7 Smallville Episodes You Can Skip When Watching the Superman Series

Since its release in 2001, Smallville remains one of the most beloved superhero origin shows, charting Clark Kent’s journey from high school teen to becoming Superman and often being noted as the first CW show to help birth the Arrowverse. However, with over 200 episodes spanning 10 seasons, the series may seem daunting to newcomers, but the good news is not every installment is a must-watch. While the core storylines and character arcs are positive and intense, some episodes fall flat, offer little narrative value, or just feel like filler. For those looking to get into the series but wanting to trim the fat, these Smallville episodes you can easily skip without missing much of the main plot.

“Drone” (Season 1, Episode 18)

In this episode, the students of Smallville High run for class president, and a villain-of-the-week uses genetically engineered bees to manipulate the election. While the episode does explore Clark’s reluctance to step into leadership roles, the execution feels like it could have been improved, and the bee-themed antagonist lacks depth, menace and importance. The plot in turn is very inconsequential to Clark’s overall development, and the episode is often remembered for its absurd premise rather than its contribution to the narrative at hand. 

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“Drone” has a few charming moments, like when Clark grapples with his responsibility to lead rather than stay in the shadows, however these themes are better explored later when he takes over the Justice League and leads Cyborg, Impulse, Green Arrow and Aquaman to a victory against Lex Luthor. For fans focused on Clark’s key developmental milestones, skipping this episode won’t cause any real issues.

“Ageless” (Season 4, Episode 20)

“Agless” revolves around Clark and Lana finding an abandoned baby who rapidly ages into an adult. While Clark’s struggle with the idea of parenthood is noble and a fun idea, the storyline suffers from unneeded drama and questionable writing choices. The episode tries to tug on heartstrings but ends up feeling forced and overly sentimental. The rapidly aging trope is a familiar sci-fi plot device, but Smallville‘s take doesn’t add anything particularly fresh to the concept. Furthermore, the lack of connection to the broader Season 4 arc – the search for the Kryptonian stones – makes it feel more like a filler episode than a necessary event in Clark’s story.

“Thirst” (Season 5, Episode 5)

In “Thirst,” Chloe joins the college newspaper, and Lana is bitten by a vampire sorority. Yikes. While they try to lean into campy horror territory entertainment, it comes across as silly and ultimately inconsistent with the show’s main tone. The episode’s attempt to blend classic vampire mythology with Smallville‘s universe feels ultimately unneeded, and contributes very little to the ongoing story. Skipping this won’t disrupt your understanding of the season’s overarching plot – an important one that involves Lex Luthor’s descent into villainy.

“Subterranean” (Season 6, Episode 9)

Clark helps an immigrant boy whose family is being exploited by a ruthless farm owner in this episode. While it attempts to tackle serious social issues such as racism and culture, the final product ultimately feels out of place within Smallville‘s greater narrative. The villain is forgettable, and the social commentary, while well-intentioned, comes across as too simplistic. Though it is true not all heroes wear capes, Clark’s non-powered heroism doesn’t really reveal anything audiences didn’t already know when it came to his personality. With Season 6 heavily focused on the conflict between Clark and Lex, this episode is more of a distraction than a meaningful addition to the series.

“Hero” (Season 7, Episode 13)

Pete Ross returns to Smallville for the first time in four years. In this episode after chewing Kryptonite-infused gum, Ross is given the ability to stretch (like DC favorite, Plastic Man). Though Pete’s reappearance is a nice nod to earlier seasons, the execution feels cartoonish, and his storyline lacks any sort of emotional weight that it could have carried, especially given his involvement in the earlier seasons. Plus, the gum-related superpower gimmick feels out of place, and the conflict in the episode lacks tension. If you’re watching Season 7 for its major arc involving Lex’s dark transformation, this episode can be safely skipped.

“Power” (Season 8, Episode 13)

The focus of this episode is primarily on Lana Lang’s transformation into a super-powered hero, but it ends up being one of the more frustrating episodes throughout the series. The story feels rushed, and Lana’s character arc takes an incredibly unsatisfying turn. Instead of giving her a meaningful send-off, the episode keeps itself down with unnecessary drama. While it does have a few redeeming moments, such as her final confrontation with Lex, the episode ultimately feels more like a missed opportunity to make her the next Supergirl – after Kara Danvers of course.

“Harvest” (Season 10, Episode 6)

In this final season episode, “Harvest” ends up feeling like filler in the show’s final season. Clark and Lois find themselves in a remote village where the locals are devoted to an ancient ritual involving Blue Kryptonite. By Season 10, most fans are invested in the show’s endgame and Clark’s final transformation from Superboy to Superman. Unfortunately, this episode feels like a detour, rather than a meaningful contribution to the series’ climactic final arc.