Smallville (2001)
Destiny is now.
The origins of the world’s greatest hero–from Krypton refugee Kal-el’s arrival on Earth through his tumultuous teen years to Clark Kent’s final steps toward embracing his destiny as the Man of Steel.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 16 October 2001 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 13 May 2011 |
| Genre | Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Drama |
| Created by | Alfred Gough and Miles Millar |
| Starring | Tom Welling, Erica Durance and Cassidy Freeman |
| Seasons | 10 seasons, 216 episodes |
| Episode length | about 43 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 155 hours |
| Rated | TV-14 |
| Scores | TMDB users 8.2/10 |
Where to watch Smallville
Smallville is streaming on Hulu ($18.99 a month) in the US. At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 4 months of Hulu, or $75.96 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 12 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
Smallville asks a simple question: what if the world’s greatest hero was just a teenager trying to survive high school? Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the series tracks Kal-el from his arrival on Earth through his final steps toward embracing his destiny. It is 10 seasons long, spanning 216 episodes. That totals roughly 155 hours of watching a boy struggle with powers he cannot control. The tone is earnest, leaning heavily on drama rather than pure action. It is a long haul, but it captures the specific anxiety of growing up when you know you are different.
What the critics said
The numbers were strong, which usually buys a show some grace. The pilot drew 8.4 million viewers, setting a Warner Bros. record for its highest-rated debut. Jordan Levin credited the series with invigorating the network's Tuesday lineup. Entertainment Weekly put it on its cover as a new show to watch. After season one, the Parents Television Council ranked it sixth on its list of best broadcast programs.
Reception was more mixed once the novelty wore off. Christopher Reeve, a skeptic at first, praised the writing and effects, noting the production value exceeded his expectations. But not everyone was convinced. Christopher Hooton of Metro argued the premise was unnecessary: "No-one bothered to follow Bruce Wayne's tedious years... so why must we endure a decade of flannel shirt-wearing Clark Kent bucking hay?" A fair point, if you hate hay.
How it did with audiences
TMDB users give it an 8.2 out of 10. That is a solid score. There is no box office data to report. The rating stands as the primary measure of how audiences received it. High enough to imply loyalty, low enough to admit it wasn't universally loved.
What came next for the cast
Allison Mack went from Police Academy 6: City Under Siege and Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves to Wilfred. Michael Rosenbaum moved from Urban Legend and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Superman. The credits list what followed. They do not prove Smallville caused it.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Smallville.
Sources
- Smallville on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q180228 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Smallville” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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