Smallville - S08E11 - Legion
156 Posted on Jan 15, 2009 in articles by Conor Kilpatrick |
Tonight's episode - Legion
That's a pretty badass preview and it comes courtesy of the Smallville writing debut of Geoff Johns!
And in classic Geoff Johns fashion, he's brought the Legion of Super-Heroes with him! How will the transition from page to screen go for Johns? We'll soon find out. I'm not afraid to tell you that I'm more than a little nervous!
During the hiatus we learned that rumors of Smallville's demise were premature. There was a lot of talk about how Tom Welling (who was not under contract for another season) was ready to hang up his red plaid shirts and move on. And really, who could blame him? The CW could blame, him, apparently. Smallville has seen a creative, and more importantly, a ratings resurgence this season and since The CW doesn't have very much else to hang its hat on they drove the preverbial Brinks truck up to Welling's front door and now word is he's going to be back for season nine.
As always, I look forward to your thoughts, opinions, gripes, live-blogging, etc.
Comments
I got back into Smallvile because of what you guys said on the 2008 wrap up show. I "obtained" the first half of season 10 and was really impressed by it.
Posted by reg5000 on 01/15/09 at 07:48 PM
I'm something of a completists, and I'm kind of ready for this series to be complete.
Posted by OttoBott on 01/15/09 at 07:48 PM
@OttoBot: Looks like you've got another season and a half... at least.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 07:50 PM
I heard that the season finale could act as a Series Finale.
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 07:52 PM
We! Are! LEGION!!!!!
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 07:53 PM
@Julian: That was when it looked like Tom Welling was going to leave the show. Things have apparently changed recently.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 07:53 PM
I know they always said that they'd never have him fly but I wonder if the're gonna change that? Probably saving it for when they end the show. Now that'd be an ending.
Posted by reg5000 on 01/15/09 at 07:53 PM
According to CW president Ostroff, "We're starting to talk about [the possibility of season nine]. Obviously we're prepared either way. If the show doesn't go on, we have a series finale that the writers have been thinking about, but I think we'd all love to see the show come back creatively again. We've got a new team of writers who are running the show, and they've done a great job with the series this year. We've gotten great feedback from the fans. It's interesting because they've used more female characters this year, which I think helped it blend in with the theme of the network, so we'd love to see it back."
Predicted Response to Smallville Cancellation: 7.2 on the fan Richter scale
Chances of Renewal: Good, assuming Tom Welling is up for it—the show continues to have admirable ratings and has creatively thrived despite the exit of Kristin Kreuk and Michael Rosenbaum.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 07:57 PM
one more minute
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 07:59 PM
And here we go.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:00 PM
I hope it comes back. I have precious few TV shows that I watch that are good without being soul-crushingly bleak
Posted by reg5000 on 01/15/09 at 08:01 PM
Sometimes, a scene like that means it's been a really GOOD wedding.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:02 PM
yup she's in Street Fighter
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 08:03 PM
The Flight Ring!
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 08:04 PM
Thsat was totally a Geoff Johns moment.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:04 PM
man the ring looks awesome
Posted by smeeeeee on 01/15/09 at 08:04 PM
apparently black lightning is white LOL
Posted by smeeeeee on 01/15/09 at 08:05 PM
"Hey Kal - where's your cape?" Oh, man this is going to be great.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:06 PM
haha great quote from lightning lad. oh and i want that ring
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:07 PM
I'm a legionnaire
Camel in disrepair
hoping for a frigidaire
to come passing byyyyyyyyy
I am on reprieve
lacking my joie de vivre
missing my gay paris
in this desert dryyyyyyyy
Lol
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 08:09 PM
I know very little about the Legion... so Legion experts are going to have to cite references and such.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:09 PM
Thank you for reminding me through Twitter cuz I completely forgot.
Came in time for Lightning Lad's line before commercial. Good start!
Posted by HermitHomeboy on 01/15/09 at 08:09 PM
oof that wound. is that the persuader? he was from teen titans? and why is saturn girl talking shes supposed to be a telepath
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:09 PM
@conor i can help with that
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:10 PM
"The Levitz Museum". Nice.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:10 PM
Oh wow that was great.
Continuity error - When last we saw Lana she was having her leg stitched up. Now she's running around! My wife says this has ruined the whole episode already... (she's just pestering me because she knows how excited I am for the Geoff Johns action)
Posted by Crippler on 01/15/09 at 08:11 PM
talk about your spoilers.
