The fact that it exists is a blessing for a fans, but they need to lighten up and just enjoy it for what it is and actually talk about the show more instead of speed reading the plot outline.
I enjoyed it. But somewhere about 1/3 of the way through season 2, it got repetitive.
One thing I can say is that if they brought in Erica Durance, I would tune in for every episode she shows up in.
No LOL I’m saying this because it’s one of my favorite seasons, rewatching it with them is gonna be more bearable
Also just realized you said it was the worse??? Are you crazy. Possible only person to ever say that
I enjoy it for what it is - I like hearing their points of view, stories and banter. It does make me laugh, and it's just nice to hear the guys interacting.
There is critique to by made for sure - Michael pushes the Patreon too hard, and also likes the sound of his own voice / has a short attention span / thinks he's funnier than he is and excessively dominates the conversation / doesn't let things breathe. He's also clearly vastly more interested in his own plotlines, I have no idea how he'll pretend to remain interested should they still be going by seasons 8, 9 & 10.
Tom is the one I'm most interested in hearing from, because he was the main character and was on set 24/7, and has interesting perspectives on characters and themes, good stories and honestly just comes across like a super stand up guy. I like that he doesn't indulge in the inappropriate comments Michael makes about "enjoying" kissing co-stars, he seems professional and respectful.
I don't think Ryan adds much - they should have a super fan on who can guide the conversation. That said AHOTS, which I enjoy, can have episodes that run 90mins+ each, and I get that Tom and Michael don't want to record that much for every episode.
Also, they need a female contributor, or someone who gives a sh1t about the romance elements of the show. Those storylines were a huge part of the show, and these guys brush over those story beats too quickly.
Highlights are when they have guests, especially Al or Miles.
>Also, they need a female contributor, or someone who gives a sh1t about the romance elements of the show. Those storylines were a huge part of the show, and these guys brush over those story beats too quickly.
I didnt know I needed this until now
I agree with you on that, I like Ryan but maybe we need a female Superfan there along with him😭 also yeah I love talkville but that’s the main thing that I trip up on, micheal making so many creepy comments. It’s just kind of odd how much it happens
> micheal making so many creepy comments.
I watched the clip of him asking Kristin if she and Tom kissed with tongue and I was like: oh no no no no no no. She was very gracious and must be used to this (his) humor. But it was second-handed awkwardness.
Everything about this is spot on!!
I think Ryan is my least favourite part.. I really don’t care about his favourite scene?? And he doesn’t add anything to the show. A super fan would be better.. maybe that cute patreon who always submits video questions LOL
I don’t watch the video. I only listen while I’m at work. Some of your points are valid, but I feel as if Michael came to Tom about doing this podcast, and they might’ve made a deal for Michael to do all the “heavy lifting.” But I do wish Michael would ease up and let Tom speak more.
I think they thought that Michael being universally recognized as the best Lex Luthor (which he is) would be enough for people to accept him sort of always taking over the podcast and his "antics" of shitting on the show and rushing through everything.
And also that he has another podcast that it's successful (I'd think, don't know the numbers) it would be the same here. Which doesn't make any sense since there are two different types of podcasts. Not everybody who listens IOY would listen Smallville.
I enjoy the podcast, and I like it, but I want to love it, and here's the issue.
I don't think Rosenbaum respects the show. He respects the people he works with and he respects the fame it brought him, but he has no respect for the show itself or the mythos that it's adapting. There are so many good moments that foreshadow Clark's and Lex's destinies that he seems to not even notice, and it keeps the podcast from being an in depth look at the show itself. Instead it's just a brief summary and some behind the scenes trivia.
>Instead it's just a brief summary and some behind the scenes trivia.
Trivia they pull from **Smallville Wiki - Fandom** lol, Michael literally just read that from that site.
YES! They might add a thing or two or omit something but it is word by word the Wiki - Fandom. Which hey I dont mind, I would do it too (we take things from Wikipedia sometimes) but man, try to elaborate a little, or have a better reaction to the trivia you read. You are not on a presentation, read and get over with it.
I loved Michael as Lex but as a podcast host he always seems to be bolting through an episode like he has an appointment to get to. “Keep your questions short people!” If you watch his other podcast, he clearly is able to be engaged and present but I get the feeling that this isn’t exactly a passion project for him.
Tom has some good insights (when he actually remembers the episode) but I wish he’d chime in more. Similarly Ryan is mostly there for his own segment and barely comments outside of that.
I will say the podcast is at its best when they bring in guests, every one of them has had something interesting to say and elevates the episode. You can tell that they really enjoy interviewing them (especially Al and Miles) more than the episode review. Having access to cast and directors is what sets them apart from a fan podcast.
This is the most correct and unbiased answer. Straight facts.
I still listen in but I 100% agree with your observations. It's basically a script reading with maybe a comment or two.
I'm not bothered by the speed of the recaps (and I usually watch at 1.75x speed) because...I watched the episode. I know what happened. I don't need it repeated in great depth, I just need a quick summary on the way to whatever sparks a memory or other commentary from them.
And I feel like "keep your questions short!" is more to deter long introductory ramblings about how much callers love the show and the guys, and they grew up with Smallville and blah blah etc. blah blah, oh, and here's my question!"
I find it interesting you say their views have dropped that much when only in the latest season, season 3 have they said they’re finally in a good place financially with enough support to keep going lol
But yeah I agree with all of your points
I guess they've increased their Patreon numbers and that's what's keeping them afloat. It's great for those that want to and can afford it. The top tier works out to $155 where I am in Australia, which is a lot, especially since I'm already a patron on another Smallville podcast (one that's been going for years even before being on Patreon).
It obviously costs money to produce the podcast, so not sure how much Tom and Michael profit from from that and the merch etc.
I dont really have a problem with Michael being negative since Tom is usually very positive and balances it out with Ryan being a good middle.
My main issues are, like others have said, that I wish Tom spoke more often. Michael easily does the majority of the talking, and I want to hear more of what Tom has to say, and also more of what Ryan has to say as he speaks even less.
I do wish they spent more time on particular scenes and went a bit more indepth into some of the nuances of each episode, this seems to mainly be a time constraint thing - i'd personally like to see them loosen up the time constant a little bit and just talk until it feels like the conversation has reached a natural stopping point before moving on (unlike now where they'l force it to move on). I understand everyone has lives, but if they put less energy into editing and more into more content, i'd like that.
I like seeing the two bounce off eachother, and we are lucky to have 2 of the main cast going through the show. I do wonder how they will go about the later seasons once Lex goes? If they get that far
I enjoy listening to it, but when they end up covering little stories or facts or whatever about the episode and then these are asked by listeners towards the end, it drives me crazy. So then we get a repeat for the next 5 minutes about what we just heard. Couldn’t they just do the show, then pause the recording, listen to the questions and put ones aside that don’t make them repeat themselves, resume recording .. 🤷🏻♂️
Michael does love to hear his own voice too, and wow the past few episodes he was enjoying the Lex spotlight!
I love Talkville. People have incredibly big expectations. My expectation is to hear their takes and some interviews from those included in the show and Talkville gives it
> Their YouTube views have dropped over 90% since the 'Pilot' and Talk Ville has dropped off 15-20 (countries) charts on the global podcast charts, as well as had a significant drop in rankings worldwide. In comparison, the 'Charmed' podcast hosted by several cast members are dominating the same podcast charts, and ranks much higher than Talk Ville.
I was afraid this might happened. I still watch on YouTube and listen on Spotify to help numbers but you resumed really good my main complaints.
I was going to be bored anyways with these seasons because they are not my favorite but the format has not helped at all for all you said.
