Smallville Season 4 thread (1 Viewer)

[Ivan Lindenfeld]

Well, a light bulb went off in my head after reading your post Chris. I was looking last week (see post above) for them to reset certain plot points and characterizations in season four so that they fit the future Supes story.

There absolutely will, as you jokingly suggested, be a Clark/Lois kiss that erases her memory. We already know that he has that affect on her. I did not take it to mean that it was a superpower of his. I took it as he has that affect on her.

Now how everyone else in Smallville forgets about Lois, I have no idea.

Oh and again, Chloe is the only one that can act on the whole damn show. Not that I require good acting in a genre show but Kristen and Erica are both horrible.

It's still fun to watch, but I still feel like a big reset is coming because if not, I don't like the show that much anymore.

Assistant coach...huh?
Clark playing football...huh?
Lana part of the mythology...huh?
Ma Kent working for a Luther again...huh? That went horribly the last time!

The list goes on.

 

[Ric Easton]

I'm a Superman fan. I've read the comics for years and I liked two outta four Chris Reeve movies.

I find it very distracting watching Smallville. I'm constantly asking the questions how come so and so won't recognize Clark down the road when he becomes Supes? I mean, at least in the comics, Metropolis is on the East coast and not a few hours drive from Smallville, Kansas.

When Clark had to wear those glasses in one episode (last season I think), I wish he would have had to keep wearing them. I mean, I know its a lousy disguise, but that boy has got to do something... and start slouching!

Oh yeah... and Lois is hot. Though she does not belong here.

Ric

 

[Jason Seaver]

Actually, isn't this part of the John Byrne re-vamp in 1988, that some group of aliens had been using Lana to keep tabs on Clark and she disappeared from Smallville soon after Clark left home? It's not mentioned much, because it's kind of stupid, but there's precedent for it.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I treat Smallville like the Superman mythos getting the "Ultimate" treatment (where everything is updated to present day, and the story unfolds as such with little baggage to continuity for the small details, while retaining most of the mythos, but with a fresher spin).

Marvel did this with many of their core popular characters (Spider-Man, X-Men, Ultimate = Avengers, Fantastic Four) about 5-6 years ago in the comic book scene.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

What I find fascinating is that Smallville is the only interation of live-action Supes thus far that's resisted the temptation to give him plot-convience powers.

 

[Moe Maishlish]

Not the worst episode, but it's down there. This was much better than the toilet-brush that was episode number 2... but I think it's becoming obvious that the writers are hurting for plot points.

Chloe's been through a lot over the summer, and now she's back and as perky as ever. Lionel's threats, living through an explosion, witness protection, the T-1000 in the foundry... these are all things that she's supposedly gone through over the course of the previous two months, and she's fine & dandy. Um... either that girls got more moxy than most people on the planet, or I smell crappy writing!

The FOTW plot was, like the previous episode, quite weak. Although it had potential, I'm somewhat sick of the whole concept... and the throwaway line at the end KILLED me:

Lois: Is Abbey going to be ok?
Chloe: Yeah, she'll be back next week.
Chloe: So, are you excited for your first PEP RALLY?

WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!??!

PEP RALLY?????!!!!

Didn't the writers spend the first 20 minutes of the episode establishing this sympathetic character in Abbey (to mirror Clark's feelings), molding her into a character that we can try and identify with? Forget the fact that they turned her into a total throwaway... "yeah, she'll be back next week". Gee - thanks for tying up THAT loose end. 'Cause you know, when you've been emotionally scarred, you've turned into a cosmtic vampire, and your mother goes Mengele on other people, you'll be sure to come back next week.

This is a PERFECT example of the sloppy writing that I've been complaining about.

Oh wait, there's yet another use for kryptonite! I can't wait for the episode where they use it to create super-viagra, and the FOTW walks around town with a huge woody! The potential is limitless.

Yes, Lois looked nice in her rubber clothing... but it's nothing I can't download off Kazaa or watch on late night cable. Given that the potential for her character has been flushed with my excitement for Season 4, why are we keeping her in Smallville? So she can re-take home-ec & calculus, and get some hard-nosed reporting in on the side.

(Remember your high-school newspaper? Mine never had anything as hard-hitting as The Torch. Man... I hope they have a shelf for all those Pulitzers in that office!)

Ironically, the Lana storyline (the one that I've been complaining about the most) isn't irritating me as much as I would have expected it to. I hope I don't have to eat my words...

Meanwhile, Lex is barely in the episode, Lionel is nowhere to be found, and Clark's interaction with either of them is down to a bare minimum. That's right people - the actual INTERESTING parts of the series are on the backburner. Who cares about the demise of the Lex/Clark friendship? Who cares about the psychological game of chess between Lex & Lionel? Who cares about Lionel's machiavellian plots for Clark? We gotta oil-down Erica Durance and squeeze her into a rubber tube-top!

Moe is NOT impressed.

Moe.

 

[Shane S.]

Yeah Im with you on that. For me a new spin on a familiar tail is a good thing and for me in no way detracts from the originals.

 

[Moe Maishlish]

It's my sad duty to report that Christopher Reeve has passed away.

Official HTF discussion

Article on CNN

How this affects the show is anyone's guess, but my deepest condolences & prayers go out to his wife Dana & their children.

I hope I'm not alone in hoping that this upcoming weeks episode is dedicated in loving memory to Christopher. I am quite sad that we will not see him reprise his Dr. Swan character on the series... his involvement & appearance was one of the highest points of this series, and in television history.

