One of the most promising shows to reach these shores in years is Smallville. Telling a story of teens in a small town, it has been compared to everything from Roswell to Dawson's Creek. However, Smallville's ace card is that it is continuing the Superman legend (albeit taking it back to the beginning) and that seems sure to draw viewers of all ages to the show and make the series a big success.
Returning the Superman legend to its origins - to the town of Smallville - has allowed the series to put its own spin on the story. And there's plenty of room for development, as Smallville takes its viewers back to before 'Superman' was even heard of - to a time when Clark Kent was still learning how to control and develop his powers. And, most significantly, to a time when Clark Kent and Lex Luthor, Superman's future nemesis, were good friends - an idea which has so far figured prominently throughout Smallville's two-season run.
Taking a leaf out of both Dawson's Creek and Roswell's books, the Smallville cast is comprised largely of fresh-faced unknowns. Portraying the lead role of Clark Kent is former model Tom Welling, and playing his love interest, Lana Lang, is relative newcomer Kristin Kreuk. However, they are ably backed up by more experienced members of the cast, including Michael Rosenbaum (Urban Legend, TV's Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane) as the enigmatic Lex Luthor, and John Schneider (The Dukes of Hazzard) and Annette O'Toole (who portrayed Lana Lang opposite Christopher Reeve's Clark Kent/Superman in Superman III) as Clark's adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent.
So far Smallville has managed to balance its genre background with classic teen drama, picking up impressive ratings along the way. And, moving into season three, the show promises more of the same, as well as the introduction of a few familiar faces from the Superman universe - a move sure to expand the series' fanbase even further. So it seems that, for Smallville, the future is definitely looking bright.
The Cast
Clark Kent...................................................Tom Welling
Lana Lang...................................................Kristin Kreuk
Lex Luthor........................................Michael Rosenbaum
Chloe Sullivan..............................................Allison Mack
Pete Ross...................................................Sam Jones III
Whitney Fordman.........................................Eric Johnson
Martha Kent.............................................Annette O'Toole
Jonathan Kent...........................................John Schneider
