Smallville "Finale" Series Finale Talkback (Spoilers)

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

If all you wanna do is complain get over it. I have enjoyed Smallville from day one and think it was a new and interesting take on the mythology of Superman. I watched it for what it was a tv show that was an escape from reality and not to criticize every little detail. If you were a true fan you would not complain and enjoy the fact that we got closer to the story unlike so many other shows.

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Whatever, Man. We all have a right to complain -- that's what forums are for --and I personally have laced my criticisms with enough praise for the show to justify myself as a "true fan" -- So you're the one who needs to "get over it."

 

[Wonderwall]

If you were a true fan you would not complain and enjoy the fact that we got closer to the story unlike so many other shows.

That's hogwash to me. True fans aren't people that blindly accept the things they like as perfect and pretend that there are no flaws. If anything a true fan does criticize their favorite things because they care about them.

It's what I used to do with Smallville before I realized that watching it week in and week out it was becoming a chore and I cared less and less about it. Although I did watch here and there I decided I might as well catch the finale( which is still going on in this coast ) and so far it's been pretty unmemorable with a few nice bits. Much like Smallville's whole run.

 

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

That's hogwash to me. True fans aren't people that blindly accept the things they like as perfect and pretend that there are no flaws. If anything a true fan does criticize their favorite things because they care about them.

It's what I used to do with Smallville before I realized that watching it week in and week out it was becoming a chore and I cared less and less about it. Although I did watch here and there I decided I might as well catch the finale( which is still going on in this coast ) and so far it's been pretty unmemorable with a few nice bits. Much like Smallville's whole run.

Agreeable and well said.

 

[Dusty]

I will miss this show so very very much,
I grew up with this show (he was my age in the show, which made it even cooler.) Anyways this show has been there for me for the past 10 years (which were very sucky for me health wise and other things.) I always had this show to lean on, the acting was always great and while the show had its ups and downs it was still a great show. They always managed to keep the character of Clark Kent true to who he really is, I just want to thank-you Tom Welling (for being not just Clark kent, but for being Superman in my eyes) also thanks to Allison Mack, Michael Rosenbaum, Erice Durance, Justin Hartley, Al Gough, Miles Millar, Kelly Souders, Brian Peterson, Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer, And all of the many, many, many more people who made this show possible, thanks so much!

Dusty.

 

[Peter Paltridge]

The last two hours of Smallville represents, to me, exactly how the series as a whole was all through the course of its entire ten season existence: A considerable amount of great moments sprinkled here and there throughout tons and tons of crap from beginning to end.

What should have been the series' most defining and exciting moment in its finale, with Clark pulling open his shirt exposing the famous red "S" blazoned on his chest as the almost equally famous John Williams movie score swells in volume, instead becomes the makes-no-difference creamy whipped topping and sweet juicy cherry added quite a bit too late to a stinking dung sundae I had already begun to forcefully eat.

That final moment that would have otherwise left this fanboy with emotional tears in his eyes, instead just left me feeling empty and relieved that it was all over, especially after the first hour of that two-hour finale which was so terrible that it was unbearably painful to sit through without yelling about how terrible it was.

I've loved this series and I've hated this series. I faithfully watched it every week since its pilot, never missing a new episode whenever it aired. I was one of its biggest fans and one of its biggest critics, and despite how often it annoyed me with its often bad writing and direction, I still tuned in and continued on in dedicated acceptance of its flaws, because I loved the cast and their characters, and I loved the concept of Superman in his early years and the moral stories that accompanied it, regardless of how poorly they were executed from time to time. I'll miss this show, but I'm really glad that its all finally over now.

R.I.P., Smallville

To be honest I went into this expecting to be let down, because letting me down is what Smallville likes to do (and why I haven't been watching since season 7). I tuned back in last week, just in case there was anything I needed to know, and nothing had changed. It was still just as irritating as it had ever been.

But I'll give it this. There are two moments I've been dreading for years that I figured were inevitable in the finale:

1) Lois losing her memories and starting over not knowing Clark's identity;
2) Chloe getting killed off because she's "not in the comics"

#1 especially would have been a real punch to the face after the wedding vow scene. I didn't expect #2 anymore because now Chloe IS in the comics, but #1 was still a possibility. Lois Lane kept her memories. Thank heaven.

