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I was 18 or 19 when I heard about "Smallville" coming to the relatively new "WB". I was never a big Superman fan but this sounded interesting. I didn't like "Lois and Clark" and wasn't too into the movies but I DID like the "Superboy" TV series back in the day. At any rate, I came home from school one night and watched the TiVo. The hype was right about Rosenbaum being amazing as Lex. I thought the parents were really cool, really young, and I thought Welling really looked the part. As time went on I grew to appreciate the character of Superman for the first time ever, just because it was fleshed out in an ongoing series. I related to it as a young man as could many others: doing the wrong thing would be so easy and so satisfying because no one takes note of me doing the right thing ALL THE TIME...but just the same, I'll take that high road. While I became an avid fan of the show, I still didn't collect the comics.
It's true that after a few seasons the series started chasing its tail with Clark essentially becoming Superman in everything but name and flight. Lana became obnoxious, Lex seemed like he was in limbo and the parents (who I thought were great) left the show. Lois however was an outstanding addition to the cast and I think her and Michael Rosenbaum have given the BEST portrayals of Lois and Lex respectively.
The last season started out impressively, and there have been a few high points this season (namely the 200th episode). Lois and Clark getting engaged, Clark finally attaining happiness and accepting his destiny. Now at 29 I watched the final episode and it was bitter sweet. I really hoped that Warner Bros would amp up the budget a bit to give him a proper send off but like many critics they didn't respect the show enough to give it its due. Clark finalyl donned the suit though we were inexplicably unable to get a full shot of him in it. My brother said it had something to do with a contract issue. This dissappoints me a lot. I would rather have seen him flying a lot more and after the story was resolved, he could have ran across the rooftop and opened his shirt to reveal his shield. Us seeing the costume since the end of last season then to be deprived of its susbstantial use in the finale seemed a bit unfair.
All that said, this is what I can say about the series: To me, Welling was Superman, and Smallville was what the Donner movies were to people a bit older than me. Despite all the negative criticisms the show recieved (much unfairly) it was on for 10 solid seasons. Welling may not be the next DeNiro, but he played a confused and uncertain Clark very well. The relationship between him and Lois was the best I've ever seen on film/tv. I actually wrote a script treatment when I was 21 to pick up where I imagined the show would leave off. In that Lois falls in love with Clark and not Superman. I can appreciate how Lois fell in love with Clark in this show, instead of dismissing him. In my short life I've seen 2 bad Superman movies, 1 cool (at the time) Superboy show, 1 cheesy Gen X take on the characters, 1 great cartoon, 1 TERRIBLE $200 million fan film, the announcement of a reboot of the movie series with a new cast...and Smallville. I'll take Smallville over all the rest.
Sorry I lied about it being brief:-/
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