MovieChat Forums > Smallville (2001) Discussion > Gough & Millar's ending

Gough & Millar's ending

posted 7 years ago by MickyMac (3252)
12 replies | jump to latest

"Had you always been working toward a plan for the ending that you wanted for the series?

GOUGH: You have ideas, but I don’t think you can plan for that, in terms of a script that was sitting in a safe for 10 years and then you’re like, “Finally, here’s the last episode.” The characters evolve and the series evolves. If it had gone five years versus 10 years, you’d end it one way.

MILLAR: Ultimately, in our own heads, we had an ending that we wanted. The last moment of the show would be him putting on the suit and flying off into his future and his destiny. That was always in our heads. That would be the ultimate end to the show. The thing that was always frustrating for us was that the whole “no flights, no tights” became this ball-and-chain to us. For us, that’s his destiny as Superman, but it was also a budgetary concern. Initially, we wanted to ground him and ground the show.

GOUGH: They were slaves to that for the entire run of the series, and it went 10 years. After awhile, it was like, “Come on, already!”

[–] twinA (4921) 7 years ago

If I recall correctly, lead actor, Tom Welling, also had it in his contract not to dawn the iconic red, blue, and S as a career safety to fight typecasting.

[–] MickyMac (3252) 6 years ago

Perhaps an ending where Superman is played by a older actor like they did in The Movie and others would've more been in line with fans' expectations I don't know, Gotham is planning on doing that.

[–] MickyMac (3252) 4 years ago

There's the saying familiarity breeds contempt.

[–] MickyMac (3252) 2 years ago

In the Lois & Clark pilot Dean Cain's Clark could fly long before he had the suit, what was wrong with that?

[–] MickyMac (3252) 6 years ago

The no flying was like a four season rule that lasted ten seasons, it was so stagnating and ultimately damaged Clark's character which made him the most stagnating character on the show, it was a warning sign they were trying to save money but could've easily have done a jumping out of frame effect like George Reeves or Dean Cain.

[–] MickyMac (3252) 4 years ago

If the show progresses through two, three, four or five seasons you may wanna change it up otherwise audiences are gonna think "Dude we've seen all this".

[–] MickyMac (3252) 3 years ago

They made Clark the most stagnant character on the show.

[–] MickyMac (3252) 3 years ago

Even in the Lois & Clark pilot he had the ability to fly long before he had the suit what was wrong with that?

[–] MickyMac (3252) 3 years ago

It's the problem with versions of the Superman origin where he doesn't fly until he puts on the suit, it feels too much of a stretch to have him only fly when he suits up for the first time, ok for a movie thirty minutes in or a montage origin but for a ten season TV show it wasn't interesting anymore after four or five seasons.

[–] MickyMac (3252) 2 years ago

It feels dated and a bit too much of a stretch of credibility to have a pre Superman Clark Kent not fly until he puts on the suit.

[–] ATG6 (3000) 2 years ago

Superman shouldn't be able to fly anyway. It defies physics and aerodynamics. He should be able to leap really far and high though.

[–] Costumer (1834) 2 years ago

But it doesn't defy physics to have a 200 lb., 6 foot high humanoid be able to lift thousands of tons? Or be impervious to bullets? Or see through walls? Or emit heat beams from their eyes?

Like any good SF or fantasy, the world is set up, including what physical laws its going to violate, and then you live within those limits. If you can't suspend your disbelief for this type of story, then perhaps they are not for you.

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