And speaking of heaven, what was with all the weird, inaccurate religious allegories? Is this Smallville or Evangelion? I know Superman often gets called a Christ-like figure but it really didn't work here.

And I can't believe I'm still the only person who points this out after ten years, but for the last time, Tom Welling CANNOT ACT. In every scene, no matter how emotional it gets, he looks exactly the same, his tone of voice is exactly the same, whether he's sad or angry or happy or upset he displays the same robotic tone for everything. Did you see how he looked when Oliver Queen crashed his wedding? He should have looked furious; instead he looked like he was waiting in an elevator. He's phoned it in for so long I don't see how he could get away with it.

 

[Chaos Yoshi Mage]

Is it bad I got more emotional over a commercial during this than the actual show? This was such B-movie grade cheese, which from what I've seen of the show is an accurate representation. I mean what the heck was up with that "Darkseid" "fight"? Disappointed at the lack of full on suit as well...

 

[Katsumara]

I figured we'd get cheese for the finale fight (since most go that way anyway), and I truly didn't expect them to throw our final villain into a hobo-looking Lionel Luthor...but eh. Whatever. I then remember that it's "Smallville" and I've come to expect cheese.

So yeah, I didn't come into the finale thinking we'd get some epic, go for broke, all-out fight to end all fights for the show, since there's the whole budget issue and all, and I also didn't expect that Clark would ever be in the real suit (since it costs a buttload to pay for, really).. but what we got, I'm satisfied with.

This is something I'd argue with people with. I've followed this show for ten seasons.. for ten years, since I was 15 years old. I grew up with "Smallville." Yeah.. it's let me down over the years many, *many* times, but there's also been many bright spots that I'll always remember. From Erica Durance's portrayal of Lois Lane (she did such a wonderful job), to wanting to forget..forgettable characters like Lana (Ohgod I was so happy when she finally left), to Tom Welling's growing up over the years. I'm not one of the 'blind' fans that'll be like "Well, they did what they could and they did awesome!" because yeah, I was slightly let down by the finale, but I've always been let down in some shape or form with "Smallville."

The show wasn't about Superman to me.. it was about the path to becoming Superman. I was never the type to get up in arms about how something didn't resemble it's comic book counterpart. The Jimmy thing.. I didn't really care about. I know people did, but I didn't really. I just loved following Clark, Lois, Chloe, Oliver.. and so on. I even grew to like Tess. Anyway.. my point is it wasn't about the comic book characters, but about the characters that grew with "Smallville."

Will it be looked at as an instant classic? No, I seriously doubt it. The combination of being shifted from a failed "WB" to "CW".. 'meh' ratings due to the network it's on, the budget.. I really doubt it'll be a classic. Did it have some really loyal fans who stuck with it til the end? Yes. I think that's all that matters.

Disappointment or not, the episode tonight marked the end of ten years worth of "Smallville" Drama/action/what have you.. and ending with it were parts of our lives as we journeyed with Clark until the end.

Anyway, I rambled here way too much. Take not.. I'm not getting on anyone for talking negatively about the finale, nor am I bashing it in anyway for saying it wasn't perfect.. I'm just saying that some enjoyed it, some didn't, and we'll all have our opinions. I choose to stick with the fact that I'll miss watching Tom, Erica, and so on, on Friday Nights every week and seeing the portrayal of an awesome Lois and Clark. I really will miss this show, even if it irritated me more than it excited me. I've actually made a lot of friends through this show, whether it's here or twitter... so it'll always mean a lot to me.

Take care, guys. Thanks, Smallville cast. There may have been some campy writing, or terrible CGI.. but I'll always remember the show for it's fun cast.

 

[Wonderwall]

I like the fact that in the 10 year run they had 3 characters played by the Ashmore brothers

 

[desi]

If all you wanna do is complain get over it. I have enjoyed Smallville from day one and think it was a new and interesting take on the mythology of Superman. I watched it for what it was a tv show that was an escape from reality and not to criticize every little detail. If you were a true fan you would not complain and enjoy the fact that we got closer to the story unlike so many other shows.

