Talk Ville - Season 6

It's a whole new Smallville this week as we enter the CW era in Season 6 Episode 1: ZOD. 

After we wrap things up with Michael's black trench coat Zod arch, Tom's warm-ups in the Phantom Zone, and exploring the complexities of Lana's games with Lex… we discuss the move of Smallville to its new home on the CW and what it was like working with new faces in Season 6.

Achooo!!! Join us for a super sick stroll down Season 6 Episode 2 SNEEZE! Tom talks about the direction that goes behind the execution of a super sneeze on set… Michael reminisces about the professionalism that Justin Hartley brought with his introduction as Oliver Queen… and Ryan enters his High School bully era. We also get a very special greeting from Jimmy Olsen himself Aaron Ashmore! He talks about the pressure that came with portraying an iconic character like Jimmy, the surprise of getting the job after his brother guested in Season 1, and what his fondest memory was on set… plus how Tom saved him some embarrassment during it.

Join us for a ‘who done it' deep in the rainforests of middle Kansas as Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum revisit Smallville Season 6 Episode 3: WITHER. 

The guys share their enjoyment for the respective introductions and involvement of new cast mates Aaron Ashmore and Justin Hartley throughout this episode while discussing the tonal shift of the Metropolis set stories so far. 

Michael talks about his shredded workout routine heading into the big ‘Cleopatra kiss' ending and Tom discusses his masterplan to save some sleep while working multiple days in the Vancouver woods.

Bullseye! Join us for the highly anticipated live action debut of Oliver Queen himself as the guys dive into Smallville Season 6 Episode 4: Arrow. 

We have fun discussing Smallville's legally clearable Batman and the controversial idea of 'the ends justifying the means'... 

Eventually we put on our suspenders of disbelief discussing the Green Arrow's unrecognizable jaw line, why Clark was moonlighting as an insurance investigator, and whether or not Lana is playing Lex's loyalty. 

Join us as we flashback to Smallville's cautionary tale against bullying in Season 6 Episode 5: REUNION! 

After imagining what could have been with a stroll down Gotham... 

Michael dives into the mind of Lex Luthor analyzing how he handled bullying and the ramifications it had on his character arch… Tom discusses hay bale regrets and the joys of flashback episodes while filming Smallville.

Join us as we discover Ryan's kryptonite this week as we get a case of the giggles while diving deep into Smallville Season 6 Episode 6: FALLOUT! 

Coming off our case of the giggles we have a wonderful conversation with the one and only GLEN WINTER… discussing the late great (and very dear to this series) Jeannot Szwarc, the difficulties of playing DP and Director, and his talents of herding kittens on set. 

After talking about the professionalism and joy of working with Bow Wow in this episode we lost it while discussing double hand blasts, Baern in the barn, and the art of wearing glasses as an actor.

Rahhhh!!! This week we lose our s*** diving into the steroid PSA fueled Season 6 Episode 7 RAGE! 

After discussing the Barry Bonds asterisk-era PSA we get into the most important thing this episode… the Thanksgiving scene. Outside of that, Tom and Michael discuss the big baby news with Lana and the gigantic Martha Kent betrayal in the Kent kitchen.

Things are heating up in Season 6 this week as we explore WWE cameos and new character introductions in Episode 8: STATIC! 

Always a blast when Welling is in studio, and this week did not disappoint… The guys discuss the improv of Bautista lifting Tom over his shoulders, the morality of Lex's static stab, and behind the scenes techniques to keep intensity during scenes where characters are not seen or heard from. Oh yeah, and a whole lot of Bautista love this week!!!

Smallville gets political this week as we dive into the, still, controversial topics in Season 6 Episode 9: Subterranean. 

Thanks to an informative phone call from the Jor-el of this podcast, Al Gough, we learned about the studio push back during the inceptions of this episode and the broader picture they wanted to push with Clark Kent, the ultimate illegal alien of the series. We also talk about budget saving bad guys, Tom's whoopsies with sides on set, and Michale's super cool super evil super slow-mo exit at the close of this episode.

This week we dive into the sophmore smash in Tom Welling's directorial return to Smallville in Season 6 Episode 10: HYDRO. 

After sharing the love, admiration, and lessons learned from Tori Spelling during the filming of this episode the guys remember her pose while filming 5 months pregnant and crazy pranks she pulled on set. 

We also talk about the patience Tom was able to channel in directing this episode, owning uncomfortable yoga scenes, and make outs in super costumes during the filming.

