Like any show with as much longevity as Smallville, viewers came and went–ratings dipping from 8 million to 2 million over the ten years proved that. Ask anyone about the best episodes of the series, and you usually get things like “Pilot”, “Rosetta” , “Memoria” and “Crusade” from the early years. There are lots and lots of people who left the series about mid-way through, and most casual fans you’ll talk to probably stopped watching it during season four (those witches really turned a lot of people off.)
It’s to be expected; people simply lose interest in keeping up week-to-week at a certain point. If they come back, it’s usually for the well-marketed “event” episodes–the 100th and 200th episodes, big superhero team-ups like “Legion,” “Justice” and ”Absolute Justice,” and the series finale. And while those are fine and good, just because they’re the ones the that get talked about the most doesn’t mean they’re the best the show has to offer. In fact, there are tons and tons of little gems from the show’s later years that casual or former viewers probably missed out on. There are plenty more (or less) depending on who you ask, but here are 15 underrated episodes I’d recommend to veteran and new viewers alike.
4.6 “Transference”
Quick summary: Clark and Lionel switch bodies. Prepare for slapping, insults, incest, four-barrelled guns and a prison riot.
Why it’s awesome: I wasn’t going to put an episode this early in the show on the list (the intention was late season 4 onwards) but this episode deserves credit for being such a standout, despite falling back on the old body-switch trope. While the use of the Kryptonian stones this season fluctuated between intriguing and confusing, in this episode we get one of our best peeks into what they were capable of and what the overall mythology could deliver. Clark-in-Lionel’s body takes quite a beating from prisoners and his liver disease, but he proves he’s got brains this time around. But Lionel-in-Clark’s body is what sells it. It leads to some downright creepy moments, including telling Lana he’d “pluck [her] succulent fruit,” or sparking heat vision by hugging Martha–in her son’s body! Tom Welling manages to play Lionel at the height of his villainy, and it’s so much fun.
4.19 “Blank”
Quick summary: Clark loses his memory (again), and everyone tries to exploit it except Chloe, who learns more about Clark’s “Super Wheaties abilities.”
Why it’s awesome: Season 4 had its share of flaws, but the end run of the season really holds up well—“Blank” is wedged between the hilarious prom episode “Spirit” and the crucial evil-Lex episode “Onyx”–but it sticks out for its strength in simplicity. We get a very raw and open Clark, letting us in on the psyche we normally don’t see from someone so introspective. The villain’s backstory is one of the most sympathetic ones we get. The Clark and Lana angst is there, but thanks to Clark’s memory-wiped straightforwardness, it’s not overwrought and has genuine emotion. But the real star of this episode is Chloe; we get a truly definitive look at just how loyal, funny and smart she is, and why after three years of emotional torture from Clark and the Luthors, she is still worthy of being young Superman’s sidekick. The moment she secretly discovered Clark had powers in “Pariah” was iconic, but her actions in this episode really exemplify her best qualities, and she’s used to her to the fullest potential. Her final conversation with Clark in the last scene to Switchfoot’s “This is Your Life” is one of the finest moments in the series.
5.3 “Hidden”
Quick summary: Clark is human. Clark gets shot. Clark dies. Clark comes back and stops a nuclear missile.
Why it’s awesome: On the surface, this episode isn’t particularly monumental–Clark becomes human and/or dies a lot throughout the series. But dramatically, it works. The ticking time bomb backdrop keeps up the tension, and with Clark’s abilities MIA in one of the worst situations the town has faced, the stakes have seldom been higher. Even though we know Clark wouldn’t stay dead, his death scene in the hospital still packs quite a wallop thanks to the musical score, cinematography, and Kristin Kreuk’s performance. We finally get payoff from Lionel’s Kryptonian catatonic state, as well–leading to a brilliant performance from a very Marlon Brando-channeling John Glover. Lastly, that nuclear missile save is as awesome as it sounds. No surprise it remained in the credits for every season that came after. Overall, this might be the best episode on this list to judge in retrospect as it nicely sets up all of the arcs for the rest of the season.
5.13 “Vengeance”
Quick summary: Clark struggles with his father’s death as he meets Metropolis’ first costumed vigilante.
