#TVFail Entry 19: Smallville, “Reckoning”
Posted by Cory Barker on March 8, 2012 · 1 Comment
The accused: Smallville, “Reckoning” (Season 5, Episode 12) The crime: Sending its lead character on an aimless, never-ending path of self-loathing How much impact, both positive and negative, can one bad episode have on an entire series? How do long-running series continue onward in the aftermath of an episodic failure? Is it possible that individual, … Read more
Filed under SMALLVILLE, Featured, #TVFail · Tagged with #TVFail, Allison Mack, Annette O'Toole, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Cory Barker, DC Comics, Erica Durance, Green Arrow, John Glover, John Schneider, Jonathan Kent, Justin Hartley, Kristin Kreuk, Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, Lois Lane, Martha Kent, Michael Rosenbaum, Oliver Queen, Smallville, Smallville 100th episode, Smallville 200th episode, Smallville 9, Smallville Jonathan Kent dies, Smallville Reckoning, Smallville Season 10, Smallville Season 5, Smallville Season 6, Smallville Season 7, Smallville Season 9, Superman, Tom Welling
2010-2011 season wrap: Smallville
Posted by Cory Barker on June 1, 2011 · Leave a Comment
With the 2010-2011 television season officially over, I’ll be taking some time over the next week or so to look back on how some of television’s best and worst fared this season. General thoughts: Endings are, of course, difficult to manage. This has to be especially true for a series that has been on the … Read more
Filed under 2010-2011 season wrap, Featured, SMALLVILLE · Tagged with 2010-2011 season wrap, Annette O'Toole, Cassidy Freeman, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Cory Barker, Erica Durance, Final seasons, John Schneider, Jonathan Kent, Justin Hartley, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Martha Kent, Michael Rosenbaum, Oliver Queen, Smallville, Smallville Season 10, Superman, Tess Mercer, The CW, The Daily Planet, Tom Welling
Series Finale — Smallville, “Finale”
Posted by Cory Barker on May 14, 2011 · 1 Comment
Here we are at the end of a long, winding and oftentimes bumpy, 10-year road. Smallville is over. As someone who tries to review television objectively, I’ll be the first to acknowledge this series’ weaknesses, both those within its control and those not. I want to point out all of those things first as to say … Read more
Filed under Episode Reviews, Featured, SMALLVILLE, Uncategorized · Tagged with 2018, Aaron Ashmore, Cassidy Freeman, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Cory Barker, Darkseid, Desaad, Erica Durance, Finale, Gordon Godfrey, Granny Goodness, Heroes, Jimmy Olsen, John Glover, John Schneider, Jonathan Kent, Jor-El, Justin Hartley, Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, Lois Lane, Michael Rosenbaum, No Ordinary Family, Oliver Queen, Reviews, Season Finale, Series Finale, Smallville, Superman, Tess Mercer, The Cape, The CW, The WB, Tom Welling
Waiting for Superman: Week five part two: Ranking the episodes of Smallville (again)
Posted by Cory Barker on May 13, 2011 · Leave a Comment
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first five pieces here, here, here, here and here if you missed them. And now we come … Read more
Filed under Featured, Lists, SMALLVILLE, Uncategorized · Tagged with Allison Mack, Annette O'Toole, Aquaman, Bart Allen, Bizarro, Booster Gold, Brainiac, Cassidy Freeman, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Cory Barker, Darksied, Doomsday, Erica Durance, Fortress of Solitude, Geoff Johns, John Glover, John Schneider, Jonathan Kent, Justice Society of America, Justin Hartley, Kristin Kreuk, Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, Lists, Lois Lane, Martha Kent, Michael Rosenbaum, Oliver Queen, Pete Ross, Ranking the episodes of Smallville, Sam Jones III, Sam Witwer, Series Finale, Smallville, Tess Mercer, The CW, The Justice League, The WB, Tom Welling, Zod
Waiting for Superman, week five part one: Ranking the seasons of Smallville
Posted by Cory Barker on May 12, 2011 · 3 Comments
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first four pieces here, here, here and here if you missed them. This week, I decided … Read more
Filed under Lists, SMALLVILLE · Tagged with Allison Mack, Annette O'Toole, Cassidy Freeman, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Cory Barker, Davis Bloome, Erica Durance, John Glover, John Schneider, Jonathan Kent, Justin Hartley, Kristin Kreuk, Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, Lists, Lois Lane, Martha Kent, Michael Rosenbaum, Oliver Queen, Pete Ross, Ranking the seasons of Smallville, Sam Jones III, Sam Witwer, Smallville, Superman, The CW, The WB, Tom Welling
Waiting for Superman, week four: How important is the ending?
