2002 TV News Archives

TV Guide Canada

February 8, 2002: Canadian TV Guide "Smallville" Details

As we reported on January 28th, the Canadian TV Guide featured a "Smallville" cover with (at the time of the report) unknown content within. We can now bring you the details of the interior article titled: "The Five Best Shows You're Not Watching".

There is a full page story on "Smallville" (half pages for the other four "Five Best Shows": 24, The Education of Max Bickford, Undeclared, and Degrassi: The Next Generation). The "Smallville" article says this:

Premise: Clark Kent's teenage years. But this is a no tights, no flying Clark Kent. Instead the series deals with the difficulty of being a teenager, albeit one with super powers. Think about how awful your teenage years were; now imagine them if you lived in a small farming community and you had an incredible, frightening, thrilling secret you had to conceal. Great dramatic premise.

The Story So Far: The meteor shower that rained down on Smallville when the baby Clark came to Earth had long-reaching effects on the town: Lana Lang's parents were killed (later, Clark assumes some guilt about that); a number of people subsequently acquire bizarre mutant-type powers (creating X-Files-type villains); the child Lex Luthor lost all his hair (don't discount that as motivation, although he and Clark are, currently, friends). Clark is also coming to terms with his powers, and is just beginning to learn to use them responsibly.

Why We Like It: First off, the writing. For the first time in the history of the Superman saga, there is a credible history for Clark Kent, one that gives him believable motivation. Secondly, the cast. Tom Welling, as Clark, could easily coast on his looks. Instead, he avoids turning the teenage Clark into a Dudley Do-Right by giving him an edge. John Schneider as Clark's father, Johnathan, and Annette O'Toole as his mother, Martha, are perfectly cast (although O'Toole could be given more screen time). Canadian Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang, is breathtakingly beautiful and affecting, and Michael Rosenbaum as a young Lex Luthor brings a vulnerability to the role.

Thanks to Sean Hogan for the report!



2002 Television News

Listed below are all the Television News items archived for 2002 organized into 4 categories:

“Smallville” News:

“Justice League” and “Superman” Animated Series News: “Lois & Clark” News: Other Superman Related Television News:

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