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or get pulled over, paid for by NHTSA. All right, welcome back to Talk Bill. Okay, this is it, folks. I don't need to give you all this information. You know the information. You're here for the finale. It's Arctic. Just thank you, patrons, for all these seven seasons. This has been wonderful. Thank you, Ryan. for an amazing, amazing protesorial step into Smallville. And you've been amazing. You truly have done.
your your work and you've made it more fun and we appreciate it we love bryce and uh yeah i feel like we didn't skip a beat but also like maybe if we go next season should we have bryce on I think Bryce was adamant about not continuing. But I couldn't do anything that is... Bryce had laid such a foundation. Yeah.
so i've mostly been like but you made it your own and what i do like is some of the synopsis synopsis are not as long which is great they're a little less which i i it gets too much but i never gave that note but um he'll never watch this but he was awesome um well all the finger stabbing and all the uh the
the barning and baroning and all that the baroning without bryce just a blast and tim our new editor you're kicking ass we thank you uh for making this show great and inside of you with michael rosenbaum you're fantastic and tom my cohort, uh, dude, uh, your attitude, your, your excitement. Um, it's just been awesome to, to do this with you. And, uh, I didn't know how it would go. I'm just following your lead. This, this doesn't happen without you, dude. Well.
We took a chance. I'm not trying to play anything up. I'm just saying, like, I play off of you. It's like Jerry Lewis and, you know, Dean Martin. Who knows who is who, but who, you know. Well, we'll let you know soon if I'm going to come back or not. Not today. Not today. Enjoy this episode first, and then we'll get back to you. Enjoy this episode first. Join Patreon if you want to support this podcast.
keep it going um and we'll uh we'll let you know sooner than later about that um that's pretty much it also you know my instagram you know tom's we're going on a cruise all that stuff inside of you online store with merch talkfieldpodcast.com with merch. You know it all. Let's just get into the episode. Without further ado, let's get into season seven, episode 20. It's Arctic. So title Arctic aired May 15th, 2008. A lot of things happened.
stock market crash we just got over the strike the sag strike um i went through a big breakup um i was transitioning tell us about that it was just a really tough time in my life coming out of smallville being done And what was I going to do? And I just it was a big transition in my life. And it was it wasn't easy to leave something that you were part of so long, although I thought it would be easier.
it was just you know his family uh people in smallville so uh director todd slapkin writers don whitehead and holly henderson uh todd slapkin killed it in this episode i'm so glad we got to talk to him this season that was so cool he's he's a beautiful human being guest stars james marsters as brainiac robert picardo as edward teague ari cohen as regan matthews
synopsis it all comes down to this it all comes down to nothing it feels like that yeah yeah there's no other way to describe it it's just that's just here it comes it was my last previously on smallville yeah well all of it yep we don't need to rehash everything there was a lot teague pounds scotch on his private jet as he gets familiar with his new argentinian passport cara as a surprise flight attendant which completely shocked me i had no idea yeah
That was an absolute twist. Uh-huh. That it was Kara. Yeah. And I was like, oh, wow, okay. And the twists go deeper. May I, and this is out of order, but did anybody notice? I'm sorry, you can get into this sooner. The previews for these episodes for the last three episodes got so much cooler. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Do you notice that? It really tied things up a little bit. Yeah. It was like, there was so much more intensive and this is building all up to this.
So piece that where you want in the podcast, but like it's getting hot.
uh surprise that flight attendant kara presses him on the traveler on the device she punches a hole in the wall and brushes off the attacking pilots teague outs lex as the one she wants she flies away leaving the plane and everyone on board to crash into the ocean and i thought this was intense and cool and the hole in the plane and his head through there and the external shot of the plane yeah it was very detailed it was very cool it was very intense and you're like oh my god kara she's
she's gonna kill these people in the plunge she's just leaving well there's a big there's a here's the difference clark would not have done that she'd let him die clark wouldn't have done that right right and we'll get to we'll get to that
spoiler alert and alexis informed that two of his teams got lost in route to the arctic jimmy enters but lex doesn't want to talk about his article and instead wants help getting lois off his back lex hands jimmy fake specs for an oil rig under construction in the arctic and threatens to reveal Chloe's secret if he doesn't participate.
And at the Kent farm, Lois barges in and announces that she's applied for Chloe's position at the DP. Lois urges Clark to ditch farm life and join the paper. But Clark is skeptical of working for Lex, which she should be too. Chloe enters and informs Clark of the playing.
crash that killed teague and at the foundation chloe hacks into teague's plain black box and somehow pulls audio from it which clark is able to super hear cara's voice thought that was really cool it looked cool the blur of your face and like the sound of the design it was just incredible
But they're suspicious that she would murder three people if she's going after Lex. Yeah. So would Kara do that? Yeah, you start to think, man, she just turned what made her turn. I had no idea what was about to happen. Yeah, it was. It struck me as odd. Yeah. At Luther Manor, Kara locates the orb in a safe, but it shocks her. Clark intercepts her and speeds her back to the Baron where he asks what her deal is. Thought that was cool.