Posted by Cory Barker on May 6, 2011 · 2 Comments
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first three pieces here, here and here if you missed them. You … Read more
Filed under Columns, SMALLVILLE · Tagged with Aaron Ashmore, Allison Mack, Annette O'Toole, Battlestar Galactica, Cassidy Freeman, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Columns, Cory Barker, DC Comics, Endings, Erica Durance, Jimmy Olsen, John Glover, John Schneider, Jonathan Kent, Justin Hartley, Kristin Kreuk, Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, Lois Lane, LOST, Martha Kent, Michael Rosenbaum, Oliver Queen, Series Finales, Smallville, Superman, Tess Mercer, The Blur, The CW, Tom Welling
Waiting for Superman, week three: What’s the legacy of Smallville?
Posted by Cory Barker on April 29, 2011 · 3 Comments
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first two pieces here and here if you missed them. As we get … Read more
Filed under Columns, Featured, SMALLVILLE · Tagged with Allison Mack, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Cassidy Freeman, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Columns, Cory Barker, Deadwood, Erica Durance, Felicity, Justin Hartley, Kristin Kreuk, Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Michael Rosenbaum, Oliver Queen, Roswell, Smallville, Superman, Supernatural, Tess Mercer, The CW, The Green Arrow, The Wire, Tom Welling, TV canon, WB
Waiting for Superman, week one: How Smallville can stick the landing
Posted by Cory Barker on April 15, 2011 · 6 Comments
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. This is the first one, obviously. Smallville‘s tenth and final season has been a bit … Read more
Filed under Columns, Featured, SMALLVILLE · Tagged with Allison Mack, Cassidy Freeman, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Columns, Cory Barker, Darkseid, DC Comics, Erica Durance, Finales, Green Arrow, John Glover, Jonathan Kent, Justin Hartley, Kara Kent, Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, Lois Lane, Michael Rosenbaum, Oliver Queen, Smallville, Superman, Tess Mercer, The CW, Tom Welling, VRA, Zod
Smallville, “Beacon”
Posted by Cory Barker on February 14, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Apologies yet again for the delay. Busy Valentine’s Day weekend. Such is life. After last week’s “Collateral,” I was legitimately concerned about the final run of Smallville. That episode was so tepid, uninspired and generally stupid that it set a dangerous precedent for the rest of the season. I don’t want to say I had … Read more
Filed under Episode Reviews, Featured, SMALLVILLE · Tagged with Alexander, Allison Mack, Annette O'Toole, Beacon, Cassidy Freeman, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Cory Barker, Erica Durance, Green Arrow, John Glover, Justin Hartley, Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, Lois Lane, Lucas Grabeel, Luthor Mansion, Martha Kent, Oliver Queen, Reviews, Smallville, Suicide Squad, Superman, Tess Mercer, The Blur, The CW, Tom Welling, VRA
Smallville, “Luthor”
Posted by Cory Barker on December 4, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Time travel, alternate universes, these storytelling techniques are such gimmicks — gimmicks Smallville uses on a fairly regular basis. However, because the series is so good when they do employ this gimmicks, I’m willing to give them a reprieve for dipping into an elseworlds-type tale in “Luthor.” Plus, the series is based on a comic … Read more
Filed under Episode Reviews, Featured, SMALLVILLE · Tagged with Allison Mack, Alternate universes, Bryan Q. Miller, Cassidy Freeman, Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Clark Luthor, Cory Barker, Erica Durance, Green Arrow, John Glover, Justin Hartley, Kelly Souders, Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, Lois Lane, Luthor, Michael Rosenbaum, Oliver Queen, Reviews, Smallville, Smallville Season 10, Superman, Tess Mercer, The CW, Tom Welling, Ultraman

