"Eternal": Slow, simple story to gain new viewers?

[davidbrenton]

Was "eternals" very slow, simple story designed to bring in new viewers?

[Autumn]

Was "eternals" very slow, simple story designed to bring in new viewers?

Slow? Simple? :confused::confused::confused:

[davidbrenton]

Slow? Simple? :confused::confused::confused:
sorry, i forgot to add repititious. Tess kept repeating the same story she told in the first clip. it was ridiculously slow without any other story going on but clark/doomsday/Chloe setup.

[NIGHTRAVENXLR1]

i don't get i either.
dint think it was slow IMO

[Autumn]

i don't get i either.
dint think it was slow IMO

Definitely not slow. One of the best episodes in Smallville history IMO. It was like I was watching a new show, one that I didn't want to throw tomatoes at.

[smallvillerocks45]

It was a pretty complex story; something that the flashbacks could have helped with, but was much more effective for people who have had a history with the show.

I don't know. New viewers might have found this episode interesting, but it's not like it spoke of the real meat of the show. Newbies would have found themselves in the middle of discovery - Clark still thinks he and Davis could have been brother, brothers, when Doomsday was created by Zod (a criminal on planet Krypton) to kill Clark and everyone else on Earth. We know this, but Clark doesn't, and neither would people who have never seen the show before - unless they have some past history with the comics, or their friends have filled them in.

It is my hope that new viewers would have seen the episode, and appreciated how elaborate the story is, such that they would be compelled to go back and get caught up on the show's history.

You ask a difficult question. On the one hand, "Hex" might have been fun for someone who had never seen the show before, because it didn't require too much past knowledge, but "Eternal" dealt with some heavy issues - ones that really exhibit the quality of the show - but that's from an insider's point of view. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I would really like to know what a newcomer thought about this episode.

[cksidekick]

I think it was "slow" bacause there was a lot of exposition from Tess. It was actualy a good performance considering they had a new character catch viewers up on the entirety of Smallville's mythos.

Tess "There isn't a short answer to that question." She was pretty much saying Buy the DVDs and catch up!

[superjude]

It was slow moving, yes, but it was also a very complex story. But, I personnally find it hard to believe that any casual viewer who has never seen the show or one who has not seen much of it would have understood anything that was going on!!! The only thing about it is that they wouldn't know the retcons!! Tess narration just came across as a Miss Know it all kind of thing.

[Iluvgreen]

I don't know.

[dsfjr1190]

No. It was a character-driven episode, something this show lacks most of the time. It was a welcome change from pointless action, FOTW, etc.

I hope we get more episodes like this.

[Autumn]

It was slow moving, yes, but it was also a very complex story. But, I personnally find it hard to believe that any casual viewer who has never seen the show or one who has not seen much of it would have understood anything that was going on!!! The only thing about it is that they wouldn't know the retcons!! Tess narration just came across as a Miss Know it all kind of thing.

I actually watched this episode with someone who has only seen two episodes: Turbulence and Hex. She loved Chloe and Davis and was excited to watch this episode. For the most part, she understood what was going on. I had to explain a lot of the background info, like who the heck was the Luthors and what not because she had no clue what Tess was talking about. Anyway, she was squeeing throughout the episode (loved the Chlavis-thought it was romantic) and jumping at different moments because she had no background knowledge whatsoever, with no clue of what was going to happen. She was practically on the edge of her seat. On the other hand, she watched Hex last week because she liked the previous episode, but was bored for most of it. She did think Oliver was cute and liked the end with Chloe. It was interesting to see an outside perspective (someone who hasn't even really watched Superman before). Very interesting. She gasped when Tess blew up Davis. It was kind of fun to watch. :)

----- Added 5 Minutes later -----

No. It was a character-driven episode, something this show lacks most of the time. It was a welcome change from pointless action, FOTW, etc.

I hope we get more episodes like this.

I hope so too. For me it's like we're getting different types of episodes this season like every other one. It feels kind of bipolar, like we're watching two different shows. One is a light-hearted Lois and Clark the early years show, the other half is like this sci-fi romantic drama steeped in mythic fairy tales that is more character driven. I personally prefer the latter.

[borednow]

sorry, i forgot to add repititious. Tess kept repeating the same story she told in the first clip. it was ridiculously slow without any other story going on but clark/doomsday/Chloe setup.

It was all those things but I don't think it has anything to do with gaining new viewers... because if I just saw this episode I wouldn't be saying: "Damn I need to watch that show!" :rotfl:

If they want to pick up new viewers maybe they should have had Clark not wear a shirt for half the episode... and JH not wearing his for the other half... and Tess, Chloe and Lois going undercover as strippers... toss in some witty banter and that would pick up more viewers.

[Autumn]

It was all those things but I don't think it has anything to do with gaining new viewers... because if I just saw this episode I wouldn't be saying: "Damn I need to watch that show!" :rotfl:

If they want to pick up new viewers maybe they should have had Clark not wear a shirt for half the episode... and JH not wearing his for the other half... and Tess, Chloe and Lois going undercover as strippers... toss in some witty banter and that would pick up more viewers.

