(Opening begins at the 0:36-end mark from the theme from the final season of American Gladiators
original run play the camera pulls back to see James and everyone else on top
of a slab with the words “The Last Of The Americans” on it before cutting to James in his office)
TLOTA:
I'm James Faraci The Last Of The Americans and the views that I'm about to express are that of my own and some of yours and welcome to another edition of "In Defense Of..."(Show pics of maligned pieces of pop culture while the fanfare from the Olympics play and James comes up after Vanilla Ice slides back and his right hand thumbs up and the words "In Defense Of..." before cutting to James physically.)
I'm James Faraci The Last Of The Americans and the views that I'm about to express are that of my own and some of yours and welcome to another edition of "In Defense Of..."(Show pics of maligned pieces of pop culture while the fanfare from the Olympics play and James comes up after Vanilla Ice slides back and his right hand thumbs up and the words "In Defense Of..." before cutting to James physically.)
TLOTA:
This year marks the 80th anniversary of Superman and I feel for everything associated with anything involving him one series seems to still get some heat and this series ended nearly a decade ago! (Cut to the intro to season one of "Smallville" as it's theme plays through the clips as James does a voiceover.)
This year marks the 80th anniversary of Superman and I feel for everything associated with anything involving him one series seems to still get some heat and this series ended nearly a decade ago! (Cut to the intro to season one of "Smallville" as it's theme plays through the clips as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
"Smallville" not only had the highest rating record for the WB with a whopping 8.4 Million Viewers for their pilot, the series lasted ten years longer than most people and critics and even network execs thought it would! That's right, The WB and the network it evolved into The CW had NO confidence in the series but it outlasted the network that started it were praying to whatever deity Hollywood believes in for the show to FAIL! But it didn't, it succeeded, it lasted ten years! Ten years on the air that's the same time the Fred Wolf TMNT series was on the air! That's INCREDIBLE! The fact the series is NOT a Superboy or Superman series even though they could've done that. But they chose to make it about Clark Kent and his life in Smallville as he grows up and the journey to become Superman. Even his relationships with his Adoptive Parents, his friends even his relationship with Lex Luthor and his father Lionel Luthor. That's right, in this series Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor and Tom Welling's Clark Kent are friends until the decisions both made turned them into the iconic characters we've known since time immemorial. I also like the idea of how they brought actors who have done justice to the world of Superman from the Salkind Era like the late Margot Kidder and Marc McClure, the original Zod Terrence Stamp plays Jor-El in the series and the original Lana Lang Annette O'Toole is (Doing a Ben Affleck Batman Impression) MARTHA!! (Returning to normal) even the first Superman from my generation Christopher Reeve appears in the show for a few episodes as Dr. Swann that was incredible and the fact that The series also had accolades from Emmys to Teen Choice Awards! I also liked how the first four seasons with Clark learning about his powers while in High School. I also enjoyed how it slowly integrated characters from the DC Universe including Green Arrow, Cyborg, Aquaman, Bart "Impulse" Allen and even the first Live Action J'onn J'onzz by Phil Morris years before David Harewood's impressive performance as The Martian Manhunter in "Supergirl". Some of my favorite moments came in the season finales. One moment that remains with me was the 100th episode when we see Jonathan Kent played by John "Bo Duke" Schneider do something so powerful to protect Clark he suffers from the fatal heart attack that kills him and the funeral scene was just haunting. Another moment was in the sixth season when in the premiere Lex Luthor was the vessel of Zod and how Clark was able to get Zod out of Lex. However in the ninth season they brought actor Callum Blue to portray Zod but that's neither here nor there. One other thing I should mention is how they integrate characters from the Superman mythos. like Lois Lane played by Erica Durance & Kara Zor-El played by Laura Vandervoort, Brainiac played by Buffy Alum James Marsters and even Perry White played by Michael McKean otherwise known as Annette O'Toole's husband is done well here. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
And now some of the more infamous parts of the series. Mainly everything involving Doomsday in this series and the original character Chloe Sullivan and the actress that played her Allison Mack! (Cut to clips of the season Doomsday was a part of as James does a voiceover)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
