Review: Smallville, Episode 8.11, "Legion"

Clark Kent meets the Legion of Super-Heroes. It's as simple as that. It's also one of the finest episodes of the show ever thanks to the quality teleplay by superstar comics writer Geoff Johns (The Flash, Infinite Crisis, Green Lantern: Rebirth, 52, and currently Action Comics starring Superman), making his first (and hopefully not last) writing contribution to Smallville.

Johns captures the spirit of the early Legion stories while easily fitting the characters into the show's continuity without significant changes. This episode fulfills the promise of what Smallville at its best can be, the story of Clark Kent's journey from young man to legendary hero, while reminding me of why I fell in love with the superhero genre in the first place. Truly, this was an exciting first appearance by the Legion in live action. I couldn't have asked for more.

Last month was the 30th anniversary of when I started reading comic books. I still remember the very first comics I read: DC Comics Presents #6, Detective Comics #482, Justice League of America #163, World's Finest Comics #255, The Brave and the Bold #147, and Super Friends #17.

Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the release of Superman: The Movie. I watched it again tonight to mark the occasion. I first saw it when I was eight years old. Along with Star Wars, it was one of the formative experiences in my development as a geek. It was never a perfect film by any means, but Christopher Reeve remains the definitive Superman/Clark Kent. The idea that a business suit and glasses would work as a disguise seemed silly until Reeve made it seem plausible. John Williams' theme still makes me want to tie a red towel around my neck and jump off of furniture whilst pretending to fly.

According to a recent report, Smallville may be canceled after the current season, its eighth. Although ratings have improved and the network would likely renew it for at least another season, star Tom Welling’s contract is up and he may be ready to move on. The big question of whether the show will end with Clark Kent becoming Superman and putting on a certain red-and-blue costume for the first time is up in the air because DC Comics is concerned it would somehow hurt any future Superman films, which is absurd. I'll be disappointed if it ends without at least one shot of Welling in costume.

I watched the first few episodes of Wolverine and the X-Men. It’s surprisingly good for a Marvel animated show. Not quite up to the standard set by the DC Animated Universe, but still good. The show was developed by former X-Men: Evolution writers Craig Kyle and Greg Johnson (Kyle has also written New X-Men and Young X-Men comics with writing partner Christopher Yost, who’ll also be writing episodes of the show).

Batman: The Brave and the Bold is also entertaining and has a Silver Age feel to it. In contrast to the darker portrayals of Batman, even in animation, here he has a good sense of humor, and it's nice to see characters like Blue Beetle and Plastic Man in animated form.

The first season of Merlin ended last Saturday. I stand by my initial description of it as the "Smallville of the Arthurian mythos. That's not a dig, either. It's a lightweight but entertaining show with a photogenic cast, and some strong acting each week from Anthony Stewart Head as Uther Pendragon. It succeeds on the level intended. While it will never win any awards for being great drama, I looked forward to its escapism each week. It's been renewed for a second season. Meanwhile, the first season will debut in the US on the NBC network in early 2009.

There are only two episodes left of Stargate Atlantis. It's ironic that its landmark 100th episode will also be its final episode. It was canceled so a new show set in the same fictional universe could be produced, namely Stargate Universe. I wasn't too keen on the idea of the new show until actor Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty, The World is Not Enough) was cast in it.

With the current eighth season of Smallville possibly being its last, the CW network is looking to the future with a show about a young Dick Grayson before he becomes Robin. Titled The Graysons, it's being developed by Smallville co-showrunners Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson, along with Supernatural and Chuck executive producer Joseph "McG" McGinty Nichol. The network has greenlit a pilot episode, with a full series dependent on how well the pilot is received.

Speaking of Smallville, tonight's episode features the secret origin of Green Arrow, and an episode later this season will introduce the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Fringe is a hit for FOX on Tuesday evenings, so the network ordered an additional nine episodes for the first season to bring the total to twenty-two.

The second season of Pushing Daisies began last night with disappointing ratings. It was a surprise hit for ABC in its first season, but the network declined to order additional episodes after the WGA strike ended, preferring to simply wait for the second season. That strategy may have backfired to the detriment of a quality show.