Actually because this episode, I made a new convert! She wants to watch everything Chlavis. Thought it was epic.

[Smallville Vamp]

No I don't think so. IMO it was a simple story for a SV fan but a little too complex for a new viewer to follow(even with the flashbacks and backstory) so it would have made some sense perhaps but more than that I think it would just be extremely confusing.

I agree it was slow(your words BORING mine) because it did repeat so much of what we've already known from previous seasons or stuff we've just learned about this season.

I HOPE that a show going on 9 seasons would have more of an outlook to try and KEEP the fans they have over fishling for new viewers, but I think that's just wishful thinking on my part.

OT: Other than Clark holding his own so very well with Tess(LOVED THE BARN SCENE), I personally thought this episode was a real snoozefest.

[marcella]

I think it was slow

[borednow]

Really snooze worthy...

[rch]

The only way I can justify Doomsday even getting pricked by a knife is if the writers are trying to make a point to the new (or the very, very dense) that he can heal, so I went with Partially.

[IHeartClois]

I really wouldnt say so, it wasnt slow and simple.

[badraven]

My answer- No. The simple reason is that SV is/has become a very serialized show. 'Eternal' is a perfect example of what serialized shows do.

First- if you hadn't been watching SV for a long time there isn't a lot that you would have understood about what was going on. Example- finding Clark in the field, the metor shower, Lex as a kid, Lionel, the Naman/Segeeth legend, the entire Traveler/Veritas storyline and of course the Davis/Doomsday storyline. Not easy to understand unless you had been watching.

Second- serialized shows frequently need episodes like 'Eternal.' Not a lot went on (from an action stand point) but a lot of information was given/learned by- both to the audience and the characters. Example- we learned more about Davis, Clark and Chole learned what Davis is and what he was doing, Clark learns about Tess, etc. Also 'Eternal' sets up a lot of what is going to come later in the season.

Third- serialized shows are almost by definition: not new viewer friendly. Serialized shows ask a lot from the audience. You had to pay attention. You have to watch most, if not all, of the episdoes to understand what is going on. You have to be patient to wait and see how the story develops. All this makes it hard for a new viewer or even a causal viewer to start or restart watching a show.

On top of it all invariable, whatever the writers do, some people aren't going to like the direction of the story and they stop watching. And since new viewers aren't taking their place- rating go down. This is the great flaw with all serialized shows. But I think that TPTB running SV have made the right decision. At this late in the game, season eight, SV shouldn't have expected to gain large numbers of new viewers anyway. So you might as well craft stories that reward those who have watched all this time. Remember, more than likely (if season nine is the last) there are only 26 new episodes left of SV. And I will be there for every last one.

[amalie]

My answer- No. The simple reason is that SV is/has become a very serialized show. 'Eternal' is a perfect example of what serialized shows do.

First- if you hadn't been watching SV for a long time there isn't a lot that you would have understood about what was going on. Example- finding Clark in the field, the metor shower, Lex as a kid, Lionel, the Naman/Segeeth legend, the entire Traveler/Veritas storyline and of course the Davis/Doomsday storyline. Not easy to understand unless you had been watching.

Second- serialized shows frequently need episodes like 'Eternal.' Not a lot went on (from an action stand point) but a lot of information was given/learned by- both to the audience and the characters. Example- we learned more about Davis, Clark and Chole learned what Davis is and what he was doing, Clark learns about Tess, etc. Also 'Eternal' sets up a lot of what is going to come later in the season.

Third- serialized shows are almost by definition: not new viewer friendly. Serialized shows ask a lot from the audience. You had to pay attention. You have to watch most, if not all, of the episdoes to understand what is going on. You have to be patient to wait and see how the story develops. All this makes it hard for a new viewer or even a causal viewer to start or restart watching a show.


I agree with what you're trying to say here. Many television shows have a format where you can watch any episode, in any order, but increasingly these days showa follow a larger story arc.

Take Star Trek for example, I could sit down and watch an episode of TNG or Voyager and I'd get an 'Alien of the week' style story, much like early Smallville. However if I wanted to watch an episode of DS9 I'd have a few more problems because it has a continuing story that isn't particularly accessible to new viewers, similar to Smallville as it is now. You have the same thing when you consider 'The X-Files' which started with a freak of the week plot and ended up down an entirely different road.

So, do I think this was a slow episode for new viewers? Not in the slightest, if anything I'd say the opposite. Episodes like Hex, as much as I love it, are far more likely to appeal to new viewers because they don't have to catch up on the plot.

[justme_007]

Not slow at all. and by the way a great episode!!!!!!!

[SupermanRox]

I agree with what you're trying to say here. Many television shows have a format where you can watch any episode, in any order, but increasingly these days showa follow a larger story arc.

ITA. I loved it. I thought it was fantastic!

[TheANIMAL (marcus)]

It was a good episode because it had parts of the pilot in it.