Why it’s awesome: This almost didn’t make it onto the list, but it deserves mention for being the first time we actually saw a costumed hero on the show, a year before Green Arrow’s debut. Angel of Vengeance (and her comic counterpart Acrata) isn’t a DC Comics staple, but thanks to being a stealth introduction to the masked vigilante world, this previously untapped side of Smallville was finally explored. Our guest hero’s story nicely parallel’s Clark’s journey after his father’s death in the previous episode, digging deep into Clark’s grief while still injecting some much-needed action to lighten the mood after the 100th episode’s emotional ride. Clark struggles with whether or not he could kill someone, an element that’s touched on before and after, but never quite like it is here. And the final scene with Clark and Martha? Simply stunning.
5.21 “Oracle”
Quick summary: Jonathan’s ghost goes all Hamlet on Clark and tells him to avenge his “murder” by killing Lionel.
Why it’s awesome: After Jonathan’s death, season 5 took a big hit to its forward momentum and nearly came full-stop. Luckily, this episode re-energized it just enough for the finale. The play on Hamlet tropes was inspired–we even get a Claudius/Gertrude relationship by way of Lionel/Martha. It’s not a huge surprise to see who’s orchestrating it all, but watching Clark go through the torturous ordeal–on his birthday, no less–makes it easy to be emotionally invested. Though painful, the turmoil Clark and Martha go through, and the questions the events bring up about Lionel, are incredibly engaging. We also get a more clear look at Lionel’s connection to Jor-El, a development that forever solidifies his importance to the show’s mythology. Not to mention seeing John Schneider get to portray a maniacal version of Jonathan in the climax is just awesome.
6.12 “Labyrinth”
Quick summary: Clark wakes up in a mental institution where he learns the last six years have been a delusion.
Why it’s awesome: Perhaps it was that this episode came right off the fangasm episode “Justice,” and maybe not everyone loves mindscrew episodes, but the fact that “Labyrinth” didn’t win overwhelming praise is insane…no pun intended. It was easy to mock Tom Welling’s performances in the early years of the show, but in this episode he’s a tour de force of awesome. Sure, the premise is very similar to that seminal Buffy episode “Normal Again” (that one occurred in the show’s sixth season, too!), but it handles the concept a bit differently by keeping the focus on Clark in the institution for the entirety of the episode, meaning no subplots whatsoever. While we never truly question if the reality is real, that doesn’t mean the episode is not incredibly clever; the little references to 33.1, Raya, the Justice League, and the Fortress are fun, and Jor-El being Jorel soap is just brilliant. This episode also introduces the fantastic Phil Morris as Martian Manhunter, and though his part his small, his inclusion makes everything even more mysterious. However, aside from Welling’s performance, two points make this episode above and beyond: the muted, horrifyingly drab cinematography for the asylum-universe; and the ever-present reverberating sound (and its clever reveal) that ultimately brings Clark out of his delusion.
6.16 “Promise”
Quick summary: It’s the day before Lex and Lana’s wedding, and we see it in pieces through the eyes of Clark, Lex and Lana.
Why it’s awesome: Theoretically, there’s a lot to hate about this episode. It’s the height of the Clark/Lex/Lana love triangle business that upped the depressing angst of the show’s middle years tenfold. But this episode packs in more character development than some entire seasons. Lana uncovers Clark’s secret on her own! Lex kills a man with his bare hands under a freaking church! It’s structured as a Rashomon-esque tale, telling the story of the day leading up to the big wedding from the perspectives of Clark, Lana and Lex, beginning with their respective dreams/nightmares. While “Justice” provided all the heroics and explosions we asked for, “Promise” was the apex of the the continually disintegrating relationships of our three leads. It’s dark, and not everyone’s going to like it, but that doesn’t make it bad storytelling. From the dialogueless teaser, to the final scene’s contrast of beautiful cinematography with ominous undertones, this episode is uniquely built and exceedingly complex. If only more people bothered to peel back the layers.
6.18 “Nemesis”
Quick summary: Lex and Clark are trapped in an underground tunnel filled with Kryptonite. They have words. Very harsh words.
