Smallville Creators Reveal What They Would Do Different In Superman Show

Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar reveal what they would do differently if they could revisit the WB/CW’s young Superman show.

Alfred Gough and Miles Millar reveal what they would do differently if they could revisit Smallville, discussing what story decisions they would change about the young Superman television series. The coming-of-age superhero series aired on The WB and the CW for almost 10 years, running for 10 seasons. Tom Welling starred as the young Clark Kent during his days in his hometown of Smallville, Kansas, as he comes to grips with his Kryptonian heritage and how he would use his powers to help the world that he calls home.

In an interview with THR discussing the release of their most recent series, Netflix’s Wednesday, Gough and Millar reflected on Smallville‘s impact and legacy, discussing what they would do differently if they had the opportunity to change the series. Gough selected the relationship between Welling’s Clark and Kristen Kreuk’s Lana Lang as an aspect he would change, with both he and Millar stating that they felt Lana lacked agency and that the show lasting longer than they originally planned led to repetitive storylines. Check out both Gough and Millar’s full reflections below:

Gough: The Clark-Lana thing played out way too long. Something else had to happen there. I think that was one that got a little repetitive. My younger daughter is now, finally after Wednesday, she’s going back to watch Smallville, and she’s in season two. She goes, “What’s the deal with these two?” I’m like, “It was a different time.” So, I think there are things there, if we went back, we probably would be a little more adventurous with some of those relationships and bring them to certain heads and let them play out.Millar: We were definitely cautious and just very conscious of the fact we wanted to get to five seasons, and we ended up at 10 seasons, but we’re just like, “OK, if we split them apart, what are we gonna do?” Again, as the father of girls, I think the female characters we would do differently today. I think Lana, her agency was not there. She could have been a much stronger character, and she always felt put in positions of weakness. It’s a different era, a different time. So, that’s something I think we could have done and would definitely look at to do better.

Related: Smallville: Why Lana Lang’s Kristin Kreuk Left In Season 8

How Smallville’s Legacy Lives On

Despite Gough and Millar’s critiques when reflecting on Smallville, it is indisputable that the series has had a lasting impact on how superhero television shows have brought characters from page to screen. Through exploring the lives of Welling’s young Clark Kent and Michael Rosenbaum’s young Lex Luthor, Smallville was successful in bringing the long-term serialized storytelling format of comic books into live-action television in a way that superhero films had yet to successfully adapt. As such, Smallville gave audiences time to watch the cast of characters grow from inexperienced youths to the heroes and villains that they would ultimately become in their more recognizable later lives in ways very few live-action adaptations had achieved.

Furthermore, Smallville‘s success led to the later success of the Arrowverse, as it inspired both The CW and Warner Bros. Television to bring more characters to television as opposed to theatrical productions. During Smallville season 6, discussions were held to create a spin-off centered on Justin Hartley’s Green Arrow, though the actor refused as he did not want to detract from Smallville as it aired. While further Smallville spin-offs were considered, the series would ultimately deviate from Smallvile‘s continuity, and a pilot for a series inspired by Green Arrow would go into development that would ultimately go on to become Arrow, with Smallville pilot director David Nutter handling the episode. As such, Smallville ultimately led to the creation of the Arrowverse, which in turn inspired its own successful franchise that further innovated superhero television shows by creating a shared universe.

While Smallville has been off-air for over a decade, the series has continued to have a lasting impact on audiences who grew up with the show. Between talk of potential Smallville continuations and the show’s impact on how companies have adapted superheroes to television, it is clear that the show remains a talking point for both viewers and creatives. As such, Gough and Millar’s honest reflection is sure to be appreciated by longtime fans that grew up with the show and may share the same issues, leading to discussions on how Lana’s story could be altered to give her a more fulfilling journey.

Next: How Smallville Would Be Different If Lana Didn’t Leave After Season 7

Source: THR