First airing in 2001, Smallville follows the life of Clark Kent before he became the legendary Superman. In the early seasons of the CW show, fallout from the meteor shower that brings Clark to Earth turns everyday occupants of this little town into superpowered humans. It becomes Clark’s obligation to regularly save those affected by the meteor rocks and ensure they don’t cause any significant harm to the town. As the show progressed throughout the years, the comic book lore became more prevalent with the introduction of Lois Lane, and even further along with Clark working at the Daily Planet.
22 years later, the leading men of Smallville, Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) and Tom Welling (Clark Kent) revisit the hit show on their podcast, Talk Ville. In this rewatch, they are both honest about what worked within the show and what hasn’t really held up over the years. They share inside insight into what things were like behind the scenes, working with co-stars, directors, and guest stars. Rosenbaum brings valid critiques of the episodes and discusses how the plot is developing nicely with respect to each character and how in other episodes it remains stagnant, giving the feel of a filler episode. He continually makes note of the use of convenience in some episodes, like how characters are always somehow knocked out at the exact moment Clark Kent shows up, to keep his secret a secret. To contribute to an even balance, Welling is able to discuss what aspects of the show are lovable and appreciated for what they mean to each character, and how they shape the characters for future plot points. Rosenbaum and Welling both lean into the technical side of camera angles and acting that represent larger character choices, constantly praising other actors on the show, which is nice to hear. The podcast’s engineer, Ryan, is a solid source for listeners in terms of commentary from a viewer’s perspective, as this is his first time watching Smallville. He offers up some interesting questions for discussion and commends some stunts that are pulled off in episodes.
What really brings out the best in the podcast is the conversational tone and tight bond demonstrated between Rosenbaum and Welling. The structure of the podcast itself follows a short synopsis of the episode, with coinciding commentary from Rosenbaum and Welling on what they remember about certain scenes. They then mention interesting things of note about the episode, including references that were made to Superman in the script and guest stars who appeared. Another grounded aspect that the podcast offers is a hotline where fans of the show can call in and ask questions about the episode they are discussing. A fun segment is the Rose N’ Bomb rating they give to each episode, it’s exciting to guess how each person will rate the episode, and listeners can also play along and give their own rating to the episode. An assumed fan favorite is the guests they bring on that starred alongside both Rosenbaum and Welling in Smallville. For example, in season one of the podcast, Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang) and John Schneider (Johnathan Kent) make appearances to discuss their characters as a whole. At times, they even bring some of the directors of the show on to discuss how the business side of the show worked and how it was groundbreaking for its time in the superhero genre of television.
The Talk Ville podcast serves as a genuine connection between the show and its fans. Without a doubt, the love and respect that Rosenbaum and Welling have for the show really shines through and makes the rewatch podcast that much more enjoyable. It’s great to see that some 20 years later, Smallville has a dedicated fan base with a cast that genuinely cares for what the show has brought them. Talk Ville represents pure pride for what has been created between the cast and crew of Smallville.