She says she's going to do whatever it takes to save Earth. Clark won't let her until she kicks him down and flies away. the ace of clubs jimmy finds lois and follows through with lex's lie lois is skeptical but applauds his work on the photos and at lutheran manor lex finds kara in his office she tells him she knows about the traveler or control device and reveals that she and the traveler are
from the same planet by showing off her face laser. Since only humans can use this device, she urges Lex to follow the coordinates to prevent the traveler from destroying mankind. Then Lex asks her who it is in which she responds. Don't you already know? And I was like, whoa, she just gave it up. She just gave it up. And Lex is like, and I like how I thought, I thought.
laura did a great job in this episode she really stepped up i think this is her strongest episode yeah i mean it's it's great because she's like hiding something too we don't know it yet but like she um yeah she was awesome
Yep. At the Kent farm, Clark finds the box of kryptonite and plans to stop Kara with it. Chloe says, slow down, crazy pants, takes the box and says she'll do it. And at the manor, as Lex packs up his orb, Jimmy races in the tell him he lied to Lois and hopes they're square now.
lex tells him to keep it up champ and proceeds to his jet i like that i like he puts his hand on his shoulder it's like now i'd like to get to my jet yeah like you think okay lex is letting it go but you know lex is not gonna let it go it was it was just like lex doesn't have time for this and he's just kind of i'm i'm just gonna he's like good good for you and your integrity is kind of what good get out of my way cool
Great. Well, I'll deal with you later. You're on a mission. At her apartment, Chloe prank calls Kara to lure her to the Talon. Kara super speeds in. Chloe flashes kryptonite at her, but it doesn't work because she's actually... Oh, that was like, holy shit. Please say he's going to attempt a finger stab. He attempted finger stab.
He does. He attempts to finger stab her, but Chloe is able to aura blast him and weaken his powers as she passes. I thought that was so cool. Like, finally, her powers come full circle and we see that how pertinent.
how big they that is that she weakens Brainiac yeah who tries to you know what I mean I thought that was freaking finally that pays off that paid off is what she revives lois she heals jimmy's little finger and then she uh she saves lex's life and clark's at the same time and then now yeah it's like it's not just saving lives it's like saving her own
she got she got to say what are you yeah meanwhile lex boards the jet and insists they forge ahead convince the orb will protect him go ahead ryan clark finds chloe at smallville medical eyes glazed over because she's been half brainiac Then Brainiac limps into a power plant seeking some juice. He absorbs Transformers as Clark enters and pops him in the jaw.
Brainiac confirms Clark's suspicion that Kara never returned from Krypton, saying if he wants to see her or Lana again, Clark will have to kill him. And using the justification that Brainiac is a machine, not a man, Clark takes him up on it, jabbing loose cables into his heart. Awesome. Finds screams at the stars and explodes in a ball of electricity. Then up in space.
We see Kara trapped in a floating square in the Phantom Zone. I remember this being a big scene at like 2, 3.30 in the morning. Oh, for sure. This was a big scene. putting those on him the transformers or whatever that was awesome it was it was a group effort to make this happen and michael was a big part of that um It turned out so cool because we need that epic thing for this guy. And so I just remember this. It's an apex scene. It was a great death for Brainiac. It had to be. It had to be.
memorable and it was yeah every time you guys shoot a night scene I'm like that's it's like what two o'clock in the morning yeah we start at like seven six thirty at night and we're done at like oh yeah call has to be at dusk and then oh yeah bro at the psychiatric institution clark confirms that chloe's okay over the phone and looks for lana a nurse informs him that lana made a full recovery and hands him a dv to the d
Clark watches Lana's video message at home. She tells him that they were fooling themselves, believing they were made for each other and that the world needs him more. She ends with, I love you, Clark. Don't come after me. Just then Lois arrives and she and Clark embrace.
This is Lana's fourth Dear John letter. She left breakup notes for Whitney, Jason, Teague, and Lex. Let me tell you something, though. It's kind of a thing. Kristen and Tom's emotions in this scene were as strong as you can get.
dude your eyes were just you looked so devastated and so did she and it was the most devastating scene that you guys have said goodbye because you've said goodbye a few times but this one felt like this is really it and that was impactful by the way it not by the way i completely agree um i was looking at a a monitor you know, as Landa would have been. And to turn and get a hug from Lois, I mean, what does that mean to the universe? That's so amazing. Yeah.
For Lois to witness that loss of a previous relationship. So profound. Epic. Such good writing. And thank you for noticing because that was a really difficult scene. Like, what do you do? sometimes when you ask yourself what do you do you do it it was extraordinary i i i was i was really upset i mean i definitely got sad i i felt emotional after it i love you i want to be with you but goodbye
Jimmy brings Chloe back to the town and confesses that he was afraid that he'd lose her forever. He drops to one knee, produces a plastic ring from the hospital, and proposes. Before Chloe can answer, the feds bust in. take down jimmy and arrest chloe she yells at him to get clark i thought that was i was like oh there's lex he did get back at jimmy's like you think this is gonna be easy i'm gonna let you go
Dude, that was another boom. Didn't let that slip by the wayside. In The Baron, Jimmy tells Clark about Chloe's arrest and also admits to making a deal with Lex. He reveals that Lex is on his way to the Arctic. Uh-oh. Go ahead. All right, here it is. Lex soaks in the Fortress of Solitude. He heads toward the glowing purple crystal. He produces the orb, and the symbol disappears inside it. Clark arrives in the exchange, knowing stares.
