Super-teen

Smallville is a show on the adventures of Superman from when he was younger. It is set in an alternate universe to allow for any plot changes the writers decide to make. The comic used this method too and there are now many universes of Superman. It gives the writers of Smallville the freedom to take it in any direction they see fit. It also stop people from immediately knowing how it may conclude.

We find our hero growing up on the farm his parents own. They found him after his ship crashed into earth at the time of a meteor storm. In the first few seasons Clark is getting to grips with his powers and also discovers many new talents such as heat vision! He must also keep his powers secret, which we find is not easy for a hormonal high school student.

Unfortunately for Clark the meter storm he caused when his ship landed brought with it fragments of the crystal that made up his own planet. Fans will know this as Kryptonite, Clarks only weakness. These crystals however have altered some of the members of Smallville usually making them crazy and giving them a super power of their own. Being the only one who can stop them Clark is forced to step up on a number of occasions. The episodes normally feature one super powered enemy and this forms the structure for a series. In the earlier series there is no major on going storyline and Character relationships build throughout. In later series this changes and the episodes start to end on cliff-hangers. This gives a good balance to the series as the first few seasons bring you in to the story of Superman slowly allowing for those who are not as familiar with his legacy to understand the world our hero lives in.

Fans of superman will not be disappointed. I find the writers are very respectful to enemies featured in the comics and also to Superman himself. Some other DC Heroes will show up and it is interesting to see them interact with the younger Superman who will become their leader in the future. There are many hints towards the Justice league. One such incident is the appearance of the Flash. He is younger than Clark and a bit of a trouble maker. Clark helps him to find his feet. The characters will also wear contempory clothes that match their costumes from the comics. Clarke always wears a blue t-shirt with a red jacket. He manages to control himself by not wearing his underpants on the outside however!

The acting improves as the story continues. Lana Lang is played by Kristin Kreuk and she is reasonably good. Tom welling as Clark is also believable. It must be hard to act as a naïve future Superhero but he pulls it off well and is likeable. There is another girl named Chloe who is Clark's friend. I do not like the actress that plays her but it may be personal opinion rather than bad acting. Some may be surprised to find Lex Luther is Clarks best friend. The actor that plays him gives a good performance of someone seemingly pretending to be good but has an obvious Super Villain quality about him!

I love the show. It could have more comic relief than it does but this may be intentionally missed out due to Superman's more sensible persona. The writing effects are top notch. You wont often find better on a TV series. The music is good if not a bit quite and slow at times. I have found my attention has dropped with later seasons but I strongly recommend the first few for fans and newcomers alike!