too well that Lex is a criminal mastermind and not a rich spoiled bad dude. now that Lex owns the Daily planet, how is clark gonna ever get a job there when Lex hates him now…hmm
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