When I talked about "Batman V Superman" out of character I mentioned how the design of Doomsday was just WRONG and how "Smallville" got it right! Well I should clarify what I mean in terms of how the character looked from the original Comic Book version. The animated version from both Justice League cartoons under Bruce Timm would look a little more like the comic book version but in terms of how the Character would look in Live Action well yeah the Doomsday in Smallville is more accurate than the one in the movie. Now onto Chloe Sullivan played by Allison Mack. Chloe is an original character who is now a part of the Superman Mythos and in season four we discover that Chloe is Lois Lane's Cousin and then later having a relationship with Jimmy Olsen played by Aaron Ashmore but not the Jimmy Olsen from the Comics we know. Apparently The Jimmy Olsen Aaron Ashmore played was the older brother of The Jimmy Olsen we eventually and know and she eventually had a relationship with Oliver Queen aka The Green Arrow played by future "This Is Us" star Justin Hartley. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
Now onto Chloe's Actress Allison Mack and I feel I have to address the Elephant in the room the only way I feel I must. (James pulls out his morpher and De-Morphs)
James Faraci:
I only know what has happened to Allison Mack through the internet and the news about her connections to this sex cult and I truly hope to God things work out for her and she can put her life back together because I've seen and heard stories about former actors that fall hard from grace and eventually end up not only on skid row but in a six foot hole in the ground. One story that comes to mind is that of Dana Plato and how after she was fired from the role of Kimberly Drummond on "Diff'rent Strokes" she had become addicted to Alcohol and Drugs and how she eventually died from an overdose in 1999 and the child she left behind died nearly a decade later. I really feel that those who worked with her and truly, truly know her and those who know her and to everyone who've ever been a part of DC's Television past and present to be with her and help her. She needs a league of Superheroes to help her come out of this, her darkest hour and get her back from the brink she's at right now and if Allison Mack gets to see this. I want you to know that I care enough about you to say this, where you are now is NOT where you should be. You need help and you need to know you are loved and you need to believe. Now that I got that out of me, let's get back on track. (James pulls out his morpher and puts the card into the slot and punches in the code 428 and morphs into James Faraci The Last Of The Americans.)
TLOTA:
Now there is one last thing that I feel I need to talk about and that is the final season and the finale. (Cut to clips of the final season as James does a voiceover)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
The final season had a lot to wrap up in order to end Clark's Journey to becoming Superman. He and Lois were not only an item but Lois discovered Clark's abilities and how he was going through his final trials in order to become the Superman we all know and love culminating in the series finale and for those who hasn't seen the finale there are Spoilers a plenty, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! It starts out Seven years in the future as Chloe her child (Shot pauses to see the kid as a still of Stephen Amell's version of Green Arrow is seen next to the kid) who I'm sure grew up to be this Green Arrow! (Cut back to the finale as James does a voiceover) As it cuts back to the present day as Clark and Lois finalizes their plans to get married and move on from Smallville. In the midst of this, an alternate universe Lionel Luthor tries to kill Tess Mercer played by Cassidy Freeman to revive a dormant Lex Luthor probably the Smallville version of earth, yeah there was a multiverse before it was made well known in the Flarrowverse. She escapes and kills the alternate universe Lionel Luthor. Meanwhile Oliver Queen who has been brainwashed and corrupted by Granny Goodness and made to be a servant of Darkseid plans to use Golden Kryptonite. Yeah there are different versions of Kryptonite in the series as the red kryptonite removes inhibitions and blue kryptonite makes every Kryptonian like us humans and the Gold version takes Kryptonian powers away from Kryptonians for good. Chloe recognizes the material and Clark saves Oliver ending part one of the finale. The second part begins with Lionel meeting up with whaaaat the...? (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
Is that same puff of smoke from "Lost" supposed to be Darkseid?! (Cut to a still of the Darkseid cloud and a buzzer buzzes as the word Yes is plastered onto the still before cutting to a still of James physically as a flag comes out of each of James' ears a Cuckoo Bird goes "Cuckoo" coming off of James' scalp and a noise maker from a party is seen as crazy music is playing in the foreground before cutting back to the finale)
