Guilty pleasure TV

[locker_monster]

Should be writing...

We all have them. TV shows we watch that we know we should have given up on a long time ago but still watch because you feel some sort of loyalty after giving years of your life to said TV show. Sometimes you can make a clean break and sometimes you can't.

I have that problem with Smallville. The show started out with great potential, then it fumbled a bit as the show went on, but, mysteriously, it's hit its stride again this season. I'm not sure what it is. I think the show is on it's third batch of executive producers and hey, maybe third time is the charm. Whatever the case, I actually like what they've been doing lately. I'm shocked my own self.

Could be it's because the show is becoming less "Smallville" and more "Metropolis", if you catch my drift. Clark hardly spends any time in Smallville saving people. It's all about the big city these days. He's started to wear a costume; it's not blue tights and a red cape, but the S shield is there; he's working at the Daily Planet, not as an ace reporter mind you; and he's getting super close to Lois. Heck, just look what they gave him in this week's episode:


How cute is that? I just love these little nods. :-)

I think my one problem with Smallville is how they keep stretching out Clark's path to the blue tights. He starts out as a reluctant hero, and that works, but lately he's embraced his inner hero. But the show has a strict rule with "no flight, no tights", so they keep making up excuses for Clark not to become Superman just yet. And it can get kind of tedious. The audience keeps wondering, "Wait? Why is he not wearing a cape by now? Everything else is in place!" I keep saying that Smallville, in its very last season (which seems very far from now considering how well the show is doing, on a Friday night no less), should just go for broke and have a flashforward into the future. Show everything that we're familiar with: Lois as the star reporter at the Daily Planet, Clark her mild-mannered side kick, Jimmy Olsen the bow-tie wearing photographer, and Perry White, Editor-in-Chief. And then show Clark running down the street, reveal the S under his shirt or something along those lines. Finally reward the fans after all these years.

I appreciate the effort the writers make though. If you can't have Superman, we'll give you every other superhero under the sun (except for Batman, because he's off limits)! Let's see, we've had, in no particular order the Flash, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Aquaman, Cyborg, the Wonder Twins (?!), Supergirl, the Legion of Superheroes, and probably some others I can't remember. More to come, too (Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Star Girl). Lots of future villains too. Continuity is shot to hell, but Smallville is the show that ignores continuity. It is based on a comic book after all, and we all know comic books have horribly continuity.

Maybe Smallville should re-brand, called itself Metropolis, and then Clark can finally put on his blue and red for real. Knowing me, I'd still watch.

Comments

[newnumber6.livejournal.com]

I've been watching it a little this season, mainly because it's the only thing on Fridays at 8pm on a channel I get. And it does seem to be a bit better than when I last stopped watching it (though I almost literally facepalmed when I realized they brought in THE WONDER TWINS), but...

they REALLY need to ditch their 'no flights, no tights' rule, and just make him Superman. The reason for their rule was, IIRC, because they thought it would be hokey and silly but... that ship has sailed. The show's done far worse than a costume and flying. And the constant stretching of the concept to avoid him becoming a costumed hero but having every other element of his story in place is becoming silly in itself. Just go for broke. Be daring. Try to design a costume that isn't silly. Even if it's not the final, classic costume. There are probably ways to do it... make it look more like a uniform, maybe. It's not like a movie where you'll tick off the Superman purists if you don't have the costume exactly right. It's a series, and whoever you haven't already driven away, isn't going to leave just because you changed the costume.

They already seem to be relying far too much on elements of the greater DC universe as guest stars... it's not like people are going to be driven off because it's "too superheroy".

But that's just my opinion. :)

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Wonder Twins. I yelled at my TV when I figured it out. That tells you they're really scraping the bottom of the superhero barrel. But I do find it funny that they are these Facebook-Twitter addicted teens (who may or may not be human). It fits with the culture today in that everyone and their dog has a social networking account.

The t-shirt idea with the shield is kind of close, probably the closest they'll get. The only problem with the Superman costume is the fact that it is tights. How do you make tights cool? Clark has no reason to be wearing leather when he's bulletproof.

Oh, one consolation with the Wonder Twins. At least they weren't saying, "Shape of a ____!" "Form of a ____!" ;-)

[newnumber6.livejournal.com]

And no monkey named Gleek! I was sure they were going to have a pet monkey in their apartment. (Or maybe they did and I was just writing at the time and didn't notice).

Yeah, but I dunno, I also get kind of annoyed whenever they mention "The Blur" (maybe because there's another, very obscure hero who used that name from one of my very obscure favorite comics long ago). Just call him Superman. We all know who he is! It's not like its a secret you're keeping from the audience! ;)

I don't know, maybe they'll get some kind of costume and get Zatanna back or someone else to enchant it with a "while you wear this costume, nobody who doesn't already know your identity will recognize you as Clark" spell, to explain why nobody ever puts the pieces together and finally forces him into a costume.

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

The only reference to Gleek was on Jayna's phone. At one point she holds it up with the back facing the camera, so we the audience can see very clearly that she had a space monkey bedazzled on it. The ring tone for their cells was also a chattering monkey sound.

I think if they call him Superman, then their getting ahead of themselves. He's only Superman when he reveals himself to the world in his true red and blue. Or maybe they aren't allowed to use the name? Right issues and all that.

A magic spell would go a long way to explain why Lois never figured out that Clark was Superman. It's just a pair of glasses for goodness sake! You're supposed to be an ace reporter.