Why it’s awesome: Character-wise, this is potentially the closest the show ever got to doing a bottle episode–two people trapped somewhere and talking for 40 minutes. Of course, we also have plenty of expensive explosions and slow motion effects, so it’s not a true bottle show, but it’s just as effective. What makes this particular episode work so well is the timing. Season 6 was the first time Clark and Lex were truly at-odds, to the point where they could no longer speak civilly, so having them forced to confront one another (and ultimately work together) is bound to be a ride. But happening after the fateful wedding only intensifies the drama. And while Lana’s dark arc doesn’t play out very well over the next two seasons, it’s definitely interesting seeing her use the lessons she learned from the Luthors against them. But ultimately, the meat of this episode is how it addresses the ambiguity in the Clark/Lex relationship. Lex makes unsettlingly good arguments for why Clark’s to blame for the loss of their friendship, something that shakes Clark (and the audience) to the core.
7.16 “Descent”
Quick summary: Lex kills Lionel. Chaos ensues.
Why it’s awesome: This is one of the few later episodes here that fans do respect quite fervently, but having happened at arguably the lowest point in the series made it so it never quite hit the mainstream consciousness. Season 7 was underwhelming at best, but “Descent” showed that despite the string of stale plotlines and subpar episodes, there was still life buried down in the recesses of the show. With one of the most shocking teasers of the entire series, in one instant we are propelled into the final story arc of the season. Lex kills Lionel in the first 5 minutes, and the rest of the episode wholly focuses on how much this impacts the characters and the world around them. The melodrama took a backseat for a very real, very detailed look at consequences. Lex literally faces his own conscience, and in a chilling moment we see his symbolic turn to darkness in a horrifying way. Even better, we get one of the best and most piercing arguments from Lex and Clark, leading to a solemn declaration of irreversible animosity in the final moments.
8.7 “Identity”
Quick summary: Jimmy catches a red and blue blurred photo of Clark saving Lois. Not a total idiot, he connects the primary colored dots and deduces it’s Clark.
Why it’s awesome: In truth, the entire first half of season 8 is stellar arc storytelling with a clear beginning, middle and end, which is why there’s three almost-consecutive episodes on here from that arc. Jimmy proves his worth in this particular episode, lampshading Clark’s love of red and blue and how bad he is at hiding his identity. But as it becomes more clear that Clark needs an alter ego for his heroing, the entire series moves into an entirely new direction. Though the transition this season isn’t as smooth as it could be, by the end Clark Kent and The Red-Blue Blur are two distinct personas, paving the way for his final transition to Superman, and it starts here. We also have a very fun and sympathetic meteor freak villain that’s used effectively in the B-plot, while other characters have some fun developments: Oliver overcomes his slump (the first of many), and we get a glimpse of the very negative effect Chloe’s Brainiac infection is having on her.
8.9 “Abyss”
Quick summary: Chloe’s Brainaic infection worsens, as she slowly but surely loses all of her memories…except of Davis, aka Doomsday.
Why it’s awesome: “Chloiac” was one of the biggest surprises of season 8, and episodes like this really exemplify how well-done that story arc was. Allison Mack turns a terrific performance as Chloe gradually melts down. The brisk pace as Clark works to cure her, regardless of the consequences, keeps us in suspense. We get some cool glimpses at her greatest hits throughout the show, only to have them constantly ripped away (with some nicely rendered effects) leaving Chloe, and everyone else, an emotional mess. Jimmy and Davis both shine in this episode with their care for Chloe, though in very different ways and to very different results. Even in the midst of all this, we get a huge development for the relationship between Clark and Jor-El. And though Clark’s ultimate solution is controversial, the events leading up to it are far too entertaining to pass up. Not to mention we get a very, very awesome voice cameo in the final scene.
8.10 “Bride”
Quick summary: Chloe and Jimmy’s wedding goes to hell. Lana returns, but that’s not why.
Why it’s awesome: If you want to have a wedding not be totally ruined, don’t get married in Smallville. Ultimately, this mid-season finale feels more cohesive and tense than many other full season finales. Like “Descent” before it, this is one that been well-received, but for some reason it seldom makes it on Top Smallville Episode lists. It’s a classic “calm before the storm” tale; Chloe and Jimmy have happy moments and Clark and Lois have that almost-kiss. Lana appears for the first time this season, and while her final arc is certainly controversial, her interactions with Clark in this case are handled maturely and she carries some much-needed warmth. But then the final act completely shifts gears, quickly breaking down into a bloody horror story and ending the episode on an ominous, tragic note. Doomsday looks downright scary, better here than he looks at any other point in the season, thanks to the shadowy lighting and clever angles. The montage to VAST’s “Don’t Take Your Love Away” is chilling. And while the Lex story this season never quite panned out like it should have, the final shot that teased it is a massive shocker and leaves you craving for more.
