Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to pass Introduction to Algebra on the first try.
Yep, it's Superman -- in high school. Welcome to the WB Network's "Smallville," home of Clark Kent, the freak of the week, and more hotties than you can shake a cape at.
For those of you who aren't up to superhuman speed, here is a "Smallville" primer.
In 1989, a meteor shower occurred in the fictional town of Smallville, Kan., forever changing the community. People were killed, property destroyed, and those meteor rocks ... well, they have been giving residents weird powers ever since.
By the way, a rocket ship also arrived with these meteors, carrying an infant who would be adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent.
Fast forward to the show's premiere in fall 2001 -- that child is now teenager Clark Kent, who deals not only with girls and school, but with emerging superpowers as well. In fact, since the show's premiere, Clark has developed X-ray vision, heat-ray vision, and has shown several signs that he may start defying gravity soon. However, if Clark has not developed all of his powers yet, he obviously has yet to don blue tights and a red cape.
Now girls, don't leave me just yet. Clark may not wear spandex, but my female friends tell me actor Tom Welling is still quite super. I keep wondering what Welling has that I am lacking.
Don't answer that question.
Anyway, the show revolves around Clark battering around bad guys every week as he tries to score a date with the gorgeous Lana Lang, while keeping his secret safe from buddy-not-yet-turned-villain, Lex Luthor. If this doesn't sound intriguing to you, you're not alone. When many comic book fans (and "normal" people, for that matter) first learned of the show's premise, they were less than excited.
Then the first episode aired. And what do you know? The show was actually good. So good, in fact, it shattered WB ratings records and garnered critical acclaim.
Season Two, which kicked off this past fall, has brought the show to an even higher level. "Smallville" is now the WB's highest-rated show and has produced a slew of products. Get your shopping list handy -- you can have your very own soundtrack, action figures, T-shirts, hats, posters and, yes, comic books.
Now that you know the basic story of "Smallville" and realize how big the show is, it's time to analyze my obsession with it. Actually, I'm not the only one obsessed with this show. I'm told by many people that "Smallville" is a very addictive show. I take pride in causing people to sacrifice their Tuesday nights at 9 o'clock.
So, why are people tuning in week after week? First of all, let's get the primal attraction of the show out of the way. There are plenty of action sequences and hot girls. Come on, you knew the show would have attractive women -- this is the WB, after all.
Second, and on a more serious note, the show simply packs in drama week after week. There are more plot twists than meteor rocks (aka Kryptonite) -- some of these happenings are realistic, such as relationship struggles, teenagers fitting in, characters changing jobs, etc. And some of these plot twists appeal to the fantasy element of our souls -- Clark dealing with his emerging superpowers, new maniacal villains threatening to do evil, terrible things, and the slow unveiling of pieces to the puzzle that is Clark's origin.
Most recently, former movie Superman Christopher Reeve appeared on the show as a scientist who clued Clark in to some of the secrets of his past, specifically, his life on the planet Krypton. More importantly, in this same episode, John Williams' "Superman: The Movie" theme made a guest musical appearance.
Cool.
Part of Smallville's charm is also its humor. Whether the writers are including "in-jokes" about Superman, or references to Kansas farming, the show often produces a chuckle or two.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of "Smallville" is watching these characters develop. After all, we all know how this series is likely going to conclude. Clark Kent will permanently lose his fashion sense and start wearing tights and a cape, and Lex Luthor will turn completely evil. As the show's motto says, "Every story has a beginning."
So far, "Smallville's" beginning has been Super.
Write to Gerry at gerryappel@hotmail.com
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