Friday, July 13, 2001

Sooner or later, I was bound to tip my hand and show what a huge sci-fi and superhero fan (read: geek) I am. I was just hoping it would be later.

I wanted to play it cool for a while, talk about my favorite baseball team, my observations as a political junkie living (barely) inside the DC Beltway, or the triumphs of my various theatrical forays. You know, things that wouldn't automatically label me as a drooling fanboy. Sadly, that plan must now be tossed in the ol' Dumpster.

I have just seen the preview for Smallville, and it is awe-inspiring to a hardcore, life-long Superman fan like myself.

Smallville is a re-imagining of the Superman legend, set in the present and centering around a sixteen-year-old Clark Kent whose powers are just beginning to manifest themselves. You won't see the guy in tights and a cape on this show; he's years away from that yet.

The premise is actually very similar to a recently-departed WB show (moving to UPN this autumn) that's one of the best things on television: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In each, a young person must navigate the tumult of the teen years while learning to master powers and responsibilities that s/he never asked to have. Given the potential inherent in Clark's backstory and the switch from a female perspective to a male one, I figured it would have enough differences to make it more than just a retread of Buffy that wasn't as subtle about the superhero angle.

Up until now, I've been cautiously optimistic about Smallville's prospects. My hope was that it would be as engaging, intelligent, and fresh as Lois & Clark was during its first season. In the back of my mind, I feared it would emulate the banality and over-the-top campiness that characterized L & C's teeth-gnashingly bad downward spiral, a disheartening plummet that started with Lex Luthor's shark-jumping death plunge.

Now, those fears have been quieted. It certainly will be worth giving Smallville a look, and if the show's creative team can deliver on the promise hinted at in the preview clip, this could end up being a great addition to the Superman mythos.

Thanks for the indulgence, folks. If you need me I'll be over in the corner, trying on an "I Grok Spock" t-shirt.

Posted @ 1:10 PM

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