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 08:11 PM
haha thats funny @crippler i love geoff johns let him take over the smallville series
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:12 PM
looks like a baterang in a rock
Posted by smeeeeee on 01/15/09 at 08:12 PM
rofl agreed. and chloe ur not perfect your like deadish. strength?? im confused
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:13 PM
never mind shes brainiac
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:13 PM
@rayclark: Chloe has been infected by Brainiac for a while now.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:14 PM
@conor wow really? its been too long since i watched the eps before this one. sorry lol
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:14 PM
Even in television Geoff Johns is able to make sense of the wonky continuity that came before him.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:14 PM
oo i just got shivers when she said doomsday
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:15 PM
@PaulMontgomery: It's amazing!
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:15 PM
haha lightning lad "kal i flunked history and even i know"
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:16 PM
@PaulMontgomery agreed he can stay on smallville any time!!!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:16 PM
Umm..can we greenlight a Geoff Johns Legion series for the CW NOW?
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:17 PM
@PaulMontgomery i completely agree man
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:18 PM
@PaulMontgomery: I would watch that. I would definitely watch that.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:18 PM
@conor i completely agree
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:20 PM
This episode should end with the appearance of just like hundreds of Legionaires.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:21 PM
i dont want geoff to have his on show. then geoff will leave us like brian K vaughn!
Posted by smeeeeee on 01/15/09 at 08:21 PM
Poor Clark... so very envious of flight.
Posted by Crippler on 01/15/09 at 08:22 PM
so can anyone clarify who the persuader is? teen titans or LoSH villain? my friend and i are having a dispute about that. and why isnt saturn girl talking through her head?
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:22 PM
"We in the Legion always walk in formation!"
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:22 PM
ah clark you need to learn how to fly like NOW please
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:22 PM
clark kent just completely brought me up to speed with chloe thanks clark!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:23 PM
Hahaha - NO ONE has ever heard of Chloe Sullivan!
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:23 PM
Of EFFING RIGHT... there is no Chloe Sullivan in the comics... and this is the first time in the whole series they addressed it!
Posted by Crippler on 01/15/09 at 08:23 PM
OMG geoff johns just explained y chloe isnt in continuity!
HES A GENIUS!
Posted by smeeeeee on 01/15/09 at 08:24 PM
he is saying what i have been thinking
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 08:24 PM
Wow, this is the closest they've ever come to talking about Superman. Other than that one time early in the series when Clark saw that psychic.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:24 PM
geoff johns needs to ret-con ALL of TV
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:25 PM
@rayclark: Persuader is, originally, a Legion villain.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:25 PM
@conor oh yea i remember that hmmm......what does that signal? and end of the series?
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:25 PM
@conor thanks i win the bet you just won me 20 dollars!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:26 PM
I love what they're doing here. I love it.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:26 PM
@PaulMontgomery i completely agree this makes me love smallville even more.
we need a vote who wants Geoff Johns on here??
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:27 PM
Chloe makes a great villain.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:28 PM
Cosmic Boy's hair is very close to making him look like one of the stars of SPAMALOT.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:28 PM
rofl agreed and is it me or does lightning lad look like one of the weasly boys from harry potter?
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:29 PM
Halfway through and this is... *woof* ... REALLY good.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:30 PM
He totally looks like a Weasley.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:30 PM
I...refuse to "raise the woof" for Hotel for Dogs.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:31 PM
chloe/brainiac looks like bettlejuice. just throwing that out there.
Posted by jerichobp on 01/15/09 at 08:31 PM
phew this is an awesom episode. good work geoff johns!!
can lightning lad fly on a broomstick?
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:31 PM
If they released this episode on blu-ray by itself and with Geoff Johns commentary and maybe a featurette, I'd buy it.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:32 PM
wow the legion has to kill themselves? thought that was against the legion code?
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:34 PM
Something tells me that Kal-El is going to show these Legion upstarts what for!
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:34 PM
The Clark you know is boring!
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:35 PM
go geoff!
Posted by DrkN on 01/15/09 at 08:35 PM
wow i like that brainiac logo!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:35 PM
This feels like a season finale. How can the rest of the season live up to the highpoint we're sitting at now?
Posted by Crippler on 01/15/09 at 08:35 PM
I like the choice to make Chloe's Brainiac powers overtly erotic.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:36 PM
@Cripple agreed this would make an AWESOME season finale!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:36 PM
It's funny how all the women on this show are interchangable hacker sidekicks for Clark.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:37 PM
Oh oh.. looks like Brainiac has mastered the anti-life equation!
