Smallville

Smallville has been one of my favorite shows for a long time. I believe this is the beginning of the 7th season, and it's still going strong. I was discussing this series with someone who didn't like it because she doesn't "like science fiction or that kid stuff", meaning she figured that because it was based off of a comic book, Superman, that it was obviously not as "important" a show as something else that might take up her television time.

I hear that kind of argumentative analysis all of the time, and I usually just brush it off, but it's been one of those things that's always bugged me because there's an elitist attitude to it that in so many cases is unwarranted. And yes, I've been guilty of it myself in the past.

But I'm talking about Smallville, and here are some thoughts that I felt were necessary for me to say. First off, the writing is extremely well constructed. As a writer, I often find myself taken aback when I come across writing of this level. There are several metaphorical allusive processes that take place with Smallville. First off, the writers have to deal with the actual plot itself, which is based on a rich literature of events that have been speculated about within both the Superman and Superboy universes. And there is also the mythology of the Superman legend that has to be dealt with but unfortunately you can't just keep telling the same story every other TV show and movie has done in the past. And then there is another completely unique level, and that's the realization that the audience has knowledge of what this young man is going to become, so all of the allusive references to his future became that much more significant.

As a writer, I can only imagine the wonder of working within such a rich universe of ideas. There are times when a story arc will run its course, and you'll see a reference to something that will be so damn important concerning Superman, but is dealt with as a proto-Superman would have to deal with in his childhood, like when the conversation comes to the future importance of this young farmer from Smallville. In only the last episode, there was a discussion at the end between his sister Kara (the future Supergirl who has appeared for the first time in this season) about how she tells him he can't hide in the farm his whole life, that he's going to have to leave and stop trying to hide those powers from the rest of the world. And someone who is watching this can only take a step back and realize the impact of those words, as this person to whom she is speaking is destined to one day be the savior of the entire world so many times that it's probably not possible to count. And then you can see the complexity in the actor's face as he takes in her words, almost as if he sees events that may happen in the future, but just isn't ready to face such responsibility that you know he will one day have to face.

And the whole dichotomy between Lex Luthor and Clark Kent is just wonderfully designed. There is a reference in the Superman comics that Luthor and Superman used to be friends, and that's pretty much all you really get out of that (other than some speculative renditions of this legend), so the show takes that friendship and shows how twisted it is and how that friendship is somewhat responsible for leading one of them to greatness and the other to complete vindictive evil.

Whenever someone tells me they dislike these kinds of shows because they're based on comic books, I just shake my head and realize what great dramatic elements they will forever miss.

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