How do you feel about filler episodes?

[thedean123]

I get the impression that people hate filler episodes and I don't understand this trend. Some of my favorite episodes are filler and I think they can really add to a season. If a filler is timed right it can make for the perfect break from the sometimes tedious arc of the season imo.

Do you dislike a episode because its a filler?

[SSJConan]

Um...Well, technically there are no filler episodes in the series. The show's producers, cast, etc., haven't considered any particular episodes as such, every episode (even such stinkers as "Slumber" and "Ageless") play at least some part in the over-all arcs of their respective seasons and the show. So unless there's a list for filler episodes, it's impossible to choose. The Chloe/Vengeance/Queen Chronicles and Justice & Doom segments could be considered "filler", if they weren't so damn awesome.:D

[Matriculated]

Filler really doesn't work on Smallville. Other shows (Buffy, Angel, Heroes from the top of my head) have character development which makes filler just as good as the "key" episodes. Unfortunately the character development on Smallville is too inconsistent to mean anything.

[Chris1]

Filler episodes are hard to generalise as some are far better than others, and some fillers still move the plot along slightly but some more than others.
Off topic but Supernatural does FAR too many fillers IMO and not enough of the main mythology. Smallville does an ok amount of fillers, perhaps we should be grateful less are now FOTW orientated.

[samanta]

I like good filler episodes. They can be more interesting than some main arc episodes. Some of them belongs to my favorite episodes.

[Joelito]

They are good...only if they have a good number position..... but..in a season finale...like noir???

[MetroGirl06]

Some fillers are good, but I think there should be less of them. Also every filler should have good character moments and contribute something to the main season arc.

[thedean123]

Originally posted by SSJConan
Um...Well, technically there are no filler episodes in the series. The show's producers, cast, etc., haven't considered any particular episodes as such, every episode (even such stinkers as "Slumber" and "Ageless") play at least some part in the over-all arcs of their respective seasons and the show

I understand that there are no fillers in the technical sense but its safe to assume I'm talking about episodes that the whole story of the particular episode has nothing to do with the arc. Like 'Run' for example, yes this was the episode where we first saw the map to one of the cystals but thats not what the episode was about, the focus of it was Clark getting a handle on this punk.

My point is I appreciate that this is a show about character developement and Clarks journey but sometimes that journey drives me mental. Its nice to not have a episode focused on "secrets and lies" or who loves who, just Clark and company dealing with the task at hand.

[cxianet]

I don't think shows should ever have "filler" episodes the way that Smallville does.

My definition of a "filler" is a lot different than other people's, which probably makes mine wrong. :lol: But basically, I find that half of all Smallville episodes are "filler" episodes whereas other shows only have one or two a season.

That really bothers me. It also tells you a lot of what I think of this show. :rolleyes:

[Johnny_Luck]

Originally posted by Chris1
Filler episodes are hard to generalise as some are far better than others, and some fillers still move the plot along slightly but some more than others.
Off topic but Supernatural does FAR too many fillers IMO and not enough of the main mythology. Smallville does an ok amount of fillers, perhaps we should be grateful less are now FOTW orientated.

Umm supernatural is good and works because each episode barring the last couple of each season focus on different myths and creatures. If it were to focus solely on one type of creature or thing for one season it wouldn't work as well as it has.

Next season will be a lot more how you want it, but they should still have plenty of varied non arc episodes.


Originally posted by cxianet
I don't think shows should ever have "filler" episodes the way that Smallville does.

My definition of a "filler" is a lot different than other people's, which probably makes mine wrong. :lol: But basically, I find that half of all Smallville episodes are "filler" episodes whereas other shows only have one or two a season.

That really bothers me. It also tells you a lot of what I think of this show. :rolleyes:

Filler episodes tend to tell stories completely different without touching upon the main arc. To say most shows only have one or two a season is so off balances as usually all but 4 or 5 are fillers for each season of most shows.

[cxianet]

Originally posted by Johnny_Luck
Filler episodes tend to tell stories completely different without touching upon the main arc. To say most shows only have one or two a season is so off balances as usually all but 4 or 5 are fillers for each season of most shows.