9.8 “Idol”
Quick summary: Clark meets the Wonder Twins. Lois nearly finds out Clark’s identity, and goes into therapy.
Why it’s awesome: This is one with the Wonder Twins. Yeah, by its description, “Idol” seems like just another filler episode that introduces characters no one really cared about in a season where nearly every episode introduced a DC character. What we get, though, is an exciting, well-acted and brilliantly executed action story that pays homage to the Superman franchise as a whole. It’s nothing heavy, but it’s tons of fun. In a season where characters seem to be ripped from the comics whether they fit the show or not, the endearing Wonder Twins are reimagined in an old-fashioned Smallville way, retaining their powers and naivete while giving them an extra edge as 21st century hero worshipers. But the little things in this episode are what lets it shine: Lois’s speech, Clark’s glasses, the \S/ shield on a coffee mug, and the “Holding Out for a Hero” ringtone.
9.22 “Salvation”
Quick summary: Zod uses a series of gambits on Lois Lane, the Justice League, and his own army, bringing us to a brutal final battle on a rainy rooftop.
Why it’s awesome: Like “Descent” and “Bride,” this is one that has received lots of credit from hardcore fans. After years of more divisive and downright disappointing finales, Smallville threw out one hell of a fulfilling, cliffhanger-y finale like the old days of tornadoes and second meteor showers. Major story arcs all come to a head– Zod and the Kandorians, the three main relationships, and the unification of the Justice League. But through the resolutions come new developments–a new enemy, a new secret-keeper, and a harrowing fall. The final battle between Clark and Zod, though mortal, is epic, and everyone brings their A-game. Not to mention this episode features the return of classic series director Greg Beeman, and it shows. Moreover, it brings the season full circle by paralleling events of the premiere, “Savior,” clearly showing how far Clark has progressed from the Kryptonian vigilante at the beginning of the season to selfless hero of Earth in the finale. If you want a lesson in how to make a tense, action-packed, smart and dramatic season finale on a very tight budget, this should be your baseline.
10.13 “Beacon”
Quick summary: Lionel’s alternate universe counterpart makes himself known. Lex’s youthful clone is back. Martha goes all Mama Bear on the Luthors. And Clark gets a message from his real-life fans.
Why it’s awesome: One of the bigger problems with season 10 is its multitude of silly concepts that never quite play out like they should. So you’d expect an episode with clones and people from parallel universes to be a little dumb. In short: it’s not. Lucas Grabeel is adept at playing “Alexander,” Lex’s clone, second only to Rosenbaum himself. And frankly, the alt-Lionel plot, which began two episodes prior, is handled surprisingly well from the start. We finally get to see those two Luthor plots converge, and it’s awesome. This episode is also one big homage to the days of yore when there were actually people over the age of 35 on the show. Seeing Annette O’Toole and John Glover, two of the best actors in the series, back on screen and at the height of badassery is just a joy. Oh, and let’s not forget that this is the episode that featured actual Smallville fans who sent in Blur-loving videos to show their support for their favorite hero. It’s cheesy, sure, but it was a love letter to the fans by including love letters by the fans.
Honorable mentions: 4.12 “Pariah,” 8.18 “Eternal,” 8.20 “Beast,” 9.20 “Sacrifice,” and 10.16 “Scion”–episodes that didn’t quite make the top 15, but are still definitely worth watching.
Got any other underrated gems from Smallville‘s later years you think people ought to see? Sound off in the comments!
34 Comments
Transference, Nemesis, Descent, Bride and Salvation are underrated? Really? Really?!
Episodes like Identity and Abyss really deserve to be on the list.
Promise, Idol and Beacon however do not. The first one explains itself, Idol was a badly executed Lois episode which ripped of The Dark Knight, V For Vendetta and made Clark let Lois fall to what would have been a certain death only to cover his identity. Also it’s unclear who actually saved her and how. I say the Wonder Twins.
And Beacon…well Clark was passive and let everyone else fight his battles not to mention we got those cheesy videos further making Clark look like a weakling.