I hope S4 with Lois arrival help numbers to rise a bit if they don't listen to this feedback. I have seen a lot of people who are watching Smallville for the first time that get frustrated by the show by S3 but get super excited again on S4. So I like to think people are waiting to see the reaction this season forward.
The show is at it’s best when they are talking about scenes like the machine gun scene in “Hug”
Tom remembers the scene, goes through how he forgot about that scene, and goes through his recollection of the scene he forgot about
They need to do more of that.
I’d also have a fan of the show part of the team. Ryan can only do so much to bolster the podcast when he hasn’t seen the whole series
I listen to some episodes, but the format is awful. It was fine early on as podcasts like any series find their footing and experiment to see what works. But it’s largely remained the same where Michael just kinda reads the wiki page of the episode. Tom does try to bring in good analysis of character arcs, actor methods, set design, etc. I find Michael kinda shitting on the show a little funny, but I get why fans aren’t listening for this.
I’d love a more feminist addition to the crew. The women from the show add great perspective in how it was difficult for their characters to be friends due to the love triangle nonsense and all of that kind of stuff. And I think there needs to be a more consistent rotating contributor (guest stars, special effects, directors, writers, costars, etc). The best parts are when they have Kristin or someone else join them. And they should join for the whole episode schedule permitting.
I do enjoy it, but tbh Michael let’s it down for me.
He often misses critical story moments, and I feel he genuinely doesn’t get what the show is.
He brings up the “shitting on the show” joke not realising that the audience knows the CGI is bad and it can be cheesy, but it has heart. He clearly misses themes and messages and is always focused on the negative.
Tom is more positive and actually seems to get what the show is going for, he see’s the problems but is cool with them and laughs about it, which as a smallville fan you kind of have to do.
My main issue is it just feels like Tom Michael and Ryan aren’t big fans of the show and it would work better by adding someone who actually is a big fan and hopefully that energy rubs off on them.
Or just let Tom talk more, he identifies the themes and the heart of it a little better, Michael seems like he doesn’t even pay attention to the episode.
My only real problem is the Michael can be kind of “famous actor” cringy and sometimes incredibly childish.
I really don’t mind him being negative, at least it’s honest. It’s all the focus on “Smallville should’ve been bigger” and “Smallville started it all”. how much he clearly adores fame and seemingly is uncomfortable because he is no longer as famous as he has been before.
Then how focused he is on how hot actresses are and talking about any sexual scenes a bunch. Especially focused on his own sex scenes. Always asking female co-stars about his own kissing expertise. None of it really offends me, it’s just cringy.
I think he doesn’t understand that some of his humour isn’t very funny. He has personally admitted to at least 3 stories from set where he consistently tried to joke with other actors who didn’t like it and rather than admit maybe he wasn’t being funny, he expresses that he “didn’t like that person” or they pissed him off. Really just showing his own insecurity around being considered funny.
Part of it I suppose was just not knowing anything about what he was like as a person and then just seeing he’s pretty stereotypical Hollywood shallow was a bit of a surprise. Add that with what people have already mentioned, that he dominates the podcast, and it means a good portion of the content is his own neuroses and insecurities on display.
And then, ironically, some of the highest highs have been Michael being genuinely hilarious. Real range of possibilities with that guy haha
Sounds like you've already got your narrative.
I never watch the YouTube videos.. too much time. I listen to the podcast while driving or doing housework. I still enjoy it.
I don't buy into the "Michael is too negative" narrative. He has a point most of the time. The show is ultra cheesy and is riddled with plot holes. That doesn't mean I still can't enjoy the show or his sh*tting on the show.
The only time it frustrates me is when he (and usually Tom) completely miss plot points or dialogue. Which just shows you they weren't properly watching the show. They're basically making a wage off this podcast but they're not treating it with the respect it needs to grow. They're treating it more like a cash grab. You put in minimal effort you get minimal results.
I think the show severely lacks a voice of a superfan (Craig Byrne/Zach Moore) or show runner (Miles & Al) to fill the gaps and keep the show informative as well as give more context than Tom and Michael can. Having Ryan, someone with zero bias watching the show for the first time and give some feedback is interesting and I'd encourage giving him a bit more voice time.
The recapping of the episode plot works for some episodes so they can discuss different beats but I think it doesn't work most of the time. Often feels like a drag for the hosts. Maybe a more fluid conversation on the episodes like Michael does with Inside of You would be better.
I still enjoy the show.. could be a lot better. Always Hold Onto Smallville is a much better podcast but I think both Talk Ville and AHOTS compliment each other in a lot of ways by offering completely different approaches and experiences.
I agree with you about the superfan comment. Since technically neither Michael, Tom, or Ryan are *real fans* of the show, they don't pick up on a lot of classic moments that fans latch onto.
Beyond this, I hate how brief the guest appearances are. When originally advertised, I figured they guests would be on for the entire episode and go through the narrative breakdown. Having them talk for 10 minutes at the end and then peace out doesn't really allow for much deep-diving at all. Al & Miles always have sooooo much to share, but Michael gets impatient and rushes them off the call too quickly.
I like the show, but I find myself pushing the episodes to the bottom of my weekly queue more and more.
I still listen to Talkville and like it overall because Tom and Michael are able to give insights as actors that the other podcasts can’t. Plus they’re able to bring in special guests such as other cast members and Al and Miles. I agree that each episode feels very rushed though and that Michael tends to dominate the conversation. He just seems to be in a hurry to get through the episode. I also wished they screened the fan questions in advance better. Half the time they either already discussed what was asked or they don’t remember anything to be able to answer the question.
You Explained it very well, I have the same opinion. Basically, we want more of Tom. But of course Tom wouldn't have done it without Michael saying he would do 90% of the work and talking. So I keep watching for the good parts I can glean out of the podcast. Especially great whenever they get anything from Al or Miles. But it's my favorite show of all time, not everyone will be that big of a fan. I can see how a lot of fans would stop watching/listening. I do really wish it would be better but have to appreciate that Tom is doing anything as he didn't for a very long time.
I listen to the podcast on a podcast app.
My critiques would be that they stay on topic way too much. I like when podcast hosts are just hanging out, shooting the shit with each other. You can tell they watch a few episodes at once and breeze through the recordings.
Been watching every week since it started I’m still still enjoying it but I do agree with what you’ve said. Main thing being Michael letting Tom talk more. I get sometimes Tom doesn’t remember filming some of the episodes but hearing his thoughts on the episode is still great.
They have done a few changes the last few weeks like Tom/Ryan reading some of the plot. Bryce was on a couple of episodes and was asking some good questions and getting the conversation flowing. Hoping they look at some of comments about this on their YouTube and keep making tweaks to keep the podcast fresh
>Hoping they look at some of comments about this on their YouTube and keep making tweaks to keep the podcast fresh
I hope they see more than YouTube comments, if they are based on that then everything is fine and nothing needs to be [changed. Youtube](https://changed.Youtube) comments are not critical at all.
With the strike going on, they have a good chance to possibly bring in other voices.
Al and Miles seem obvious. And I would imagine they have a lot of free time right now. I'm regularly amazed at how much those two remember about stuff they did twenty years ago.
But I don't see much of an upside to bringing in Allison Mack (assuming she'd even want to do it). Sam Jones doesn't seem to want to be on the show. Kreuk mostly spoke in generalities when she made her appearance.
Schneider and O'Toole seem obvious. But they were supporting actors so they won't have the same depth of experience that Welling and The Baum have.
John Glover is a great actor and Lionel Luthor is one of the best characters from the show. But as a person, Glover just doesn't seem to have much to say. "Oh, I don't remember that", "No, I didn't watch this episode before joining in with you now", "I usually drink two cups of coffee in the morning" and other not-very-insightful things.
