I just stumbled upon a link on slayage.com that said Smallville was the new Buffy. I agree to a sense that they have ripped off some very similar plot lines for monsters of the week and are all about the angst. But then they go on to say that Smallville is starting to hit its stride as Buffy did in S3. While I think this is when Buffy started to fire on all cylinders(somewhere between S2 and S3) I dont know so much about Smallville. They are starting to get away from the monster of the week occasionally, and the show is at its best when it does stray from this. It also says that it mixes humor, drama, and action like Buffy did. A point to which I totally disagree. It does great mixing drama and action, but terrible on working any good(or any at all) humor. The show needs more of it, unlike 24 which is actually better without any humor seeing as we find Kim plotlines as laughable enough. No need for any more.

I am actually a fan of Smallville. It ain't no Buffy. It's not S3 Buffy, it's not even S5 Buffy. Hell, it's not even the movie.

However this weekend's O.C. marathon gave me TV joy that was as close to Buffy heyday viewage joy as I have ever gotten. But it's not Buffy either.

I saw NKABotFD last night on Fox. Laughed my ass off. I miss my show.

I just stumbled upon a link on slayage.com that said Smallville was the new Buffy.

ummm, no. Maybe _trying_ to be the new Buffy, but so not there yet.

It also says that it mixes humor, drama, and action like Buffy did. A point to which I totally disagree. It does great mixing drama and action, but terrible on working any good(or any at all) humor

I COMPLETELY agree. The only times that I laugh at Smallville are not intended by the producers. (like, say, when Clark and Lex try to pretend they're "just friends")

My main distinction between Buffy and Smallville would be that Buffy was good.

Although I watch and enjoy Smallville, where's its Suprise/Innocence? Where's its Prophecy Girl? And Buffy had more than hit its stride by S3. S2 kicked ass.

Yeah, Smallville can sometimes come up with a good idea -- but it doesn't follow through. I don't know whether this is because it is hampered by a high number of beginning actors who don't seem to be catching on -- or if it's the writing or direction or what.

I don't know whether this is because it is hampered by a high number of beginning actors who don't seem to be catching on -- or if it's the writing or direction or what.

yes.

tina, I miss my show, too.

I'm fairly new to Smallville. It passes the time. It amuses, but as ita notes, I haven't caught whiff of any greatness (granted, I haven't been around long enough), there's no wordsmithing, and, without spoiling it, I thought this past episode was really derivative of BtVS. Drew G. wrote it, so I could have been hyper-sensitive to that charge in the first place.

Smallville is to Buffy as Hershey's is to Valrhona. It'll do, but it's not the good stuff. I think that's how its internet following sees it.

Okay, I can actually make it all the way through a Hershey bar without changing the channel.

Oh, it definitely was -- and they've done it before. It's just that -- this is it's 3rd season -- think of what Buffy was doing in Season 3. . . and what it had done in Season 4.

(Oops, I meant season 2!)

Yeah, Smallville can sometimes come up with a good idea -- but it doesn't follow through. I don't know whether this is because it is hampered by a high number of beginning actors who don't seem to be catching on -- or if it's the writing or direction or what.

It's HNoBA factor is about the same as Buffy's, and a lot of the core cast (outside of TW and KK) are very talented. However, I think the goal with Smallville is not at all the same as the goal with Buffy, so the Smallville PTB are more than happy with where the show is at. It's popular with both critics and the audience, gets praises sung and rung for the wholesome factor, and with the combination of a more episodic formula and broader plot brush strokes, it has a wider general appeal than Buffy.

The ideas won't ever be exceptionally daring or go to the Hard Places in the same way that BtVS, because that's counter to the Smallville raison d'etre.