If you pick up the last issue of CFQ there's a tremendous episode by episode recap/review of Season 4 with very candid remarks by Gough/Millar.
For instance, they talk about Margot Kidder's departure. They pretty much say that if she wants to play like leaving the show was out of respect to Christopher Reeve, that's fine, but the reality is it was salary demands and if anyone tries to hold them hostage your character will end up dead with your foot sticking out of the ground.
They also mention many of the plot points they dropped. For instance, Lex's need to to have his blood purified was cool for the season opener, but then they realised it was a liability which would weigh them down.
They also talk about the myesterious room which Lex leads Myxylplyk into at the end of "Jinx." Basically, they hated the idea and will not be revisitng it.
Personally, I think that's lazy writing. Sure, you may not like being stuck with a story, or like a certain element, but that doesn't mean that you can ignore it. Heck, it could even be a challenge to come up with a satisfying conclusion to these elements.
The article's still a good read, especially since they tell what episodes they thought worked and ones they thought were dogs.
Well concerning the "Margot Kidder" issue... "To hell with her and good ridance"!!!
Her acting has always been sub-par anyway, she should be honored that they even asked her to be part of the show... As far as I'm concerned, they did the right thing by "killing off" her character.
As for Lex's "blood issue" from the season premier of S4... I can certainly understand why they droped it. However, they really should have thought it out more before they went with it... Or at least resolved it somehow in another episode.
Same thing for the "Myxylplyk" episode. If they didn't like that idea, why use it!?! Now we know they will never use him again. Then again, I always thought that they screwed up his character anyway...
I saw the episode but dont remember what happened with the room. Can some recap for me? Sad about Margot's demands. It's not like she has been working that much in the last 20 years anyway.
Well, that's the problem, we don't know what happened in the room and apparently never will.
At the end of the episode Lex leads Myxylpyk up to floor 32.1 in Luthor towers. Lex is told that the boy's powers have been lost but Lex tells him that whatever has been lost can be found again. The doors to the elevator open and there's a shimmering light. Lex tells him he'll never be alone. But, we never see what's there.
So, we're left with all of these possibilities that Gough and Millar seem to be determined to not want to explore. Is Lex hording Krytonite Freaks? Is he experimenting on them? Could this be work that leads to Bizarro?
I understand that a staff writer saddled them with that and they don't like it. But, they are the exec producers and could have cut that before air. Now that it has aired, to not explore it is just sloppy writing.
Well, now that it's already been established.. it could always be revisited later if they change their mind. Until then it could be chalked up as another mysterious project/experiment that the Luthors have been doing.
Because of too many shows on during this time are the episodes rerun at any other time on the WB? I see that hdnet carries smallville in hidef. Do they run new episodes as well? Its not on this week on hdnet but do they run them a week later?
No, HDNET carries seasons past like any typical syndication deal.
I doubt there will be repeats on the WB as the network hopes that the sci-audience will stick with them on Thursday and ignore Survivor and Joey. They lost too much of their audience to Lost which precipitated the move to Thrusdays.
I also believe that Thursdays are more valuable for ad revenue because of its lead-in to the weekend.