Smallville S8 Casting/Character Spoilers

[moonshayde]

I've seen this posted around on LJ and K-site. I can't confirm it's 100% true, but I'm more inclined to believe it than not.




*Justin Hartley will be returning as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow as a series regular.
*Erica Durance will be in 12-13 episodes; however, this could increase as needed.
*Kristen Kreuk will be in approximately 6-7 episodes.

Old News: Allison Mack will be returning. (I believe for all 22 episodes.)

This isn't exactly the news I wanted to hear. I am a bit disappointed, but I'm going to try to stay optimistic.

Why am I a little disappointed?

It's no secret that I watch this show for Clark Kent. That is what I tuned in for to begin with. I wanted to see Clark overcome the awkwardness of his youth, find where he belongs, and become a hero. What an awesome story to tell.

When the show started to stagnate Clark and stall character development, I stayed for Clark/Lois. (By then the Clark and Lex scenes were becoming fewer and fewer anyway.) Lois is my fave female character in the Superman mythos. I don't believe she is necessary for a story about Clark Kent growing up, but she makes the show fun for me. And when I stopped getting massive Clark development, they were all I had left.

(Micheal Rosembaum's Lex Luthor is a class in and of itself. I loved watching his story parallel Tom Welling' Clark Kent. And the rest of the cast was great, too. *sigh* I already miss him.)

Look, I love Ollie. Really. Those were some of the best episodes we've had the past two seasons. The problem with Oliver is that he overshadows Clark. We're supposed to believe that Superman will one day lead the Justice League. While it's been fantastic watching Clark have a male friend to turn to again - which he seriously needs - I don't want Oliver to come back overpower Clark. He should suppliment Clark, not steal the spotlight. However, if maybe they do some kind of story with Chloe and Oliver that might be cool. She's already been freelancing for him. Maybe he can get her out of jail. They could explore some interesting things with that teamup.

As long as the story stays focused on Clark Kent they can bring in anyone they want LOL I think Oliver is an awesome character when used properly.

Then we have ED still at her 12-13 episode contract. I love Erica Durance's Lois. I would love to see more of her. However, if she is just going to be used as filler, I'll keep the 13 episode limit. This is SV's final year. We should be seeing Lois coming closer and closer to her iconic self. She's already half way there. Let's see some more. Let's get more Lois in trouble and Lois the investigative reporter. That would be nice. If they only need 13 episodes to accomplish this, so be it. But I'd welcome more.

KK will be in 6-7 episodes. Now, since she has always been the female lead of the show, that doesn't bother me so much as long as we can finally end this Clana business. Let's see them put it behind themselves and realize it won't work, and become friends. They were off to a great start in S7 and I would liek to see that conclude in S8. Hopefully, this will be wrapped up sooner than later, but I suppose it is always possible it won't be until the last episode. I hope not, only because it is my opinion that the Clana aspect tends to hold Clark back.

I like Chloe so I'm not disappointed that she is returning. I do hope that they make her a little less "go to person" for Clark so he can do some investiagting on his own. And she has plenty of room to have her own storyline continue to develop. I would like to see her do more with her powers or help people or work with Oliver. Here's hoping :)

In short, none of the changes will matter if they focus on Clark's story. The pieces will fall into place. As long as they focus on Clark, it won't matter how many episodes Lois or Oliver or Chloe or Lana or whoever is in. But if they don't use this last season to really drive Clark, then it's going to be a problem.

Anyway, YMMV. But S8 could be one of the best or worst seasons ever depending on what they focus on :)

Comments

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

Green Arrow may be coming back FULL TIME?!

*does Snoopy dance*

Goes back to reading rest of post. YAY Chloe! Aw to the meta. I hope/don't think if this rumor is true it will overshadow Clark, but maybe it'll get him to focus more on his "hero" identity, coming to grips with who he is/will be as Superman. Rather than farm boy alien orphan with lots of loverboy angst who likes to be a hero so long as he can sneak about doing it.

*tries to resist not grinning from ear to ear at Ollie news* (what can I say? I'm a sucker for archers.)

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Like I said in my entry above, I like Ollie. I enjoyed him in S6 and his guest spot in S7. The only problem with his appearances in those two seasons is that sometimes he made Clark look bad. And while I favor the writers to use Oliver to kick Clark into superhero mode, the last times he was on it did the opposite and only highlighted how stagnate Clark had become.

So my complaint has nothing to do with the character. If the writers chose to use him to propel Clark's story, he'll do just fine. But if he ends up eating up Clark's screentime or if it becomes the Oliver Queen story, then I'm not going to be happy. You know as well as I do that TV shows have made these errors countless times before ;)

But hey if rumors are true that Clark will spend S8 trying to find himself a superhero persona and may start to get some reporter chops, bring on the Ollie!

