Is Smallville Taking On Conservatives?

Is Smallville Taking On Conservatives?

In the opinion of Vic Holtreman of Big Hollywood, Smallville seems to have taken on conservatives as the case is made for and against the idea of superhero vigilantes.

By EdGross - Oct 30, 2010 05:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Smallville
Source: Big Hollywood

"A definite political agenda has crept into the show," writes Holtreman. "It started out fine with the season premiere episode, but in the second episode (entitled 'Shield') they introduced a character from the comics named Cat Grant. Here she was portrayed as a typical Conservative woman as seen through the distorted glasses worn by a Liberal: She was naive, arrogant, judgmental, and annoying as hell in a squeaky clean way. She referred to the fact that superheroes should 'come out of the shadows (i.e. closet)' even though she thought they were obviously 'bad.' I was annoyed but thought, eh, maybe I’m reading to much into it."



He next points to episode three, "Supergirl" and the radio host that seems very much modeled after a number of contemporary conservative radio hosts, such as Michael Savage and Glenn Beck. Godfrey, of course, speaks out against the vigilantes (which the writer feels is the equivalent of illegal immigrants). Says Holtreman,

"He’s taken over by a super-baddie and fans the flames of fear and hatred against super-vigilantes. Oh, he’s religious, too. Second episode in a row… maybe it’s NOT just my imagination. Now we’re onto the next: 'Homecoming.' In this episode, four minutes from the end, Oliver Queen (aka Green Arrow) goes off full-on into a liberal talking points speech – talking about oil money greed and putting up a barbed wire fence to keep out people that just want a better life. Granted, the comic book character has always been portrayed as a Liberal, but he’s been on the show for 3 1/2 years and this is the first I’ve noticed it. Yeah. Something is definitely up."



"Isis" marked the return of Cat Grant, who continued to drive home her conservative point of view. The writer discussed the situation with readers who at first were skeptical, but have gradually come to see his point of view.

"Of course at least one irony found in this situation, is that while the staff of Smallville is all for using super-powered vigilantes as allegory, I’m pretty sure they’d be the first to cry foul at the thought of real-life vigilantes stopping crime," he offers, "just as I would guess they’re against allowing citizens to protect themselves via the second amendment – you know, the one that makes you and me 'super-powered' against an overpowering adversary. Of course this is all speculation on my part… *cough*."

What's your feeling about this debate? Sound off below, and follow the link to read the rest of Holtreman's article.

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marvel72
marvel72 - 10/30/2010, 5:16 PM
yes your reading to much into it,smallville doesn't warrent that much attention.
joker22
joker22 - 10/30/2010, 5:17 PM
I Would Love To Have A Vigilante Stand Up For Us All!
But Only If He Walked The Line With It.
LP4
LP4 - 10/30/2010, 5:20 PM
I really pray Smallville hasn't taken some kind of liberal-lean. God knows i'm sick of politics let alone allowing it into our comic book shows too.

Comic books should NEVER be about petty politics, that's what makes them so great...we can finally escape the scrutinies of our real world and go into a place where we're sort of...free of those things.

Oh well.
DJCheckPoint
DJCheckPoint - 10/30/2010, 5:21 PM
I agree with deadpool72. You looking into this way to much. Its not about liberals or conservatives you twit. It's about fear.
Angelus
Angelus - 10/30/2010, 5:21 PM
Damn. Thats the probably the best thing I've heard about Smallville, EVER! - But I highly doubt it. Smallville isnt smart enough to take on creationists, and thats saying something. Smallville is absolutely terrible. Awful, horrible and morbid. If it actually was taking on conservatives it would not make up for outright RAPE of the most iconic, legendary and arguably the single greatest superhero ever bestowed upon planet earth, sector 2814!
I truly and sincerly hope that Tom Wellington does not wear the costume of Superman because he does not deserve it. There was only one man truly worthy of that symbol and that was Christopher Reeve, the only Superman ever.
In the words of Kurt Russell from South Park's "Imagination Land" saga: "THEY ARE RAPING ME!!!!!!!" - Thats what Supes would've yelled out if he could!