Lex says for the first time he understands, Clark lives as a mild-mannered farm boy secretly plotting the world's demise. Clark says he'd never hurt Lex, but Lex retorts that Clark's lack of trust doomed their potential to work together and mold him into a hero. All right, I have one little question, and this is a fan question for Michael.
When you go, when, when Lex goes into the fortune solitude, as an actor, when you look around, you're like, what is this? Yeah. You know what it is? It's like. Because I know what the structure is. Yeah, I don't. It's four walls, but two are covered, and you're looking out, and you have to speak out to this thing that isn't there. And then Clark appears. I think probably there was some direction and there was also knowing that I've never been here. This is bigger than anything. And.
How do I fit into this, all of this? And how does this orb fit in all this? And what am I supposed to do? And it was just more like the unknown. You're in the unknown.
and shit's about to hit the fan um lex believes it is his birthright to protect the world and all his suffering has led him to this moment clark says no one's forcing you to do this lex he says you'll never control the world again kal el and plugs the orb into place and it glows the fortress shakes clark collapses lex cradles clark in his arms and tells him
i loved you like a brother but it has to end this way i'm sorry and i will tell you i'm sorry wasn't scripted i remember saying i'm sorry you don't like and they kept it i remember saying it lex holds clark and gaze skyward as the fortress crumbles and is swallowed into the snow my only problem with this is it was too short i remember looking at the time stamp and i was like
they have five minutes in this biggest scene of the series and what could they do without lex luther i just wanted it i wanted some more dialogue i wanted some more like Even emotional from Lex, like all this and I hate, I don't want to do this. And I don't know. I know it was great.
but i just there's something in me that was like oh i wanted more there i just wanted more and maybe that's a good thing closing thoughts a lot of cast departures dictated the narrative the story survived the contract negotiations yeah man um i think it was a really strong ending and it was an end it was an end and part of me thinks it should have ended
like that should have been it and that was great because you had all the characters come to a head and they had their destiny their story arcs they were all concluded all the major you know Jonathan Kent dies and we see that Martha is not having an integral part in the series anymore and Lana is going away forever and Lex is going away and
You know, it's like Clark and Lex, they find their story finally comes to a head and Lionel Luther's dead and Pete Ross is gone and Chloe's getting arrested by the FBI with, and it's all, all the major characters. It's finished. And so that was my first thought. Like, and I haven't seen eight, nine and 10, but like my first gut was like, Hey, this was how it should have ended, but maybe I'm wrong. And I know people wanted more.
But I thought, how do you beat this ending? I can't wait to hear that if you decide to do it. Maybe I'll think differently. But like, you know, it's like, you know, look, the most important part of the show. I mean, it's multifaceted, but you're Clark Kent from Smallville. But obviously, we know that Lex, it's his story in a lot of ways, too. So my thought was, well.
I mean, how are they going to go? If I came back, what were they going to do? Do I have amnesia? Do I have like, how do you, you can't just turn a blind eye to what just happened or it loses its.
wait so i don't know what did you think ryan uh this thought just occurred to me like could they have and would the would it have been a more apt end to the series as a whole if instead of uh Clark being infirmed and Lex holding him in his arms there was like one final like surge like Clark went to attack him and Lex held up the orb and then we cut the black and then that's it then it's sort of up to interpretation for the rest of the audience like
the battle will continue forever kind of thing well i think that they didn't know and did we shoot an alternate ending i don't remember i think we shot stuff whether it got in there or not i don't i don't remember it being alternating whether they would not tell actors that either i just remember there was something more like there was like the unknown like and i remember even being on set going How does this conclude?
and maybe they were thinking this could be the end and they didn't know if tom would renegotiate they didn't know if i did and they said you know well we can make this work what i i think happened is what i know happened is That the writers and the guys that were going to take over the show had to say, you know, Peter Roth's question was probably, how does this work without Michael?
Well, when you watch 8, 9, and 10, you'll see how they recast a lot of these characters, and then you'll understand. Well, that's what I'm saying. I think there was a pitch made to Peter Roth. I think Peter Roth said, how do you do this? And they pitched him. He goes, I like it. Let's do it. Because I don't know if they were certain that they were going to continue. Michael, when was the last time Tom held you like that?
