Is this Smallville's final season?

[Sharcque]

A guy here at work told me that, but I had no idea.....any truth to it?

[PatrickG]

Well, the creators have plans for two more seasons and seem optimistic about getting them.

[KET]

Cancellation seems pretty unlikely at this point. Smallville was one of the shows mentioned in some the press releases announcing the merger of the WB and UPN into the new CW network.

[Mike Smith]

I think I read somewhere that they put the chances of Smallville going over in the merger at least 85%.

[jerrymcl89]

I believe Smallville's ratings are up this year, and there are no plans to end it yet. It figures to be one of the surest keepers when the WB and UPN schedules merge.

[Sean Whitmore]

From a TV point of view, it's definitely doing well enough to earn another season, and so doubtlessly will.

From a story POV, I don't see where the hell else things can go. They can keep Clark on the farm the rest of the season by milking the recent tragedy, but after that isn't it about time for Clark to go forth and get a job so he can send checks home to his dear, not-quite-gray haired mother? :)

Then again, treading water is what this series excels at, so I wouldn't be surprised if we don't even get a conclusion to the "Jor-El" story by the end of the season.


SEAN

[Steve Brady]

Oh, they've got plenty to do.

They have to make Lois into a remotely likeable person (and frankly, in my eyes the only way to do that is make some sort of brain merge so that Alison Mack is Lois).

They have to make Clark show the slightest interest in journalism.

They have to make Lex forget all his suspicions about Clark so that he won't immediately figure out who Superman is.


...actually, I'd be okay with Lex knowing, as I could see this version of Lex vowing to destroy Clark, but also never reveal his identity. It all depends on how they're going to motivate Lex. Is he the kind of Lex who hates Superman because of jealousy / feelings of inferiority? Or because he doesn't want some alien holding our hands and holding back human potential? Or does he hate him just because he indirectly caused his hair loss?

[Lurker]

Lex hates Clark because Clark won't trust him and they were 'sposed to be best buds or something, and Lex also has the hots for Lana who of course loves Clark.

[Sean Whitmore]

They have to make Lois into a remotely likeable person (and frankly, in my eyes the only way to do that is make some sort of brain merge so that Alison Mack is Lois).


Not necessarily. Lois the reporter was never especially likeable either. :)


They have to make Clark show the slightest interest in journalism.


It's been a continual annoyance to me that the show hasn't done anything to further this in five years, even when they had that horrible "Torch" plot device to use. With absolutely NO background in writing, from where is Clark gonna pull this desire to be a journalist, out of his ass?

Then again, I'm still wondering how Perry White, who was a trashy tabloid reporter a mere two years ago, will become editor in chief of the Planet by the time Lois or Clark get there. Maybe it's just really easy to get a job and advance there.


SEAN

[PatrickG]

Actually...

In the 40s, Clark pretty much DID pull journalism out of nowhere. He picked it because he wanted to get access to information so that he could help people as Superman. And pretty much for the entirety of pre-Crisis, Clark was a lousy journalist, on the whole, who kept his job because he kept getting stories that other people couldn't.

[Sean Whitmore]

In the 40s, Clark pretty much DID pull journalism out of nowhere. He picked it because he wanted to get access to information so that he could help people as Superman. And pretty much for the entirety of pre-Crisis, Clark was a lousy journalist, on the whole, who kept his job because he kept getting stories that other people couldn't.


And that worked fine for the time, when Clark was no more than a mask for Superman. But nowadays, and in the Smallville universe in particular, Clark has to be his own man first, with his own goals and dreams.


SEAN

[Lorendiac]

Actually...

In the 40s, Clark pretty much DID pull journalism out of nowhere. He picked it because he wanted to get access to information so that he could help people as Superman. And pretty much for the entirety of pre-Crisis, Clark was a lousy journalist, on the whole, who kept his job because he kept getting stories that other people couldn't.

I don't quite follow your logic. If he kept getting good stories that other people didn't get, why would anyone think he was a lousy journalist?

Are you suggesting his writing style was incredibly boring even when the subject matter was fascinating? I don't remember anyone saying so in any of the Pre-Crisis stories that I've read.

[Sean Whitmore]

Are you suggesting his writing style was incredibly boring even when the subject matter was fascinating?


That's classic. The godlike Earth 1 Superman's hidden shame...he's the worst writer in the world! :)

"And then Lex Luthor brokeded out of jail and Superman ka-powed him in the nose and the policemen took him to jail. It was the bestest day ever."