Sent from my iPhone using toonzone

Well, that's your problem: you appreciate something as lackluster as this because you haven't seen anything better. You should also learn the difference between criticism and constructive criticism. It will save you from a lot of arguments in the future. If you think I am talking down to you, you bet I am.

 

[Antiyonder]

Mod Note: This thread is about the finale episode of Smallville. Any personal problems are to be kept in private. Anyone disregarding the post will receive an infraction.

 

[Palin Dromos]

What to say, what to say, what to say?

You can put me in the camp that enjoyed the Finale.
Truth be told it actually exceeded my expectations.
My only real expectation was that we wouldn’t see Clark flying or in the suit until that last scene or even last shot. Instead we got the flight and suit all through the last 2 acts. I was quite surprised.
That was my only “expectation.” I also got what I wanted, revisits with some of my favorite characters from the past, most notably Jonathan and Martha.
Oh, and of course Lex, MR was always one of the greatest parts of the show when he was there. So glad he came back for this. Loved to see him and Tess (Cassidy) finally have a scene together. And I was kinda surprised by his actions in that scene, I shouldn’t be surprised but I was. Sad to see Tess go, she was a great character.
Seeing Jimmy at the end was also great. I know that Aaron Ashmore was really bummed about being written out (killed off) back in Season 8, so this seemed like a nice olive branch from the producers- to him and his fans.
Also liked that Chloe (Alison) got to feature in the opening scene for the finale, it feels like another sign of respect from the producers. And she didn’t DIE, as everyone had been predicting for years!
I also enjoyed the CG glimpses of Clark in the suit, the wide shots. Were they ILM level, no, but they felt like the Smallville interpretation of those images. It’s hard to explain, but it worked for me.

Didn’t mind the “back patting” that seems to be bothering others. No one expected this show to go for 10 seasons, and the fact that it did is an accomplishment. How many fanbases out there are constantly crying about their favorite series being cut down before its time? We’ve got over 200 episodes to pick apart and analyze for the rest of time. And they had some really great re-interpretations of the mythos over the years. It’s not a perfect series, but every season had something great about it.
Maybe later this weekend I’ll type up a fuller reflection on the series as a whole.

Anyway, the Finale…little bummed they didn’t title the episode “Super” or “Superman”; or part one “Super” and part two “Man”. But it does have symmetry with the first episode being “Pilot”, I guess.

Now then, where’s Disneyboy? I‘m sure he has something to say.

 

[ktk]

Oh Smallville, tonight was such a fitting end for you. You always show such great potential, and you always find ways to disappoint. You frequently do have awesome scenes in your episodes (and tonight's was certainly full of great scenes), but they're so often followed up by scenes that just fall flat.

I'll agree with the folks that said they really enjoyed Smallville's take on the Superman mythos. It changed enough to really make things interesting and charming without making things seem too different.

Unfortunately, those changes that made Smallville likeable in the first place are now gone. Lionel was a great new character, but now he's gone. Lex and Clark being friends was a brilliant twist, and Lex knowing Clark's secrets was one of the best things about the show. Wiping his memory tonight was a big middle finger to Smallville fans, because it pretty much just dumps the story into regular Superman continuity going forward. Of course, it was no great surprise either, since there've pretty much been half a dozen memory wipes each season on this show. And it doesn't really matter since the show is over. But still. Blah.

All in all, I'm certainly glad I watched it, but I'm not sure I'd say it was worth a ten year wait. Of course, the journey along the way is what made it enjoyable.

One last question: what the heck was with that comic book Chloe was reading to her son? That would seem to imply that everyone knew Superman's secrets, yet the Lois and Clark interaction at the very end showed that his secret identity was still a secret.

That didn't make any sense.

 

[CantThinkOfaName]

the finale is pretty much Smallville in a nutshell, lots of brilliant inspirations but the execution is ultimately fumbled.

I couldn't have said it better.

Tom Welling CANNOT ACT.

Tom Welling was pretty good in the early years when Clark Kent was the confused and angry high school teenager. But once the character matured, and the writers began to delay the Superman transformation, Tom Welling just stopped trying. I would say it was in season 6 or 7 when Tom Welling stopped caring. Season 4 was the last time he was good. He was more emotional when Alicia died then when Jonathan Kent passed away. That was the warning sign.