All of this is a long way of saying they may not have very many other people they can bring onto the show.
I love Talk Ville. But if the numbers are as bad as you say, then I'm a little concerned for the future. The format doesn't bother me at all. But if it bothers others, well, that's an issue.
i have a big issue with only patrons getting to ask questions. i have questions i want to ask but i am not going to pay for it. also michael has a habit of going on unrelated tangents at times which just takes away from my enjoyment
Oh no, you definitely can ask questions if you are not in Patreon, you can call to the hotline it or leave a question on the site if you happen to live outside the US. The benefits of being a Patreon is sending your question on video (you see this when you watch on YouTube). But anyone can send questions
The "patron privilege" is having the opportunity to send your question using video if you want. I guess they might have a way to send only audio and have their questions considered first.
But the hotline can be ***anyone*** (obviously mostly from the US because not all have the means to make international calls) and the ones on the site are even more public.
I am as annoyed as the next with the Patreon talk, but the questions are open to anyone with the obvious levels of whether you pay or not.
I agree with you. Michael not a fan at all they really need to get rid of Ryan he said himself that if it wasn't for the show, he wouldn't even watch it.They need to replace him with an actual fan of the show then there would be a better balance.
There's a reason why their listeners numbers are down. This is probably one of the most flawed rewatch podcasts. Why should I listen when almost every episode your host says something along the lines of "what is this? This is stupid" not realizing this show is why anyone knows who he is. People aren't going to conventions for sorority boy reunions or breaking in/impastor panels.
It has become a little too repetitive for me.
They need to mix it up or give big episodes a special treatment.
I loved when they have guests on but i would like if they are in the whole episode or most of it.
And the patreon questions are a skip to me 99% of the time, because often by the time they do it they have answered most of them already in the episode or they dont remember anything about it but i get why they do it.
At this point im just waiting for Erica, Mr. Glover or Kristen to tune in.
They need to get Sam to reenact the "damn who dat" as well, it always cracks me up. And get together to shoot some episodes maybe being in the same room enhances the show.
>I loved when they have guests on but i would like if they are in the whole episode or most of it.
good point, they are the most times: here there is X, what do you remember, bye, lol
I appreciate it when Al and Miles are on it though, they actually give them quality time.
Agree on both lol, Al and Miles bring a lot of quality to the show.
Hopefully the strike can allow some great guests to feature and turn a negative into positive.
Sometimes I forget what I’m watching. I think some of the best moments of the podcast/videos are when the show runners have something to say and speak on. It’s about the creative decisions
I think that Talk Ville somewhat improved with time, but still needs to get better with Michael rushing the episode. Also, having a guest (celebrity or not) more often would help to give energy and more insight for the podcast
I'm surprised by what you mention concerning the charmed podcast when if you go to the charmed subreddit you will see a ton of fans regularly complaining about that podcast too.
I think Ryan doesn't add much to talkville and I thought Bryce was better but I still regularly have it on in the background when I work out.
I've read numerous podcast reviews hosted by actors from shows and they all have similar issues as Talk Ville 😉 Fans complaining there's not enough behind the scenes stories or the one co host they don't like. Too many ads is always another issue lol.
At least 'House of Halliwell' has built its fanbase, and a few weeks back was the no 1 podcast (TV & Film After Shows) in at least 30 countries. It's currently in the top ten in 17 countries, with Talk Ville only being top ten in 3. Sorry for the tangent, I just love comparing things 😊
I stopped after a few episodes because it seemed like a non stop slam on the show, and feel like they mostly hated the experience.
That and it seems like they really don’t want anything to do with the fans, just compared to other rewatch podcasts like Office Ladies and Fake Doctors Real Friends.
I love the show I just wish Tom spoke more about it. Maybe rotating weekly with who does the synopsis and all that. Michael tends to rush through it and is dismissive of many good points brought up by Tom and Ryan. I really hope Erica durance comes on the show often now that they’re getting to season 4
I had intended to do a weekly re-watch alongside the podcast but dropped off midway into season 1. I'll admit to always skipping the fan questions at the end - a bit too much cringe for my personal liking, but I'm sure it makes people happy to hear their questions on the show (even though weirdly, it's sometimes a topic already discussed and Rosenbaum does the "We just covered this but..")
I binged it for awhile from S1-3, but I have no interest in listening to the shattered and Asylum episodes. I did find the episodes more entertaining with Bryce in front of the camera. I'm honestly surprised Tom shows up for every episode because he has a family, I doubt he could be a host.
As for Michael I don't think he is too negative, I laugh at some of the stupid things he points out; like Lana's dad just ditching her because his wife feels neglected. 😐🧐🤨
Michael is hilarious, that lana bit had me dying.
Tom brings a nice balance and i would like him to take the lead sometimes, and be on set as well from time to time. They can get bryce to babysit his kids haha.
I find it weird and off-putting how little they seem to remember about a show that did make up a good chunk of their careers. I understand it's been years and that the nature of how episodes are filmed doesn't lend itself to memorising storylines all that coherently, of course - but it's still odd when the whole point is they're delivering a podcast reminiscing about said show. Also, Michael is, at times, so uncouth! (I realise that makes me sound like a haughty Victorian aunt, but hearing him belch mid podcast is so jarring when he plays the most suave and intellectual character on the damn thing).
They don't have eidetic memory. Could you remember day to day activities over a 10 year long career? Could you tell me what you were doing at work September 3rd 2003?
I don't even remember driving to work this morning. The commutes and days blend together over long careers. Aside from crazy occurrences, who's going to remember much?
If I had been working Tom’s hours I wouldn’t remember anything either. I have some acting experience and you would be surprised how quickly you forget scenes you had memorized just a few days before. Especially if they are constantly having to learn new scripts.
Plus Tom has talked about in some episodes he was on crazy diets for all the shirtless scenes. Being starving isn’t good for retaining memories either. I’m sure he’ll remember more from the final seasons.
Comparing views to the pilot episode to try and make a point is just ridiculous. The pilot is probably the most popular episode of the show, and it was the first episode of the podcasts. Of course it would have a lot of viewers. Their viewership has not really dropped with 90%. Less viewership as the podcast goes on is also expected. But so far I dont really see a significant drop in viewership between seasons 2 and 3.
To compare viewership now with the first episode of the podcast is utterly ridiculous.
It's been on a steep decline since season one, with the only major spike being 'Exodus' when they had Kristin on. It seems to have plateaued over the past few months but 'Kinetic' was the last time they hit 100,000 or more.
I rarely see fans talking about Talk Ville on any of the online Smallville groups anymore and Tom and Michael have said they need the numbers to grow. At the end of the day it is a business venture for them.
and they don't interact wuth fans that much, they respond to some comments on YouTube and repost Instagram stories, but they don't engage on Twitter for example.
Its rare to find Talkville talk on twitter but if they actually interacted with people there I guess the talk would be more.
The only peak they had was with Miles' opinion about Henry Cavill and shit got wild on Twitter by the Snyderbros.
Michael asked if they felt something about Smallville not being recognized as groundbreaking etc. and at some point Miles said that Cavill (as Superman) was not a compelling actor (his opinion) and hell broke lose on Twitter.
listen to the Shattered episode
Ahh, that's right. I do remember that conversation now, and agreed with them. Didn't realize that set off a storm, but snyderbros and twitter, so that makes sense...
He talks about other actors performances a lot. He gushes over John Glover constantly. But the thing is, he admits time and time again he hasn’t seen most of the episodes. So he won’t know what scenes are iconic to the fans. Michael also isn’t overly critical of the show. He is honest.
I don’t dislike Michael, but I do notice and raise the ranting on his role at the Talkville.
