Steve Deknight Wants You!

[Steve DeKnight]

I see my last credited episode of Season Five is going to air this Thursday, so what better time to let you fine Smallville fans know that yes, now you can complain to me directly when you see my name slapped across a crappy episode. Or, if the mood strikes and you're feeling generous, slather me affection when something tickles your discerning fancy.

Either way, you can now be heard by one of the inmates driving the crazy bus over at Team Smallville. And, time permitting, I'll answer your questions and try to shed some pretty green light on why we did this or didn't do that. I'll even tell the truth a full 86% of the time! Like how much I hated Ageless (more than you, trust me).

Where will all this wackiness ensue? Why, myspace of course. Behold my inept web page design:

https://www.myspace.com/stevendeknight

So drop on in. Be my friend. Then tell what me what you really think. Come on, I can take it! Mostly. On a good day. Which I have every now and then.

- Steve DeKnight.

[RedPhoenix23]

Sounds like fun!

LOL, I can't believe you hated Ageless too! It wasn't that bad!

[vyperman7]

Originally posted by RedPhoenix23
Sounds like fun!

LOL, I can't believe you hated Ageless too! It wasn't that bad!

Are you kidding me? Ageless was the worst episode of the show without a doubt. Not only was the plot horrible, but the placement of the episode provided no build up for the end of the season. If anything it should have been shown near the beginning to get it out of the way.

If this is really legit, then at least Steve knows when they screwed up.

I also wanted to say that if this really is Steve, thanks for the awesome work on Run. A top three all time favorite Smallville episode for me. Great work from beginning to end. Thank you for the quote from Bart "I think I'll start like a club or league or something". Great writing there.

Truly the only guest hero episode they have gotten completely right so far. Aqua was horrible and Cyborg did not have enough action.

[RedPhoenix23]

MB poisoning GT?! How is that not freaking fantastic! Meh, the rest was pretty boring though.

[vyperman7]

To me the thing that was most unforgiveable was Lana not calling Clark on showing up out of nowhere at the top of the tower. Then she just accepts Clark surviving the explosion. At least she used to be suspicious. That was just ridiculous.

[RedPhoenix23]

Oh god, I hated Aquaman, bro! If that the aquaman in the series says "bro" one time in the premere episode, I am boycotting it!!!!

Originally posted by vyperman7
To me the thing that was most unforgiveable was Lana not calling Clark on showing up out of nowhere at the top of the tower. Then she just accepts Clark surviving the explosion. At least she used to be suspicious. That was just ridiculous.

She's just been hit in the head too many times, LOL.

[vyperman7]

The thing about Aqua that sucked the most was the hulking up in the water. That was just so cheesy. That guy had to be one of the worst actors ever, and based on that episode, they are putting out an Aquaman series? Why couldn't they have given us a Flash show? Now that would be awesome.

Steve's episodes :

Run - Fantastic 10/10
Spell - Pretty terrible 4/10
Unsafe - Terrible 4/10
Onyx - Great episode 9/10
Ageless (4 May 2005) - Worst episode ever 1/10
Mortal - Fantastic 9/10
Thirst - Entertaining and underrated. The Buffy mention was appreciated. 8/10
Splinter - Great, great episode. 9.5/10
Lockdown - Good, solid episode with some nice continuity. 8.5/10
Tomb - Pretty terrible. 5/10

Steve,

I loved your stuff from the Buffyverse. You did a fantastic job writing on both Buffy and Angel. Loved your work.

Since coming to Smallville, you have had a decent track record. Run, Onyx, Mortal, Splinter, and Lockdown were all great episodes.

Now personally, I am psyched for Mercy. A Lionel centric episode sounds fantastic. However, you have to admit that it really does resemble the film Saw, just like the episode Void resembled Flatliners a bit too much. I know you didn't write Void, but I just wanted to say that as a whole previously used film plots seem to be popping up.

Still if this really is Steve, you were one of my favorite Buffyverse writers and thanks for most of the episodes you have done on Smallville.

[Steve DeKnight]

vyperman7: Thanks for the score card. I agree with most of your comments on my episodes. Tomb actually hurt when I saw it. Sometimes that crap just works so much better on the page. Ah, the heartbreak of television.