SEAN

[Rik Levins]

I don't quite follow your logic. If he kept getting good stories that other people didn't get, why would anyone think he was a lousy journalist?

Are you suggesting his writing style was incredibly boring even when the subject matter was fascinating? I don't remember anyone saying so in any of the Pre-Crisis stories that I've read.

Well, he was always referred to as a "mild-mannered" reporter.

In real life, that would be a severe handicap for a reporter. They have to be extremely aggressive to get in people's faces and demand answers to the tough questions.
Clark was too much of a wimp to confront people, and he was forever getting "ill", and having to duck out and run to the "bathroom" when there was an emergency.
Also, he didn't really display conventional reporter skills, such as doing research on background information, checking sources, cultivating informants, (such as underworld stoolies and friends in politics and on the police forces.)

He only got stories because his "friend" Superman conviently "gave" them to him. So, yeah, I would have to agree with Patrick.

[PatrickG]

Yeah. He was a reporter MORE because he wanted access to the newsroom so he could hear breaking stories before they were published.

I'm not saying he was a lousy WRITER but I kinda get the impression that he'd be perfectly happy writing fluff pieces on page 12 as long as he could use his access to the newsroom to get a jump on helping people. He wasn't a trained journalist. He used his perspective as Superman to get JUST ENOUGH stories to stay on staff and then sat back and covered parades and museum exhibits. I think there was the perception then that it would be unfair for him to outcompete anybody else (although he'd show up Lois every now and then for oneupsmanship).

Even Post-Crisis, he's been content to let Clark Kent disappear for weeks at a time. He's been sloppy enough not to forget to get his passport stamped. He's published stories without "on the record" credible sources. His big "Superman" scoops have kept him his job (and landed him the job to begin with) but he hasn't shown much in the way of chops as an investigative reporter, except when it suited his needs as Superman and even then, with mixed results... And I think it was always with a combination of amusement and guilt that he oneupped Lois.

Yes, he did win a Pulitzer Post-Crisis... And if you'll note, he did it primarily as a means of keeping Intergang on the run while he was away from earth.

He's been unemployed several times and didn't really push for employment elsewhere. Meanwhile, he's written a couple of novels and a children's book without so much as a job interview anywhere else.

He's apparently not THAT into journalism. I'd peg him as more of a farmer at heart.

Does that make him Superman first? I don't think so. I think he's Clark first but that the career in journalism is something he'd be less inclined to do if he wasn't Superman. I think he likes having a professional job in the city that would make Ma and Pa proud. I think it's helpful for him as Superman. I think he's grown emotionally attached to the Planet staff.

But I don't think it's really a defining aspect of who Clark Kent is. It's one of the sacrifices Clark makes for the sake of being Superman... and it gives him access to a second family.

But strip away the super-powers and alterego and then I figure he'd teach high school or work at the bloodbank.

Clark Kent is the real man but the "mild mannered reporter" schtick is a part of the act that Clark puts on when he puts on the glasses... and it helps him accomplish tasks when he puts on his other act in the costume.

[Chiasm]

I'm still hoping they solve the whole unlikeable Lois / Lois isn't interested in journalism problems by killing off Lois's character. And Chloe,who already writes sometimes under the name Lois Lane, adopts the pseudonym professionally.

[Chiasm]

I forgot to mention, I read somewhere (probably Kryptonsite.com) that the shows creators are pretty much certain there will be a next season and are pushing strongly for Smallville and the new Aquaman series to be back to back.

[jpk]

Well, he was always referred to as a "mild-mannered" reporter.

In real life, that would be a severe handicap for a reporter. They have to be extremely aggressive to get in people's faces and demand answers to the tough questions.

By way of background, I'm an editor overseeing 6 reporters, and for the most part, this point is true. But I have seen some very good reporters work with an understated, nonthreatening style - they seem harmless, so people tend to open up and tell them more than they would a typical bulldog reporter.

In many cases empathy - which Clark has in spades - trumps aggressiveness.

EDIT: I think we can safely assume the show will be back for at last one more season. S-ville pulls in a nice chunk of the demographic networks salivate over: 18-34.

[The Mirrorball Man]

By way of background, I'm an editor overseeing 6 reporters, and for the most part, this point is true. But I have seen some very good reporters work with an understated, nonthreatening style - they seem harmless, so people tend to open up and tell them more than they would a typical bulldog reporter.
Yeah we call that the "Lieutenant Columbo" approach.