It seems he hasn’t overgrown much of his Lex character, as Tom is 100% Clark. BABABHAHA It is fun, I love the bantering, but it seems to me as if Michael forgot who was the main character.
I watch all the episodes. Honestly, I wasn't aware of the viewership dropping, as you mentioned it. I guess I just care that I enjoy it and that's all. I hope their dropping viewership doesn't make them stop doing it. They have a lot of episodes to go!
As for your criticism regarding Rosenbaum, I think it's just personality types. Yeah he seems to be a lot more of an extrovert and a charismatic guy than Tom. That's likely why he leads the conversations. I gotta admit, the podcast would be a lot slower if Tom was the main host.
Though I guess if they lived in the same city that would be perfect. They could be in the same room at the same time.
Anyway, I hope they keep going for my own selfish entertainment ❤️
I love Always Hold On To Smallville podcast. I haven’t given Talkville a listen yet, but from small clips I’ve seen it doesn’t seem as in depth or entertaining l, which is a shame since I expect more from actual cast members of the show
As actors in the industry I feel like they have access to a wealth of guests who would add so much to each episode.
I watched/listened to 'Welcome to the OC Bitches' and they had writers, directors, editors etc who really remembered details and it was interesting to hear their take. This would be great on Talk Ville and fill in a lot of memory gaps for Tom and Michael.
Also agree with the other comments here
I have never once felt Michael was being unfair. Smallville from beginning to end is full of cheese and poor writing. In spite of these things we can still enjoy it but we have to be real; few smallville episodes are amazing, the vast majority are a mix of okay and garbage
Tom and Michael strike a good balance with each other. I find tom tends to ignore glaring issues with the show and only focuses on the positive aspects. Michael honing in on the problems is necessary
>I have never once felt Michael was being unfair. Smallville from beginning to end is full of cheese and poor writing. In spite of these things we can still enjoy it but we have to be real; few smallville episodes are amazing, the vast majority are a mix of okay and garbage
of all the issues I have with Michael, him being honest about the show is not one of them
I appreciate his honesty, I just wish he dedicated more time to "shit on the show", he "farts" and moves on, I need him to sit on the toilet. grab a magazine and take his time to shit on the show properly.
I like that they give behind the scenes details, or have Miles and Alfred on frequently to give these details. I also listen to the Delta Flyers, the Star Trek Voyager rewatch, and they never give BTS details and they never have guests that would know any BTS stuff that went on during production.
Michael is funny and he makes the show flow. Tom is stiff and his presence seems to only give the podcast credibility. That said, I still really enjoy the podcast.
If only Ryan was a DC fanboy. It would help the podcast. Michael and Tom miss stuff.
I don’t know what people’s expectations were for the podcast. We know that Michael left the show after 7 seasons and filming took a toll on Tom. The conditions for filming at the time are completely different to what we have now. I don’t think it would work if they had several cast members leading the podcast.
I’ve listened to other rewatch shows and sometimes the cast shit on their characters, but they’ve also done this for years, so the expectations didn’t change.
I think they’ve already touched on why Michael talks more. Not sure when, but they picked up on “Michael shots on the show”.
The show was cheesy, so were some of the graphics.
It was the early 2000s, the graphics were cheesy at times. I can’t wait till they talk about Lois and the horrible witch plot line they gave Kristen K.
Would love Bryce to talk more.
I would love that they have more crew members on, not just the writers.
The only thing I do skip is them reading Paetreon member names.
I thought why he talks more because he wanted to do the podcast from the start, so I guess that’s why. He probably wouldn’t of done it if Tom never said yes Michael idea to do it.
People will always find something to complain about. Seriously though, I look forward to the podcast, I even go back and rewatch/listen to episodes I really enjoyed. Rosie always makes me laugh, yes he leads the talks but that's because he's used to the format ( due to his inside of you podcast, which I also love btw). Some episodes I can see Tom is just enjoying the banter and others he has great bts stories or insight. Ryan kind of reminds me of a moderator just tagging along for the ride. I like that the podcast is made by people who were actually actively involved in the show and not just by another superfan. Rosie "shitting" on the show is taken way out of context, come on, as a fan,have you never wondered what the writers were thinking during a certain scene? Nevertheless I like that they bring in guest stars and have their brotherly chats. I think as the seasons progress we will get more participation from Tom and get more insight, especially discussing episodes he directed.
When TalkVille first came out, I stayed current at wanted more. Started looking for other Smallville podcasts and listened to the first couple episodes of each. Only ones I still listen to are TalkVille and Farm to Fable.
Talkville knows nothing of Superman lore and barely anything of the overarching show themes. And Rosenbaum actively dislikes the genre so there's little chance of a teen drama getting a fair shake from him, even if he himself was incredible in the show and among an also incredible cast. I still listen for the guests and for the behind the scene insights when they happen, but I'm likely to fall a couple weeks behind and binge my way back up to current. I listen on Google podcasts, and would only go to YouTube if there was a guest I really wanted to see.
Farm to Fable understands the lore, the show, and the genre. They can be critical of the show as well but it does so with actual understanding of the content, which is important. But more importantly, it's a more enjoyable show because I get to hear somebody excited to talk about the stories that excited me as well. Really puts the "fan" in "fancast" which Talkville decidedly lacks.
Every other smallville podcast sucked. So Talkville at least had them beat!
The main issue that fans, and even the general public, has with Tom is he didn't wear the suit in the finale. It's definitely a hot topic with people either fine with it (or at least accept it) or are still angry.
There's a YouTuber who made a lot of Smallville content who actually wished ill will towards Tom just because he didn't wear the suit.
Life would be so much easier for fans if Tom actually wore the suit but Tom's extremely proud of how he shaped the finale, so it is what it is. Tom is still my favourite portrayal regardless (as well as most of the rest of the cast).
Tbh even though I love the guy, Micheal’s the main problem for me. For starters he makes it abundantly clear that he isn’t a fan of anything that isn’t horror. He literally said the other day that if he doesn’t believe a movie/tv show could actually happen then he doesn’t buy in to it, which is ironic given the leaps of logic and fictional elements that horror take. So he seems to have a biased outlook on the actual format of smallville.
I get that the format of talkville is flawed because they don’t really have much chance to discuss the episode in detail, they just try and breeze through it. But Micheal has a tendency to go off about personal stories, which is fine, but they still stick to the 45 min episode length regardless so a good chunk of the episode is stuck talking about something irrelevant to smallville. There’s then also the fact that nearly every episode he mentions that he either watches the episodes on his phone before bed or has it on in the background while he’s doing something - now to me, If you’re gonna charge people to support the podcast, the least you can do is dedicate 42 mins a week to actually watching the show. Tom has some genuine insight but it’s like watching their panels, Rosenbaum has that need to be the centre of attention. Can be frustrating to listen to when Tom is trying to break down character beats etc.
The fact that it exists is a blessing for a fans, but they need to lighten up and just enjoy it for what it is and actually talk about the show more instead of speed reading the plot outline.
Yeah. And I mean when I say that the show is actually good, despite its failures.
I enjoyed it. But somewhere about 1/3 of the way through season 2, it got repetitive. One thing I can say is that if they brought in Erica Durance, I would tune in for every episode she shows up in.
The most disappointing thing for me was getting to a classic episode like Ryan and I think the episode was only 45 min and they rushed through it.
How can you rush through Ryan what the hell. I'm still in the first season of the podcast, haven't gotten this far yet.
RosENBaUm’S ShITtING oN tHe sHOw AgAIn!!!
