'Dancing With The Stars' Season 14 Dream Casting
What To Watch On TV This Week
Five reasons to watch Smallville this season
by Mike Moody, posted Nov 19th 2008 11:54AM
Not watching Smallville this season? I hear you.
Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor is history, the great John Glover is no longer chewing the scenery, and the last few seasons seemed to stretch the "Young Man of Steel" concept about as far as it could go. If you're like me, you stopped DVR-ing Smallville even before last season's dismal Kryptonite gum episode, "Hero," which brought the show's penchant for product placement to an all time low. But, for me, Smallville has always been like a Quarter Pounder value meal from McDonalds -- cheesy, full of fat and empty calories, but wholly familiar and comforting. That's probably why I tuned in to watch this season's opener back in September, and I'm glad I did.
It seems like the exit of creators Al Gough and Miles Millar might have been the best thing for Smallville. With newer blood taking the reins, this eighth season has delivered some of the most enjoyable episodes in years. It almost reminds me of the last season of Joss Whedon's Angel, in which the creators re-tweaked almost everything to grab new viewers and send the show in a new creative direction. While Smallville is still nowhere as engaging or subversive as Angel's last season was, season eight's new characters and plot elements have brought me back to the show week after week.
So, former Smallville fan, the show isn't perfect -- it never was -- but trust me when I type that now is the time to catch up with Clark Kent and crew (especially since you can stream new episodes for free at CWTV.com, and buy them from places like iTunes.) For the unconvinced, here are the five reasons you should be watching Smallville's season eight:
1. Clark's a big boy now
Seven years of watching Clark slowly become the Superman we know and love is finally starting to pay off. When we first met him, Clark was a flannel-clad farm boy who couldn't even control his X-ray vision. Now, he's a smart big city reporter with years of hard life experiences, including a broken heart, behind him. The show has allowed Clark to evolve into a mature and, more importantly, wise young man. He's not afraid to make the hard choices, like leaving his friends (even Chloe) in the dark about his secret in order to protect them. He also seems to be reconciling with Jor-El, who's finally acting like the benevolent mentor we met in Richard Donner's Superman. With Clark maturing and becoming a real hero, the show is moving further into Superman territory than ever before, and it's pretty thrilling to see that happen. (It's season eight already. Isn't that what we all want?)
2. Lana is out; Lois is inErica Durance's Lois Lane has to be one of the best versions of the character to hit any screen, big or small. Durance plays it tough, brainy, sexy and catty -- worlds away from Kate Bosworth's drab turn in Superman Returns. This is a Lois worthy of Clark Kent's/Superman's affections. Part of the charm of season eight comes from watching Lois and Clark butt heads, compete for stories at the Daily Planet (a la Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) and try to hide their budding attraction to each other. Plus, Durance's Type-A performance is a welcome change from Kristen Kreuk's mopey Lana Lang. Kreuk is slated to return this Thursday, but word is she'll be back out the door after a few eps.
3.
Doomsday/Davis BloomeLike many Smallville fans, I thought adding the only DC Comics villain to ever deliver the death blow to Superman was a big mistake. It makes no sense to introduce Doomsday when Clark has yet to don the cape, I first thought. I'm glad to admit that I was wrong. So far, Doomsday/Davis, or BloomesDay, has been a welcome addition to the cast. Re-imagining the character as a likable do-gooder paramedic with a deadly dark side, and throwing the better parts of his comic book origin into the mix, was a smart move. It leaves room for mystery while paying homage to the comics. Sam Witwer (Battlestar Galactica's Crashdown) is proving he can handle the character's duality, and I think he's better suited to play Chloe's (Alison Mack) love interest than Aaron Ashmore. Don't forget to catch the Doomsday reveal on this week's ep, "Bride."
4. Cassidy Freeman as Tess MercerLex Luthor's leggy successor is almost as fun to watch as the big bald baddie himself. I didn't know what to make of Freeman after she vamped her way through the season premiere, but she won me over by episode three. The minds behind Smallville are clearly smart enough to realize that no one can truly replace Rosenbaum. That's why they hired a capable performer who brings a surprising, and welcomed, vulnerability to the token villain role. Yep -- vulnerability. Tess Mercer isn't all eye shadow and bad attitude. She's a jilted former good girl with a deep connection to our number five ...
5. Justin Hartley as Green ArrowI didn't care for Green Arrow when he was introduced a few years ago. It seemed obvious that the show runners were shooting for Batman but wound up with Arrow (a.k.a. "Psuedo-Batman" to many comic book fans). So, it was surprising when Hartley became an essential part of the show. His charismatic performance added a nice light counterpoint to the doom and gloom usually surrounding Clark. Sadly, he was gone for most of season seven, but Hartley is back as a full-fledged cast member this year. The Arrow-centric episode, "Toxic," is a season highlight.
Smallville's mid-season finale airs Thursday, at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Central) on The CW. There won't be an new episode until 2009 -- just another reason to catch up now.
55 Comments