oh it's been a while already last weekend yeah interesting michael's goodbye letter to the fans this is the interesting thing this is what i wrote this is what you wrote when did you find this uh raj sent it to me i'm sure derek sent it to me as well but yeah no it was it was forever it was imprinted so this is um dear smallville fans well it's been seven wonderful years
your support is what made smallville so successful and i appreciate you all more than you know that being said it's time for me to start the next chapter of my life and career i hope that i gave you some enjoyment over the years and that you found my portrayal of alex luther to be satisfying
i'm truly grateful as smallville fans are the best fans out there i sincerely hope that you will continue to follow my hair growth period and beyond i'm very excited about what the future holds but certainly smallville will always be a part of me
I will definitely miss the greatest crew in the world and the wonderful cast that has been like a family to me. Thank you, Alan Miles, for creating the show. Thank you, writers, producers, directors, editors. Thanks, Tone Robbins, Davola, for being there for the pilot. thank you peter roth for employing me for 10 years little lisa or lisa lewis i miss you already
John Glover, thanks for helping me feel more comfortable touching actors while filming. Bizarre but helpful. Mostly I want to thank Greg Beeman for directing the Oh Sherry video by Steve Perry back in the 80s. thanks crew thanks fans thanks smallville i love you all michael rosenbaum that's beautiful yeah well um what's also good is
Yeah, that was good. That's in print. That's in print. Good job, past you. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. The new year doesn't demand a whole new you, maybe just a less burdened you. Therapy can help more easily identify what's weighing you down. Therapy offers an unbiased perspective to better understand your relationships, motivations, and emotions and can help you release the weight that's holding you back.
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Here we go. Gentlemen. What are you doing? What a treat. Brian says jump and I say how high. Dude. Look at that. Look at all the stuff you've got. Hello, sir. super house of l i love the best for last how's your show it's good everything's great how's your podcast
I mean, we're here. We're doing it. No, no, no, no. No, I mean, we're on the precipice here. We're on the last episode. Who knows what's going to happen next year? Because Michael might not come back. Might need a co-host if I don't come back. I'm going to figure it out. I'm not coming back. Michael's going to come back. Well, look, I mean, we're excited to have you here. This is Super House of L. If you haven't listened to the podcast, you got to.
Just House of L. It's super on the socials, but it's just House of L. Just House of L. Yes. House of L. Listen to the podcast. Why Smallville? What got you into Smallville? I've always been a Superman guy, but. October 16th, 2001. I've been there since the start. Uh, I thought it was a genius idea to, especially in a post nine 11 world to.
bring us into a modern day version of this character where this character didn't exist yet. And to see a young Clark grow up, I was... about that same age going through high school uh along with you know clark and lana and chloe and all of them so it just kind of made sense and obviously the show only got stronger as it went on those first few weeks uh you couldn't
You couldn't turn on the TV, obviously. There was a lot going on in the world, but anything entertainment-wise, especially if you were watching the WB, it was nothing but ads with pull quotes from every trade, every outlet, every source. praising the series uh as much as i was so wow from day one so you're you're so michael and i talk about this sometimes where some shows get so much hype that i kind of like shun them
Until I come back around eventually. Yeah. And Mike and I trade a lot where I'm like, I'm out of stuff. What do you got? And he's like, oh, I got this. I got this. I got this. He never asked me, but I ask him a lot. No, I ask you, but you have your... we just have different tastes i know what you like but you don't know really what i like no i don't that's the problem um so look we're in arctic derek we're in the final
The final episode for Lex Luthor final episode for so many people. How did art to stand alone? Like. How did you feel about the conclusion? Because a lot of people with Veritas were very confusing, me included. But what was your take on it? I think it's fascinating from the standpoint, not only what we got to see on screen, but what we didn't get to see going on behind the scenes, which is kind of what I want to ask the two of you about.
in the midst of the writer's strike your departure alan miles departure kristen and glover departing uh i i actually was going back through old files and found the veritas script from november this was a couple this was shooting a couple of days before the strike happened and there's so much in here that got repopulated into those final five episodes because after the strike happened five more got added right
uh sleeper and descent and sleeper and the rest and so had veritas actually been the season finale It's an insane amount of things from those final five episodes that were in here that you guys filmed that later got peppered in after the strike happened. Lionel's death was in Veritas. Kara getting her own Fortress of Solitude.
was in was in here which was filmed but not utilized michael there's something in here i want to ask you about because i've heard you kind of talk on this before but not too much and i just emailed you something that you can look at The final moments of this script kind of were what Arctic was going to be. And it's Lex standing outside the fortress in a parka and goggles, and you've come up on a snowspeeder.
That was filmed, never used. I still have a trailer. He never had goggles. A promo that aired one time where it was used. Okay, all right. I think you're taking off something in the shot I just sent you. And then... But I may be wrong because, you know, memory and time, it's been forever. But I assume all that was green screen. But you did actually get dropped off and filmed in the snow at one point, too. And that was used in the series finale.
But these aren't the two same instances where this happened. I never have seen this. Did you film more for Arctic or for Veritas that wasn't used from your memory? I remember just walking on a glacier and... briefly remember this in front of the fortress which was nothing obviously there um but i haven't i didn't know any of this was used so this is the what you sent to me um it's pretty incredible and
if that was the end of it it wouldn't have been enough you know it really wouldn't have been enough for i don't think the fans or me in fact after watching arctic um I made the joke of like, how the hell they were insane to let me go. How could they, after that episode, it seemed insanity. Like you can't get like, you can't let me go. You should have tried harder. Yeah.
but yeah i have no recollection like i i i was bummed that you know i never none of that footage was used and it was like two tough days and it was beautiful and it was memorable and tom's got you know me saving a um snowmobile on film and that's another story from taking out three different helicopters i have it
i still have to send that to you i'm so sorry yeah we gotta we gotta we gotta try to put that up on page i'm gonna give that to you and it's gonna be yours to do what you want with i'm not gonna do anything i'll transfer it and then we'll show it but you know back to my question what What do you think of how it all ended? I think it ended way better than it could have. Obviously, this originally ended with you standing outside the fortress and that was it. And then there would have been...