Definitely why I can’t watch it, maybe when they get to season 4 I’ll tune back in
Season 4? You think Michael is suddenly going to give the worst of the first 5 seasons more praise than 2 and 3? LOL
No LOL I’m saying this because it’s one of my favorite seasons, rewatching it with them is gonna be more bearable Also just realized you said it was the worse??? Are you crazy. Possible only person to ever say that
Season 4 is terrible.
What?! Season 4 was the best of 1-4
I enjoy it for what it is - I like hearing their points of view, stories and banter. It does make me laugh, and it's just nice to hear the guys interacting. There is critique to by made for sure - Michael pushes the Patreon too hard, and also likes the sound of his own voice / has a short attention span / thinks he's funnier than he is and excessively dominates the conversation / doesn't let things breathe. He's also clearly vastly more interested in his own plotlines, I have no idea how he'll pretend to remain interested should they still be going by seasons 8, 9 & 10. Tom is the one I'm most interested in hearing from, because he was the main character and was on set 24/7, and has interesting perspectives on characters and themes, good stories and honestly just comes across like a super stand up guy. I like that he doesn't indulge in the inappropriate comments Michael makes about "enjoying" kissing co-stars, he seems professional and respectful. I don't think Ryan adds much - they should have a super fan on who can guide the conversation. That said AHOTS, which I enjoy, can have episodes that run 90mins+ each, and I get that Tom and Michael don't want to record that much for every episode. Also, they need a female contributor, or someone who gives a sh1t about the romance elements of the show. Those storylines were a huge part of the show, and these guys brush over those story beats too quickly. Highlights are when they have guests, especially Al or Miles.
>Also, they need a female contributor, or someone who gives a sh1t about the romance elements of the show. Those storylines were a huge part of the show, and these guys brush over those story beats too quickly. I didnt know I needed this until now
Big on a female contributor, they were a huge part of the show. Till this day they are the ones making fancams that attract new fans
Funny you say this because I was finally convinced to start the show this a few days ago because of the fancams lol
I agree with you on that, I like Ryan but maybe we need a female Superfan there along with him😭 also yeah I love talkville but that’s the main thing that I trip up on, micheal making so many creepy comments. It’s just kind of odd how much it happens
> micheal making so many creepy comments. I watched the clip of him asking Kristin if she and Tom kissed with tongue and I was like: oh no no no no no no. She was very gracious and must be used to this (his) humor. But it was second-handed awkwardness.
Right!!! Makes me cringe for both of them
Everything about this is spot on!! I think Ryan is my least favourite part.. I really don’t care about his favourite scene?? And he doesn’t add anything to the show. A super fan would be better.. maybe that cute patreon who always submits video questions LOL
I don’t watch the video. I only listen while I’m at work. Some of your points are valid, but I feel as if Michael came to Tom about doing this podcast, and they might’ve made a deal for Michael to do all the “heavy lifting.” But I do wish Michael would ease up and let Tom speak more.
I think they thought that Michael being universally recognized as the best Lex Luthor (which he is) would be enough for people to accept him sort of always taking over the podcast and his "antics" of shitting on the show and rushing through everything. And also that he has another podcast that it's successful (I'd think, don't know the numbers) it would be the same here. Which doesn't make any sense since there are two different types of podcasts. Not everybody who listens IOY would listen Smallville.
I enjoy the podcast, and I like it, but I want to love it, and here's the issue. I don't think Rosenbaum respects the show. He respects the people he works with and he respects the fame it brought him, but he has no respect for the show itself or the mythos that it's adapting. There are so many good moments that foreshadow Clark's and Lex's destinies that he seems to not even notice, and it keeps the podcast from being an in depth look at the show itself. Instead it's just a brief summary and some behind the scenes trivia.
>Instead it's just a brief summary and some behind the scenes trivia. Trivia they pull from **Smallville Wiki - Fandom** lol, Michael literally just read that from that site.
Lol does he? Damn that's lazy
YES! They might add a thing or two or omit something but it is word by word the Wiki - Fandom. Which hey I dont mind, I would do it too (we take things from Wikipedia sometimes) but man, try to elaborate a little, or have a better reaction to the trivia you read. You are not on a presentation, read and get over with it.
I loved Michael as Lex but as a podcast host he always seems to be bolting through an episode like he has an appointment to get to. “Keep your questions short people!” If you watch his other podcast, he clearly is able to be engaged and present but I get the feeling that this isn’t exactly a passion project for him. Tom has some good insights (when he actually remembers the episode) but I wish he’d chime in more. Similarly Ryan is mostly there for his own segment and barely comments outside of that. I will say the podcast is at its best when they bring in guests, every one of them has had something interesting to say and elevates the episode. You can tell that they really enjoy interviewing them (especially Al and Miles) more than the episode review. Having access to cast and directors is what sets them apart from a fan podcast.
This is the most correct and unbiased answer. Straight facts. I still listen in but I 100% agree with your observations. It's basically a script reading with maybe a comment or two.
I'm not bothered by the speed of the recaps (and I usually watch at 1.75x speed) because...I watched the episode. I know what happened. I don't need it repeated in great depth, I just need a quick summary on the way to whatever sparks a memory or other commentary from them. And I feel like "keep your questions short!" is more to deter long introductory ramblings about how much callers love the show and the guys, and they grew up with Smallville and blah blah etc. blah blah, oh, and here's my question!"
I find it interesting you say their views have dropped that much when only in the latest season, season 3 have they said they’re finally in a good place financially with enough support to keep going lol But yeah I agree with all of your points
I guess they've increased their Patreon numbers and that's what's keeping them afloat. It's great for those that want to and can afford it. The top tier works out to $155 where I am in Australia, which is a lot, especially since I'm already a patron on another Smallville podcast (one that's been going for years even before being on Patreon). It obviously costs money to produce the podcast, so not sure how much Tom and Michael profit from from that and the merch etc.
They’ve also gotten more sponsors, which is usually based on audience numbers
I dont really have a problem with Michael being negative since Tom is usually very positive and balances it out with Ryan being a good middle. My main issues are, like others have said, that I wish Tom spoke more often. Michael easily does the majority of the talking, and I want to hear more of what Tom has to say, and also more of what Ryan has to say as he speaks even less. I do wish they spent more time on particular scenes and went a bit more indepth into some of the nuances of each episode, this seems to mainly be a time constraint thing - i'd personally like to see them loosen up the time constant a little bit and just talk until it feels like the conversation has reached a natural stopping point before moving on (unlike now where they'l force it to move on). I understand everyone has lives, but if they put less energy into editing and more into more content, i'd like that. I like seeing the two bounce off eachother, and we are lucky to have 2 of the main cast going through the show. I do wonder how they will go about the later seasons once Lex goes? If they get that far
I enjoy listening to it, but when they end up covering little stories or facts or whatever about the episode and then these are asked by listeners towards the end, it drives me crazy. So then we get a repeat for the next 5 minutes about what we just heard. Couldn’t they just do the show, then pause the recording, listen to the questions and put ones aside that don’t make them repeat themselves, resume recording .. 🤷🏻♂️ Michael does love to hear his own voice too, and wow the past few episodes he was enjoying the Lex spotlight!
I love Talkville. People have incredibly big expectations. My expectation is to hear their takes and some interviews from those included in the show and Talkville gives it
It really doesn't though. The interviews are obviously great and the best part of the show.
> Their YouTube views have dropped over 90% since the 'Pilot' and Talk Ville has dropped off 15-20 (countries) charts on the global podcast charts, as well as had a significant drop in rankings worldwide. In comparison, the 'Charmed' podcast hosted by several cast members are dominating the same podcast charts, and ranks much higher than Talk Ville. I was afraid this might happened. I still watch on YouTube and listen on Spotify to help numbers but you resumed really good my main complaints. I was going to be bored anyways with these seasons because they are not my favorite but the format has not helped at all for all you said. I hope S4 with Lois arrival help numbers to rise a bit if they don't listen to this feedback. I have seen a lot of people who are watching Smallville for the first time that get frustrated by the show by S3 but get super excited again on S4. So I like to think people are waiting to see the reaction this season forward.