Outside of the Smallville fandom, yes, those aren’t usually considered to be seminal episodes. I noted specifically that Descent/Bride/Salvation are well-regarded in the fandom, but none of these on the list got much of any media coverage, despite their strengths. That was the mindset behind putting together the list–good episodes people outside of the hardcore fandom don’t necessarily hear about and never get talked about when casual viewers and reporters talk about the show.
Interesting list, though some of these I would say aren’t truly underrated. I know many who consider ‘Bride’ to be the best episode of Season 8. (My pick has always been ‘Identity’, tied with ‘Hex’.) Also, ‘Salvation’ is regarded by many as one of the best season finales of the series (in the running with ‘Commencement’. ‘Covenant’ is still tops for me.). ‘Promise’ definitely qualifies. So many people were against the Lexana arc – as was I – but this was a smart and emotional episode full of great characterization and wonderful surprises. Personally, I found it the best of Season 6.
A few underrated gems to me: Season 2’s ‘Lineage’; Season 6’s ‘Static’; Season 7’s ‘Cure’; Season 8’s ‘Committed’ and ‘Turbulence’; Season 9’s ‘Roulette’, ‘Escape’, ‘Upgrade’, and ‘Hostage’; and Season 10’s ‘Shield’.
If we’re counting the earlier seasons (which this column does not) one of my favorite cheesy underrated Season 1 episodes was “Cool.” I think I liked it so much because it seemed all of the characters had something to do in it.
Later on, “Vengeance” is and always will be a favorite. It felt like a new direction for the characters after Jonathan died. And that last bit, with Jonathan’s video, hit me in an emotional way that even “Reckoning” didn’t.
A well written article! And what a great read! I look forward to more stuff like this.
@Tucker – Yeah, you are definitely right that “Bride” and “Salvation” are well-regarded in the fandom, but coming so late in the show, few people really saw it aside from the fans who stuck with it. That was sort of what I was going for with that angle. “Descent” too; the public doesn’t usually know about those.
But I’m glad you agree with me on “Promise”! I knew that would be the most controversial one here–and I totally understand the Lexana hate overall. But the episode was just so beautifully crafted. It’s definitely worth putting aside the shipping wars and just seeing it for what it is. So much happened in it that we were waiting for!
(By the way…your list is awesome. “Turbulence” is another one that gets a lot of hate it really doesn’t deserve.)
Oh, and Craig, you are so right about the ending of Vengeance. That scene gets me every time!
It’s one of the moments of the series that I’m not ashamed to say got to me. The others for me would have included Clark’s conversation with Jonathan and Chloe trading herself for Oliver in “Lazarus” (both back to back, ouch, talk about en emotional roller coaster), Whitney’s dad’s funeral, and the end of Arctic – I thought it would be the last Lex scene ever so I had to brace myself for it. I keep thinking there’s another one I’m forgetting but those were all up there…
I particularly like the two episodes featuring the Ryan character – from Season 1 “Stray” and from Season 2 “Ryan”… a lot of good foreshadowing and discussion, with the ultimate realization that not everyone can be saved.
Great article and fun choices – I’d like to see more of this. Thanks!
For me, ‘Vengeance’ is a ho-hum episode that has an amazing ending, similar to ‘Isis’. (Though, actually, ‘Isis’ is fairly bad episode with a spectacular ending, so it balances out the same.) That final scene with the video of Jonathan and Clark on the tractor is, hands down, the most emotional moment in the entire series. Kills me every time I watch it.
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@Derek – I getcha. Though I’d say that the fandom probably get the best out of the last three seasons on the show. As for ‘Turbulence’, it plays so well for me because I was a big Jimmy fan and I was so happy when Jimmy called his wife out on her mess. Plus, the work between Cassidy and Tom in their scenes was phenomenal.
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@Brian – ‘Stray’ is my pick for best episode of Season 1. The relationship they built between Clark and Ryan was genuine and affecting. It made ‘Ryan’ a standout episode for me, too.
Great topic for an article! Thank you. I’m one of those who surfed in and out of the series, so I’ve missed several of these, and now I see I have some catching up to do!
Great article… it’s good to see fresh stuff continue on this site..
Great read, I agree with “Promise” also. When Lex kills the guy under the church.. magnificient.
Also, I forget the name, but the episode where everyone takes the drug that kills them for a few minutes. Overall, nothing special, but the end scene with Lex and his mom. Amazing. The foreshadowing was priceless
‘Beacon’ should not have been on the list. ‘Bulletproof’ was the better episode!