No idea where we would have gone for season eight, you know, a missing Lex that's looming and, you know, pulling strings from the background or what, but. I'm so glad those five additional episodes got ordered because obviously Tom got to direct with Apocalypse. That episode was going to be very different at one point. It was actually Jimmy going to 2018 to a future where Clark had disappeared.
at one point that that almost happened and i'm glad i didn't know that i had no idea about that different directing opportunity and i'm just going through all these notes from this time period i'm glad i got to pull some of this stuff out But I think the finale itself benefited so much, obviously, from having those five vital episodes. Veritas would have been a huge one of the biggest season finales of all time. And the uncertainty around it almost makes the mystique of it.
way more interesting to me there's not even a to be continued I totally agree with that and I like that yeah well you didn't know what was gonna happen like we've had other episodes with like tornadoes double twisters coming toward Lana and this and that And as a viewer, you watch those kind of things on a television show and then it cuts and you're like, damn it. I got to wait. This one, it's the end. It's almost the end of the series. It could be.
yeah and then eight nine and ten are such a different era from the rest of the show that it really did feel like this was i mean it was the end of those first seven years of what made the show what it was with alan miles leaving with you leaving michael and and john and And Kristen departing as well. So I look back very fondly on this episode from the time it aired up until now because of how meaningful it was.
To us watching on this side of the screen at the time and just the unknown of it all and this speculation, the months of speculation going into it. And Tom, that's something I wanted to ask you too, because. that's that's era from the writer strike starting in like november of 07 to february of 08 all of your co-stars your boss is leaving allison
I don't think was confirmed to return up until the day that Arctic aired for season eight. What were, what was your mind at with everybody around you departing at that time? So the only, aside from John, who obviously I read in this script had went away already. And a sidebar that I had with Michael at the graveyard scene with Lionel. going about what Michael was going through with his contract. My contract was still up in limbo. I sort of settled mine.
after the season ended that was on the studio side. They didn't want to deal with me until after the season ended. But one thing we leave out is there was also that economic crisis that happened at that same year. Yep. And so I was also looking at sort of like a situation of like, okay, what's my best option here for employment? And that helped me go through my decision process to come back.
for eight nine and ten that was a separate contract but they weren't they were not even talking to me until this season ended you know it was twofold for me one was all these people are gone glover's gone alan miles are gone tom's still here but what story what story we're all gone basically but what story is really left to be told at this point
in my eyes and the other was um you know obviously my negotiations they they could give a shit and you know that that's enough that's another thing but uh It felt to me like once this occurred, once this finale happens and once at the end where, you know, the fortress of solitude is collapsing. You cannot have a world where Lex doesn't know and the two are, it almost feels like this is the end and the movie is next.
Because this is an ending of like, I finally, I've been digging for what this Veritas is. And this is the purpose of my whole purpose in life is to find out. And I do. And. In doing so, I find out that my best friend is the traveler and everything comes to a head and there's this explosion and you're left with what, what, I guess this is the end. And so I didn't.
now that i watch because i haven't seen it now that i'm watching it i'm like there's no way they could have i don't think they could have told the story where lex is back in smallville with what he knows and these two exist together or having drowned in the in the abyss of the arctic i mean we both go down yeah like i don't know what happens at eight nine and ten but i will say i was certainly like i'm i'm i'm honestly glad that i did leave because i felt like wow that's an ending i found out
And now it's time to now it's time to end it all. So there's that. But but then there's part of me, like I said earlier, like, how could they possibly let me go? You know, I make a joke about that.
And I did get a little sad when I'm watching this. Sort of like, I want to see where it goes. I want more. Well, this episode would not have ended this way if they knew you were coming back. Yeah, but... i remember after the season ended uh peter roth took me to dinner and wanted me to come back oh i see what you're saying you know so they still wanted to negotiate with me but they didn't want to negotiate with me um uh you know so was i happy i left
Yeah. Could it have worked out? I think so. But that wasn't my fault. That was their fault. Warner Brothers didn't step up at all. Zero percent. Never. And so it made no, there was no reason for me to come back.
um so i just firmly put my foot in the sand and and said that's it i'm done i'm moving on but now you know after watching the series there is that excitement like oh wow what am i going to do next i'm not going to do anything because the show's over well listen mike you haven't seen it there's a way that they keep your your spirit alive which
The other three of us know. And it'll be interesting to see if you come back to the podcast how you feel about that. I have an opinion that you're not going to like it, but it happens. All right. Well, look, well, Derek, we appreciate all you've done. And I don't think a lot of people have given you the, um, the credit you deserve. I mean, a lot of people have and people who know you and know your show and love you, but.
I just want to say thank you for your undying sort of commitment to the show, to Superman, to the mythology, to Smallville, to everything. To the room. Yeah, you're very. You're very meaningful. And I encourage people to go to your podcast and listen to House of L. And I thank you for being here. Well, thank you. I appreciate.
