Lionel was written so wonderfully and Glover played him masterfully. The idea that Superman's main nemesis would have a parent who shaped him was such an obvious yet genius take on the character. It added so much depth to the series.
I'd say Lex became the man he became because of the choices he made. There were countless times when Lionel tried to talk Lex out of being a cold businessman like himself, but Lex, when at the crossroads, would always choose evil.
@@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805 By the time Lionel tried to be a good father, he had already spent years teaching Lex to be evil (IIRC). The damage was done.
Lionel Luthor is easily one of the greatest characters ever added to the Superman mythos. And one of the all time best villains I have ever seen period.
I like how they acknowledge the shortcomings of the show, usually things out of their control like lackluster writing, budgetary limitations, character development mistakes, but Lex and Lionel's rivalry was brilliantly done. Kudos to Glover and Rosenbaum
I’ve commented elsewhere that as well written as all of the characters were, the brilliant casting choices and chemistry between the leading characters is what seals the deal.
John played Lionel so incredibly well on Smallville. His and Michael playing Lex and their dynamic was always so entertaining to watch. Particularly the scene where Lex pushes Lionel out of Luthorcorps building. That whole speech he gives Lex about not giving in to the dark power and there being no redemption for him if he did it. It made Lex lose all his humanity to say he was raised in Lionel’s shadow and now he’s gonna die in his. And that look Lionel gave him to me looked not only like Lionel was at peace but almost like he was proud as a Luthor, Lex finally stepped up and became who Lionel was in the beginning. So the transformation for Lex was complete from fighting who he was to embracing fully being a Luthor.
What I loved about Lionel and Lex was you guys were so compelling on screen they almost didn't need Clark Kent. In fact I would have watched a "The Luthors" any day. Just a cool character profile and arc of what drove an epic comic book villain down that path. And John Glover remains underutilized as an actor. Great interview.
Lionel was my favorite character on the show. I thought John's portrayal of him was nothing short of brilliant. I was one of the few people to not see Lionel as a villain, but as more of a survivor. He grew up in a terrible town. His father was a criminal and a murderer. His mother was an alcoholic. He basically was a kid that had no future. Yes he did bad things such as plan his parents death and lied about his origins but it felt almost justifiable to give himself a better life as he would have never had it as long as his parents were alive. Suffice to say I was in a glass case of emotion when Lionel died.
Damn straight they were good together. Lionel Luthor is the best (bad) father figure in any fiction I can think of, you guys nailed that relationship and made it something shakespearean.
Just came here to say John Glover rocks. His acting is perhaps better than ever, as well (great recently in FTWD). A rare breed of performer that can accomplish that.
This man is an incredible actor and has never gotten the credit he deserves. He has unfortunately been typecast consistently. If he is in it I will watch it. !!!
John was such a good bad-father that he made me empathize for the villain of Shazam as I just pictured him as Lionel again. Though Lionel wouldn't have lowered himself to using profanity like that, it was beneath him
I love this man and by far my favorite character in Smallville. One of the few shows where the casting was solid. Had a huge crush on Ali Mack however we know how that ended unfortunately. Michael’s Lex is also legendary. Tom is a top 3 Clark Kent - thanks for signing my picture this year! Love to meet John Glover and Michael
Everyone has layers, they make us unique and interesting and John likes to delve into his as often as he can, it makes him feel alive and he conveys that feeling to us through his acting🤩
****SPOILER**** I started rewatching Smallville funnily enough, and when Lionel loses his sight, which makes Lex turn his back on him multiple times and even for a few seconds, let his father die. This was a powerful moment for me, knowing that even though Lex hated his father for his own reasons, he is still his father and he still loved him enough to save him from the debris. Glad to see you both talking about it again!
And too add I just finished season 7 I agree about how Lionel looked after he fell out the window Like he was free from it all Again the writers of this series was amazing ❤❤❤❤
All for naught, because Michael left the show and - like Natalie Dormer on Elementary - the remaining seasons were tainted by false hopes that the actor would return. It's not true for all of the fans, but it was true for me and many fans were disappointed. I'm sorry, but the main character was fine, but the most interesting element was Lex.
"We were good together." Really? REALLY? You weren't good together. You were formidable together. Together, you were forces of nature on screen. The best that Smallville could ever offer to us.
I enjoyed Smallville but the best moments always occurred between Lex and Lionel. In fact, any scene between them was great, even when it might just be a casual moment between the pair.
I always wanted to see John Glover in a remake of the Gene Roddenberry TV movie Spectre. Robert Culp played a sort of Sherlock Holmes of the supernatural world, with Gig Young as his Watson. Culp was good in it, but that sort of genius-type character in that particular milieu would've fit Glover to a tee (plus I always like to see actors known for their villain roles get to play the good guy for a chance...)
I know this is weird, but every night, when I go to get a drink of water from my water cooler, in the dark, and I can’t see, I place a finger inside the glass to see when it’s full. And, god help me, I think of Lionel Luthor getting busted for faking being blind.