I cannot get over how bad this list is.
How are these underrated?? And HOW did Idol or Identity make it to this list?? Other than that awesome
WHAT ABOUT REQUIEM!!! Lexs gets blown up, Lana gets all that kryptonite in her and has to leave clark forever! That last CLana scene in the barn gets me everytime
Season 4’s Unsafe, and Pariah, were really great. Sarah Carter was exceptional, and I think she made more of her character and brought more spirit and depth than was actually written or intended. In Alicia Baker’s story you have a meteor infected girl, let her feelings for Clark go wild. She is so taken by his acceptance of her she tries to latch onto him to tightly. Unfortunately, at that point in the story the writer or producers took the story in a typical direction, Clark goes from “I think I’ve found someone I could be with” to she’s a this weeks villain as soon as he finds she has decorated his locker with her pics. So the writer wrote half a great episode and the other half was a cop out that fell into Smallvilles formula at the time. Nevertheless, Sarah Carter, and Tom Welling were great in the episode and despite where the writer or producers took her character, Sarah give such a life to her character you found yourself rooting for her to get Clark.
In Season 4 Alicia returned. Once again there were promising elements that could’ve been explored. The character was a young girl, who loved Clark, but kept shooting herself in the foot. The Kent’s were unforgiving of Alicia and wouldn’t give her a chance. Something that occurs in most families at some point is friction when a loved one finds someone they feel aren’t good enough. But once again Sarah Carter takes a character that was to be viewed as a threat and gives her more depth than what was probably just another 2-D “meteor infected” teen. But once again, the combo of Sarah Carter and Tom Welling was great and somehow they had something great that I never saw with Tom and Kristin Krueck. Smallville had an opportunity with that character and Sarah Carter that they botched badly. If Sarah had become a regular and she had wanted Clark and Clark her with all her imperfections, and the Kents and all Clark’s friends were fighting it, it could’ve been great. But the 3 episodes featuring Alicia Baker were great and very powerful.
I agree with Brian! Whenever they talk about the top episodes of Smallville, no one EVER mentions “Ryan.” That episode is so emotionally gripping and really shows the first time Clark realizes with all of his power there are some things even he can’t change. He should have went to the fortress to save him and let Lana die from that bus.
Unfortunately, i’m one of the fans that stopped watching the series just to return and watch the final season.
Some of the episodes listed here are NOT UNDERRATED.
I’d like to mention the episode 2-11 (VISAGE) where Whitney returns. That one was very underrated and people just did not care, and i enjoyed the way out they gave to Fordman.
Season 3 was probably favorite for many, for episodes like Exile and Shattered, but i’d add to this list the episode “Relic”, because it was real fun to watch it, while we got to see how Jor-El visited the earth years ago.
Season 5s first half was thrilling. People recovered their faith on the show after the “meh” season 4. But while people was talking about Reckoning, Splinter, or Arrival/Mortal, we got two great episodes almost invisible to most crowd: Lexmas, for showing us a “nice” alternate reality, after watching a lot of darkness, and Cyborg, for one of the most amazing endings of the entire series (Lionel saying: “Your secret is safe with me, Kal-El”)
Season 6 was one of my least favorite, people kept complaining about Lex and Lana’s life together. We got episodes like Fallout and Combat, very underrated both, and very entertaining to watch.
Season 7 was all about criticising Arctic and being impressed by Descent.
Episodes like Cure (with Dean Cain), Blue, Persona, Fracture, Traveler, Veritas, Gemini (dumb story, but an amazing cliffhanger – Bizarro) and my most favorite episode Quest (which imo had a beautiful environment, storyarc and it was like “the calm before the storm”) gave us my personal favorite season.
I stopped watching Smallville with Season 8. I hated Jimmy and Doomsday.
After watching the season i can’t just mention “Bloodline”, very nice effects and a little rest from that Davis storyarc.
Season 9 was better, but i’d only mention two underrated episodes: Metallo & Upgrade. The character of Corben was great.
Last season was amazing. We got to remember a lot from the whole series.
Beginning with such an episode like Lazarus was…. simply thrilling.
Then Homecoming, the first big hit.