Posted by Crippler on 01/15/09 at 08:37 PM
Guys, seriously. It's a screensaver. Just jostle the mouse.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:38 PM
@conor agreed i think that a Legion of Super-Heroes spinoff is a GREAT idea!!!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:38 PM
Don't agree with Conor that my idea is cool! Cut out the middle-man! ;)
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:39 PM
@PaulMontgomery ok ok i agree thats a sweet screensaver or was there something else you wanted me to agree to?
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:40 PM
Nevermind.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:41 PM
loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:42 PM
@paul sorry man this episode is just making my head spin
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:42 PM
@conor ANTI LIFE EQUATION!!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:42 PM
HANG HER!
Posted by smeeeeee on 01/15/09 at 08:43 PM
Ooooooh! I love that!
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:44 PM
thank you Mr. Johns
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 08:44 PM
These guys are pretty pissy with their idol.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:45 PM
and here we go clark. teamwork good idea and lets save chloe the person no ones heard of....hmmm
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:45 PM
they do NOT like clark that much...
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:45 PM
Just when us nerds push our glasses up the bridges of our noses and groan that the Legion doesn't kill.....
We just got JOHN'D!
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:45 PM
@rayclark: It's not hard with this Clark.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:46 PM
He just extracted the nanites like John Coffey in THE GREEN MILE.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:47 PM
@conor yea i can see why
uh doomsdays waken up
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:47 PM
well she is dumb lol at least shes back to regular chloe
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:47 PM
"get ready for a techno exorcism!"
because ur geoff johns i'll let that go. lol
Posted by smeeeeee on 01/15/09 at 08:49 PM
it had me until saturn girl miraculously decided to check again and found her
Posted by cyberauron on 01/15/09 at 08:50 PM
That's totally what Brainiac would look like if he were in ball form. And you know it.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:50 PM
lol techno exorcism. thats awesome. so i want these guys to stay here forever. and star city? is starman helping him out or dr mid-nite? lol
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:51 PM
Chloe - .. I feel a whole lot dumber. .... And like 10 pounds lighter! Did I just pass a bowling ball?
Posted by Crippler on 01/15/09 at 08:51 PM
@rayclark: Star City is where Green Arrow is from.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:51 PM
come on clark you know what choice that is
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:52 PM
It's nice to see that the grand tradition of no one ever knocking in Smallville continues.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:53 PM
@conor thanks man there are just too many cities in the DC universe.
maybe sometime you can let me know what city contains what superhero? because im not sure where anyones from cept for supes and bats *no sarcasm intended*
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:53 PM
"What's this shit about chloe forgetting about Clark's origins?"
"We thought it would a convenient way to--"
"Yeah. No."
"What?"
"YOU'VE JUST BEEN GEOFF JOHN'D!"
"Oh."
"Yeah. Oh."
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:54 PM
haha you dont read i told you that
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:54 PM
@rayclark: This episode might help.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:54 PM
awww thats cute clark now you made lightning lads day for lightning lass
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:54 PM
@conor thanks man it will i should make a chart or something that helps me.
CLARK MEET HTE REST OF THE LEGION PLEASE!!!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:55 PM
HOLY SHIT!
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:55 PM
HE GOT THE RING!
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:56 PM
clark why do you always pansy out and not do anything cool??
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:56 PM
You know what... hair aside, this guy playing Cosmic Boy kinda looks like Geoff Johns.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:57 PM
LONG LIVE THE LEGION!!
HE GOT THE RING CONOR!!!! HE GOT THE RING!!!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:57 PM
he got some bling.
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 08:57 PM
@rayclark: Clarkis very concerned with the show's budget.
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:57 PM
lana get off this show...PLEASE
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:57 PM
@conor is that why he never does anything awesome??
ps i want that ring
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:58 PM
Clark is the biggest pessimist in the world. He can turn any cool news into a massive burden.
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:58 PM
clark got that out of a fortune cookie i swear. and oh oh oh DOOMSDAY IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 08:59 PM
.... I can't believe he got the ring.
Posted by Crippler on 01/15/09 at 08:59 PM
Geoff Johns!
Posted by conor on 01/15/09 at 08:59 PM
now that wasnt twelve days
Posted by cyberauron on 01/15/09 at 08:59 PM
Dude busted out the Agro Crag!
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 08:59 PM
HOLY CRAP!!!! DOOMSDAY!!!!
ps next weeks episode looks good but why is lana still here!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 09:00 PM
Night Guys time for the Office.
Posted by Julian on 01/15/09 at 09:00 PM
END OF SERIES!
Posted by PaulMontgomery on 01/15/09 at 09:00 PM
SO good!!
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 09:02 PM
ok this episdoe WAS AMAZING. best line for me was "garth, your acting like a sub." i got a good laugh from that.