What a treat this week as we're joined by a very special guest for one of the biggest episodes in the series… writer/ director Steven S. DeKnight joins Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum as we break down Smallville Season 6 Episode 11 JUSTICE! Steven talks about the redemption coming off of the episode Ageless and how he was able to pull off the massive scale of a Justice League focused episode. Michael and Tom talk about the joy reuniting with the gang on set, how they executed the iconic slow-mo explosion scene, and the unique advantage of working with these guest stars that made this a breeze.

Why does nobody talk about this episode!? We have a blast revisiting this Season 6 sleeper in Episode 12: LABYRINTH! After showering Welling with love for one of his most dynamic performances in the series we talk about big Martian Manhunter realizations, Lex's green screen legless reveal, and the idea of Clark being full vulnerable throughout this episode… And we talk to Al Gough.

It's a Red K love story this week as we dive into Season 6 Episode 13 CRIMSON with Lois Lane herself ERICA DURANCE! After we talk about all the Red K hormone fueled comedy we get a much needed check-in from Erica on the idea of not taking yourself so seriously. She talks about committing to the head over heels Lois during this episode, ways she made herself more comfortable with wardrobe, and the idea of Lois and Clark finally getting pushed together.

Smallville's cautionary tale of paparazzis this week as we dive into Season 6 Episode 14: TRESPASS with none other than Lana Lang herself, KRISTIN KREUK! Kristin talks a lot about her character's development of independence and self defense as the series progresses and how she feels about revisiting this role at this point of time in her life. We also talk about the Shining inspired tropes in the episode, turning points in Lana's suspicions of Clark, and a new all-time low moment for Luthor Security.

Lights, camera, Rosenbaum… Join us for an episode where Lex got behind the camera for his directorial debut in Smallville Season 6 Episode 15: FREAK! Whole lot of stories this week straight from the mouth of the Director… we hear about last minute set changes, breaking unwritten rules of directing, impromptu super-blows, directing blindness… and a whole lot more.

Here comes the bride… join us for the soap opera event of the series as we dive into wedding bells and controversy in Smallville Season 6 Episode 16: PROMISE. After getting some much needed clarity from the legend Al Gough we dive into all the drama of this episode… from murderous weddings… to Clark's secret being revealed… to planned unpregnancies. This is hands down one of the wildest episodes of the series.

Let's get ready to rumble… this week we dive into the second WWE installment of the season in Smallville Season 6 Episode 17: Combat! We get into a lot this episode, from Tom being sick during the intense choreo, to Lois Lane cosplaying as Charlies Angels, to the upside of working with professional wrestlers… Lot of action this week in a slump of an episode coming off last week.

Join us as we dive into the wonderful guest appearance and endless suspensions of disbelief from Linda Carter in Smallville Season 6 Episode 18 PROGENY. After we talk about the not-so-subtle Toyota adverts sprinkled throughout this episode, we get into Chloe's mom-swap, Clark's superspeed stops, and Lex's point of no return with Lana learning his dirty little secret.

Things are coming to a boiling point as old enemies are forced to work together in S6E19 Nemesis! We talk about the forced teamwork/ cooperation that Clark and Lex get thrown into during this episode, and what could have been with their friendship. We also get into Lana revealing her hand, Talk Ville Bingo, and the real reason Lex saves Clark.

Look here toots, we're going back to the 1940's this week as Smallville dips it toes into black and white cinematography with the ‘whodunit' in Season 6 Episode 20 NOIR. With our best attempt at old timey radio announcing, we discuss everyone's commitment to the flashback episode, the challenges of filming an episode like this, and how everyone dodged the musical episode of Smallville.

Join us for the penultimate episode with everything coming to a head in Season 6 Episode 21 Prototype. The guys talk about Lex's full heel turn into a ‘full blown bad guy,' the realization that Tahmoh Penikett was in an earlier season of the show, and alien peptides.

Martian Manhunter himself PHIL MORRIS is in the house to help us close out Season 6 with a bang as we dive into the finale… episode 22… PHANTOM! Before chatting with Phil we talk about Lana's emotional ‘departure' from Smallville, Lex doing more unspeakable atrocities, and the shock of Chloe's super-empathy. Later, Phil gushes about being a kid in a candy store after being case as Martian Manhunter and why Superman reigns supreme in his scifi resume.

Before we say goodbye to Smallville Season 6 and get ready for Lex's departure, let's take a quick look back at some of our favorite moments this past season.