All three of you, I've loved TalkPhil. Like I've told you both before, if you had told me 20 years ago when I started this that I'd be watching you two talk about it 20 years later, it blows my mind. So it's been a fun journey. uh watching along with the two of you and uh i i can't tell you how much i appreciate you having me on it it means the world to me well hey i mean i need to thank you derek i mean the reason like
Uh, I, I got a lot of good information from you. Like Derek was working with me behind the scenes, like this whole season helped me put this together. Just like, offering up information and his time uh helping me research uh the uh the dictator scale as it's called from episode seven and um yeah just thank you derek i mean it's been it's been thank you for all your help
Derek House of L. We love you. Thank you for being on the show. Next time you come on, which you will come on again if I come back for sure. And we'll discuss some of your toy collection and all this shit. I just want to know quickly. How much money do you think you have invested in action figures, toys, posters, everything from Superman? Would you say it's over? Let's not go down. Is it over $25,000? Yes.
I am very, very thankful for having worked for both Warner Brothers and DC and been handed stuff. uh time and time again and not had to open my wallet always but uh the answer is yes some of that is from the show the answer is to 25 000 uh tom that is the actual uh metal shop class s Oh. From season two. That's awesome. American Skyjacker tells the story of D.B. Cooper copycat Martin McNally, who hijacked a plane and jumped out with $500,000.
But that's just the start of this epic true crime saga. Now, American Skyjacker is an action-packed documentary available on all major platforms. Go to americanskyjacker.com to subscribe to the podcast and watch the film. And look out for a new bonus episode of the podcast coming soon. American Skyjacker. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. This segment is brought to you by NHTSA.
Drinking and driving will change your whole world. Whether you get pulled over or get into a crash, things will never be the same. Getting a sober ride will change your world for the better. Drive sober or get pulled over. Paid for by NHTSA. All right. Hotline. Let's get into this hotline because we need to get into the hotline. Let's get hot. Video patron privileges is Dan L. Hey Talkville, Dan L. here in Chicago with a question for Season 7, Episode 20, titled Arctic.
In the shoulder to cry on scene between Clark and Lois, Tom, you show more emotion than a Wham! Christmas song. Was this the moment you found out your besties were leaving the show? Because that looked very real. It was real. Oh yeah, for sure. She was there saying goodbye without being there, like on a video screen. Like, yeah, like the sense of abandonment, but understanding why.
Yeah. But it was a scene by scene thing. I think what he's asking for, was it a culmination of all of it? I'm sorry, but my answer is no. I was just in that scene. Hello there, Charlie Thomas, North Carolina. Question, comment about episode Arctic. Sorry, it has to be this way. Love you like a brother, Clark. Low key, that felt like Michael, you saying that to Tom and not Lex saying that to Clark.
was that how you did it in your final one for now stay awesome uh we love you charlie um you know i think it was a culmination it was just like you know i've been working with this guy forever and this is it and hey man it's like two guys like i love you like a brother but this has got to end and i hate that it's going to end this way but um yeah it was kind of emotional we did improv the i'm sorry line i did improv the i'm sorry line because you could almost hear it like i'm sorry
Like it was just almost thrown away. That was the little Lex still creeping up from the fire. Yeah. Yeah. It was. It was Leanne. Hey guys, it's Leanne P. from Santa Barbara. Had a question about the episode Arctic for Michael. So this is the end of your time on Smallville, except for the last episode. And I was wondering, how much say did you have in Lex's final story arc?
And were you pleased with the results? I let them do their job. I really never stepped in and said this or that. I just said, hey, I'm leaving, so make it good. make it make it happen i want lex to have a good ending so i wish i had more uh well i mean everybody wanted the same thing so um yeah michael p
Michael P. Thanks, Leanne. What's up, Paul? It's Michael P. from Texas. Now that the season seven finale is finally in the books, where do you rank this season among the previous six? Thanks. You know, I was talking to my girlfriend about this.
last night and you know i don't think it was a particularly strong season overall i thought it was mediocre at best but what it had inside of it or some gems that can't go unnoticed and uh some moments that were spectacular so overall as a season i'd say it was mediocre but As a conclusion, as sort of an ending to wrap things up, I thought it was really strong, and there were some great moments. Tom? Hey, Graham, anything? Listen, you can't have this series without season one.
So to me, that's number one. I think five is really strong. Five is my favorite, I think. I think seven comes in and really helps. it was a little better than mediocre i would have to say one five seven just because like i feel like if you watch one five and seven you'd get a good yeah beginning middle and end right true yeah kathy kathy catheter
This is Cassie from Philadelphia. I'm calling about the season seven finale Arctic. I just wanted to say I thought there were a lot of great moments in this episode, but I was floored by Laura Vandiver's Brainiac. She really nailed that character, his facial expressions, everything. It was just... so good. I agree. We said that. I think Laura freaking smoked it. She deserves a lot of credit. John from Mexico City. We love Mexico. We love Mexico City.