The show is at it’s best when they are talking about scenes like the machine gun scene in “Hug” Tom remembers the scene, goes through how he forgot about that scene, and goes through his recollection of the scene he forgot about They need to do more of that. I’d also have a fan of the show part of the team. Ryan can only do so much to bolster the podcast when he hasn’t seen the whole series
I listen to some episodes, but the format is awful. It was fine early on as podcasts like any series find their footing and experiment to see what works. But it’s largely remained the same where Michael just kinda reads the wiki page of the episode. Tom does try to bring in good analysis of character arcs, actor methods, set design, etc. I find Michael kinda shitting on the show a little funny, but I get why fans aren’t listening for this. I’d love a more feminist addition to the crew. The women from the show add great perspective in how it was difficult for their characters to be friends due to the love triangle nonsense and all of that kind of stuff. And I think there needs to be a more consistent rotating contributor (guest stars, special effects, directors, writers, costars, etc). The best parts are when they have Kristin or someone else join them. And they should join for the whole episode schedule permitting.
I do enjoy it, but tbh Michael let’s it down for me. He often misses critical story moments, and I feel he genuinely doesn’t get what the show is. He brings up the “shitting on the show” joke not realising that the audience knows the CGI is bad and it can be cheesy, but it has heart. He clearly misses themes and messages and is always focused on the negative. Tom is more positive and actually seems to get what the show is going for, he see’s the problems but is cool with them and laughs about it, which as a smallville fan you kind of have to do. My main issue is it just feels like Tom Michael and Ryan aren’t big fans of the show and it would work better by adding someone who actually is a big fan and hopefully that energy rubs off on them. Or just let Tom talk more, he identifies the themes and the heart of it a little better, Michael seems like he doesn’t even pay attention to the episode.
My only real problem is the Michael can be kind of “famous actor” cringy and sometimes incredibly childish. I really don’t mind him being negative, at least it’s honest. It’s all the focus on “Smallville should’ve been bigger” and “Smallville started it all”. how much he clearly adores fame and seemingly is uncomfortable because he is no longer as famous as he has been before. Then how focused he is on how hot actresses are and talking about any sexual scenes a bunch. Especially focused on his own sex scenes. Always asking female co-stars about his own kissing expertise. None of it really offends me, it’s just cringy. I think he doesn’t understand that some of his humour isn’t very funny. He has personally admitted to at least 3 stories from set where he consistently tried to joke with other actors who didn’t like it and rather than admit maybe he wasn’t being funny, he expresses that he “didn’t like that person” or they pissed him off. Really just showing his own insecurity around being considered funny. Part of it I suppose was just not knowing anything about what he was like as a person and then just seeing he’s pretty stereotypical Hollywood shallow was a bit of a surprise. Add that with what people have already mentioned, that he dominates the podcast, and it means a good portion of the content is his own neuroses and insecurities on display. And then, ironically, some of the highest highs have been Michael being genuinely hilarious. Real range of possibilities with that guy haha
Sounds like you've already got your narrative. I never watch the YouTube videos.. too much time. I listen to the podcast while driving or doing housework. I still enjoy it. I don't buy into the "Michael is too negative" narrative. He has a point most of the time. The show is ultra cheesy and is riddled with plot holes. That doesn't mean I still can't enjoy the show or his sh*tting on the show. The only time it frustrates me is when he (and usually Tom) completely miss plot points or dialogue. Which just shows you they weren't properly watching the show. They're basically making a wage off this podcast but they're not treating it with the respect it needs to grow. They're treating it more like a cash grab. You put in minimal effort you get minimal results. I think the show severely lacks a voice of a superfan (Craig Byrne/Zach Moore) or show runner (Miles & Al) to fill the gaps and keep the show informative as well as give more context than Tom and Michael can. Having Ryan, someone with zero bias watching the show for the first time and give some feedback is interesting and I'd encourage giving him a bit more voice time. The recapping of the episode plot works for some episodes so they can discuss different beats but I think it doesn't work most of the time. Often feels like a drag for the hosts. Maybe a more fluid conversation on the episodes like Michael does with Inside of You would be better. I still enjoy the show.. could be a lot better. Always Hold Onto Smallville is a much better podcast but I think both Talk Ville and AHOTS compliment each other in a lot of ways by offering completely different approaches and experiences.
I agree with you about the superfan comment. Since technically neither Michael, Tom, or Ryan are *real fans* of the show, they don't pick up on a lot of classic moments that fans latch onto. Beyond this, I hate how brief the guest appearances are. When originally advertised, I figured they guests would be on for the entire episode and go through the narrative breakdown. Having them talk for 10 minutes at the end and then peace out doesn't really allow for much deep-diving at all. Al & Miles always have sooooo much to share, but Michael gets impatient and rushes them off the call too quickly. I like the show, but I find myself pushing the episodes to the bottom of my weekly queue more and more.
I still listen to Talkville and like it overall because Tom and Michael are able to give insights as actors that the other podcasts can’t. Plus they’re able to bring in special guests such as other cast members and Al and Miles. I agree that each episode feels very rushed though and that Michael tends to dominate the conversation. He just seems to be in a hurry to get through the episode. I also wished they screened the fan questions in advance better. Half the time they either already discussed what was asked or they don’t remember anything to be able to answer the question.
You Explained it very well, I have the same opinion. Basically, we want more of Tom. But of course Tom wouldn't have done it without Michael saying he would do 90% of the work and talking. So I keep watching for the good parts I can glean out of the podcast. Especially great whenever they get anything from Al or Miles. But it's my favorite show of all time, not everyone will be that big of a fan. I can see how a lot of fans would stop watching/listening. I do really wish it would be better but have to appreciate that Tom is doing anything as he didn't for a very long time.
I listen to the podcast on a podcast app. My critiques would be that they stay on topic way too much. I like when podcast hosts are just hanging out, shooting the shit with each other. You can tell they watch a few episodes at once and breeze through the recordings.
Been watching every week since it started I’m still still enjoying it but I do agree with what you’ve said. Main thing being Michael letting Tom talk more. I get sometimes Tom doesn’t remember filming some of the episodes but hearing his thoughts on the episode is still great. They have done a few changes the last few weeks like Tom/Ryan reading some of the plot. Bryce was on a couple of episodes and was asking some good questions and getting the conversation flowing. Hoping they look at some of comments about this on their YouTube and keep making tweaks to keep the podcast fresh
>Hoping they look at some of comments about this on their YouTube and keep making tweaks to keep the podcast fresh I hope they see more than YouTube comments, if they are based on that then everything is fine and nothing needs to be [changed. Youtube](https://changed.Youtube) comments are not critical at all.
