Episode 69: The Superhero Show, And Why Smallville Is The Best One

    I keep a list on my phone of all the shows I've seen every episode of. It's quite long. I won't share the exact number because it'll probably just disturb you and make you think I don't really do anything besides watch tv. 

   Being as much of a lover of superheroes as I am, it should come as no surprise that a large portion of these shows are superhero shows. I've probably seen most live-action Marvel and DC shows, and some of the animated ones, and I've seen some superhero shows from other companies.

   I think it's fair to say that because I've seen so many superhero shows, I know what makes a good one as well as what makes a bad one. I know what I like to see and what I don't like to see.

    The best superhero shows, like I talked about in my episode a couple weeks ago, deal with a hero who struggles but still succeeds. They also have lasting villains who develop, instead of cycling through one-off ones. The hero should also be supported by a group of good characters, ideally people who are normal civilians. Like Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. Ideally there could be a foil character to the hero; someone who has similar goals but drastically different means/a drastically different worldview. Think of the Punisher in relation to Daredevil. Finally, a good superhero show makes you care about the hero as a person. Not just for the fact that they're a powerful being who does what's right, you should be made to be attached to who they are, even ignoring the heroics.

Smallville

  My sister probably isn't going to like that I'm calling anything other than Daredevil the greatest superhero show. But, in my defense, she didn't spend several months watching the giant show that is Smallville to completion. I did, and I came out on the other end with what is now tied for my favorite tv show with three others.

    Smallville is the greatest superhero tv show for several reasons. Admittedly, some of these reasons it's lucky for because of it's ten-season length. Because of this length, they had a ton of time to flesh out characters, do interesting story arcs, and develop things that needed developing. They used their long run well.

   Clark is portrayed as, despite having major superpowers, being a small-town Kansas boy who just wants to live a normal life and do what's right. He's not shown to be a god among men like some Superman media portray him.

   Villain who develops? Talk about Lex Luthor! Lex is in 8 of the 10 seasons and we slowly see him corrupt from being Clark's somewhat-suspicious friend to being a fully manipulative, conniving, evil person.

   Whether it's Pete, Chloe, Lois, Lana, Lex, his parents, Jimmy, Whitney, Kara, Oliver, etc. - whatever combination - Clark always had a group of friends to support him. 

    Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) often serves as a sort of foil to Clark in the later seasons. 

    And no show does a better job of making you care about the hero as a person than Smallville does. I think that's pretty undebatable. (SPOILER ALERT) Clark doesn't even become Superman until the series finale and even then you barely see his suit. (END SPOILER ALERT)

   Throughout ten whole seasons, you are made to love Clark Kent without the Superman. Then you get to experience the massive payoff that is his becoming Superman.

   Smallville was also a revolutionary, benchmark superhero show. It showed superhero show creators what and what not to do. The whole Arrowverse wouldn't even exist if not for Smallville.

In Conclusion

SOMEBODY SAAAAAAAVE MEEEEEEEE

Anyway, see you next week!