Posted by matthaber on 01/15/09 at 09:05 PM
HOLY CRAP THAT WAS AWESOME!
Posted by Kimbo on 01/15/09 at 09:07 PM
there were tons of Legion references in this episode but they didn't stick out and flowed with the dialogue really well. I would totally watch Legion series by this team.
Posted by Kimbo on 01/15/09 at 09:10 PM
This episode made me actually consider checking out a Legion comic.
Posted by Kory on 01/15/09 at 11:24 PM
I love how Geoff Johns added that tidbit about the baseball which is something he wrote in teh comics recently.
Oh, and did anyone else get goosebumps when they said "LONG LIVE THE LEGION"
Posted by DarkKnightDetective on 01/16/09 at 12:06 AM
Ah, Geoff Johns...how do you do it? How do you walk into a show that's been on for over 7 years, for a one shot writing gig, and totally upstage every single writer who's ever worked on the show?
Posted by MikeFarley on 01/16/09 at 12:11 AM
This was definitely the best episode of Smallville this season by far. Forget television, and i know im certainly not the first to suggest this, but Geoff Johns NEEDS to write the next Superman film
Posted by DarkKnightDetective on 01/16/09 at 12:13 AM
wait? what?! Lana and Lex are back?!!?!
Posted by LukeB on 01/16/09 at 01:33 AM
More creators in this business should be like Geoff Johns, super nice at all the conventions, always has time for people and puts out the best work, and doesn't get caught up in his press like certain people, cough, Jim Lee, cough.
And in the Legion books Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl had a long running thing, but I can't this Saturn Girl ever giving this Lightning Lad a shot. No way.
Posted by k5blazer on 01/16/09 at 01:41 AM
@LukeB: Lana's been back for a few episodes.
Posted by conor on 01/16/09 at 01:44 AM
@conor: I really gotta start watching this again.... maybe I'll wait till it's all released on DVD, i don't think the latest episodes are playing here atm.
Posted by LukeB on 01/16/09 at 02:45 AM
Wow! That episode gave me goose bumps...........
Posted by SuperMoore on 01/16/09 at 04:48 AM
@LukeB - Try the CW.com, or a site like SurfTheChannel.com. I get all my TV through streaming video sites like that.
Posted by BrianBaer on 01/16/09 at 09:32 AM
That was a GREAT episode!!! But it appears that Cosmic Boy doesn't know how to shave or in the 31 century the Schick company is out of business. :)
Posted by WinTheWonderboy on 01/16/09 at 10:54 AM
the legion of substitute heroes and brainiac 5 references made me shriek with happiness!
Posted by captamerica101 on 01/16/09 at 11:07 AM
This episode was everything I hoped it would be! Bring back Geoff to write the series finale!!!
Posted by Superyan on 01/16/09 at 12:07 PM
@BrianBaer: Thanks man, I'll try them, but I'm in New Zealand and most of those sites have IP Blocks on them to stop international people getting on, and I really don't feel like trying to find an IP Blocker or Changer program, feels like cheating :P But who knows :)
Posted by LukeB on 01/16/09 at 12:51 PM
If they made an official Legion ring, like they did with the Phantom rings.. I'd totally buy it.
Posted by Cheezdog on 01/16/09 at 05:49 PM
Personally, I really don't enjoy Smallville at all. However, I really enjoyed this episode (watched it on a whim because of Johns)...which is a testament to Johns' writing.
Posted by CaptainPrimate on 01/16/09 at 09:42 PM
Wow! Best - Episode - Ever! This season has been on fire, and this took it to the next level.
Chloe - shit scary! Clark - Welling has owned this a while now, and this week was no different.
The writing was obviously outstanding, Johns really cannot do any wrong at the moment. Seriously impressive. But real kudos should go to Glen Winter, as the direction in this episode he was outstanding, realling bringing Johns' script to life.
This whole show is catching a second wind, let's hope for a kick-ass season 9 to send us out.
Posted by Eyun on 01/16/09 at 10:45 PM
"lightning lad take your marvel foot out of your dc mouth!" awesome.
oh wait he didn't say that....
Posted by Matrix on 01/18/09 at 12:04 AM
I just watched this last night and I just had to thrown in a "that was incredibly awesome holy crap whoa"
I can't believe how fantastic it was...Johns' hit it out of the park--I had forgotten the Legion was showing up so when I reazlied what was happening I literally screamed out loud like a little girl.
wow.
Posted by mikeromo on 01/18/09 at 01:42 PM
im very excited for this. i LOVE LoSH so this is a very exciting episode for me
Posted by rayclark on 01/15/09 at 07:34 PM