So, what are you? Man or Superman? – Lana Lang
Clark…do you believe a man can fly? – Lex Luthor
Before CW’s “Arrow–The Flash–Supergirl–Legends of Tomorrow,“ before FOX’s pre-Batman “Gotham,“ “Smallville” aimed and took flight (with “no tights, no flights”, though) when it premiered on October 16, 2001, a month and five days after 9/11. The longest-running sci-fi show in the U.S., it was a decade-long of trials and tribulations for Clark Kent/Kal-El of Krypton (Tom Welling) in becoming the beacon of hope and light to the world: the symbol of peace, the shield that stands for truth, justice, and the American Way. “Smallville” was a perfect fit for the then-WB Network, which was also the home of fan favorites such as “7th Heaven”, “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer” and spin-off “Angel”, “Dawson’s Creek”, “Charmed”, and “Gilmore Girls”.
In the course of those ten super-seasons, we’ve watched Clark go from farm boy to Boy Scout to the “Red-Blue Blur” to the Blur to the finale that led him to finally being the Man of Steel known as Superman. We’ve seen Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) slowly but gradually go from Clark’s best friend to his eternal nemesis – including the two of them becoming romantic rivals over Lana Lang (Kristen Kreuk). Lana may have been Clark’s first love, but Lois Lane (Erica Durance) was the one who was fated and destined to be in Clark’s life. Her cousin Chloe Sullivan/Watchtower (Allison Mack) knew that, for she is the first of many SuperFriends for Clark Kent, who was always destined and fated to becoming Superman.
The longest-running Superman television series, “Smallville” featured Bart Allen/Impulse (Kyle Gallner), Arthur ‘A.C.’ Curry/Aquaman (Alan Ritchson), Victor Stone/Cyborg (Lee Thompson Young), Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Justin Hartley), Dinah Lance/Black Canary (Alaina Huffman), John Jones/Martian Manhunter (Phil Morris), Supergirl (Laura Vandervoort), Carter Hall/Hawkman (Michael Shanks), the Legion of Super-Heroes, and many more. Knowing now that the world needs him, Clark realized that he can no longer fly solo: joining Oliver and his team of meta-humans who are dedicated to the ideals of freedom, democracy, patriotism, and justice against terrorism and Lex Luthor’s 33.1 experiments.
“Smallville” has had a legacy of special guest appearances that included the late Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder from the “Superman” film franchise, original Supergirl Helen Slater, Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher (TV’s “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman”), and TV’s “Wonder Woman” herself Lynda Carter.
Over 8.4 million viewers watched the first episode of “Smallville”: breaking several of the WB’s records more faster than a speeding bullet. In its latter years, the series became the precursor to the dawn of the Justice League, whose secret origins were revealed on the Cartoon Network just weeks after Smallville’s debut.
All ten seasons of “Smallville” can be seen with absolute justice on Hulu.