R.I.P. Chris.

Moe.

 

[Eddy-C]

Is it possible for them to put that in so soon? I remember when Glenn Quinn(from Angel) died in December of 2002, it wasn't until 2 episodes later(at the end of january) that they dedicated a episode to him.

 

[Andrew Grall]

I'm sure they will dedicate an episode in his honor...

This is very sad, and I wonder what it will do to the Dr. Swann thread on the show...

 

[Patrick Sun]

Perhaps Margot Kidder will carry on the torch for Dr. Swann.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I was quite shocked when I heard the news about Christopher. Sad Sad news!



That's what I guessed they would do.

 

[Chad R]

I always thought that Dr. Swann had some deeper implications in the mythology than could be wrapped up by an emissary (Margot Kidder).

But, to me, the biggest crime is that I was really hoping for Kidder and Reeve to be reunited on screen for the show.

But, aside from all of the business dealing with this show, my heart is just breaking right now. I grew up with Reeve as Superman, and to me he always will be.

 

[Jan Strnad]

Sad to say, Smallville is getting dumped from the TiVo list. This season just isn't up to snuff writing-wise, I don't care about Lois, don't care about Lana's new love interest, Pete has been surgically removed 1984-style...it's just gone downhill.

But mostly: What's with all the CRAP on the screen?

I warned the world when Fox stuck that damn Fox logo on the screen that it was only the beginning and that we needed to take action immediately before the TV screen became littered with logos and all kinds of unimaginable stuff. But the world did not listen, and now the world is paying the price.

Watching Smallville last week was sheer torture! Not only do we get the ever-present WB logo, but now searchlight beams cut across the bottom third of the screen during dramatic scenes, and suddenly a miniature dancing Drew Carey appears, or we get "THE BACHELOR IS COMING UP NEXT!" bulletins like storm warnings and more searchlights. It was just too much. WAY too much.

Tuning out.

Jan

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I think the only appropriate way to do it would be to have Clark go to Dr. Swann's own funeral and have the octogonal disc and whatever major revelation that he was supposed to give Clark be left in his will. Until they're ready to bring things to a head, however, I imagine that Dr. Swann will remain alive via Margot Kidder's character.

On a real world note, this death has struck me the hardest of any that I didn't know on a face-to-face basis. Every time someone famous dies, we note their achievements and mourn the loss.

Few if any of our recent losses have accomplished so much - or passed away so young.

Truly humanity's loss; the news haunted me all day.

 

[Jan Strnad]

Personally, the Christopher Reeve film I think of first is Somewhere in Time. Very sad to hear of his passing.

Jan

 

[WayneG]

Just watched Episode 3 up here in Canada. We get it six days later, but the stench lingers.

This show is so filled with contrivances and coincidences that I was laughing. There is no attempt to explain anything. Lana's boyfriend from Paris ends up as the assistant football coach. Lois needs five credits from school. Lana's boyfriend takes her to a secret room, blindfolds her and leaves, just so Abbey can come in and kiss her to transfer the evil whatever. Where did boyfriend go? How did Abbey know where the room was? Why was her timing so perfect? And Lana just happened to walk by when Abbey and the guy were at their lockers. And Lois just happened to be driving by when Nut Boy ran in front of her. And Lana just happens to go to Abbey's mother about her tatoo? The list goes on and on. The writers are making zero attempt at originality, logic, or any attempts to make things interesting. And another use for Krpytonite?! Where do they get this stuff? The Smallville Wal-Mart?

And Lana's whole you only love me because I'm beautiful bit was just said (and I like Lana's character). But that was too lame even for her. And now Chloe's jealous over Clark and Lois? I mean, the whole thing is just bizarre.

I think they brought the show to a head last year and have run out of ideas. Some of these things only have so much life in them. It's best to put them to sleep and not make them suffer. I've been willing to overlook a lot of silliness in the past but tonight was such an all time low that I don't think I can take much more.

 

[Eddy-C]

http://tvguide.com/news/entertainment/

In The News: Smallville Honors Reeve
Tuesday, October 12, 2004

REMEMBERED: The producers of Smallville are preparing a tribute to late Superman icon Christopher Reeve, TV Guide Online has learned. The dedication will air at the top of Wednesday's episode (8 pm/ET), confirms a network spokesman, who declined to provide further details. Reeve had a recurring role on the Superman prequel series as the mysterious Dr. Swann. Meanwhile, production will continue on a computer-animated film Reeve was directing at the time of his death last weekend. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Yankee Irving centers on a father and his baseball-playing son, who overcomes personal obstacles to realize his dreams. Reeve, who was overseeing the production from his New York home via a videoconferencing system, described the film as "captivating, with the perfect blend of warmth and wit." Producers have yet to decide who will take over as director.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

Jane Seymour Comes To Smallville


Jane Seymour of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman fame, who appeared alongside Christopher Reeve in the film "Somewhere in Time," has signed a deal to appear in a five-episode story arc in Smallville, as reported by Variety.

Seymour will play the mother of Jason Teague

 

[Patrick Sun]

10/13/04 "Devoted/Kryptonade"

I thought the episode had some laughs, though the FOTW bits in the form of a love potion got silly. I don't know when I'll recover from Chloe in the cheerleader outfit. But the last 10 minutes of the relational aspect of the show was pretty good. Glad Clark didn't string Chloe along and was just straight up with her. Lex pulls out the stops to gain back Clark's trust, and gets Lois back on track for college.