"Smallville" not only had the highest rating record for the WB with a whopping 8.4 Million Viewers for their pilot, the series lasted ten years longer than most people and critics and even network execs thought it would! That's right, The WB and the network it evolved into The CW had NO confidence in the series but it outlasted the network that started it were praying to whatever deity Hollywood believes in for the show to FAIL! But it didn't, it succeeded, it lasted ten years! Ten years on the air that's the same time the Fred Wolf TMNT series was on the air! That's INCREDIBLE! The fact the series is NOT a Superboy or Superman series even though they could've done that. But they chose to make it about Clark Kent and his life in Smallville as he grows up and the journey to become Superman. Even his relationships with his Adoptive Parents, his friends even his relationship with Lex Luthor and his father Lionel Luthor. That's right, in this series Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor and Tom Welling's Clark Kent are friends until the decisions both made turned them into the iconic characters we've known since time immemorial. I also like the idea of how they brought actors who have done justice to the world of Superman from the Salkind Era like the late Margot Kidder and Marc McClure, the original Zod Terrence Stamp plays Jor-El in the series and the original Lana Lang Annette O'Toole is (Doing a Ben Affleck Batman Impression) MARTHA!! (Returning to normal) even the first Superman from my generation Christopher Reeve appears in the show for a few episodes as Dr. Swann that was incredible and the fact that The series also had accolades from Emmys to Teen Choice Awards! I also liked how the first four seasons with Clark learning about his powers while in High School. I also enjoyed how it slowly integrated characters from the DC Universe including Green Arrow, Cyborg, Aquaman, Bart "Impulse" Allen and even the first Live Action J'onn J'onzz by Phil Morris years before David Harewood's impressive performance as The Martian Manhunter in "Supergirl". Some of my favorite moments came in the season finales. One moment that remains with me was the 100th episode when we see Jonathan Kent played by John "Bo Duke" Schneider do something so powerful to protect Clark he suffers from the fatal heart attack that kills him and the funeral scene was just haunting. Another moment was in the sixth season when in the premiere Lex Luthor was the vessel of Zod and how Clark was able to get Zod out of Lex. However in the ninth season they brought actor Callum Blue to portray Zod but that's neither here nor there. One other thing I should mention is how they integrate characters from the Superman mythos. like Lois Lane played by Erica Durance & Kara Zor-El played by Laura Vandervoort, Brainiac played by Buffy Alum James Marsters and even Perry White played by Michael McKean otherwise known as Annette O'Toole's husband is done well here. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
And now some of the more infamous parts of the series. Mainly everything involving Doomsday in this series and the original character Chloe Sullivan and the actress that played her Allison Mack! (Cut to clips of the season Doomsday was a part of as James does a voiceover)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
When I talked about "Batman V Superman" out of character I mentioned how the design of Doomsday was just WRONG and how "Smallville" got it right! Well I should clarify what I mean in terms of how the character looked from the original Comic Book version. The animated version from both Justice League cartoons under Bruce Timm would look a little more like the comic book version but in terms of how the Character would look in Live Action well yeah the Doomsday in Smallville is more accurate than the one in the movie. Now onto Chloe Sullivan played by Allison Mack. Chloe is an original character who is now a part of the Superman Mythos and in season four we discover that Chloe is Lois Lane's Cousin and then later having a relationship with Jimmy Olsen played by Aaron Ashmore but not the Jimmy Olsen from the Comics we know. Apparently The Jimmy Olsen Aaron Ashmore played was the older brother of The Jimmy Olsen we eventually and know and she eventually had a relationship with Oliver Queen aka The Green Arrow played by future "This Is Us" star Justin Hartley. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
Now onto Chloe's Actress Allison Mack and I feel I have to address the Elephant in the room the only way I feel I must. (James pulls out his morpher and De-Morphs)
James Faraci:
I only know what has happened to Allison Mack through the internet and the news about her connections to this sex cult and I truly hope to God things work out for her and she can put her life back together because I've seen and heard stories about former actors that fall hard from grace and eventually end up not only on skid row but in a six foot hole in the ground. One story that comes to mind is that of Dana Plato and how after she was fired from the role of Kimberly Drummond on "Diff'rent Strokes" she had become addicted to Alcohol and Drugs and how she eventually died from an overdose in 1999 and the child she left behind died nearly a decade later. I really feel that those who worked with her and truly, truly know her and those who know her and to everyone who've ever been a part of DC's Television past and present to be with her and help her. She needs a league of Superheroes to help her come out of this, her darkest hour and get her back from the brink she's at right now and if Allison Mack gets to see this. I want you to know that I care enough about you to say this, where you are now is NOT where you should be. You need help and you need to know you are loved and you need to believe. Now that I got that out of me, let's get back on track. (James pulls out his morpher and puts the card into the slot and punches in the code 428 and morphs into James Faraci The Last Of The Americans.)
