"The Essential Smallville" -- suggestions?
Lawrence King
lost interest.
But now that so many seasons are available on DVD, I was thinking it
would be good to watch a "concise version" of the show. Would it be
possible to create "the Essential Smallville" -- maybe four to six
episodes per season? -- that would include the very best episodes as
well as every episode that is essential to the overall arc?
Does anyone have a proposal for what which episodes should be included?
The way I am imagining it, it would be hard to do this for the current
season, because you wouldn't yet know what is important in the long
term. For example, if Chloe went deaf in episode 3.07, and everyone
fretted about it for a few episodes, and then she regained her hearing
in 3.13, this sub-arc could be completely omitted from the "Essential
Smallville." Similarly, back in seasons one and two, nearly every
episode had Lex discover _some_ clue to Clark's secret, and obviously
these can't all be included. But the introduction of a major new
character or the death of someone or a fundamental change in someone's
relationship to other characters is truly arc-essential. Also, if
there are a handful of episodes that the fans agree are the very best,
they should be included as well, even if they aren't arc-essential.
Since I am curious about what has happened on the show but don't have
time to watch the whole thing, it would be great if a list like this
exists or could be created....
suggestions?
| Larry King \\|// |
| univ of washington (@ @) |
|---------------------------------------------------oOO-(_)-OOo-----|
| Science Fiction Timeline Site |
| http://www.chronology.org/ |
| Tolkien ... Babylon 5 ... Niven ... Pournelle |
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BC
"Lawrence King" <La...@chronology.org> wrote in message
news:RbudnWxJafYcMgDY...@speakeasy.net...
>I watched Smallville irregularly for the first couple years, and then lost
>interest.
>
> But now that so many seasons are available on DVD, I was thinking it would
> be good to watch a "concise version" of the show. Would it be possible to
> create "the Essential Smallville" -- maybe four to six episodes per
> season? -- that would include the very best episodes as well as every
> episode that is essential to the overall arc?
>
> Does anyone have a proposal for what which episodes should be included?
>
> The way I am imagining it, it would be hard to do this for the current
> season, because you wouldn't yet know what is important in the long term.
> For example, if Chloe went deaf in episode 3.07, and everyone fretted
> about it for a few episodes, and then she regained her hearing in 3.13,
> this sub-arc could be completely omitted from the "Essential Smallville."
> Similarly, back in seasons one and two, nearly every episode had Lex
> discover _some_ clue to Clark's secret, and obviously these can't all be
> included. But the introduction of a major new character or the death of
> someone or a fundamental change in someone's relationship to other
> characters is truly arc-essential. Also, if there are a handful of
> episodes that the fans agree are the very best, they should be included as
> well, even if they aren't arc-essential.
>
> Since I am curious about what has happened on the show but don't have time
> to watch the whole thing, it would be great if a list like this exists or
> could be created....
>
> suggestions?
Maybe not possible. The show seems to be written with an "A" plot, a "B"
plot and a "C" plot. Let's say the A plot may be about a meteor freak and
may not repeat, the B plot is about the ongoing Clark and Lana love
relationship and the C plot is about Lionel discovering Clark's secret or
Lex's relationship with Helen, in other words the Luthors. Even the bad
shows had some important info for the overall story arc.
BC
glassman
>interest.
>
> But now that so many seasons are available on DVD, I was thinking it would
> be good to watch a "concise version" of the show. Would it be possible to
> create "the Essential Smallville" -- maybe four to six episodes per
> season? -- that would include the very best episodes as well as every
> episode that is essential to the overall arc?
By the time it would take to figure out which ones to watch, you could have
seen them all. If those first few seasons didn't grab you then my guess is
you'll be very disappointed at the latest ones.
--
JK Sinrod
www.SinrodStudios.com
www.MyConeyIslandMemories.com
sharpie
some threads over at kryptonsite.com talk about this kind of thing.
check it out...great site for Smallville.
advance scout
>
> suggestions?
>
>
> | Larry King \\|// |
> | univ of washington (@ @) |
> |---------------------------------------------------oOO-(_)-OOo-----|
> | Science Fiction Timeline Site |
> | http://www.chronology.org/ |
> | Tolkien ... Babylon 5 ... Niven ... Pournelle |
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
Larry - you run a site that you, in your own words labeled "Science Fiction
Timeline site", which makes you a self-professed expert on... Science
Fiction or ....Science Fiction Timeline (whatever that is). And you havent
been watching Smallville???
Now I admit that Smallville may not be exactly Science Fiction... but than
again I wouldnt consider Lord of the Rings science Fiction either. And
Babylon 5? As close to Sci-Fi as Smallville is. To me they are all Fantasy
genre or at best Science Fantasy genre. But the point that I was making
was this... you call yourself a Science Fiction "timeline" site yet you
haven't watched Smallville. have you watched Galactica? How bout Stargate?
SG1 Atlantis?
bf
Lawrence King wrote:
> I watched Smallville irregularly for the first couple years, and then
> lost interest.
>
> But now that so many seasons are available on DVD, I was thinking it
> would be good to watch a "concise version" of the show. Would it be
> possible to create "the Essential Smallville" -- maybe four to six
> episodes per season? -- that would include the very best episodes as
> well as every episode that is essential to the overall arc?