Marvel Studios continues to develop the Thor film, which has a screenplay by Mark Protosevich (The Cell, I Am Legend). The company is currently in talks with actor/director Kenneth Branagh (Henry V, Dead Again, Hamlet) to direct the film, scheduled for release on 16 July 2010. Interesting choice, but the best superhero films of the 21st century so far have been from directors like Bryan Singer (X-Men), Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins), and Jon Favreau (Iron Man), all of whom were considered "interesting choices" at first. I'd include Ang Lee, but I know I'm in a tiny minority of people who liked Hulk.

The first season of Sanctuary begins tomorrow night on the Sci Fi Channel. It stars Amanda Tapping of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, and was created by former Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis staff writer Damian Kindler. Like big screen films Sin City, 300, and the upcoming Watchmen, it's filmed in a green screen environment and the sets, backgrounds, etc. are digitally rendered. Sanctuary began as an eight episode web series. The web episodes were edited together to form the two-hour first episode, with the remaining twelve episodes of the first season being new.

Tim Burton directing a new version of Alice in Wonderland with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen of Hearts? Oh, I so want to see that when it's released on 19 March 2010. The screenplay is by Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King).

Review: Smallville, Episode 8.1, "Odyssey"

The seventh season ended with a cataclysmic showdown between Clark Kent and Lex Luthor in the Fortress of Solitude. The eighth season begins with both men missing and feared dead. Green Arrow's Justice League searches for Clark, while Tess Mercer, acting head of LuthorCorp, searches for Lex.

This is a fun start to what could be the show's final season. It was important to get off to a good start after original showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar left after seven seasons and were replaced by the showrunning committee of Darren Swimmer, Todd Slavkin, Kelly Souders, and Brian Peterson, all of whom have worked on the show as staff writers since the second season. Based on this episode written by the four new showrunners, I'd say it's in good hands.

Besides the change in showrunners, regular cast members Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) and Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang) also left the show after last season, while Justin Hartley (Green Arrow), Cassidy Freeman (Tess Mercer), and Sam Witwer (paramedic Davis Bloome) join the regular cast this season.

Season eight of Smallville and season four of Supernatural begin tonight on the CW network. You know I'll be parked in front of the telly.

Reviews: Supernatural & Smallville

Review: Supernatural, Episode 3.13, "Ghostfacers"

Writer Ben Edlund knows funny. After all, he created The Tick and wrote the "Life of the Party" and "Smile Time" episodes of Angel, so it's no surprise that this episode is all about the funny. You know all those 'reality' shows about ghost hunters? Edlund mocks their conventions within the parameters of the Supernatural universe, meaning hapless ghost hunters get thrown together with professional demon fighters Dean and Sam to face a murderous ghost. Hilarity and chills ensue. Also, the "Ghostfacers" song is made of awesome.

Review: Supernatural, Episode 3.14, "Long Distance Call"

After the humorous interlude of the previous episode, lead writer Sera Gamble puts the season's story arc back on the front burner. With only two episodes left in the strike-shortened season, there's a certain urgency to Dean's quest to save his own life and spare his soul from Hell, and Gamble keys into his willingness to take a leap of faith if it could save him.

Review: Smallville, Episode 3.18, "Apocalypse"

What would the Earth be like if Kal-El had never arrived here? Would it be better or worse? Writers Al Septien and Turi Meyer explore this idea while serving up some fun nods to comic book continuity. Star Tom Welling sits in the director's chair for the third time and does quite a good job of it, while James Marsters returns as Brainiac.

Review: Smallville, Episode 7.16, "Descent"

After nearly seven full seasons in the making, the moment finally arrives where Lex Luthor turns completely and irrevocably to the dark side. Smallville is one of those shows that's more about entertainment than great drama, and there's nothing wrong with that, but there are a few instances here where it seems to be channeling the spirit of Battlestar Galactica.

It's the best episode of the seventh season so far, and also one of the best episodes ever. Writers Don Whitehead and Holly Henderson deserve credit for this along with actor Michael Rosenbaum. I've said before that Rosenbaum is the best film or television portrayer of Lex by far, and that's confirmed once again here. He does the brooding Lex consumed by his own darkness so well, and he's always brought a certain note of realism to the role that was lacking in the performances of other actors who have portrayed Lex over the years.