[Steve Brady]

Yeah. He was a reporter MORE because he wanted access to the newsroom so he could hear breaking stories before they were published.

I'm not saying he was a lousy WRITER but I kinda get the impression that he'd be perfectly happy writing fluff pieces on page 12 as long as he could use his access to the newsroom to get a jump on helping people. He wasn't a trained journalist. He used his perspective as Superman to get JUST ENOUGH stories to stay on staff and then sat back and covered parades and museum exhibits. I think there was the perception then that it would be unfair for him to outcompete anybody else (although he'd show up Lois every now and then for oneupsmanship).

Even Post-Crisis, he's been content to let Clark Kent disappear for weeks at a time. He's been sloppy enough not to forget to get his passport stamped. He's published stories without "on the record" credible sources. His big "Superman" scoops have kept him his job (and landed him the job to begin with) but he hasn't shown much in the way of chops as an investigative reporter, except when it suited his needs as Superman and even then, with mixed results... And I think it was always with a combination of amusement and guilt that he oneupped Lois.

Yes, he did win a Pulitzer Post-Crisis... And if you'll note, he did it primarily as a means of keeping Intergang on the run while he was away from earth.

He's been unemployed several times and didn't really push for employment elsewhere. Meanwhile, he's written a couple of novels and a children's book without so much as a job interview anywhere else.

He's apparently not THAT into journalism. I'd peg him as more of a farmer at heart.

Of course, if you accept that for Clark, there is still the larger problem that Lois has shown even less interest in journalism than Clark (one episode, I believe), and is also a college drop-out.

I'm telling you, Brain Merge.

[Kirayoshi]

I think Clark can afford to be 'mild-mannered' as a reporter because Superman's power set gives him advantages that no other reporter has(x-ray vision, super-hearing, etc). But without the powers, Clark could still be a capable reporter.

I once read a classic Superman issue(Action #484, the 40th Anniversary issue) that showed how Earth 2 Superman married Lois(which no doubt will be retconned in IC). In that issue, the Wizard managed to trap Superman in a magic field, and cast a spell to destroy Superman. Instead, the spell caused Clark to forget that he was ever Superman. Without Superman, Clark became a hard-hitting journalist on the crime beat, to the point where the Metropolis crime syndicate wanted to take him out. The personality change also led to Lois realizing that there was more to ol' 'Mild-mannered' Clark than she thought, and she fell in love with him. An attempted hit on Clark during their honeymoon in front of Lois however left him not even scratched, so Lois realized the truth about Clark being Superman. She found out that the Wizard had erased Clark's memory and forced him to restore Clark. She then considered leaving Clark, but they both decided to make their marriage work after all. Aw...

[botch]

What? haven't you guys seen that episode where Lois gets the spark to get into Journalism? besides she's 20. she has all these years to become a journalist. same as Clark.

The episode shows Lois get an interest in journalism to expose the truth on Lex and the truth in general. And alot of people including reviewers at supermanhomepage said it was really well done because it means something.


And how is Lois not likeable? I love girls like her, tough, confident, sultry. Guess you guys like your women as goody goody female versions of superman ie boring.

[Steve Brady]

What? haven't you guys seen that episode where Lois gets the spark to get into Journalism? besides she's 20. she has all these years to become a journalist. same as Clark.

The episode shows Lois get an interest in journalism to expose the truth on Lex and the truth in general. And alot of people including reviewers at supermanhomepage said it was really well done because it means something.


And how is Lois not likeable? I love girls like her, tough, confident, sultry. Guess you guys like your women as goody goody female versions of superman ie boring.

They shoe-horned her into the show way before it made sense to, and as a result had to keep coming up with reasons to keep her hanging around, so they made her a shiftless college-dropout layabout. But gosh isn't funny how she and Clark hate each other because they're gonna loooooooove each other some day?

And yeah, I mentioned that they had that one episode, back when I had hope that they'd do something interesting with her character. Like have her announce that she was off to journalism school and wouldn't be back for three years.

And now all of a sudden she's a wiz campaign manager? Huh?

I mean, if Durance could marginally act, that might help.

Add to all this that they have an actress on the show who would make a good Lois Lane, playing a character that practically is Lois Lane, well, it's a little grating.