19 Things You Never Knew About Smallville

Ranker Comics
Updated April 25, 2020 296.9K views 19 items
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Vote up the fun facts about Smallville that you didn't know about!

Comic books, superheroes, and their story lines are more prominent in the media than ever before, first taking the silver screen by storm and now, TV. With the running successes of Arrow and The Flash, we decided to take a look back at the TV show that started it all, Smallville.

Smallville aired for 10 seasons, having premiered in 2001, and followed Clark Kent's journey into becoming Superman. We wanted to go through the little known facts, the stuff you may not know about this beloved series. Sure, we all know that Tom Welling didn't wear the Superman outfit until the final episode, but did you know that the actress who played Ma Kent in Smallville also played Superman's love interest in Superman III? 

Check out these facts that you may have never known about the show, and make sure to vote up the ones you think are the most shocking!

  • Weird Family Ties

    Weird Family Ties
    Photo: CW
    Helen Slater, who played Lara and Clark/Kal-El's mother, played the original Supergirl, Kal-El's cousin.

  • Sticking it Out for the Long Haul

    Sticking it Out for the Long Haul
    Photo: CW

    Smallville is the longest running Superman TV series, with 10 seasons and 217 episodes.

  • Lex Luthor Leaves Smallville the Same Way He Came In

    Lex Luthor Leaves Smallville the Same Way He Came In
    Photo: CW
    The first and last shots of Michael Rosenbaum (as Lex Luthor) are identical. In the first episode, "Pilot," Lex turns to the camera after stepping out of his car at the LexCorp plant, and in the last episode, "Finale Part II," President-elect Lex Luthor turns around to face the press cameras in an identical manner.

  • Longevity of the Characters

    Longevity of the Characters
    Photo: CW
    Tom Welling (Clark Kent) and Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan) are the only regular cast members to appear in all 10 seasons.

  • Lois and Clark of Smallville

    Lois and Clark of Smallville
    Photo: CW
    Dean Cain, Teri Hatcher, Patrick Cassidy, Michael McKean, George Murdock, Richard Gant, and Rob LaBelle all appeared on both Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Smallville.

  • Passing the Torch

    Passing the Torch
    Photo: CW
    Teri Hatcher, who played Lois Lane in the Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, returned to the Superman universe to play Lois Lane's (Erica Durance) late mother on the show who appears on a VHS tape. 

  • From Screen to Page

    From Screen to Page
    Photo: flickr / CC0
    The character Chloe Sullivan, played by Allison Mack, was specifically invented for the show. Her character was so popular, however, that in 2010, they introduced her in Action Comics #893. She's even referenced in the Man of Steel movie.

  • So Close!

    So Close!
    Photo: CW

    Jensen Ackles was the second choice to play Clark Kent. If Tom Welling had turned it down, it would have gone to him. He still made an appearance on the show, however, showing up in season 4 of Smallville as a love interest for Lana Lang, and later going on to star in Supernatural.

     

  • The Colors are Intentional

    The Colors are Intentional
    Photo: CW
    In almost every one of the 217 episodes, Tom Welling is seen wearing some variation of red, blue, and yellow, and Michael Rosenbaum is seen in purples, greens, and whites, each to reflect their comic book counterpart.

  • The Audience is Seeing Double

    The Audience is Seeing Double
    Photo: CW

    Twin brothers, Shawn and Aaron Ashmore, both appeared on the show. Shawn played Eric Summers in "Leech" (season 1) and "Asylum" (season 3), while Aaron played Jimmy Olsen from season 6 on. 

    Shawn also went on to play Iceman in the X-Men film franchise.

  • This Mansion Spans All the Comic Series

    This Mansion Spans All the Comic Series
    Photo: CW
    Lex Luthor's mansion is the same one for Xavier's school in X2: X-Men United (2003). It's also used for the television show, Arrow (2012).

  • Showing Homage to Other Series

    Showing Homage to Other Series
    Photo: CW
    The sound effects used for the sound of Kryptonite radiating is the same as the one used in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

  • Hero and Villain

    Hero and Villain
    Photo: CW
    While playing Lex Luthor, Michael Rosenbaum was also voicing The Flash on the Justice League cartoon, another DC property.

  • Terrance Stamp Leaves His Mark on Superman

    Terrance Stamp Leaves His Mark on Superman
    Photo: flickr / CC0
    Terrence Stamp, who voiced Jor-El on Smallville, originally played the evil General Zod in 1978's Superman.

  • The Torch was a Real Newspaper

    The Torch was a Real Newspaper
    Photo: CW
    The Smallville High student newspaper that Clark and Chloe wrote for is named The Torch, after the student newspaper at Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio. Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster worked together on the Glenville Torch while they were students.

  • Tess Mercer Amalgamation

    Tess Mercer Amalgamation
    Photo: CW

    The character of Tess Mercer (Lutessa Luthor), played by Cassidy Freeman, was created when Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor left the show.

    Her character and her name are a mix of all of the female counterparts to Lex in the Superman universe: Miss Tessmacher from Superman: The Movie, Mercy Graves from Superman: The Animated Series, and Contessa Del Portenza from the comics.

  • Chloe's Mom Looks Familiar

    Chloe's Mom Looks Familiar
    Photo: CW
    Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter, returned to the DC TV world to play Moira Sullivan, Chloe's mom on the show.

  • Clark Hates Himself

    Clark Hates Himself
    Photo: CW

    According to the DVD commentaries, Tom Welling would often walk around set muttering "Clark is an idiot! He's such an idiot!"

    He also spoke in numerous interviews about not being a fan of the Superman comics.

  • Smallville Takes on Home Improvements

    Smallville Takes on Home Improvements
    Photo: CW
    Zachary Ty Bryan and Jonathan Taylor Thomas, two of the three Taylor sons on Home Improvement, had guest star appearances during the second season of the show.