Pilot (Smallville) (Original WB Airing)

"Pilot" is the first episode in the first season of Smallville, and the first episode overall. It aired on The WB in the United States on October 16, 2001 at 9:00 P.M. throughout the same U.S. air date after Gilmore Girls with the episode titled "Red Light on the Wedding Night". Also, Frasier on NBC premiered with the episode "Love Stinks" along with Scrubs with the episode titled "My Old Lady".

Summary

The first (and pilot) episode of Smallville tells the story of the 1989 meteor shower in Smallville, Kansas and its meteor rock effects on the small town. Clark Kent is adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent after they discover him as a young boy in Riley Corn Field. Years later, while already understanding he is different than others, Smallville High student Clark Kent begins his journey towards his destiny. He begins discovering new abilities and strengths, which he uses to save the life of billionaire, Lex Luthor. The pilot introduces the first of many meteor infected victims, Jeremy Creek, who had been tied to a post in Riley Cornfield as the traditional Smallville Scarecrow during the 1989 meteor shower.

Cast Starring

Tom Welling as Clark Kent Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor Eric Johnson as Whitney Fordman Sam Jones III as Pete Ross Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan Annette O'Toole as Martha Kent John Schneider as Jonathan Kent Special Guest Star

John Glover as Lionel Luthor Guest Starring

Sarah-Jane Redmond as Nell Potter Co-Starring

Adrian McMorran as Jeremy Creek Jade Unterman as Young Lana Lang Malkolm Alburquenque as Young Clark Kent Matthew Munn as Young Lex Luthor Dee Jay Jackson as Bill Ross Alvin Sanders as Dale Ross Steve Bacic as Frank/Garage Worker/Former Jock #1 Justin Chatwin as Teen Jostled by Whitney Wendy Chmelauskas as Laura Lang Ben Odberg as Lewis Lang Jay Kirby Amy Esterle as Heike Uncredited

Miranda Cosgrove as Young Lana Lang (voice only) Hiro Kanagawa as Principle James Kwan (Deleted Scene) Eric Keenleyside as Gabe Sullivan (Deleted Scene) James Ralph as Factory Worker (Deleted Scene) Uncredited actor as LuthorCorp Pilot (Deleted Scene) Mentioned

Robert Queen Featured Music Song Artist/Band Scene "The Way It Is" Bruce Hornsby Played when Jonathan and Martha Kent stop by Nell's flower shop in 1989. "Long Way Around" Eagle Eye Cherry Played when introduced to the Kent farm in present-day Smallville. "Everywhere You Go" Stereoblis Played when Chloe, Pete, and Clark arrive at school. "Unstoppable" The Calling Played when Lex Luthor is driving down the road about to hit Clark and drive off of the bridge. "Wonder" Embrace Played when Clark looks at Lana and Whitney through his telescope. "Inside The Memories" Fear The Clown Played when Jeremy Creek attacks the mechanic in the auto repair shop. "Let's Go" Capitol Eye Played when Whitney picks Clark as the Scarecrow and the jocks throw him into the truck. "Maybe" Stereophonics Played at the Homecoming dance, when Pete and Chloe, Lana and Whitney are dancing. "Everything I Own" Jude Played at the Homecoming dance, when Clark looks in and sees Lana and Whitney dancing. "Woodstock Alice" Paul Trudeau Played when Lana and Whitney exit the dance to see trucks stacked in a pile. "Everything" Lifehouse Played when Clark arrives home after the Homecoming dance and imagines dancing with Lana. Title Technically, this episode is unnamed. The term "pilot" is traditionally used in the entertainment industry to identify the first episode of a television series. The word "pilot" could mean about the term they call an aircraft employee who flies any vehicle relating to aircraft. This could refer to Clark's ability to fly, which was observed later in the future episodes and seasons. The word could also refer to the pilot of Lionel's helicopter in the first scene, where Lex faces his fear of flying.

Timeline

This episode takes place on October 3–7, 2001. The novelization specifically states it is October. The novelization also states that the start of the present day section of the episode is a Tuesday which is actually incorrect as the homecoming dance is stated to be Saturday (twice) during both the novel and the episode itself. Since the episode takes place over three days this would mean the episode actually starts on a Thursday or more likely Wednesday is simply not shown during the episode which would push the episode out over four days. Also, Chloe says "...twelve years ago today, they chose Jeremy Creek as the Smallville High scarecrow." The Oliver Queen Chronicles states that the meteor shower occurred October 16, 1989. However, the Oliver Queen Chronicles is now considered non-canon while a canon source (the Smallville Torch Vol. 50, Issue 45) states the shower as occurring on October 25. Both of these sources have since been replaced by an episode of the series itself, Hero which states the date is October 7 and then we can backtrack the Tuesday to October 3 thus dating the episode. Oddly enough, the 7th was actually a Sunday (not a Saturday) in real life which is probably due to the writers not having pinned down the exact date of the meteor shower when writing the episode (as it is simply said to be October 1989 in the pilot episode itself).

Trivia

• This was first appeared for the premiere episode of "Smallville" had it's first to be two movies opened was "Riding in Cars With Boys" (Columbia) and "From Hell" (20th Century Fox).
• After "The Strip" on UPN cancelled, the vanity card Millar Gough Ink became normal in it's first appearance...