 

[Katsumara]

Eh, I gotta agree. Especially this season.. Erica Durance outclassed Tom Welling BY FAR in the acting department. Some of the really emotional scenes for ED throughout the last season were really good performances, to me anyway. Not only is she cute as a button (or hot, depending on what she's going for in the scene), but she can act as well. I really saw her as a good Lois Lane.

As for Tom Welling.. honestly, Clark Kent's always been a pretty boring 'secret identity'.. so Welling fit that pretty well, lol.

But nah.. I can see how you guys see him as better in the early years and then not caring. He wasn't good by any means.. but I could bear him in certain aspects of the show.

Still.. as bad as SV got over the years (and it got *really* bad..), I didn't mind it going out this way.

 

[Knight]

Horrible. I'm glad I haven't watched 90% of this show. I knew this version of Darkseid wasn't going to be great but he was far too easy to defeat.

 

[Damien]

Having not really watched much of the past few seasons, a couple things confused me. Jimmy Olsen is Jimmy Olsen's brother? Lex can somehow lose his memory with some mud on his face but still somehow know where and who he is? (Which was weird they did that, since they set up the rivalry perfectly in the mansion scene; in fact, I thought it was a bold choice just having Lex know who Superman is. Heck, Toyman knows, apparently.) And why was there a comic book, yet he was still pretending to be goofy Clark Kent to hide that he's Superman? Did Chloe and Arrow have their own artist? And since when doesn't Arrow marry Canary? And why the heck did Lois and Clark wait another seven years to marry? Lionel's back?

That aside, the main conflict, and the meaning behind it, was one of the best Superman origin/debuts to date. If they had cut out at least three or four of their seasons, the series would've been perfect.

The religious overtones were downright staggering, which added some juicy meat. But it was the one debut that best (with the exception of Birthright, arguably) exemplified who the character is. Mankind's evil, discontent, etc. marks them, makes them a magnet for the epitome of darkness. But what does Superman do? Inspires mankind, gives them hope, and thus pushes the darkness back. He finally realized who he was inside, and in that moment he stepped up to the plate and claimed the Earth as his home, took official stance as its protector, in the face of darkness.

Awesome. Perfect example of rite-of-passage. Just, you know, didn't need 10 years, really. Cut season three, any episode not having to do with other heroes and major villains since season 5 (for example, keep Zod and cut Zod Lite), and then we have a solid series.

 

[ABrown]

This finale thinks too highly of itself. Less talky, more do-y

I was thinking the same thing during the first hour. Took too long to get things going.

Why wait 7 years to get married?

My wife said the exact same thing. It is a little odd that there wasn't any explanation for the seven year wait.

Only real complaint, but not un expected, is no full shot of clark in the suit. I thought that was REALLY lame after ten years of build up. A quick ten second shot would be nice...

Tom Welling never wore the full suit. All the action shots were CG. He only wore the suit during the rooftop scene.

What was the deal with not getting good shots of Clark wearing the suit? Was there some legal reason that he couldn't be shown wearing it? It's like he never really became Superman, he basically became "Superblur".

 

[bigddan11]

Having not really watched much of the past few seasons, a couple things confused me. Jimmy Olsen is Jimmy Olsen's brother?

When Jimmy was killed on Smallville, they had the name of Henry James Olsen read at the funeral. He had a younger brother named James Bartholomew Olsen who was shown at the funeral. Henry chose to go by his nickname based off of his middle name in the series- Jimmy, but his younger brother was always meant to be the Jimmy Olsen shown in future series.

 

[RedKing52]

Decent finale -- and this is coming from someone who watched sporadically over the 10-year run.

Still, I'm annoyed it beat SG-1's record.

 

[EinBebop]

When Jimmy was killed on Smallville, they had the name of Henry James Olsen read at the funeral. He had a younger brother named James Bartholomew Olsen who was shown at the funeral. Henry chose to go by his nickname based off of his middle name in the series- Jimmy, but his younger brother was always meant to be the Jimmy Olsen shown in future series.

Huh... I'm torn as to whether to think that's brilliant or ridiculous. I'm going to call it brilliant, and I would've gone one step further and killed Jimmy in every episode and brought in another cousin Jimmy the next week.