Now to the more serious part: I gotta disagree with you LP4. If the world is so twisted that it can melt the fiction of religion and politics together then why cant the idealistic comicbooks contain social commentaries on the modern world like Green Lantern & Green Arrow? Queen is a liberal, Hal Jordan is a somewhat moderate being. The whole series was met with critical acclaim but the problem is that the majority dont wanted to read it because of they just was too afraid maybe of what they would find.
Come on! Comicbooks are political all the time! From Superman following the law, with Batman somewhat bending it but mainly breaking it, to Barry Allen's opinons on whats wrong the the judicial system because of his fathers sentence for something he didnt do. Comicbooks are all political and they should as well be. CBM's are not about escaping reality, its imagining a more fantastic reality.
Why cant simply the absolute best of the us comment on whats wrong with society? Even punk rock songs is all about politics, a fact that makes the music even more great and real in my view.
But this being said, in the end Smallville should not in anyway touch the subject of politics because of its inherit dementia. Smallville is not in any way about the comicbooks version of Superman, people believe it to be but its not.

BMP!
stopdropandroll
stopdropandroll - 10/30/2010, 5:23 PM
I think we should enjoy/hate the show and stop looking for hidden/blatant messages.

All shows take hits at whatever the hot topics are and Smallville is no different. Let's go after 'V' or The Event, or a dozen other shows while we're at it.

Most folks watching the show couldn't care less, they simply want to see Clark become Superman.
MrGreen
MrGreen - 10/30/2010, 5:31 PM
In real life neither political side would endorse vigilantes, that's way too politically risky. I for one am liberal and have long liked Oliver Queen as character, in part for his political stance. I agree that Smallville has taken on a bit of a liberal lean this season, but remember the writers have put politics into their episodes before (Clark blew up Zod's twin towers last year, symbolically a very dark moment for the show). I don't necessarily dislike the injection of thought into Smallville's writing, which has been just bad for a while now. I am interested to see how long they stick with this as a theme.
juggy4711
juggy4711 - 10/30/2010, 5:33 PM
I'd say about 80% of all TV shows slant to the left. Those that don't notice it probably either oblivious to politics or agree with the view points. Doesn't mean a show is bad.
superdog
superdog - 10/30/2010, 5:40 PM
I've noticed it. Last nights episode again focused on bashing religious people as wackos and murderers. I dismissed the green arrow bit cause he's always been a liberal socialist (yes by definition all liberals are socialist). But when u add all the little things up there's no doubt there pushing an agenda this year. It's disappointing but not unexpected for Hollywood.
Gabe
Gabe - 10/30/2010, 5:46 PM
Alluding to numerous reversible analogies and symbols is fine and dandy, but to go as far to accuse people of some sort of political agenda is taking things too far.

Yes entertainment can, has, and will have underlying political themes. But by surreptitiously over inflating them, you create political conflict where none existed before. You can't go into any form of entertainment without some of message being delivered to you, whether it's good (The Dark Knight) or bad (X-Men Origins: Wolverine).

Just don't make it seem like the world is out to get you, because the world doesn't make you.

WE make the world.
Angelus
Angelus - 10/30/2010, 5:48 PM
@ Superkalkixass - "Great awesome action packed and fun!" - Hardly. But its good to see that you are completely oblivous to the fact that Smallville is terrible but its all relative right? I might be a moron, an ahole and a piece of shit but I have the right to voice my opinion. If I did hurt your feelings then I am sorry but to me and many others Smallville is a disgrace of a show.
I am most skeptical about Superman: Earth One being anyway near Smallville's scale of "horrid absymal"-ness like myself.

Now I agree with MrGreen. I have liked Hal Jordan even more because of his "work inside the boundries of the law" and the occasional bending it. I identify politically to the characters, many others do so too. It would be wrong to not include that in a comicbook.

But you are probably reading to much into it EdG. Its Smallville after all.