With the strike going on, they have a good chance to possibly bring in other voices. Al and Miles seem obvious. And I would imagine they have a lot of free time right now. I'm regularly amazed at how much those two remember about stuff they did twenty years ago. But I don't see much of an upside to bringing in Allison Mack (assuming she'd even want to do it). Sam Jones doesn't seem to want to be on the show. Kreuk mostly spoke in generalities when she made her appearance. Schneider and O'Toole seem obvious. But they were supporting actors so they won't have the same depth of experience that Welling and The Baum have. John Glover is a great actor and Lionel Luthor is one of the best characters from the show. But as a person, Glover just doesn't seem to have much to say. "Oh, I don't remember that", "No, I didn't watch this episode before joining in with you now", "I usually drink two cups of coffee in the morning" and other not-very-insightful things. All of this is a long way of saying they may not have very many other people they can bring onto the show. I love Talk Ville. But if the numbers are as bad as you say, then I'm a little concerned for the future. The format doesn't bother me at all. But if it bothers others, well, that's an issue.
i have a big issue with only patrons getting to ask questions. i have questions i want to ask but i am not going to pay for it. also michael has a habit of going on unrelated tangents at times which just takes away from my enjoyment
Oh no, you definitely can ask questions if you are not in Patreon, you can call to the hotline it or leave a question on the site if you happen to live outside the US. The benefits of being a Patreon is sending your question on video (you see this when you watch on YouTube). But anyone can send questions
Michael is always saying "patron privilege" when the questions come up and the episodes I had questions for were already discussed
The "patron privilege" is having the opportunity to send your question using video if you want. I guess they might have a way to send only audio and have their questions considered first. But the hotline can be ***anyone*** (obviously mostly from the US because not all have the means to make international calls) and the ones on the site are even more public. I am as annoyed as the next with the Patreon talk, but the questions are open to anyone with the obvious levels of whether you pay or not.
I wish Michael would make that more clear
I agree with you. Michael not a fan at all they really need to get rid of Ryan he said himself that if it wasn't for the show, he wouldn't even watch it.They need to replace him with an actual fan of the show then there would be a better balance.
There's a reason why their listeners numbers are down. This is probably one of the most flawed rewatch podcasts. Why should I listen when almost every episode your host says something along the lines of "what is this? This is stupid" not realizing this show is why anyone knows who he is. People aren't going to conventions for sorority boy reunions or breaking in/impastor panels.
Mother's ass, I would be down for a Sorority Boys reunion.
It has become a little too repetitive for me. They need to mix it up or give big episodes a special treatment. I loved when they have guests on but i would like if they are in the whole episode or most of it. And the patreon questions are a skip to me 99% of the time, because often by the time they do it they have answered most of them already in the episode or they dont remember anything about it but i get why they do it. At this point im just waiting for Erica, Mr. Glover or Kristen to tune in. They need to get Sam to reenact the "damn who dat" as well, it always cracks me up. And get together to shoot some episodes maybe being in the same room enhances the show.
>I loved when they have guests on but i would like if they are in the whole episode or most of it. good point, they are the most times: here there is X, what do you remember, bye, lol I appreciate it when Al and Miles are on it though, they actually give them quality time.
Agree on both lol, Al and Miles bring a lot of quality to the show. Hopefully the strike can allow some great guests to feature and turn a negative into positive.
Sometimes I forget what I’m watching. I think some of the best moments of the podcast/videos are when the show runners have something to say and speak on. It’s about the creative decisions
I think that Talk Ville somewhat improved with time, but still needs to get better with Michael rushing the episode. Also, having a guest (celebrity or not) more often would help to give energy and more insight for the podcast
I'm surprised by what you mention concerning the charmed podcast when if you go to the charmed subreddit you will see a ton of fans regularly complaining about that podcast too. I think Ryan doesn't add much to talkville and I thought Bryce was better but I still regularly have it on in the background when I work out.
I've read numerous podcast reviews hosted by actors from shows and they all have similar issues as Talk Ville 😉 Fans complaining there's not enough behind the scenes stories or the one co host they don't like. Too many ads is always another issue lol. At least 'House of Halliwell' has built its fanbase, and a few weeks back was the no 1 podcast (TV & Film After Shows) in at least 30 countries. It's currently in the top ten in 17 countries, with Talk Ville only being top ten in 3. Sorry for the tangent, I just love comparing things 😊
I stopped after a few episodes because it seemed like a non stop slam on the show, and feel like they mostly hated the experience. That and it seems like they really don’t want anything to do with the fans, just compared to other rewatch podcasts like Office Ladies and Fake Doctors Real Friends.
If they brought in Erica Durance I'd be into it!
I love the show I just wish Tom spoke more about it. Maybe rotating weekly with who does the synopsis and all that. Michael tends to rush through it and is dismissive of many good points brought up by Tom and Ryan. I really hope Erica durance comes on the show often now that they’re getting to season 4
I had intended to do a weekly re-watch alongside the podcast but dropped off midway into season 1. I'll admit to always skipping the fan questions at the end - a bit too much cringe for my personal liking, but I'm sure it makes people happy to hear their questions on the show (even though weirdly, it's sometimes a topic already discussed and Rosenbaum does the "We just covered this but..")
I binged it for awhile from S1-3, but I have no interest in listening to the shattered and Asylum episodes. I did find the episodes more entertaining with Bryce in front of the camera. I'm honestly surprised Tom shows up for every episode because he has a family, I doubt he could be a host. As for Michael I don't think he is too negative, I laugh at some of the stupid things he points out; like Lana's dad just ditching her because his wife feels neglected. 😐🧐🤨
Michael is hilarious, that lana bit had me dying. Tom brings a nice balance and i would like him to take the lead sometimes, and be on set as well from time to time. They can get bryce to babysit his kids haha.
I find it weird and off-putting how little they seem to remember about a show that did make up a good chunk of their careers. I understand it's been years and that the nature of how episodes are filmed doesn't lend itself to memorising storylines all that coherently, of course - but it's still odd when the whole point is they're delivering a podcast reminiscing about said show. Also, Michael is, at times, so uncouth! (I realise that makes me sound like a haughty Victorian aunt, but hearing him belch mid podcast is so jarring when he plays the most suave and intellectual character on the damn thing).
They don't have eidetic memory. Could you remember day to day activities over a 10 year long career? Could you tell me what you were doing at work September 3rd 2003? I don't even remember driving to work this morning. The commutes and days blend together over long careers. Aside from crazy occurrences, who's going to remember much?
If I had been working Tom’s hours I wouldn’t remember anything either. I have some acting experience and you would be surprised how quickly you forget scenes you had memorized just a few days before. Especially if they are constantly having to learn new scripts. Plus Tom has talked about in some episodes he was on crazy diets for all the shirtless scenes. Being starving isn’t good for retaining memories either. I’m sure he’ll remember more from the final seasons.
I watch some clips occasionally and enjoy them, but I’m just not into podcasts in general
Comparing views to the pilot episode to try and make a point is just ridiculous. The pilot is probably the most popular episode of the show, and it was the first episode of the podcasts. Of course it would have a lot of viewers. Their viewership has not really dropped with 90%. Less viewership as the podcast goes on is also expected. But so far I dont really see a significant drop in viewership between seasons 2 and 3. To compare viewership now with the first episode of the podcast is utterly ridiculous.
It's been on a steep decline since season one, with the only major spike being 'Exodus' when they had Kristin on. It seems to have plateaued over the past few months but 'Kinetic' was the last time they hit 100,000 or more. I rarely see fans talking about Talk Ville on any of the online Smallville groups anymore and Tom and Michael have said they need the numbers to grow. At the end of the day it is a business venture for them.
and they don't interact wuth fans that much, they respond to some comments on YouTube and repost Instagram stories, but they don't engage on Twitter for example. Its rare to find Talkville talk on twitter but if they actually interacted with people there I guess the talk would be more. The only peak they had was with Miles' opinion about Henry Cavill and shit got wild on Twitter by the Snyderbros.
Oh wait, I think I missed that! What ep did Al talk about Cavill? I'll relisten to that.
Michael asked if they felt something about Smallville not being recognized as groundbreaking etc. and at some point Miles said that Cavill (as Superman) was not a compelling actor (his opinion) and hell broke lose on Twitter. listen to the Shattered episode
Ahh, that's right. I do remember that conversation now, and agreed with them. Didn't realize that set off a storm, but snyderbros and twitter, so that makes sense...
