The creators of Smallville, Al Gough and Miles Millar, believe their iconic Superman series could not be produced in the current TV landscape due to its deviations from established canon. The show, which aired from 2001 to 2011, thrived in an era with fewer oversight constraints. Gough and Millar, now behind Netflix's Wednesday, reflect on the freedom they had back then.
Background on Smallville
Smallville premiered in 2001 on The WB and later moved to The CW, running for 10 seasons until 2011. The series followed a young Clark Kent navigating his powers and relationships in the fictional town of Smallville, blending teen drama with superhero elements. It predated the modern superhero boom and introduced original twists to Superman lore, such as Clark arriving via a meteor shower that caused deaths, including connections to Lex Luthor.
Creators' Perspective
Al Gough and Miles Millar, who are currently successful with Netflix's Wednesday, discussed the show's feasibility today in recent reflections. Millar told The Hollywood Reporter in 2022, 'The whole premise of the show was not canon... The idea that Clark arrived in the meteor shower that killed people, and that Lex was there. All those things were completely new, added to the mythology of Superman, but we categorically would not be allowed to make that show and make those changes today.'
Gough echoed this, noting the lack of committee interference during production. 'I feel like we were very, very fortunate to do the show when we did it because we got to make the show we wanted to make, and frankly, there was no committee sitting over us telling us what we could or couldn't do,' he said. He added, 'We got to make the show we wanted to make, which, we wouldn't be allowed to make that show today. There were so many deviations from the canon. One generation's heresy is the next generation's gospel.'
Future Prospects
The creators have no interest in revisiting Smallville, citing the challenges of recapturing its magic amid stricter IP guidelines. A planned animated sequel featuring Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum has also stalled, suggesting the original series may remain a product of its time.