I put some thinking into this. It's hard for me to pick the key events
that have happened in the past 6 years, largely because Clark has not
really changed/matured at all over the course of the show.
Johnathon's death should've been a big episode..but it really wasn't a
turning point. By that time, Clark's parents had been pushed far into
the background. Everything on the farm is exactly the same as when
Clark was in high school, the only difference is that we don't see John
working on the tractor, grinder, or lathe when Clark walks into the
barn.
None of the Red K episodes had a lasting effect on Clark, everyone
pretty much shrugged it off. The cops ignored it.
Clark's marriage had no lasting effects. Alicia was quickly forgotten.
The fortress appearing should've been a turning point, but it hasn't
been. It's used far less than the caves were. I don't even know if
Jorel is still alive or not. Clark thought he was dead when the
fortress was first destroyed, but when the fortress was recreated, we
haven't heard Jorel talk since. Clark always ignored Jorel until things
got to such a crisis point that Jorel had to hand him a magic bean
anyhow.
Zod appearing on earth had no lasting effects, other than to cancel a
year of college for the gang (lame), and get Green ArseHole to appear.
Clark is a bigger whiny baby than he was when the show first started.
He's the laziest hero in the world. Trust me, you will be very
disappointed if you watch seasons 4 and 5. Season 6 has been VERY lame
so far.
BC
"bf" <bfor...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1168010497.8...@q40g2000cwq.googlegroups.com...
the best--3 not bad--4 going down--5 poor--6 abysmal. Of course there were
a few stinkers early in the series but even they had some info. Then came
shows like Lucy and the dogcatchers. Dogcatcher villains--sounds absurd
when you think about it. At least the stones arc gave us some sets like the
cave, the prison, Egypt, the plane, China temple, prison and street, Paris
etc. So there was some variety as they pieced together the stones mystery.
There was also the flashback to the witch burning. Now we have Queen's
office, the mansion, barn, Fortress, the alley behind the Talon, the Talon
apt and the Planet. Of course there is the usual dose of city streets,
alleys, warehouses and fake labs. Anyway not very exciting for sets. There
is little home life going on at the Farmhouse--the barn is just a meeting
place like the Torch used to be. No one meets at the Talon now. Coffee
must be out. The mansion is a place for confrontation--either between Lex
and a villain or Clark and Lex or Lionel and Lex or Lana and Lex etc. There
is no semblance of real life going on now. No cookies in the kitchen, no
coffee at the Talon, no legislation by the senator, no corporate meetings
for Lionel, no business for Queen, no training for Clark, no police, no
college for any of them, no farming on the farm, no job for Lana, no typing
or story writing by Chloe, no pictures from Jimmy since the ep with plant
girl--what the hell is going on in Smallville? Life there is as dead as the
story writing.
When the JLA is formed and an alert is sounded for the heroes to make
haste--will Clark, Cyborg and Flash take off running and leave GA and Aqua
standing? Will Aqua take to the storm sewers? How does the GA get around?
Cab? Bus?
BC
Yabahoobs
BC wrote:
How does the GA get around?
> Cab? Bus?
> BC
rickshaw ?
BC
"Yabahoobs" <chend...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1168026235.9...@i15g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
has happened to sidekicks anyway?
Lawrence King
>> But the point that I was making was this... you call yourself
>> a Science Fiction "timeline" site yet you haven't watched
>> Smallville.
*grin*
I don't write all the timelines at the site anyway; it's a collective
effort.
>> have you watched Galactica? How bout Stargate? SG1 Atlantis?
Yes, no, no.
I have read DC comics on and off since 1972, and I expected to like
Smallville a lot. But the first season was just so repetitive! At
Worldcon this August, one of the producers said that when the show was
beginning, someone at the network or the studio had just seen a survey
that indicated that the average viewer only watches one out of the
first six episodes of a new series, and therefore Smallville's
creators were ordered to use the same plot for the first six episodes.
I found Lana annoying and her first-season boyfriend intolerable; I
liked Lex and Lionel and Chloe and both of Clark's parents a lot.
But (apologies for saying this on the Smallville newsgroup) I didn't
think that the show could hold a candle to Buffy or B5 or Firefly. Or
even Galactica, which has some very severe flaws.
Yet in the past few years I have heard a few folks rave about the
Luthor plot twists, and about the other DC character guest stars, and
I got intrigued again....
But now, seeing how much the fans on this newsgroup are dismayed by
the recent seasons, I am unsure....
Lawrence King
>> I put some thinking into this. It's hard for me to pick the
>> key events that have happened in the past 6 years,
>> largely because Clark has not really changed/matured
>> at all over the course of the show.
Hmmm. I guess that a fundamental arc might not exist. Maybe a list
of the "big episodes" -- the best episodes, the introductions of new
major characters (Lois), marriages (except maybe Clark's), and deaths
-- would still be possible?
A friend of mine who works on Smallville's FX commented that "the
season openers and finales are good, but the rest of the show isn't
that great." That's what made me originally think it would be
possible to watch the "highlights of Smallville".