Very boring episodes like Shield, Harvest and Isis, bombs like Luthor & Kent, and the underrated cool episodes like Icarus (death of Hawkman), Fortune (Hangover, fun episode), and even Prophecy.
10 amazing years, more than 200 episodes… wow…
It tooks me about 2 months to finish watching the full series back in last june, yup, the whole series and i love it. Who doesnt know bird-plane-superman? But, do u know how superboy turns to superman, what he encounters, how to learns his superpower, his life with the earth parent and his teenage life? supergirl and his teenage league of justice ? and for my personal favourite, do u know who is LANA LANG!! instead of Lois Lame, Lane i mean,ops
Sorry to Erica, after i watch smallvile, i’m preferring Clark-Lana then Clark-Lois. I think alot of fans would agree with me , but even 100% agree, it wont change anything because the mainstream superman story is always Clark-Lois. so-wish the director to have Kristin Kreuk casting Lois Lane but in the other hand, i’m so-love the Clark-Lana story, and booos with the Lex-Lana story, imperfect of smallvile. pity of Kristin kreuk casting an expendable character.
–>>For me, without Kristin/Lana character, i wont find Smallville is so interesting(so-wish the author reading this,and bring her back in 11th haha)
Smallville is different to others 10 years tv series , the storyline is interesting and bonded, testing your ROYALTY, for example csi ? totally no storyline bonded, 2 cases solved in 1 episode, blah blah blah for 12 years if i’m not mistaken. law and order? how do u find about that? I’m considering myself a smallvile fans, but frankly speaking, i wont wait for 10 years to watch smallville. But to have a full series of smallville on my hand, i definitely will finish watching it less then 2 months. Will you go for movie night let say every 2 weeks none-stop for 10 years? Will you follow up few seasons of tv series after where u left and continue to wait untill season 10th without missing any episode with your busy/unexpected life? Nowadays, u can easily download any series anytime and watch it when u free.
The point i try to say is, the ratings dipping from 8 million to 2 million doesnt prove many episodes are not worth watching. I would rather say, after 10 years and unkown changes of royalty fans, only left 2 million is considering STILL royalty and punctually to follow the tv schedule, havent count the fans around the world, i’m from malaysia V^.^ smallville rocks~
The fact that the series ratings went from 8 to 2 or 3 million is not accurate. With the emergence of the net, you can’t know how many are watching. I bought season 10 on Amazon. And when I had to work on Friday nights, Amazon usually had the episode up about 8 hours after it aired. Before I bought them on Amazon, if I missed an episode I watched it on CW’s site. But the CW made a huge mistake moving it to Friday. Teens want to do things on Friday night other than watch TV. Also, those who watch are less likely to go to school Monday morning with Fridays episode on their minds. So the word of mouth, you get on Mon-Wed, isn’t there either. The ratings slip is more about CW mismanaging the show and network than it is about Smallville sliding. Smallville’s season 4 problems were not as bad as some are making them out to be. I think season 10 was in many ways the worst. Using Darksied, as a Spirit like entity was a really bad idea. And the season should’ve had a dramatic feel that would build and build until the finale. But it had too many of the off course, light and silly diversion episodes and Cat Grant was maybe the worst and most cartoonish recurring character in the series run. Season 10 could’ve and should’ve been the most exciting and eventful of the series run. But the writing just wasn’t there.
My personal favourite, which I feel is most underrated would have to be Season 4’s “Onyx” – we see a side of Lex that we haven’t seen before. It’s almost like a sign of what’s to come.I think the writing and acting in this episode are perfect, with everything else just falling into place.
I will never forget my favourite line from that episode:
Lex: ‘You were right all along Mr.Kent, I am the villain of the story.’
What’re your opinions on this?
I am a Smallville fan, i just wanted to say It is sad the show is over. It was almost the only reason to watch tv with LOST and HEROES ended too.
I was expecting Miles Millar and Jerry Siegel were restarting the show again with the other name “Metropolis” (i am sure they would); and if they need excelent scripts..please call me.. ;). That name in the next tv series fits perfectly.
It is clear they needed ideas and make bigger the brainstorm for the characters.
My regards to my friends Tom, Justin, Ericka, Allison, and everyone else who make this one of the biggest show for TV. I am sure Tom will have a great future in a Smallville movie or in a new TV Series.
I hope they read this comment.
