Alfred Gough on Smallville
Alfred Gough talks what to expect about this upcoming season, about the highly anticipated arrival of Oliver Queen and about the most likely 7th season and the life of Smallville after that.
It doesn't look as if things are going to get any easier this year for young Clark Kent.
During the fifth season of TV's "Smallville, " Clark's adoptive dad, Jonathan, died. Clark also lost the love of his life, Lana Lang (Kristen Kreuk), pushing her away after deciding he could never tell her the truth about his alien origins and amazing powers. And his friendship with Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) fractured completely, with Lex and Lana becoming a couple.
Season six, beginning Sept. 28 on The CW, will follow "the lonely road of a hero, basically, " says Alfred Gough, an executive producer who along with Miles Millar created the show about the Superman-to-be. "It's all going to come to bear on him this year."
First, though, Clark (Tom Welling) needs to bust out of the Phantom Zone, where he was imprisoned in the final moments of last season. The season opener will show what it's like inside the Phantom Zone, an other-dimensional prison for Kryptonian criminals created by Clark's biological father, Jor-El.
Clark will escape, of course, but he won't be the only one, Gough says. "Over the course of the season, they discover there are others who have gotten out that obviously have a bone to pick with Clark, since his father's the one who put them there."
At least Clark gets a new ally this season: Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow. The character, played by Justin Hartley, will appear in seven episodes, Gough says, and develop a relationship with Lois Lane (Erica Durance).
"What's interesting about him is, like Batman, he has no superpowers. Obviously, he's an incredible archer, but it's all done sort of with gadgets and his own sort of wit."
Oliver soon discovers that Clark isn't exactly your average farm boy - which fits perfectly into Oliver's plans.
"You discover what he's really trying to do is find like-minded people with powers and sort of start a nascent Justice League, " Gough says.
Look for heroes from past seasons, including Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg, to show up as well.
Another figure from Superman mythology appears in the season opener. Aaron Ashmore plays aspiring Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen, a recurring character who will provide a love interest for Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack).
"You have Lois with Oliver and Lana with Lex and Chloe with Jimmy, so Clark is definitely the odd man out, " Gough says.
Meanwhile, the gloves are off between Clark and Lex. "Clark's eyes are kind of opened to him. The days when he would give him the benefit of a doubt are gone."
Last year, "Smallville" moved from Wednesdays to Thursdays. Despite competition from such heavy-hitters as CBS' "Survivor, " the ratings for "Smallville" rose.
"We were more than surprised, " Gough says. "We were shocked and relieved."
This season, "Smallville" is on the same night but on a new network, The CW, which offers a mix of programs from the now-defunct WB and UPN. Gough says he was always confident "Smallville" would survive the transition to the new network.
When "Smallville" debuted on The WB in 2001, Clark was in high school and had a budding friendship with Lex. Now that Clark's in college and he and Lex have become the enemies they were destined to become, how much longer can the show go on?
"This year and, God willing, next, and then I think that's probably ultimately when we call it a day, " Gough says.
He's not saying season seven would be the end for sure.
"We never say never, " Gough says. But every story has an ending, he says, "this one in particular, and we certainly don't want to outlast our welcome."
It doesn't look as if things are going to get any easier this year for young Clark Kent.
During the fifth season of TV's "Smallville, " Clark's adoptive dad, Jonathan, died. Clark also lost the love of his life, Lana Lang (Kristen Kreuk), pushing her away after deciding he could never tell her the truth about his alien origins and amazing powers. And his friendship with Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) fractured completely, with Lex and Lana becoming a couple.
Season six, beginning Sept. 28 on The CW, will follow "the lonely road of a hero, basically, " says Alfred Gough, an executive producer who along with Miles Millar created the show about the Superman-to-be. "It's all going to come to bear on him this year."
First, though, Clark (Tom Welling) needs to bust out of the Phantom Zone, where he was imprisoned in the final moments of last season. The season opener will show what it's like inside the Phantom Zone, an other-dimensional prison for Kryptonian criminals created by Clark's biological father, Jor-El.
Clark will escape, of course, but he won't be the only one, Gough says. "Over the course of the season, they discover there are others who have gotten out that obviously have a bone to pick with Clark, since his father's the one who put them there."
At least Clark gets a new ally this season: Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow. The character, played by Justin Hartley, will appear in seven episodes, Gough says, and develop a relationship with Lois Lane (Erica Durance).
"What's interesting about him is, like Batman, he has no superpowers. Obviously, he's an incredible archer, but it's all done sort of with gadgets and his own sort of wit."
Oliver soon discovers that Clark isn't exactly your average farm boy - which fits perfectly into Oliver's plans.
"You discover what he's really trying to do is find like-minded people with powers and sort of start a nascent Justice League, " Gough says.
Look for heroes from past seasons, including Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg, to show up as well.
Another figure from Superman mythology appears in the season opener. Aaron Ashmore plays aspiring Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen, a recurring character who will provide a love interest for Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack).
"You have Lois with Oliver and Lana with Lex and Chloe with Jimmy, so Clark is definitely the odd man out, " Gough says.
Meanwhile, the gloves are off between Clark and Lex. "Clark's eyes are kind of opened to him. The days when he would give him the benefit of a doubt are gone."
Last year, "Smallville" moved from Wednesdays to Thursdays. Despite competition from such heavy-hitters as CBS' "Survivor, " the ratings for "Smallville" rose.
"We were more than surprised, " Gough says. "We were shocked and relieved."
This season, "Smallville" is on the same night but on a new network, The CW, which offers a mix of programs from the now-defunct WB and UPN. Gough says he was always confident "Smallville" would survive the transition to the new network.
When "Smallville" debuted on The WB in 2001, Clark was in high school and had a budding friendship with Lex. Now that Clark's in college and he and Lex have become the enemies they were destined to become, how much longer can the show go on?
"This year and, God willing, next, and then I think that's probably ultimately when we call it a day, " Gough says.
He's not saying season seven would be the end for sure.
"We never say never, " Gough says. But every story has an ending, he says, "this one in particular, and we certainly don't want to outlast our welcome."
Labels: Interview
Post a Comment