TLOTA:
Now there is one last thing that I feel I need to talk about and that is the final season and the finale. (Cut to clips of the final season as James does a voiceover)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
The final season had a lot to wrap up in order to end Clark's Journey to becoming Superman. He and Lois were not only an item but Lois discovered Clark's abilities and how he was going through his final trials in order to become the Superman we all know and love culminating in the series finale and for those who hasn't seen the finale there are Spoilers a plenty, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! It starts out Seven years in the future as Chloe her child (Shot pauses to see the kid as a still of Stephen Amell's version of Green Arrow is seen next to the kid) who I'm sure grew up to be this Green Arrow! (Cut back to the finale as James does a voiceover) As it cuts back to the present day as Clark and Lois finalizes their plans to get married and move on from Smallville. In the midst of this, an alternate universe Lionel Luthor tries to kill Tess Mercer played by Cassidy Freeman to revive a dormant Lex Luthor probably the Smallville version of earth, yeah there was a multiverse before it was made well known in the Flarrowverse. She escapes and kills the alternate universe Lionel Luthor. Meanwhile Oliver Queen who has been brainwashed and corrupted by Granny Goodness and made to be a servant of Darkseid plans to use Golden Kryptonite. Yeah there are different versions of Kryptonite in the series as the red kryptonite removes inhibitions and blue kryptonite makes every Kryptonian like us humans and the Gold version takes Kryptonian powers away from Kryptonians for good. Chloe recognizes the material and Clark saves Oliver ending part one of the finale. The second part begins with Lionel meeting up with whaaaat the...? (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
Is that same puff of smoke from "Lost" supposed to be Darkseid?! (Cut to a still of the Darkseid cloud and a buzzer buzzes as the word Yes is plastered onto the still before cutting to a still of James physically as a flag comes out of each of James' ears a Cuckoo Bird goes "Cuckoo" coming off of James' scalp and a noise maker from a party is seen as crazy music is playing in the foreground before cutting back to the finale)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
Okay, I understand budgetary constrictions, it's a TV Show, I get it! But seriously a puff a smoke with Darkseid's face?! Seriously?! Okay, let's move on Darkseid makes a deal to take his life to save Lex's. Meanwhile ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE as Apokolips prepares to come to Earth! Lex and Clark meet one more time and to both Michael Rosenbaum and Tom Welling's credit their chemistry was amazing in the scene and Michael Rosenbaum's performance was so incredible in this finale even when Lex kills Tess who happens to be his sister to save her from becoming him and in turn Tess uses a poison that erases all of the memories Lex had of Smallville. A little out there but you know what like the Darkseid Cloud this is a minor misstep! Back in the farm Clark and Darkseid who now possesses the corpse of Lionel Luthor from the Alternate Universe meet and tries to get to Clark but Jor-El lets him know the trials he faced over the past ten years revealing that everything that has led to this moment has been his trial leading to the moment when Clark flies and demolishes Darkseid and the Alternate Universe Lionel Luthor! Meanwhile Lois sneaks aboard Air Force One to convince the President to give the heroes they tried to