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2007-2008 Season Post-Mortem Part 2: Smallville |
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Thursday, 22 May 2008 |
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By John Keegan
Visit Critical Myth for an archive of John's TV Review archives, with more than 1100 entries.
| This season, I’ll be summing up this unusual 2007-2008 season with a post-mortem on the majority of the shows I’ve reviewed during the year, ranking from the very worst to the very best. In some cases, the term “post-mortem” is all too applicable. This is Part 2 of this 11-step journey, focusing on the seventh season of “Smallville”.
Previous seasons of “Smallville” have been hobbled by deep predictability. The writers inevitably begin with a new guest starring role or two, designed to introduce some new element necessary for the foundation of Clark’s eventual heroism as Superman. The guest stars are cast for 13 episodes, during which their impact is felt in Clark’s world. Then, once the contract runs out, the producers scramble to get these important pieces of the season arc back, forcing the writers to tread water and revise plans to make things work without that guest star.
So the pattern has generally been a strong introductory phase, a capable complication phase, and a terrible season-killing resolution phase. One need only look at the fifth and sixth seasons (featuring Brainiac and Green Arrow, respectively) to see the pattern at its most obvious. The much-touted introduction of Supergirl had all the hallmarks of following the trend.
Two things forced the producers and writers out of their rut. First, the writers’ strike completely derailed the flow and progression of the season arc. I have no doubt that the writers were forced to adjust and that the season ended in a very different manner than intended. Second, Supergirl (Kara) was horribly miscast and mischaracterized, undermining the usual point of bringing in such a guest role in the first place.
The first third of the season was arguably the weak point. Focusing on the introduction of Kara into Clark’s world, the episodes were some of the worst in recent memory. Kara was simply a weak character, and the main point of her arrival (to teach Clark about his potential) was jettisoned early in the run. Her other purpose, to give Lex one last personal reason to pursue his anti-alien agenda, was poorly handled. It wasn’t until Kara’s family history came into play that her presence became interesting.
The complication phase of the season was hobbled by the writers’ strike. Clark’s trust in Kara and his relationship to Lana was the driving force behind the story, and with more time to breathe, the nuances could have been a lot more interesting. It didn’t hurt that Kara was sent “off-stage” for a few episodes. Replacing Clark with Bizarro, and thus giving Lana a chance to see how she could (and maybe should) have been treated, had some interesting layers. Unfortunately, what might have worked over a few, even several, episodes didn’t work when rushed by the strike.
Not all was lost, however, as the writers managed to introduce one of the best ideas for the series in quite some time: Veritas. Veritas essentially recast most of the events in the series into a cohesive mythology. It was, in essence, something that should have been present starting with the very first season. For all we know, it could have been discussing in the writers’ room for years; as it stands, it was a concept that, once implemented, gave the season (and series) a new perspective.
It also provided the writers with the vehicle for Lex’s final descent into pure villainy, which was a long time coming. Along with the return of Brainiac and the subsequent loss of both Kara and Lana from the story, Lex’s descent provided a conflict with strong roots. It was bringing the series full circle. Right up until the final episode, the Veritas gambit gave the writers a way to drive home the central Clark/Lex rivalry as it always should have been done.
Unfortunately, the season finale was a letdown. It’s well known that Michael Rosenbaum will no longer be on “Smallville” (even a recurring role seems unlikely at this point), so one might have hoped for a truly epic Clark/Lex showdown. Instead, it was an abbreviated conversation and an illogical cliffhanger. Lana’s exit, though equally non-ideal, was even handled better. For an episode that ends the series as we know it, the season finale fell flat.
The strength of the final act of the season, however, managed to save the season from being a complete failure. The overall Critical Myth average rating for the seventh season was a below average 6.5. This is nearly a half-point drop from the superior sixth season. With the current issues surrounding the viability of the CW network, the cost of the series, and the loss of cast and production staff, all on top of the creative changes that will be required, the writers will certainly have their work cut out for them for the eighth and likely final season. |
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