I don't think you could beat this cliffhanger. I don't think this is Lex and Clark going at it, and it's another level. I don't know if there was another... the only one the other one that comes to mind like just because i think it was like one of the first ones was the tornadoes oh yeah that was pretty insane yeah my father blood on my face and yeah all the shit that went down with us that was what i what i love about this is it's not a cliffhanger
it's an ending it's an ending to a friendship it's an ending to this story there's a lot of other shows i watch a lot of shows i hate cliffhangers i hate it as a viewer i hate it i hate a cliffhanger I just don't like them, but I know they have to happen. Ryan. Not you, Ryan. No, I know. Hey, this is Ryan from Alabama calling with a question for the season seven finale, Arctic.
We've heard Ryan's favorite scene for every episode so far, but I want to know everybody's favorite scene from the entire series. We can answer that right now. Just try to, the first one that pops into your head. The last scene of Clark going like this. I mean. To me, I mean, doesn't that sum it up? I mean, the scene in season 10. Our last scene together was pretty epic, as I recall. But you haven't seen that. But up to this point... Up to this point. Up to this point.
well ryan from alabama what's your favorite well besides now we can't what besides season seven what is your uh i'm just gonna like i'm just gonna list off some things that pop into my head when i think about it like well there's the very first scene that i think i gave favorite scene to was your you guys's first uh interaction like um
in the manner it was like when you guys when i think when i yeah it was well a it was me seeing you guys act for the first time which was new for me um saving uh yeah saving likes from the river um there's uh jonathan kent's death uh there's onyx where lex is like fighting himself um me killing my father you killing your father was huge um even though i liked you guys this scene better
because i thought it was great death and funeral uh the funerals uh oh god well i mean all american rejects i had if i had to back into it clark and lex zod like after No, like, think about it. After Lex hates Clark and Clark saves Lex, that sets up the whole series. So shouldn't that be perhaps the most important scene? Maybe. Maybe. I have one more voicemail for you guys. Okay. There you go. It's a wrap. Hey guys, it's Raj.
I just finished watching Arctic and then I went to the Talkville podcast website. And in the about section, it says here, you will get an inside look at what it was like to film each episode. Nothing here about stopping at season seven. So after months of Michael dancing around it, seemingly content to put Ryan out of a job just as he was hitting his stride and Tom smiling silently until this awkward topic passes, I have a simple question. What the fuck is this bullshit?
Thank you. Looking forward to the response. Thank you, Roz. Roz, do you know a friend of mine named Mindja? Mindja? You know Mindja? Mindja damn. Raj sent in real questions, but that one made me laugh the most. He's an idiot. We love him. Thank you, Raj. He's thinking for himself. That's what he's doing. Rosenbaum rating system. Rosenbaum rating.
Tom? Three. Don't give it a three if you don't think it's a three. You're thinking, so it's not a three. Well, he wasn't thinking three because we've never gone that far. I went three for descent because that's true of the emotional turn. All right. Only here's here. I'm going to give it a two because I'm in the future and I didn't watch this at the time.
And I already knew Michael was leaving. And so then when it ended, I was like, fuck. Like Al Votto went. But if you didn't know that. Damn. I mean, if I didn't know that, I would have been into it. I was.
stoked for season eight yeah it would have been a three but because i'm in the future you can't do that though it's based on episodes but okay you want to give it a two uh i think a lot of fans are going to be disappointed in ryan toast for that all right i'll give it a three it's fine whatever death and save count death and save brainiac and kara killed edward teague his pilot and co-pilot and then brainiac himself was killed by clark maybe two saved lana and chloe were saved from
catatonia when clark killed brainiac through 20 episodes 29 dead 47 saved the series 247 dead 276 saved and lion's favorite scene tough one here it's easy it's the final scene do we need to no final scene tom i want to hear the three oh other than that one uh I mean, there were a ton of good scenes. No, it's three. It's three. It's three. It's the final. One, I thought the cold open with Kara as the flight attendant was pretty cool. Scene two, Brainiac's death. And yeah, scene three, the last.
one with Lex and Clark was good. And I mean, honorable mention.
Lana breaking up with Clark and Lois coming in for the save. You know, that's the thing. You know what? I like the honorable mention thing. Thank you. I appreciate that. I gotta tell you. I'm proud of that scene. I'm proud of that scene. Thank you. I don't think there's... probably a better episode i mean they're probably maybe i don't know but like this episode look at all the things we got yeah we got chloe's power comes back into play
We got the, you know, Kara posing as Brainiac or Brainiac posing as Kara. Yeah. We have Lex and Clark's final battle. Final, final. Lex, for the first time, really knows. Lana finally really saying goodbye and seeing their emotions. So much is here that... I don't think you could get better if you put this whole show into 10 episodes and this would be the 10th, the finale. I mean, this is one of the top episodes. I don't see how anybody could think this isn't.
top five five episodes of Smallville even if you're confused by Veritas and all that how it comes together at the end and what you get out of it yeah is superb if you ask me if the show ended on this episode you'd be happy yeah you'd be like that wasn't
uh you know lost well you you would be happy yeah but it does it does go on and i i hope to hear what you have to feel about it well we'll see we'll see i'm not saying no i'm just saying i you know i i'm going to take some time but like you know um We'll, we'll tell you soon. All right. I'll give it a three. Fine. All right. It's three. All right. You got me. Uh, yeah, it's, um, it's, it, you know, it's, uh, it, the ending, I don't know, like the Clark.
