Rae's Smallville Pilot Review

Rae's Pilot Episode Review
MAY 16, 2001

Another review of the Smallville pilot has come in... here's one from "Rae"...

Hello. :) My name is Rae, and last week I also unknowingly came across the test feed of "Smallville." Although I judged the show as simply all right, I have to say that I am intrigued and that it definitely has potential. I'm including my review, if you would like to post it. Let me know if you want to know any more spoilers or details. Congratulations on being the first site!

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Can Soar High If Given the Wings

Can Soar High If Given the Wings

"Smallville" is "Dawson's Creek" and "Roswell" meet "Superman." Which is good news if you are teenaged teenybopper getting tired of Dawson Leery and his hyper-articulate Creeker buddies, growing bored of Max Evans and his posse's alien angst, and been ready and waiting to move on to the next boy-in-love-with-the-girl-next-door/destined-but-forbidden-love drama. But it's bad news if you are a devoted follower of the Man of Steel looking for a new and unique twist to the Superman saga -- because, for the most part, you won't be getting one. There are many, many moments that blatantly scream out to the googly-eyed girls to which the WB network notoriously cater, and there are very, very few that leave the older, more mature viewer wanting to know more about highschooler Clark Kent and his Noxema-soaking comrades. And these rare poignant scenes are usually cut off hastily in order to make room for the customary snippet of the song of the moment by the band of the moment played during one of the aforementioned teen scenes.

But the one exception, the one moment that both your average sixteen-year-old girl and your die-hard Superman fan will enjoy, the one moment that is performed to its fullest and given the proper amount of time to be carried out, is a particular scene in which Clark comforts teary-eyed Lana Lang at her parents' grave site. It's touching. It's subtle. It's undeniably charming. It's not romantic in the obvious, in-your-face, look-at-how-adorable-these-two-are sort of way. It's romantic in a way that will take you back to your idealized high school days when you snuck quick and gentle glances at the object of your affection. These toned-down and delicately treated dramatic scenes are exactly what the directors and producers should actively be seeking to create, quiet moments that are open to audience interpretation and give you the desire to know more about already-established characters. We know who Clark Kent is. We know where he comes from. We know what he can do. The showing off of his superpowers is nice, but they contrast badly with such beautiful and intriguing scenes. Find some way to put that sort of emotion in the action-packed sci-fi motion, better develop or completely delete some or all of the cliched and hackneyed dialogue, subplots, and characters that are associated with the typical teen drama, and you'll have a real winner.

The choice of Tom Welling for Clark is not a bad one. There are times when his acting comes off as awkward and stilted -- particularly in certain over-dramatized, "Here I come to save the day!" moments -- but given what he has to work with, you can't really blame the guy. In moments that are well-written -- like the one described in detail above -- he captures a sweet, sincere, endearing quality that you know that a sixteen-year-old, small town Clark Kent would undoubtedly have. The actor could definitely do good and bring out and hone untapped skills (this is only Welling's second professional role) if he were given something more substantial to play with. He has nice look -- not the hunky, muscled, cover boy look one would expect (Dean Cain anyone?), but there is a natural, unforced, and realistic but most definitely appealing attractiveness that will not put off viewers and have them wondering aloud, "He's supposed to be in high school? What, did he get held behind for ten years?" He's the guy that sat behind you in US History and was the first person to lend you a pen if you needed one. He's the guy on the newspaper staff that was not entirely a nerd or loser but still got poked fun at by the jocks every now and then. All in all, Welling is entirely believable as a teenaged, going-through-a-semi-awkward-stage Clark and has what it takes to carry the lead role.

But the true star of "Smallville" is Kristin Kreuk in the role of raven-haired beauty Lana. She's the homecoming queen that the boys drool after because of her loveliness but you cannot hate because she oozes that "well, there's something more to her" quality. It is a well-known and overplayed character, but Kreuk somehow pulls it off endearingly and interestingly and puts her own charming spin to the overused material. Again, like Welling, there is not much substance in the portion of the plot and dialogue assigned to her, but she pulls through despite this challenge -- or, rather, lack of it. She manages to look poised and confident in the high school limelight, but also appear not entirely comfortable in it either. The thoughtful looks she exchanges with Clark speak of both longing and hesitance, and there is a chemistry between the two characters that is not based on the storyline alone. She speaks her lines softly and without exaggeration, choosing quiet acting prowess over "Let me put this on my Emmy reel" amplification. She keeps a mystery to the character that is associated with the out-of-your-reach love interest. Most viewers will probably initially focus on her looks alone, for she is indeed beautiful (think of a cross between Catherine Zeta-Jones and Natalie Portman), but let it be known that the girl can act and this was a truly brilliant casting move.

The supporting characters (some original, some comic-book-based) are not much to speak of. Although the interaction between Clark and a young Lex Luthor (played with some indifference by a bald-headed Michael Rosenbaum) is indeed intriguing, it is too early in the game to make any comments on the rest of the characters, who are badly drawn but portrayed in a "not horrible, but not excellent" manner by their actors.

Overall, "Smallville" has potential. Can it be the next "it" teen drama? Yes. Can it be more than that? Yes again.