(Plus, I am speculating Oliver and Chloe will have linked storylines. She works for him after all. I welcome such an awesome position for Chloe.)

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I thought that Clark was more heroic early in seasonn 6 when Oliver was around, it was Clexana in the second half that dragged him down IMO

Early season 6 reminded me of Superman and Batman!

[cyren-2132.livejournal.com]

I agree. I feel like Oliver really brought out the hero Clark is supposed to be. I'm looking forward to this development.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I love Clark and Oliver together. I do. Maybe my discomfort is with how the Clark and Oliver dymanic was followed by the disaster that was the rest of the season. I loved the first half of S6, but really hated where they went in the second.

For me, it made Clark look very unheroic. So it might be the timing I have more of an issue with.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

With it being the last season, they don't have to stall Clark anymore, so maybe it will work out well. I actually really liked the first half of S6. It had this excitment to it that was missing from the show, but then the season spiraled out of control.

Like I said, I don't have an issue with Oliver the character at all. Maybe my disappointment is more with the timing and the writers in S6. They had Clark more heroic through Oliver and I expected great things, and then Clark was so unheroic and even often unlikeable near the end of the season that it's hard not to compare.

[lexsara.livejournal.com]

Well, you know where I stand ... I'll be watching simply because I'm a Chloe fan. I hate to say it, but I lost my interest in Clark when they started making him all about the Clana and nothing else. I love Clark Kent. I love Superman. I loved what TW did with him and how he and Lex interacted in Seasons 1, 2, and 3. After that, it went downhill for me, since the Lex and Clark relationship seemed to take a backseat to Clana. And Chloe always came second to Lana, that I hated and still do to this day.

And when they refused to give me any MR and AM scenes together (because in my opinion, THAT relationship in the early years would have been hotter than anything) I decided I'd hang in in hopes of Chloe getting her own storyline and a life. Unfortunately, Lana stole that too. (Nothing against KK, but as you know, I'm NOT a Lana fan at all)

I like Lois. I like ED and I'm a huge Lois/Clark shipper. But just not in the SV universe I guess. Lois and Clark are in the Daily Planet universe, and their own time. Chloe, as a character, not necesarily paired with anyone, is in the SV universe, not the DP universe (to me) if that makes any sense.

And of course, without MR, I find myself depressed. Despite it all, despite my Chloe/Lex love for a while, then my Lex hate, then my Lex love again, Lex and Clark were supposed to be the focus. I think they lost their way with the whole "Make it about Lana" plotline. Really, stupid. Lex was my reason for watching by the end, and now he's gone. And I can only mourn for the Magnificent Bastard that was Lionel as well.

But, I still watch, arguably though only for Chloe. And I admit, I like Ollie, and maybe Chloe/Ollie would be fun. However, with GA back as a regular, I really hope they make Clark step up to the plate. I mean, we've screwed high school and after high school years, and I really don't feel we've seen Clark do much developing. Here's to hoping for the final season.

Sorry to ramble there, just that sometimes, SV makes me do that!

[foolish-grin.livejournal.com]

What this show needs right now is familiar faces. KK will be in not even half of what we're used to her in and Rosenbaum won't be around at all and a lot of people were getting very, very worried and antsy about that. So, IMO, bringing in somebody who the audience already knows and loves is vital. I know that Oliver overshadowed Clark in S6 but that was mostly to get his character developed and I think now the writers have seen that that was a mistake and will tone down The Oliver Queen Showness of it all. Plus, this is their last chance to turn Clark Kent into Superman, I really don't think that brining Ollie back is going to bring the focus from Clark (and Clois?) this late in the game.

Try not to worry. I agree that without Lex and with these new characters, S8 could very well turn into a train wreck, but the reintroduction of Oliver has helped me bring my faith back. Ollie makes everything better. :p

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

I'm not too happy about the Green Arrow thing. I don't really care for the actor or the character. Also, all of your points about this are good ones. I want the story to focus on Clark, too.

Why not more Lois? I love her.

And yay for the Allison Mack news! I hadn't heard that.

I'm not entirely excited about season 8, but I'll be watching.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I actually really like the Green Arrow. I'm just afraid he'll take all the screentime away from Clark :(

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Sorry to ramble there, just that sometimes, SV makes me do that!

No I understand. I know how frustrating it can be.

I'm really sad to lose Lex and MR, but I'm going to keep watching. Clark and Lex should have been the focus of the show from beginning to end and they sort of lost their way. I love all the other character too, but since we're losing Lex, it better be about Clark. That's all I'm saying LOL

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I know where you're comign from. And I really really liked Ollie. I just am just hoping so bad the show can get back to being about Clark that I get twitchy when I hear more and more characters being added to the show.

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can see that. I just don't like him. *g* I really liked...um...I think it's The Flash? I thought he was awesome. I'm not sure I'd want him on the show as a regular, but maybe for a few episodes here and there.