Um, you're kidding? Or do you only watch Smallville?

Because I'm pretty sure that the best shows on TV all have episodes that contribute to the main arc of the story. It's only Smallville that has episodes like "Exposed" and "Noir" every other episode.

[Johnny_Luck]

Originally posted by cxianet
Um, you're kidding? Or do you only watch Smallville?

Because I'm pretty sure that the best shows on TV all have episodes that contribute to the main arc of the story. It's only Smallville that has episodes like "Exposed" and "Noir" every other episode.

Supernatural, Veronica Mars, Buffy, Angel, Slow Burn, Monk, Pysch, Relic Hunter, Without a Trace, Dark Angel, Charmed, etc

thats just a tip of whats in my head for ones with lots of filler episodes.

to say smallville is the only one that does stuff like that is completely silly.

Major Case in Point One of Buffy's Best Episodes Once More with Feeling is a complete filler episode.

[Kal26]

Don't forget lois and clark, star trek (all versions), lost (showing all the same episodes from different points of view doesn't really help the arc, just pounds it in our heads), Justice League, Justice league unlimited, Superman TAS, Batman TAS, I could go on and on, but I think everyone gets the point.

I like the filler episodes. Don't get me wrong, I like shows that don't have that many too, like prison break (even though it could be argued that even that show has some fillers). I feel like I need a break every now and again. A person can only go forward for so long without needing a breath of fresh air. To me, that's what fillers are. A chance to stop the rush. I mean, if we get to the point to fast, it's over. I like to enjoy the up times, and the down times. It makes for a more realistic viewing experience. People don't just go, go, go all the time. I don't anyway, and it makes me tired to watch others do it. :p

Also, Johnny Luck is right on about the sub plots. It's far more interesting to me when it's not all just about one arc. I like to mix things up a bit.

[Spirit Detective]

Episodes like Subterranean feel like a filler. The show's producers had to reschedule this episode and make it episode 9 intsead of 5. If the episode can be removed without affecting the overall arc, it's a filler.

[Eckyboy]

I agree with cxianets viewpoint although I would say that 75% of Smallville is pure filler but then I think the show has went downhill ever since the end of the excellent season 3. As I have argued before most shows have filler but this is usually just in the first few seasons as the writers find their feet. Smallville is now onto it's 7th season soon and the filler episodes have actually increased not been reduced. It is lazy shameful writing and it really has become a substandard kids show when originally it was something very special.

[DeeperWell]

I like them, as long as they're fun and well written. (As rare as that is!)

[petewillreturn]

What I hate about the filler episodes are that they feel like they are 20 minutes long and the rest is just commercials. I would prefer that the episodes were longer even if we had fewer.

[Kal26]

The thing about filler episodes on smallville is that you think they are not relevant, but most of the time there is some foreshadowing for things to come, or little pieces that make the past make a little more sense hidden within them.

[Spirit Detective]

The funny thing is that Smallville isn't like anime shows where they're sometimes forced to do fillers to let the source material get ahead. Smallville has less contraints on the stories it can do and yet Gough/Miller and Crew still manage to plague a season with fillers.

Episodes I felt were fillers or filler-like.

Subterranean
Tresspass - It affected the story arc, but they could have done much better. Lana already had suspicions and the scene with Clark taking the chissel was cut off (all the more reason for it to be a filler)
Noir - more than 50% of this episode was a dream and things were thrown into the mix way too fast like Senator Burke and the Lionel/Lana spying on Lex.

[Exodus2000]

I think they are a necessary evil

[LoisL]

I like good filler episodes. :) They set up the important episodes and make them more awesome. They also give us a chance to just bond with the characters in quiet moments. When I was a big fantasy reader one of my major complaints with the genre was "why does the world always have to be about to end?!" Sometimes, when I like a world or cast of characters enough, I just want to spend some time visiting. Really cute and harmless fillers are great opportunities to do just that in a very relaxing manner.

The Superman comics are the same; varying pace from time to timef from intense countdown to a crisis, a crossover war, to just little "a day in the life of Superman"-style accounts. They're all entertaining for different moods.