destroy who are now the only ones that can stop Apokolips one last chance! The President gives them five minutes. Meanwhile so no others will serve Darkseid, Oliver Queen WIPES OUT Desaad, Granny Goodness and Gordon Godfrey without a second's hesitation! Meanwhile... Well, we'll just let the moment speak for itself (Show clip of Clark in the Fortress Of Solitude as Jor-El as he conveys how proud he is of his son and humbled by the actions of how he grew up just as the spirit of Jonathan Kent hands Clark his Superman suit and Clark prepares to fly before cutting to James physically)
Okay, I understand budgetary constrictions, it's a TV Show, I get it! But seriously a puff a smoke with Darkseid's face?! Seriously?! Okay, let's move on Darkseid makes a deal to take his life to save Lex's. Meanwhile ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE as Apokolips prepares to come to Earth! Lex and Clark meet one more time and to both Michael Rosenbaum and Tom Welling's credit their chemistry was amazing in the scene and Michael Rosenbaum's performance was so incredible in this finale even when Lex kills Tess who happens to be his sister to save her from becoming him and in turn Tess uses a poison that erases all of the memories Lex had of Smallville. A little out there but you know what like the Darkseid Cloud this is a minor misstep! Back in the farm Clark and Darkseid who now possesses the corpse of Lionel Luthor from the Alternate Universe meet and tries to get to Clark but Jor-El lets him know the trials he faced over the past ten years revealing that everything that has led to this moment has been his trial leading to the moment when Clark flies and demolishes Darkseid and the Alternate Universe Lionel Luthor! Meanwhile Lois sneaks aboard Air Force One to convince the President to give the heroes they tried to destroy who are now the only ones that can stop Apokolips one last chance! The President gives them five minutes. Meanwhile so no others will serve Darkseid, Oliver Queen WIPES OUT Desaad, Granny Goodness and Gordon Godfrey without a second's hesitation! Meanwhile... Well, we'll just let the moment speak for itself (Show clip of Clark in the Fortress Of Solitude as Jor-El as he conveys how proud he is of his son and humbled by the actions of how he grew up just as the spirit of Jonathan Kent hands Clark his Superman suit and Clark prepares to fly before cutting to James physically)
TLOTA:
Oh my god! We've got (Cut to a still of Clark Kent as James says "Clark Kent...WITH THE SUPERMAN SUIT" then cut to a still of the outside of the Fortress Of Solitude as James says "In the Fortress Of Solitude" then cut to a Still of Apokolips ready to come down onto the Earth as James says "And Apokolips is about to reign over the Earth!" before cutting to James physically) If moment doesn't come out to something awesome then I will BURN my reprinted copy of Action Comics #1! Okay Smallville Finale, Let 'er rip! (Show the moment in which Clark launches himself and flies cut to shaking footage of James screaming in absolute hysterical joy cut with footage of Superman saving the day before cutting to James physically as he screams in sheer unadulterated Joy before cutting to a clip of Superman as he pushes the planet Apokolips out of our planet as the words "MOST KICKASS FINALE MOMENT EVAH!" as James' shout of "MOST KICKASS FINALE MOMENT EVAH!" echoes for five seconds before cutting to James as he again screams with joy then calms down) Okay, I know we have to talk about this moment and... HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! (Cut to clips of the last 20 minutes of the finale as James does a voiceover.)