Thank you for these 10 years.. buddies. :)
Nick, thanks for pointing out all those other great episodes. I think the most underrated episode was Labyrinth. I think I had my mouth open the whole time. Tom Welling really showed his ability to act. It was nothing less than incredible. I have to be straight. I, and quite a few other fans, were not happy about the Lana/ Clark rekindle in Season 8. I feel it degraded the relationship and chemistry that was beginning to happen between Clark and Lois. I wouldn’t have had any problem with Lana still wanting a relationship with Clark. but it would have been much better to me if the writers used that time to show that Lois WAS the love of his life. Instead, it made her a very second fiddle. And they never did resolve how we quickly rebounded to Lois, but at that point, the writers had successfully killed the chemistry between those two. Lana in the comics was not the love of Clark’s life, Lois was. It looked like the only reason Clark and Lana broke up was because she became a Krytonite magnet. Where were the women when this plot line was written? I once dated a man who told me he wanted to get married, but the woman had left him. I was definitely second fiddle, and had to bow out of that. The writers invalidated the authenticity of Clark and Lois relationship, and while they had they eventually get lovey dovey, it was never the same as the excellent sexual tension they had built up to the almost first kiss at Chloe’s wedding.
Transference was always one of those episodes I felt was underrated. It changed the series completely by what happened to Lionel after this episode.
Well, Beacon and Bride really sucked.
But the rest of the episodes are just awesome!
Never thought they were ‘under rated’
Who decided that they were under-rated? Just BS. Descent is one of the best episodes of the entire show; I can’t imagine anyone disagreeing with that (maybe John Glover).
Yeah, I think some of these (like Promise and Transference) are considered by most to be top notch episodes. Tom Welling’s performance in Transference blew me away. It was incredible. As for Promise, I was actually a fan of Lexana (I know a lot aren’t) and this episode gave us so many amazing new developments. Lana being proactive and finding out Clark’s secret on her own, Lex’s first murder, and also the format was something we hadn’t seen before.
For me, some underrated stories I liked are really only because of specific scenes that I feel are incredible, but in very lack luster episodes. The end of Static for example with Lex walking through 33.1… AWESOME. Really the only reason I watch that episode.
Underrated for me are Lineage (FANTASTIC editing job, showing other events from the piliot, very well done), Stray and Ryan definitely (Ryan my favorite of the two). Also Splinter (not sure how people feel about that one. For me, top 5 episodes of the series) and Lex-mas (corny, yes, but it showed a new side of lex we hadn’t seen before).
@Karen – I understand what you mean, but I think that Lana had to come back because Clark never got over her and they needed to tie her up. I thought her story line was incredible dumb, and I get what you mean about the ending. It did seem that only reason he chose Lois was because he simply COULDN’T be with Lana.
But think of it this way. Because Lana was now not physically able to be around him, he was FORCED to really open up his eyes and see Lois for who she was. He needed to get OVER Lana, and this allowed him to truly move on (he had no choice but to) and that lead him to finally realizing who his true love was.
Blank and Idol are overrated. Episodes like Abyss and Promise don’t deserve to be on there. Two of worst episodes of the series. Beacon shouldn’t be there either…
Having watched the entire series from the pilot to the final two parter. I can say there were some episodes in every season that were well worth watching . But with a run of ten years and 200plus episodes there were some real turkeys as well . Everyone has their opinion and they are entitled to it. I could come up with a top 3 or 4 for every season worth seeing or skipping. the only thing that matters is did your opinion in the end.
Sorry about that.I ment to say in the end the only opinion that matters to you is your own. Did you you enjoy the show when you watched it ? Do you have your own list of favorite episodes? I bought the whole series one season at a time. So I must of enjoyed it.
Having watched the entire series from the pilot to the final two parter. I can say there were some episodes in every season that were well worth watching . But with a run of ten years and 200plus episodes there were some real turkeys as well . Everyone has their opinion and they are entitled to it. I could come up with a top 3 or 4 for every season worth seeing or skipping. the only thing that matters
“Promise” is one of the worst episodes ever. It was a full blown soap opera and we have to deal with two men who are going to be really iconic men one day fighting over a girl. A very boring and annoying girl at that. S6 was terrible. “Transference” is awesome. “Salvation,” “Descent” and “Identity” are not underrated. “Idol” is pretty fun and cool.