Larry K.
Lawrence King
>> some threads over at kryptonsite.com talk about this kind
>> of thing.
I looked around there and saw some threads about "the best episodes",
but no list of the sort I was hoping for.
Larry K.
Christopher M.
>interest.
>
> But now that so many seasons are available on DVD, I was thinking it would
> be good to watch a "concise version" of the show. Would it be possible to
> create "the Essential Smallville" -- maybe four to six episodes per
> season? -- that would include the very best episodes as well as every
> episode that is essential to the overall arc?
Since you've seen the first two years, you've probably seen most of the best
shows.
Some episodes from Season 4:
Run (with The Flash)
Jinx (with Mxyzptlk)
Transference (Clark and Lionel switch bodies, Lex and Clark in prison,
Lionel attacks Lex)
Pariah (a mysterious new bad guy who can turn himself into sand; death of
Alicia (the teleporter))
Blank (an intelligent and powerful new enemy who can erase memories; he
discovers Clark's abilities)
Onyx (A black kryptonite explosion splits Lex in two and his evil side is
released)
Some episodes from Season 3
Talisman (continues the 'prophecy of Naman' story arc)
Extinction (kryptonite bullet guy tries to kill Lex and Clark; new aspects
of Lana Lang's character are revealed)
Asylum (Three of Clark's former opponents approach Lex to enlist his help in
luring Clark to the hospital after they hear that Lionel has requested Lex
be given electroshock therapy to erase his memory. However, the plan goes
awry when the villains double-cross
Lex and use kryptonite to steal Clark's powers. )
Hereafter (powerful new mutant (a high school student) can see the future,
tries to save one of Lana's classmates from her fate)
Truth (Clark defends Chloe by holding back several angry football players;
the legend of the mysterious farm boy grows at Smallville high)
Relic (Lex's grandfather is revealed)
Resurrection (Clark tries to end a hostage situation)
Velocity (After Pete refuses to throw a street race, the thugs that run it
threaten his life, so he asks Clark to use his powers to stop them. Furious
that Pete would put himself in this position, Clark must figure out a way to
save Pete and still protect his secret.)
Morgan Edge story arc in Season 3:
Exile (Clark is following a life of crime in Metropolis while his friends
and parents desperately try to find him)
Phoenix (Clark gives up the ring and its effects rather than kill his
father, and both he and the rescued Lex return to Smallville. Clark must
deal with crime lord Morgan Edge, who has followed him to Smallville, while
Lex must determine who tried to have him killed - Lionel or Helen)
Shattered (Lex vs Morgan Edge)
W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)
bf
To me, the season openers are always huge letdowns. The finales are
often better shows, but they try to cram so many cliffhangers in that
make little sense. And of course, now we all know that all cliffhangers
will be cheesily resolved in the opener.
That's the problem with this show.. other than Lionel turning good
(which I didn't like), none of the characters grow or change.
I guess if I had to make a list of the key episodes, I would pick the
following.. Forgive me, but I don't know the titles for all of them..
1. The first episode.
2. The episode where Clark was crucified in the cornfield (if that
wasn't the same as the first).
3. The episode where Whitney leaves to go to the Marines and asks Clark
to "look over" Lana for him.
4. The episode where the ship supposedly tells Clark that he was sent
to rule Earth.
5. The arc where Lionel goes blind and almost finds out Clark's
secret.. This was good writing at first, although they were sloppy at
resolving it.
6. The episode where they find out Whitney is dead. I believe this is
the one where a shapeshifter is disguised as Whitney.
7. One of the earlier episodes where Lex is always extending friendship
to Clark, only to have Clark reject him. (there are many).
8. The episode where Clark kills his sibling and deliberately puts on
the Red K ring (this was the last ep of season 2). Turning point of the
show, IMO
9. Splinter. Another "character" ep by Clark
10. All 3 Morgan Edge episodes, because they were good.
11. Hidden: Want to see Clark actually be happy? Well in this episode
and in Mortal, he has no powers, and is actually happy. Unfortunately,
Mortal was a crappy ep, so you're stuck with this one, which is only
ok.
Off the top of my head, that's my basised list.
BC
There was an ep early in the series where he lost his powers and had fun
playing basketball with Pete and Whitney; where he got his butt handed to
him.
The ep where Pete discovered his ship lying in a cornfield was a good one
too.
BC
Lawrence King
Larry K.
justab...@gmail.com
I'm not sure about concise, but what might be a big improvement is
re-arranging the episodes so that certain arcs are in a more
meaningful order. Perhaps making the changes in Clark - Lana's
relationship more smooth and making Lex's descent into evil more
uniform.
For example, in Lexmas it seems as if Lex has reached a real turning
point and has moved wholeheartedly towards acquiring wealth and power.
But there are moments before that episode where it seems as if he is
already there. In Aqua he is already getting military contracts and
testing weapons without caring much about their impact on other living
things. And I'm pretty sure that before Lexmas he also tells his father
(while unconscious) that he finally became the son he wanted. Also in
Jinx (the Myxlplik episode) Lex is already putting together his own
"Legion of Doom" so to speak.