Smallville Creators Call it Quits
No, Smallville hasn’t been canceled, but it looks like they’ll be going on without Lex, Lana and the two men who were the heart and soul of the series. TVGuide broke the news this morning that creators and executive producers, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar are leaving Smallville.
Here is their letter:
An open letter from Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, creators and executive producers of Smallville.
As the creators of Smallville we look back at 7 amazing years. We look back at 152 episodes. We look back knowing that the show will continue into Season 8 without us. After much heartache and debate we have decided it is time for us to move on.
Over the last 7 years we have had the honor of working with a remarkable team of people here in Los Angeles and in Vancouver. We have been blessed with a wonderful cast who we have watched mature with admiration and affection. We have been rewarded with a fan base that is as loyal as it is vocal.
We are incredibly proud of our work on this show. We achieved what we set out to do. We never compromised our vision. We leave knowing that Smallville is the longest — running comic book based series of all — time. The show was featured on the covers of Rolling Stone, MAD magazine, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. The pilot had the highest — rated premiere in the history of the WB. Even in its seventh year it is still the #1 scripted show on the network. Smallville is watched by millions of people in hundreds of countries and in dozens of languages around the world.
The show’s success is a credit to a fantastically talented group of people. We wanted to take this chance to single some of them out:
Our writers — your work speaks for itself.
James, Jae, Rob, David — the backbone of our team in Vancouver.
Joe Davola, Chris and Shelly — remember those Friday night brainstorming sessions?
Len Goldstein and Steve Pearlman — thanks for believing we could do this. David Nutter — for giving the show your magic touch.
John Litvack — when the knives were out, you always had our backs.
Ken Horton — our Yoda.
Peter Roth — Smallville’s biggest fan.
Melinda, Michael R., Paul M., Susan and Suzanne — for steering us through 152 episodes.
Greg Beeman — your passion is an inspiration.
Jordan, David, Garth, Carolyn, Bob & Lew — and everyone at the much — missed WB.
Paul Levitz, Greg Noveck and the guys at DC Comics.
Lisa Lewis — our very own soccer mom/mafia accountant.
Michael Gendler — aka mega — counsel.
David Lubliner — we can finally focus on features now.
And last but in no way the least, Renee Kurtz — the smartest TV agent in town, we would be nowhere without you!
Finally, to the fans who have stuck with us through the highs and the lows:
know this — we never stopped fighting to make this show great. Thanks for watching.
Alfred Gough & Miles Millar
* * *
What will this mean for the series, which was already floundering? Can Smallville survive without Gough and Millar to guide it? I have only two words to say: Gilmore Girls. It’ll be an interesting new year at The CW.
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POSTED IN: Smallville, Television
5 opinions for Smallville Creators Call it Quits
KayDee
Apr 3, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Personally, I think this may be a good thing for the series. The series has been stale for awhile, especially in the realm of Clark’s story, and that’s what the series is about, isn’t? Clark’s growing into manhood? There’s only so many years the show could focus on a Clark/Lana romance when everyone knows Clark is destined to be with Lois, only so many years of Clark playing the boy and running away from his destiny. The Clark in Smallville will be 23 in S8 I believe (or thereabouts). Shouldn’t he be learning the journalism trade and interning as a writer? Shouldn’t he be learning the full extent of his powers, even flying, as all his enemies seem to have that particular ability? Lex doesn’t even have to be a part of this particular growth stage of Clark’s life. Brainiac could fill the villain role very well while Lex is elsewhere, getting eviler, readying himself to be the major foe of adult Clark.
It doesn’t seem as though Gough and Miller thought the series would last this long, nor seriously considered how to transition from Clark from boyhood into an adult. Maybe its time for someone else to shepherd the series into the next phase.
Cynthia
Apr 3, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Kay-Dee,
You do have some good points. I loved the show in the beginning when it was about Clark growing up, but heck, he’s grown up - time to get off the farm.
I’ve felt for awhile that what they need to do is create their own spin-off of sorts. Get rid of the Smallville name and reinvent the show as Metropolis. Get some fresh supporting actors and a new outlook. Maybe the new show runners will go that route. They need to blow it up and start over.
Brian Allen
Apr 3, 2008 at 9:11 pm
In their defense, it is now the longest running comic book show in history. I don’t think even the most dedicated fanboy would have expected it to go this long.
But like KayDee said, he really should be Superman at this point. The show’s “no spandex” mantra is now running thin because they’ve got no comic precedent to back it up with. It was really goofy during the “Justice League” arc when basically everybody but him had a costume.
If I may paraphrase Janeane Garofalo’s character from “Mystery Men,” at least take the flannel shirt off “if you’d like to continue fighting evil today.”
KayDee
Apr 3, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Brian - I agree with the long-runningness. Gough and Miller deserve congrats. I just think they didn’t think through how to bring about adult-Clark. They had Clark dabbling with writing and journalism in High School, but that was completely dropped. A terrific place to go next season would be for Clark to re-enroll in college, help Chloe out with some of her assignments. This could open up several interesting story avenues: rekindling Chloe’s long-held love for Clark, thus sparking some tension between her and Jimmy. It would also put Clark into continual proximity with Lois, thereby getting some sparkage going in that realm.
I wouldn’t mind the no-tights rule as long as Clark learned to fly. When all his enemies can fly, especially Brainiac, Clark should master this ability. Maybe the show needs new blood to take it to the next level of creativity.
Raphael Copeland
Nov 12, 2008 at 9:14 pm
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