Oh my god! We've got (Cut to a still of Clark Kent as James says "Clark Kent...WITH THE SUPERMAN SUIT" then cut to a still of the outside of the Fortress Of Solitude as James says "In the Fortress Of Solitude" then cut to a Still of Apokolips ready to come down onto the Earth as James says "And Apokolips is about to reign over the Earth!" before cutting to James physically) If moment doesn't come out to something awesome then I will BURN my reprinted copy of Action Comics #1! Okay Smallville Finale, Let 'er rip! (Show the moment in which Clark launches himself and flies cut to shaking footage of James screaming in absolute hysterical joy cut with footage of Superman saving the day before cutting to James physically as he screams in sheer unadulterated Joy before cutting to a clip of Superman as he pushes the planet Apokolips out of our planet as the words "MOST KICKASS FINALE MOMENT EVAH!" as James' shout of "MOST KICKASS FINALE MOMENT EVAH!" echoes for five seconds before cutting to James as he again screams with joy then calms down) Okay, I know we have to talk about this moment and... HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! (Cut to clips of the last 20 minutes of the finale as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
First off we have Clark Kent having fully embraced his destiny and now has all of his abilities and powers unlocked flying in to save the day first off saving Air Force One and taking a brief moment to let Lois know he's embraced who he is and Lois makes the President eat his words with a side of Humble Pie and Crow! Secondly, He flies in FULL VIEW of everyone showing that he is going to do whatever he can to save them all and Oliver Queen hoping Clark can do it. Finally with the symbolism of the Daily Planet looking to be the first casualty as Apokolips looks to demolish it then the planet, Superman flies in using all of his strength to push Apokolips off the planet and the thrust from Superman's push sends Apokolips back to where it came from! (Cut to James physically)
First off we have Clark Kent having fully embraced his destiny and now has all of his abilities and powers unlocked flying in to save the day first off saving Air Force One and taking a brief moment to let Lois know he's embraced who he is and Lois makes the President eat his words with a side of Humble Pie and Crow! Secondly, He flies in FULL VIEW of everyone showing that he is going to do whatever he can to save them all and Oliver Queen hoping Clark can do it. Finally with the symbolism of the Daily Planet looking to be the first casualty as Apokolips looks to demolish it then the planet, Superman flies in using all of his strength to push Apokolips off the planet and the thrust from Superman's push sends Apokolips back to where it came from! (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
That's just...(Rambles for a moment as James finally says WOW!) I'm never sure when a meme happens but this HAS to be a meme! (Cut to a still image of "Fonzie Jumping the Shark" as James says "There's Jumping The Shark" then cut to a still of Harrison Ford coming out of a fridge as James says "Nuking The Fridge" before cutting to James physically) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I GIVE YOU (Cut to Apokolips as it is shoved away as James says "Pushing The Apocalypse! The ultimate in Incredibly Amazingly Epically Awesome and Incredibly Amazingly Epically Out there!" then cut to James physically as he relaxes and downs a bottle of Martinelli's)
That's just...(Rambles for a moment as James finally says WOW!) I'm never sure when a meme happens but this HAS to be a meme! (Cut to a still image of "Fonzie Jumping the Shark" as James says "There's Jumping The Shark" then cut to a still of Harrison Ford coming out of a fridge as James says "Nuking The Fridge" before cutting to James physically) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I GIVE YOU (Cut to Apokolips as it is shoved away as James says "Pushing The Apocalypse! The ultimate in Incredibly Amazingly Epically Awesome and Incredibly Amazingly Epically Out there!" then cut to James physically as he relaxes and downs a bottle of Martinelli's)
TLOTA:
You know something, I don't know they can top what just happened. (Cut to the last three minutes of the series as James does a voiceover.)
You know something, I don't know they can top what just happened. (Cut to the last three minutes of the series as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
They actually do. The last three minutes takes us back to Seven Years into the future where Lex Luthor is President and Lois and Clark are about to get married again after Seven Years together. In the meanwhile the Jimmy Olsen that we know from the comics is working at the Daily Planet and Perry White has become the Editor of The Daily Planet and in the background is the Iconic Superman Music from the Iconic works of John Williams as we hear about a bomb threat and it looks like a job for Superman! (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA:
TLOTA:
And you know something, it was a perfunctory way to end the series. I also know people weren't into a CGI Superman instead of Tom Welling's Clark Kent in a Superman Suit, but at the end of the day "Smallville" IS NOT A Superman Series! It's the tale of Clark Kent and the journey he took to get to the point of becoming Superman! (Cut to clips of Smallville as James does a voiceover)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
And to be fair it is not to everyone's taste I get it. But there are moments I cared for, character development that made me enjoy the show, great writing for the most part and I liked how it paved the way for many more of DC's TV Shows like "Arrow", "The Flash", "Legends Of Tomorrow", "Black Lightning", "Supergirl" (Cut to a poster of "Krypton" as James says "That" then cutting to Posters of "Gotham", "Powerless" & "Constantine" before cutting to James physically)
TLOTA:
Well, they can't be all winners. I'm James Faraci The Last Of The Americans and That's My Opinion!