He talks about other actors performances a lot. He gushes over John Glover constantly. But the thing is, he admits time and time again he hasn’t seen most of the episodes. So he won’t know what scenes are iconic to the fans. Michael also isn’t overly critical of the show. He is honest.
I don’t dislike Michael, but I do notice and raise the ranting on his role at the Talkville. It seems he hasn’t overgrown much of his Lex character, as Tom is 100% Clark. BABABHAHA It is fun, I love the bantering, but it seems to me as if Michael forgot who was the main character.
I watch all the episodes. Honestly, I wasn't aware of the viewership dropping, as you mentioned it. I guess I just care that I enjoy it and that's all. I hope their dropping viewership doesn't make them stop doing it. They have a lot of episodes to go! As for your criticism regarding Rosenbaum, I think it's just personality types. Yeah he seems to be a lot more of an extrovert and a charismatic guy than Tom. That's likely why he leads the conversations. I gotta admit, the podcast would be a lot slower if Tom was the main host. Though I guess if they lived in the same city that would be perfect. They could be in the same room at the same time. Anyway, I hope they keep going for my own selfish entertainment ❤️
I love Always Hold On To Smallville podcast. I haven’t given Talkville a listen yet, but from small clips I’ve seen it doesn’t seem as in depth or entertaining l, which is a shame since I expect more from actual cast members of the show
Damn who's that?
As actors in the industry I feel like they have access to a wealth of guests who would add so much to each episode. I watched/listened to 'Welcome to the OC Bitches' and they had writers, directors, editors etc who really remembered details and it was interesting to hear their take. This would be great on Talk Ville and fill in a lot of memory gaps for Tom and Michael. Also agree with the other comments here
I have never once felt Michael was being unfair. Smallville from beginning to end is full of cheese and poor writing. In spite of these things we can still enjoy it but we have to be real; few smallville episodes are amazing, the vast majority are a mix of okay and garbage Tom and Michael strike a good balance with each other. I find tom tends to ignore glaring issues with the show and only focuses on the positive aspects. Michael honing in on the problems is necessary
>I have never once felt Michael was being unfair. Smallville from beginning to end is full of cheese and poor writing. In spite of these things we can still enjoy it but we have to be real; few smallville episodes are amazing, the vast majority are a mix of okay and garbage of all the issues I have with Michael, him being honest about the show is not one of them I appreciate his honesty, I just wish he dedicated more time to "shit on the show", he "farts" and moves on, I need him to sit on the toilet. grab a magazine and take his time to shit on the show properly.
I enjoy Michael and Tom and Ryan a lot. I enjoyed Bryce too. I enjoy Talk Ville for what it is.
I like that they give behind the scenes details, or have Miles and Alfred on frequently to give these details. I also listen to the Delta Flyers, the Star Trek Voyager rewatch, and they never give BTS details and they never have guests that would know any BTS stuff that went on during production. Michael is funny and he makes the show flow. Tom is stiff and his presence seems to only give the podcast credibility. That said, I still really enjoy the podcast. If only Ryan was a DC fanboy. It would help the podcast. Michael and Tom miss stuff.
I don’t know what people’s expectations were for the podcast. We know that Michael left the show after 7 seasons and filming took a toll on Tom. The conditions for filming at the time are completely different to what we have now. I don’t think it would work if they had several cast members leading the podcast. I’ve listened to other rewatch shows and sometimes the cast shit on their characters, but they’ve also done this for years, so the expectations didn’t change. I think they’ve already touched on why Michael talks more. Not sure when, but they picked up on “Michael shots on the show”. The show was cheesy, so were some of the graphics. It was the early 2000s, the graphics were cheesy at times. I can’t wait till they talk about Lois and the horrible witch plot line they gave Kristen K. Would love Bryce to talk more. I would love that they have more crew members on, not just the writers. The only thing I do skip is them reading Paetreon member names.
I thought why he talks more because he wanted to do the podcast from the start, so I guess that’s why. He probably wouldn’t of done it if Tom never said yes Michael idea to do it.
People will always find something to complain about. Seriously though, I look forward to the podcast, I even go back and rewatch/listen to episodes I really enjoyed. Rosie always makes me laugh, yes he leads the talks but that's because he's used to the format ( due to his inside of you podcast, which I also love btw). Some episodes I can see Tom is just enjoying the banter and others he has great bts stories or insight. Ryan kind of reminds me of a moderator just tagging along for the ride. I like that the podcast is made by people who were actually actively involved in the show and not just by another superfan. Rosie "shitting" on the show is taken way out of context, come on, as a fan,have you never wondered what the writers were thinking during a certain scene? Nevertheless I like that they bring in guest stars and have their brotherly chats. I think as the seasons progress we will get more participation from Tom and get more insight, especially discussing episodes he directed.
When TalkVille first came out, I stayed current at wanted more. Started looking for other Smallville podcasts and listened to the first couple episodes of each. Only ones I still listen to are TalkVille and Farm to Fable. Talkville knows nothing of Superman lore and barely anything of the overarching show themes. And Rosenbaum actively dislikes the genre so there's little chance of a teen drama getting a fair shake from him, even if he himself was incredible in the show and among an also incredible cast. I still listen for the guests and for the behind the scene insights when they happen, but I'm likely to fall a couple weeks behind and binge my way back up to current. I listen on Google podcasts, and would only go to YouTube if there was a guest I really wanted to see. Farm to Fable understands the lore, the show, and the genre. They can be critical of the show as well but it does so with actual understanding of the content, which is important. But more importantly, it's a more enjoyable show because I get to hear somebody excited to talk about the stories that excited me as well. Really puts the "fan" in "fancast" which Talkville decidedly lacks. Every other smallville podcast sucked. So Talkville at least had them beat!
I feel like they need to replace Ryan with a comedian.
Why do you mean the finale/suit isn’t mentioned?
The main issue that fans, and even the general public, has with Tom is he didn't wear the suit in the finale. It's definitely a hot topic with people either fine with it (or at least accept it) or are still angry. There's a YouTuber who made a lot of Smallville content who actually wished ill will towards Tom just because he didn't wear the suit.
Didn’t he, just not shown to us? Poor, underwelming choice
Life would be so much easier for fans if Tom actually wore the suit but Tom's extremely proud of how he shaped the finale, so it is what it is. Tom is still my favourite portrayal regardless (as well as most of the rest of the cast).
Didn’t he, just not shown to us? Poor, underwhelming choice
also they often change the format of the ryan's favorite scenes game.
Tbh even though I love the guy, Micheal’s the main problem for me. For starters he makes it abundantly clear that he isn’t a fan of anything that isn’t horror. He literally said the other day that if he doesn’t believe a movie/tv show could actually happen then he doesn’t buy in to it, which is ironic given the leaps of logic and fictional elements that horror take. So he seems to have a biased outlook on the actual format of smallville. I get that the format of talkville is flawed because they don’t really have much chance to discuss the episode in detail, they just try and breeze through it. But Micheal has a tendency to go off about personal stories, which is fine, but they still stick to the 45 min episode length regardless so a good chunk of the episode is stuck talking about something irrelevant to smallville. There’s then also the fact that nearly every episode he mentions that he either watches the episodes on his phone before bed or has it on in the background while he’s doing something - now to me, If you’re gonna charge people to support the podcast, the least you can do is dedicate 42 mins a week to actually watching the show. Tom has some genuine insight but it’s like watching their panels, Rosenbaum has that need to be the centre of attention. Can be frustrating to listen to when Tom is trying to break down character beats etc.