Smallville
Pilot
TV Flash files “Pilot” as a desk essential hour — Smallville (2001–2011) on WB/CW, season 1, episode 1, aired 2001-10-16, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E01: listed hour 1 of 217 in the Smallville guide, first listed hour of season 1. It aired 2001-10-16 (60 min). No earlier hour is listed in this guide. Next is “Metamorphosis” (S01E02).
Essential hour: “Pilot”. Pilot installs young Clark among meteor freaks: Gough and Millar's WB origin soap, the no-tights-no-flights rule fans still quote as scripture.
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
In rural Kansas, teenage Clark Kent saves the life of Lex Luthor after a car accident.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Pilot sit in the Smallville guide?
S01E01 is listed hour 1 of 217 — first listed hour of season 1, season 1 episode 1.
When did Smallville S01E01 air?
Pilot aired 2001-10-16 and is listed at 60 minutes.
Does Clark fly and wear the suit in Smallville?
Early seasons ran on a "no tights, no flights" rule while Clark grew into the hero. Ten seasons later, the iconography arrives; the origin is the point.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Young Clark Kent navigates powers, meteor freaks, and friendship with Lex Luthor in rural Kansas. Alfred Gough and Miles Millar's decade-long origin soap ran on a "no tights, no flights" early rule fans still quote. Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum as the tragic friendship — Superman adolescence as longform TV.
No flights, no tights — until the cape finally arrives, and the group chat has been shipping Clark/Lex for a decade in the meantime. (I said spoiler-free mostly. The rule is the lore.) Young Clark Kent navigates powers, meteor freaks, and friendship with Lex Luthor in rural Kansas. Alfred Gough and Miles Millar's WB series premiered October 16, 2001, ran ten seasons through 2011, and moved to The CW during the run. Tom Welling as Clark; Michael Rosenbaum as Lex in the early seasons; Kristin Kreuk's Lana, Allison…
Filed against
- Tom Welling as Clark Kent
Tom Welling spent a decade as Clark Kent on Smallville — powers, meteor freaks, and a Kansas friendship with Lex Luthor under a “no tights, no flights” rule fans still quote. Alfred Gough and Miles Millar’s origin soap made the tragic…
- Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor
Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex Luthor made Smallville’s Kansas friendship a tragic origin soap — young Clark, meteor freaks, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar’s decade-long “no tights, no flights” rule fans still quote. Tom Welling across the farm.…
- Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang
Kristin Kreuk's Lana Lang kept Smallville's Kansas origin soap human — young Clark, meteor freaks, friendship with Lex, a decade-long 'no tights, no flights' rule fans still quote. Tragic friendship as the real myth. TV Flash files her as…
- Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan
Allison Mack played Chloe Sullivan on Smallville — the reporter pal who kept young Clark Kent’s Kansas origin soap from becoming a pure tights wait. No flights, no cape, a decade of meteor-freak friendship and Lex as the tragic other. TV…
- Erica Durance as Lois Lane
Erica Durance walked Smallville as Lois Lane — no tights, no flights, a decade-long origin soap, and the reporter who made Clark Kent's Kansas look like a newsroom waiting to happen. Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum owned the tragic…
- John Glover as Lionel Luthor
John Glover’s Lionel Luthor made Smallville a father problem in a suit — young Clark Kent, meteor freaks, friendship with Lex, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar’s decade-long origin soap. No tights, no flights, a tragic friendship as the…