It was October 16, 2001, when the first episode of "Smallville" aired. It was the first successful attempt to bring Superman back to tv after "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" ended in 1997. The way this incarnation stood out was in the premise that this was taking place while Clark was on the Kent farm in Smallville, going through the adolescent journey of becoming a man, and the man of steel. The creators and producers made it clear up front that this was not a show about Superman and that there would be "no flight, and no tights" until the very end. They lived up to that promise .. sort of, but we will get into that later.
Up until "Smallville" every tv show about, and or related to the character of Superman included just that, Superman. A guy (or boy) who wore the iconic suit and performed those legendary feats of superhuman strength. So, the idea that a new generation, and some of the old, would watch what would be considered a teenage soap opera with some "special abilities" thrown in was a far fetched one. Still, it worked. For 10 years the show ran on what started out as The WB and then became The CW. The name of the station changed, as did the format of the show and our main character.
For those of you stuck it out and watched every season, I commend you, you are a true and loyal fan. I will admit that I gave up at the end of season 3, and barely even watched any of season 4. Sadly, I wasn't alone. Over the years, the audience started to dwindle, but never so much as to prompt a cancellation. Still, the show plugged away and evolved. Much as the main character was growing up, so was the show and the story lines.
Over the years, they started to rely heavily on the DC Comic cannon for those special episodes that happened to air during sweeps. New characters would stop by and help Clark out, or cause trouble, or provide some glimpse into the future that showed him what he will become. I have to say, if I caught a promo where a particular DC character was going to make an appearance that I was interested in, I would tune in. Naturally, I was lost regarding the whole over reaching plot, but I would do my best to understand.
Eventually, it would just lead to me jumping on the Internet and reading a bunch of summaries over the plots I had missed and why certain scenes in the special episode meant more to faithful viewers rather than the casual ones like myself. No matter how far I strayed, I was also aware that the show continued to exist and that it was working toward an end when I would finally get to see Superman fly.
For most, Tom Welling will be their first and only Superman. He is who they grew up with. Going along for his journey from boy to man of steel. Only 1 Superman movie came out during it's 10 year run, and it was considered a flop. So much so that Warner Bros., studios is rebooting the whole thing with a new cast and crew. But, because this show did tie into the legacy that is Superman, Warner Bros., knew that in this finale, Tom Welling's Clark Kent would have to become Superman at last.
Cut to the finale, and afterwards a bunch of people complaining that we never saw Tom in a full body shot in the suit. I'm sure this was planned due to the movie I just mentioned, the studio wouldn't want us thinking of him as Superman as they gear up to introduce a new one to us. However, I submit to you that it doesn't matter. I think the finale was better without it.
Sure, we got our close ups that mattered, and wide shots that satisfied. But, remember, this was never a show about Superman. It was about Clark Kent becoming that man in the suit that the world knows so well. Granted, I was as giddy as a little school girl when I saw the scene when he got the suit, and flew around in it. Then, even more so at the end when the theme from the original movie played as Tom slow-mo'd his way across the roof of The Daily Plant, ripping open his shirt to reveal the "S" underneath. Yeah, it was pretty emotional.
It meant so much more to me because I hadn't seen him as Superman all along. Sure, there were episodes here and there where Clark was "not himself" and he could fly, or do something else that normal Clark wouldn't. It was a way of cheating, but also trying to get attention from the audience, and for that, I will not blame them. Especially considering it worked so well.
After ten years of adventures, they wrapped up the show in a nice little bow bringing us to an all too familiar point in Superman's life. Well, sort of. Congratulations and kudos are deserved for that team that pulled off, not to mention a break.