in in it ends better than this sentence uh is just say ellipses ellipses that's all you know uh like it's it's the end of a friendship and not like a final battle is the thing i was gonna say it's like um the way that clark has had you know like what i said earlier like where maybe they should have like punched um but no i don't think that's really the theme of the the series and like the fact that clark is now is the one that is like not
um he's he's the powerless one now by the time like their friendship ends and it was always just like a battle of words and wits yeah like
So them fighting, that would have ruined everything. So I think this is kind of an ending in a place where Clark is on the ground and... You get both. You get the, you know... the evil the the villain and the hero a final battle you get the best friends finally ending their friendship all in one you know it's it's uh it's emotional it's not just physical yeah because lex couldn't beat up clark right did oh by the way did i say fuck off raj if not so raj fuck off um and
and again guys uh thanks to you for for for all you've done this has been awesome and we we love the hell out of you and um thank you for all the support and the love Tom, couldn't do this without you. Ryan, this is amazing. We'll let you know. Mike, we can't do it without you, and we won't. Well, look, hold on your horses, and thank you, Derek. House of L.
for being on the podcast and all our guests who've taken the time to talk with us about their experience. And I just will say this. A lot of times I'm sure there's expectations of us. remembering things and i wish there were more memories that we could share with you but the memories we have i think are they're what we have what we remember what we know and we give you as much as we can
And I know there's a lot of little things that you'd love to have something connect more or a moment about this. And when you're shooting 22 episodes a year and. 12 to 16 hours a day, every day. Everything kind of mushes, mushes, mushes, mushes together. You know, it just kind of blends. So it's hard to differentiate and go, oh, wait, this one. But some are very poignant and we do have memories and we hope you enjoy the ones that we do recall.
anyway that's that's all i have to say so no i i hear what you're saying and thank you for saying that because i i hear what you're saying yeah it's tough it's tough i wish that i i would remember more yeah i wish i had a log that i could just go through scene by scene but that it's not reality yeah you know what i you know what i remember i remember
filming a lot of stuff behind the scenes i remember everyone laughing i remember everyone being like quiet on set i remember intense moments yeah i remember making people laugh and guest stars coming in and it was just people were coming in these it was a revolving door right revolving door of just like all these characters that would come in and join us and leave and make up artists and and people just making a living and trying to
you know have some enjoyment and work their hardest it was uh it was a truly special thing very few shows get to this point and have the following that we have and i think i truly think i know people say oh we have the best fans we have the best fans but i i do i think uh smallville fans uh patrons you're the best and i agree
you're the reason like you know we were able to go to cons and do cruises and do podcasts and podcasts and it's only because of the fans that we get to do this i know you guys literally reason we're in we have better lives and we hope that we have given you a better life. So if we've done any of that or a little bit of that, then we've accomplished something. So, all right, that's it. Love you, Ryan. Love you, Tommy. We'll see on the flip side. Remember to always hold on to Smallville.
And we can't forget our lovable patrons who make this show possible. We've said it a million times, but we love you. Patreon.com slash talkville. If you want your name, shout it out and be a part of this wonderful group of amazing individuals and supporting this show. Here we go. Brett G. Always hold on to Smallville. Garrett W. Bob K. Tom N. Jason W. Lana. Lana rhymes with banana. W. Nancy D. Brian G. Grape Jelly.
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of l yes the alexander castle daryl lee jenny b76 monica t ms monica emily monica m ms monica t sorry monica t ms m emily woodcock jeffrey no not emily woodcock emily who locked keep that in there emily woodcock woo
I'll let you take it from here. Jeffrey K. Previously on Smallville. Keith B. Cookie K. Ivan G. Danny Z. From Cleveland. Biagio C. Madison H. As told by Helen. Dr. J. curt f clo is 28 dr g and dr t flirtatious b eduardo and nancy per six nomen or name an e nomen what l nominal smallville for life bobby b kendrick f Stacy Beth L, Other Brother Daryl, Melanie P, Charlie M, Cheyenne F, AGS, AJS.
Heather H, Tom and Michael's friend, Mickey, Karen H, or Ciaran. I think it's Karen H. Hubs, Jackie Justice, John, Cruzville26W, yes, Bradley H, Nick H, Den L. David A., Sierra, Steph Meister, Kyle Ann, Bianca S., J.D. Rocks, Rebecca P., Jacob G., Ramina, Ramina N., Ramina, Ramina N., Cocoa Beach Kidneys, Anna H.M., Danny R., Lex and Sid, Adriana G., The Blue Kiwi.
Asia K or Aza, Mary Keds, The Broken Hero, Jay Brooklyn, Omar H, Annette C. What's that? Annette C. Marky Keds. Is that it? We did it? That's it for the season. oh my that's it for the season god we're getting good we're just getting better every day that is all uh of the wonderful people that have helped this show and um we love you and um
Who knows what's to come? Yeah, who knows what's to come? But I know there's a bonus episode coming. So stick around. We'll see you later. Hey, I'm Chris Van Fleet, host of the number one podcast, Insight with Chris Van Fleet. On the show, I sit down with the biggest names in pro wrestling, sports, film, and beyond. These are real long-form conversations that go behind the scenes and beyond the headlines.
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