20 Years Ago, Smallville’s Halloween Episode Failed Miserably, And The Cast Now Admits It ‘Made No Sense’

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Twenty years ago, the show broadcast an episode widely considered one of its worst, so much so that even the stars now acknowledge it didn’t make much sense. Despite this misstep, the show was known for its realism and continues to have a dedicated and fondly remembering fanbase.

The TV show Smallville ran for an impressive 10 seasons, totaling 217 episodes, before concluding in 2011. Its long run proves how well-made it was, as many other shows based on comic books don’t even get off the ground. However, with so many episodes, it’s not surprising that a few weren’t as strong, and one Halloween episode is particularly memorable – and not in a good way – for many viewers.

Even Smallville’s Cast Think “Thirst” Was Nonsensical

The fifth episode of Smallville season 5, titled “Thirst,” first aired on October 27, 2005, and was intended as the show’s Halloween offering. By this point in the series, the core characters and storylines were already well-developed. However, “Thirst” took an unexpected turn when Lana Lang joined a sorority made up entirely of vampires, who quickly pressured her to become one of them. This transformation drastically changed her personality, even causing her to reject Clark because she found him overly sensitive. Fortunately, Lex had created a cure for vampirism, which Clark eventually used to save Lana after she drove away the other vampires.

Despite a strong subplot with Lex Luthor and Brainiac, this episode quickly became one of the lowest-rated in Smallville‘s history. The vampire storyline felt incredibly out of place, even for a show filled with superpowers and unusual characters. It heavily borrowed from Buffy the Vampire Slayer – for example, the head of the sorority was even named Buffy – which felt overly obvious and distracting.

The cast of Smallville clearly recognized how strange the “Thirst” episode was. On their podcast, Tom Welling (Clark Kent), Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor), and Kristen Kreuk (Lana Lang) discussed the episode and openly shared their issues with it. Kreuk, as a guest on the podcast, explained how the experience made her feel uncomfortable and belittled, specifically recalling how it seemed intentionally designed for her character to wear revealing clothing as a vampire in a sorority. You can find the full podcast episode and Kreuk’s comments here:

I was really frustrated with this. I felt like I’d had enough and didn’t want to continue, because it felt objectifying and pointless. The only reason I kept doing it was because it allowed me to wear revealing clothing.

Rosenbaum also wasted no time in stating how “Thirst” felt uncharacteristically sexualized, referencing an opening scene in which a pizza delivery worker shares a suggestive scene in a jacuzzi with the vampires. At the end of Talk Ville, the hosts took to their unique rating system to award “Thirst” an overall score of 1.1 bombs, which is essentially a score of around 30%. Despite not hitting rock bottom (likely thanks to the Lex and Brainiac subplot), this makes “Thirst” Talk Ville‘s worst-rated Smallville episode.

What Went Wrong With Smallville’s “Thirst”?

The hosts of Talk Ville have noted the show had a limited budget. This likely contributed to the negative fan reaction to the episode, and might explain the focus on vampires – they’re relatively inexpensive to show on screen using simple effects. However, adding bigger scenes or more computer-generated imagery wouldn’t necessarily have fixed the problems.

The episode “Thirst” might feel out of place for many viewers, particularly given its position within the overall Smallville story. The sudden introduction of vampires, without any clear explanation of their origin, felt random, and their quick removal from the plot only added to this feeling. The episode experimented with a unique narration style through Chloe’s perspective, blending the vibes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sex and the City. Ultimately, this combination made “Thirst” feel disjointed and like a patchwork of different ideas.

The writers of the episode were aware of the criticism it received. In fact, Smallville showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, along with Thirst writer Steven S. DeKnight, openly discussed the episode’s poor quality on the Smallville DVD commentary. They jokingly referred to it as the “What were we thinking?” episode, acknowledging it was a mistake made due to a lapse in judgment, though they also mentioned budget limitations contributed to the issues.

Despite its flaws, the Thirst episode does have its good moments and a dedicated fanbase. Actress Kristin Kreuk described it as a lighthearted, fun diversion, and thankfully, it wasn’t disastrous for the show overall. While it’s surprising to see an episode like this in an otherwise highly praised series, even the best shows have occasional weak links.

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2025-10-26 06:39