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A co-worker got me hooked on this series and I have to say that it is one of the best TV series ever made!
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Smallville is the best reinterpritation of the Superman mythology ever. The symbolism is all there: comparison of Clark and Lex to Christ and Judas (or Osiris and Set), Clark's drive to do what is right with or without super powers, and so much more. Simply put, the Smallville writers got it RIGHT.
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Smallville: Season one introduced me to a series that has been quite popular for several years now. It just took me a while to catch up, and what best place to start than this wonderful DVD package.
Smallville is based of course, around the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas...the birthplace of "Superman". Most people are familiar with the original storyline via comic books and the Christopher Reeves movies. A meteor crashes on the farm of a couple by the last name of Kent. Unable to have a child, they take a boy they find in a crater and raise him as their own, with the small farming community of Smallville as the backdrop. The superman mythos of past was pretty vague as most of his storyline was about Clark Kent the adult, who worked in Metropolis and would change into Superman via a quick trip to a telephone booth.
What this series is done is hold on to the basics of his origin and opens up the world of Superman, the teenager, to its viewers. We still have Clark, his adoptive parents, and the town of Smallville, along with another familiar face in Lex Luthor.
The best part about this series? It put's it in modern day. We don't have the Clark Kent of the 1940's and 50's nostalgia of sock hops and panel trucks to bask in, instead we get a refreshing view of Smallville and Clark Kent's teenage life in the 21st century.
I was skeptical I would like this show, but after watching the pilot, I was hooked. After each episode I thought "wow, that was great, that's probably going to be my favorite one". Not so, I found myself saying that after nearly every episode I watched! Many are comparing this to something theme wise of "Dawson's Creek". I have not watched that show so that comparison will not be brought up here. It is centered on Clark Kent, his family, and his friends. Each friend and family has something that is a problem for them, including Clark of course, that becomes an obstacle for them as they struggle to get through life on a day by day basis. Oh but wait, there's more...
The town of Smallville and the surrounding area were hit with the meteor shower that brought Clark Kent to town in 1989. During this horrible event many people died. Throughout the town, the parts of Kryptonite from the meteor shower are still evident. Clark Kent is not the only person that is affected by this, as in each episode it shows bizarre, nearly X-Files type situations that present themselves in an intense drama. Clark Finds himself discovering that he's not the only one affected by the green pieces of meteor, but he is the only one that can stop bad things from happening when the wrong people use their powers for revenge, retribution, and malicious intent.
Music: The series has an excellent soundtrack to each episode from many modern day rock, hard rock, and alternative bands. The opening song "Save me" by Remy Zero as well as some great music from the band "The Calling". Love the music in this one and it fits well withing the dramatic scenes that take place in the episodes.
Only Con: I find that each episode, though extremely, extremely well written, is always about a person of smallville and how Kryptonite from the meteor shower has affected them. I'd like to see them branch out a bit, perhaps bring more of Lex Luthor into the picture. However, in saying that, for all I know the later seasons do just this.
Special Effects: Not over the top, but definitely in my opinion not "hokey" or Cheap either. They blend in perfectly when telling the story, and are a welcome breath of fresh air from the over saturated CG that we find ourselves immersed in nowadays.
Filming note: I like the way people "work" in the scenes. The couple making coffee and sitting down to talk with their son. The girl unpacking her late mother's belongings to find an old, dusty diary. The students goofing around in the hallway to the farmers in town to pick up parts. The presence of "real life" flows throughout each episode, making, in my opinion, a better connection with the viewer.
Cameo Cast: Great job!! First off, I love the cameo roles we are seeing here! Faces of familiar movie and TV veterans fill the screen in certain episodes with, for example Tony Todd (the morgue keeper from Final Destination) the wonderful Joe Morton (Stealth, T2) and Dan Lauria, who played Kevin Arnolds father in the series "The Wonder Years".
Main Cast: Annette O'Toole is great as Martha Kent; her character brings out the worry of a rural wife whose son has extraordinary powers. Good chemistry with husband John Schneider (Bo of Dukes of Hazzard fame) as Jonathan Kent. He's a struggling farmer who always puts family first, and over shelters his son so that no one may find out the family secret.
Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor: Lex and Clark's lives will collide one fateful day in season one and forever change the both of them. This young Lex Luthor is twice as savvy as his ruthless business dad, but seems to have a softer side. Nonetheless, he's still a mystery, just like Clark. Perhaps the best actor of the entire "Smallville High" crew, Rosenbaum gives Lex's youth a perfect identity.
Tom Welling as Clark Kent: Welling is superb as a young superman. The hair, the almost naive but even more so innocent gaze, and the ability to bring the emotion necessary to his characters youthful role.
Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan: A go getter who is the journalist for the high school newspaper, she's close with Clark and a good friend. Though seeming naive, her intuition often helps out the gang when trouble arises.
Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang: A beauty inside and out, she of course finds interest in Clark and lives across the road from him...he is head over heels for her, but she's dating the temperamental, often jealous high school quarterback Whitney Fordman (played by Eric Johnson). Tensions often arise between the three, but often times so does friendship.
Sam Jones III as Pete Ross: A short kid who's friends with everyone, Pete is one of the few people that are really close to Clark. Sam does an excellent job playing the nice guy role, and is comedic at times as well.
There's plenty of action in this series, it's not just about high school, not by any means. Danger is around every corner and blends in well with the family problem scenario's we have all had to deal with now and again. The fighting scenes, when Clark has to do what he must to stop someone who's bent on the destruction of people and property, are excellent, and though aren't to over the top, aren't "pulling any punches" either.
I suppose if you want you could say its like "Beverly Hills 91210" only in an agricultarual area of Kansas mixed in with a cross between "The X-files" and "X-men". I don't like using that analogy though because to me, Smallville is aptly named. It's not just about Superman's teen years, or Kryptonite, or any one small thing, it's a show that covers a lot of different themes while bringing not just one, but the entire cast to the surface to shine. I am looking forward to catching up on Season 2. If you haven't watched Smallville, please, give it a chance. I did, and have yet to be disappointed.
Six discs grace this package, and included are some great bonus features, one of which is an "interactive" tour of smallville. Bonus Features are great as you can go behind the scenes and learn just how much work goes into a series such as this, and if you like it like I do, it will make you appreciate it all the more!
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For anyone who ever wondered what Superman's life was between his arrival to our world and his battle for Truth, Justice & the American way- Smallville is the TV show that reveals a whole different amazing take on the Man of Steel, a teenage Clark Kent lives in Smallville, Kansas trying to life a normal life with his extrodnary powers, but using them to save lives and when he's not preparing to be Superman, hes trying to win the heart of beautiful Lana Lang and hanging out with his best friend, Lex Luthor. It's the best Superhero show ever made, it's got it all, thrills, romance and drama, it's more than just a show for the Superman fan, it's a fantastic series, I am however a huge Superman fan & I wish I watched this show when it first aired in 2001. Everyone has gotta to see this show.
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Smallville is the story of Superman in high school. The main story arc is the effect of kryptonite on the town--which is to warp peoples abilities and make them into monsters. Clark Kent has to fight them and then balance is restored. Initially I was getting a little tired of the kryptonite factor, but it became more plausible as the series developed.
Tom Welling who plays Superman and Kristen Kreuk as Lana Lang are stunningly beautiful. But in spite of this they are competent actors. Michael Rosenbaum is the real treat of this series--he plays Lex Luthor as a very complex character creating sympathy for his inevitable road into evil.
All in all a very enjoyable and addictive series--by the way--the last disc has only one episode on it and its a cliffhanger--make sure to have season two on hand to satisfy your curiosity!
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