Originally posted by KatherineKent:
You also mentioned about the great amount of time available for character development. 10 years is a long time. And covering the change from teenage to adulthood is probably the most intense time to cover. I know I love the Lois and Clark relationship, and the Clark character - both of which are full of character development, but if you start at season 8 one thing that gets missed completely is Lex's character development. He probably undergoes the biggest, most subtle, fantastic character development. He starts off good with a tiny bit of evil trying to break out. He fights it sooo hard. Then he moves to not bothering about small morally questionable things - as long as the outcome is for the good ... and so on .. till we get to 'evil with bits of good trying to break out' and eventually, in the episode Descent in season 7 ... all trace of the original Lex is gone.
It's a masterful transformation.
LnC fans who want to give Smallville a go should at least skim seasons 4-6 (I have a list all prepared, if anyone wants it of which episodes to watch. Just PM me!), particularly for the reason of character development and the relationship between Lois and Clark. The sibling like rivalry gradually grows to grudging respect, friends, partners, and more... and you miss part of the journey if you skip those seasons.
Lois truly is the key to 'getting' Smallville. She makes it all worth it!
You are right about Lex - though apparently Rosenbaum got sick of playing him towards the end, which is why Season 7 has sort of a half-hearted ending... But there are moments where Lex is trying so hard, or where he has sort of already crossed over, and just misses a chance at redemption, that are truly agonizing for the character. Some key Lex development eps, IMO: Lexmas and Onyx. In one, you get to see what kind of life Lex could have if he made the right choices. The second one reveals the villain and the acting in Onyx is chilling...
Tess Mercer (who takes over Luthorcorp, start of Season 8) is another complex character and a force to be reckoned with in her own right.