BMP!
Whovian
Whovian - 10/30/2010, 6:05 PM
Quite frankly, I can't remember a television show in the last twenty years that has NOT been taking jabs at conservatism. Smallville is no exception. With the conservative wave washing over the country these days it may be a smart idea for Hollywood to start playing nice with conservatives and their beliefs' or the liberal elite may find that they have become irrelevent.
Actually, that is already true.
WarNoodle
WarNoodle - 10/30/2010, 6:06 PM
Yall should first of all see if you are a liberal or conservative. Go take Glenn Becks test! I thought I was conservative but am very much wrong! http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/36981/

SandMan101
SandMan101 - 10/30/2010, 6:07 PM
You guys know these characters are not real right??? lol WHO GIVES A [frick] IF THEY ARE LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE!!!!!!! I mean in the comics LEX LUTHOR WAS PRESIDENT!!!!!! Also when they say illegal aliens in the comics...they really mean ALIENS!!!!!! This article sounds like that one time last season when clark burned down zod's towers someone compared it to 9/11. I mean c'mon people i hope we have much mores sense then that!
Angelus
Angelus - 10/30/2010, 6:12 PM
@ WarNoodle - I know you probably know this but any test Glenn Beck makes is as askew as the people denying there ever was a Holocaust. The guy is insane.

BMP!
WarNoodle
WarNoodle - 10/30/2010, 6:21 PM
@Angelus - its not a test he made... its a test he suggests to anybody to take to really look at where they stand. Most people dont really know where they stand in politics other than what they were raised to believe they were... but this test narrows down some of the big issues and asks you a very basic question about them and then gives you many options of where YOU stand on that issue. And then shows on a chart what party you really do support cause of those answers you gave.
IronicMan
IronicMan - 10/30/2010, 6:23 PM
Not only is he reading too much into it, he obviously has an agenda of his own, being a conservative. Conservatives in the states have extreme reactions toward relatively "normal" issues, can you imagine how they'd react to real-life superheroes? As for the second amendment "point," guns kill people, Superman doesn't :P
This guy obviously has a complex and a big ego, just check out Screenrant, he personally forces his opinion into every Smallville discussion board.
Angelus
Angelus - 10/30/2010, 6:29 PM
@ Superkalkixass - IGN isnt always right but more importantly IGN isnt the greatest source to measure with.

@ WarNoodle - Even if it isnt, it cant be sane. I took it myself and got the answer I expected. Its good to take tests but I was pretty subtle, by my countries standards but we got a lot of parties instead of the whole democrat/republican deal. And I mean no offence.
I just wanted to say that anything related with Glenn Beck is dangerous. But its good to have such tests.

BMP!
JoshWilding
JoshWilding - 10/30/2010, 6:30 PM
Politics in the UK are so different, I wouldnt notice it even if she's not reading too much into it! :P

Pretty poor episode this week though. The Lex stuff was great, but the Clark/Lois story left me pretty bored. It was a typical filler. Supernatural is doing well though...even if I did see that stuff about Sam coming from a mile away!
airbeyonder18
airbeyonder18 - 10/30/2010, 6:35 PM
Do you guys even KNOW anything that's been going on in this Country politically? If not then don't criticize on things you guys don't know. Clearly if the liberals here on this show are trying to make conservatives look like idiots then they're pinheads. This show should be about Clark, not Politics.

@Angelus: By the way, Glenn Beck isn't insane. have you watched his shows, or read any of his books? He believes in freedom for the individual. He's not a wacko. Tell me: what's so dangerous about Beck?
superdog
superdog - 10/30/2010, 6:51 PM
Yeah and I'm pretty sure beck and his followers don't deny the holocaust. In fact they want people to remember the national SOCIALIST partly (aka Nazi party) and the atrocities they committed which is why the are anti socialist. And by the way guns don't Kill people.
airbeyonder18
airbeyonder18 - 10/30/2010, 6:58 PM
@superdog: people kill people.
superdog
superdog - 10/30/2010, 6:59 PM
Astro@'Then why did you read the article and post a comment? Go look at the captain America Pictures again if that's all you wanna do

Airbeyobder@ exactly
airbeyonder18
airbeyonder18 - 10/30/2010, 7:00 PM
@astroboy: agreed.
ManThing
ManThing - 10/30/2010, 7:01 PM
yeah it's definitely a bad idea looking for ANY depth at all from that retarded show.

