The beloved series made Clark Kent relatable, turned Lex Luthor into his best friend, and helped change what superhero television could be.

Bringing Superman to weekly television has never been easy. Special effects rarely matched the movies, and a superhero who could fly presented some obvious budget problems. Then Smallville premiered on The WB on Oct. 16, 2001, and found an ingenious workaround: Don't let Superman fly.

Creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar established a “no tights, no flights” rule. Rather than rush Clark Kent (Tom Welling) into the cape, they focused on the teenager underneath it. Clark had extraordinary powers, but he also had homework, parents, crushes, and an alarming number of classmates transformed by kryptonite. Somehow, a boy who could outrun a speeding train became remarkably relatable.

Smallville wasn't short on spectacle, either. Its effects were impressive for network television in 2001, and the series knew when to have fun with its premise. The opening credits alone remain unforgettable. Go ahead, try reading “Somebody saaaaavvvveee me!” without hearing Remy Zero.

25 years later, all 10 seasons are streaming on Hulu. The show eventually wore out some of its welcome, but its best idea still holds up: Clark Kent was a hero long before he became Superman.

Audiences knew Superman and Lex Luthor were destined to become enemies. Smallville did something unexpected: It made them friends first.

In the pilot, Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) hits Clark with his Porsche before plunging off a bridge. Clark saves his life, beginning a friendship that becomes the show's emotional backbone.

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