And yes, it is indeed me. I used to post on the Bronze back in my Buffy days. Thought I should reach out to the good people that made Smallville a hit again in its 5th season. So considered yourselves reached!

Spread the word about my page on myspace. I'll be checking in there regularly to gauge everyone's reaction to the show, and possibly let slip a few things I might not feel comfortable saying on an official site.

Thanks,
Steven S. DeKnight

[vyperman7]

Mr. DeKnight,

Tomb was good in theory, and I did like the ending with Chloe and her mother. I enjoyed it because of the continuity from what we learned in S4. I just don't think it played out like it should have on screen.

But I have to say again, thanks for the fantastic job on Run. You really did a fantastic job with that episode and it became one of my all time favorites.

As for my comments on Spell, it did have its moments. But the main reason why I did not like it was because it put Lana in the mythology.

I watched the S4 DVD featurette on the writer's room and a lot of the writers say their favorite character to write is Lana. Now on a show about a teenage Clark Kent and his journey towards becoming Superman, do you feel that Lana Lang is given too much focus? I watch the show for Clark and his story, because I have always been a big Superman fan. Clark's development, and his relationship with Lex were always the selling points for me.

I used to be an aspiring screen writer until I got into video editing. I am currently enrolled at Video Symphony in Burbank in the Avid program.

Did you watch Smallville or keep up before you joined last season?

Also, a question a lot of fans have is will we ever get another superpower introduced? I particularly look forward to superbreath and feel it would be an interesting episode to see, especially in the development of the power.

Obviously there is flight but that will most likely be in the series finale.

[Steve DeKnight]

Yeah, sometimes theory just disintegrates into chaos, doesn't it? Poor Tomb. Win some lose some.

I watched Smallville sporadically, then when I was hired on the show I spent about three weeks watching all 66 episodes of seasons 1-3. My brain still isn't right.

[vyperman7]

I was curious about your feelings on Lana Lang as a character however. As I mentioned above, on the writer's room featurette, a lot of writers said their favorite character to write was Lana Lang. Now to me, in a show that is supposed to focus on Clark Kent and his journey towards Superman, there is too much focus given to Lana and trying to develop her character as a whole.

A lot of fans watch the show for Clark's story, as well as his relationship with Lex and how Lex grows into his future self. I thought you did a great job with Onyx in that aspect.

[RedPhoenix23]

I gotta say I didn't like Tomb either, except for the Lex/Lana parts, but I am biased so don't mind me.

I actually like Spell, its one of my favorites. I thought it was going to be terrible, but was pleasantly surprised. KK rocked as Isobelle.

[Steve DeKnight]

Crap, I didn't see the rest of those questions. Um, yeah. Spell. Not my favorite. I know Superman is suceptible to magic in the mythos, but using magic on Smallville always seemed a little out of character for the show as a whole. But that's just my own personal feelings.

As for the Lana, the show was built around Clark's love for Lana, leading into an eventual triangle with Lex. I love a good triangle, and this one is going to get veryyyyyy pointy on all three ends.

[vyperman7]

The pairing of Lex and Lana could work for me if it was done under the right circumstances.

What I don't want to happen, is for Lana to be the reason why Clark and Lex split ties. In my opinion, their rivalry should be based on bad blood over a woman. It somewhat cheapens it in my opinion.

Now if Lex were somehow trying to use Lana to get at Clark, that I could get into because it re-inforces Lex future evil self and shows why he becomes who he does down the road.

I just really don't want a love triangle to be the reason for Clark and Lex's rivalry.

Clark's feelings for Lana were always a factor. I don't dispute that. I just feel that Clark and Lex's split should be based on the fact that they are growing apart from the hero and villain angle. Not based on - "Hey you stole my girlfriend".

[MsSullivan]

Steve

You are one of my favorite Smallville writers. Favorites: Onyx, Mortal, Thirst and Tomb.

I must disagree with Ryan (vyperman) on Tomb. The episode was great because it provided character development for both Chloe and Clark.

Chloe was allowed to finally face her fear, now she could move on and become the ace reporter she will be.

It was good Clark episode because he believed in Chloe when nobody else did.

I was disappointed that we didn't get to see Chloe's mother, but I'm hoping it is because we will see her in future episodes? (hopefully played by Helen Slater)

The whole Mikey/Gretchen part of it was a bit odd, but other than that it was one of my favorite episodes ever.