It's an interesting thought though, Ed.

And Airbeyonder is right. In what way is Glenn Beck dangerous?
He's just a talking head on TV.
Whatever tiny fraction of clout he has comes exclusively from his viewers. Regardless of what you think of his views, he's harmless. I think you would have to be a paranoid idiot to be worrying about the ramblings of virtually invisible TV pundits
IronicMan
IronicMan - 10/30/2010, 7:03 PM
People kill people, but guns definitely help.
113
113 - 10/30/2010, 7:04 PM
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
superdog
superdog - 10/30/2010, 7:05 PM
Astro@'Ed gross is a longtime respected editor who was hired by "the dude who runs it"...the same "dude"'who constantly monitors the content. I'm sure if he didn't want this type of article he would delete it. I assume that since he picked Ed as an editor and hasn't deleted the article he must be ok with it.
superdog
superdog - 10/30/2010, 7:08 PM
Ironic@ so do knives, bats, tire irons, ropes, dogs, cars, and chuck norris's fist. What's your point?
IronicMan
IronicMan - 10/30/2010, 7:15 PM
The vigilantes in Smallville do not kill people. Guns do (sorry, guns do if there's a person behind them).
superdog
superdog - 10/30/2010, 7:20 PM
Astro@ why? Are there not plenty of other articles that discuss what you want? Do you not have the ability to only click on articles that interest you? You must have a pc. U should get a Mac it gives me the ability to not click on articles I don't wanna read and click on those i do. It's a nice feature.
IronicMan
IronicMan - 10/30/2010, 7:20 PM
LOL.
EdGross
EdGross - 10/30/2010, 7:25 PM
AstroBoy, I'm trying to understand how this somehow goes against the idea of covering CBMs or TV shows. The site is not just about scoops regarding upcoming films or shows, but is, instead, about covering all aspects of those productions. Interviews, photos, retrospectives, videos, etc. I just don't get what's wrong with raising some questions about the actual content within them.

This article in itself is specifically geared towards Smallville and the direction taken this season. As such, it certainly fits within the parameter of this site.
superdog
superdog - 10/30/2010, 7:34 PM
Its not your job to say what the site is about, it's the owners. And as I said before they monitor the site and have the ability to remove articles. Since they haven't im gonna assume there ok with it. As Ed said this site is so much more than the "URL". If you don't understand that then I don't know what to tell you man

Oh yeah, and what Ed said.
EdGross
EdGross - 10/30/2010, 7:43 PM
AstroBoy, for the record, these aren't my politics. Someone posted a story about Smallville, reviewing the thematic direction of the show this season. As such, it makes the piece news worthy and, I feel, worth pointing out here.

The headline really says it all, and for that reason if you find the subject matter offensive -- and I respect your feelings if that's the case -- all you have to do is skip over it. But to be honest, since it was posted, 500 people have checked it out, so there must be some interest in the subject.
superdog
superdog - 10/30/2010, 7:51 PM
Astro@ if you truly feel you need to leave the site over this issue I feel sorry for you cause you will miss some great articles and content. But if all you want is facts and plot spoilers then I hope you find what your looking for. I for one enjoy the variety and Diversity of topics on this site as do many others as evidenced by the number of users on the site and hits in these types of articles. I would encourage u to stick around but its your decision.
EdGross
EdGross - 10/30/2010, 7:52 PM
AstroBoy, I agree with superdog - stick around and try to appreciate the diversity in coverage here. That's what makes it so great.
LP4
LP4 - 10/30/2010, 7:55 PM
@Obi- haha thanks for the avatar ;)

@airbeyonder18 and superdog- I agree with you two "politically" =)

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