Mr Glover you look amazing Your aging like fine wine ❤❤❤❤ All of you the whole cast was amazing in this series He is so right I fell for both Lionel and lex But I came to hate Lex more IvLove this podcast ❤❤❤❤🙏🏽💝
Riding A Charlie Horse And Eating Liver, Amber Never Noticed Ellen Climbing A Long Ladder. Young Ones Usually Realize Falling As The Hurting Ear Ringing.
Lionel was written so wonderfully and Glover played him masterfully. The idea that Superman's main nemesis would have a parent who shaped him was such an obvious yet genius take on the character. It added so much depth to the series.
I'd say Lex became the man he became because of the choices he made. There were countless times when Lionel tried to talk Lex out of being a cold businessman like himself, but Lex, when at the crossroads, would always choose evil.
@@pepperpeterpiperpickled9805 By the time Lionel tried to be a good father, he had already spent years teaching Lex to be evil (IIRC). The damage was done.
@@duberdurm yeah but even the times Lex went against his Father to 'do the right thing' he always ended up taking the non-righteous path
Lionel Luthor is easily one of the greatest characters ever added to the Superman mythos. And one of the all time best villains I have ever seen period.
this man is 79 , looks allmost exactly like he did on the show
He doesn't look any older than he did in Gremlins 2. Hairs a little more gray but that's it
He's 79?????
Holy crap, that's some damn good genes.
Seriously, I immediately checked to see when this was uploaded because I was blown away
He looks like he's gotten younger!
that's because he was in his mid 60s in the final season of smallville, physically that's not much different if you take care of yourself!
I like how they acknowledge the shortcomings of the show, usually things out of their control like lackluster writing, budgetary limitations, character development mistakes, but Lex and Lionel's rivalry was brilliantly done. Kudos to Glover and Rosenbaum
Bring smallville back😢😢😢
DOES THIS MAN EVER FUCKIN AGE?! LOVE YOU GUYS ♥ ✌ REUNION!!!!!
John Glover is the reason why Micheal is the best Lex Luthor, he gave lex the villain origin story
So true!
I’ve commented elsewhere that as well written as all of the characters were, the brilliant casting choices and chemistry between the leading characters is what seals the deal.
*"I was raised in your shadow. Now you're gonna die in mine"-Lex's last words to Lionel*
“We were good together. We were really good together.”
That made me smile so much.
John played Lionel so incredibly well on Smallville. His and Michael playing Lex and their dynamic was always so entertaining to watch. Particularly the scene where Lex pushes Lionel out of Luthorcorps building. That whole speech he gives Lex about not giving in to the dark power and there being no redemption for him if he did it. It made Lex lose all his humanity to say he was raised in Lionel’s shadow and now he’s gonna die in his. And that look Lionel gave him to me looked not only like Lionel was at peace but almost like he was proud as a Luthor, Lex finally stepped up and became who Lionel was in the beginning. So the transformation for Lex was complete from fighting who he was to embracing fully being a Luthor.
The Luthor crocodile smile was unnerving. You could never be surel what it meant.
What I loved about Lionel and Lex was you guys were so compelling on screen they almost didn't need Clark Kent. In fact I would have watched a "The Luthors" any day. Just a cool character profile and arc of what drove an epic comic book villain down that path. And John Glover remains underutilized as an actor. Great interview.
Lionel was my favorite character on the show. I thought John's portrayal of him was nothing short of brilliant. I was one of the few people to not see Lionel as a villain, but as more of a survivor.
He grew up in a terrible town. His father was a criminal and a murderer. His mother was an alcoholic. He basically was a kid that had no future. Yes he did bad things such as plan his parents death and lied about his origins but it felt almost justifiable to give himself a better life as he would have never had it as long as his parents were alive.
Suffice to say I was in a glass case of emotion when Lionel died.
It is a testament to his skill as an actor that he was so thoughtful and generous with Michael
Damn straight they were good together. Lionel Luthor is the best (bad) father figure in any fiction I can think of, you guys nailed that relationship and made it something shakespearean.
Lionels death was one of the best scenes on Smallville. The look on Lionels face as he was falling was saying, " Finally, the son I always wanted".
I wish Clark and Lex became friends again or at least got closer at the end of the episode but the opposite happened.
Just came here to say John Glover rocks.
His acting is perhaps better than ever, as well (great recently in FTWD). A rare breed of performer that can accomplish that.
This man is an incredible actor and has never gotten the credit he deserves. He has unfortunately been typecast consistently. If he is in it I will watch it. !!!
John was such a good bad-father that he made me empathize for the villain of Shazam as I just pictured him as Lionel again. Though Lionel wouldn't have lowered himself to using profanity like that, it was beneath him
I love this man and by far my favorite character in Smallville. One of the few shows where the casting was solid.
Had a huge crush on Ali Mack however we know how that ended unfortunately.
Michael’s Lex is also legendary. Tom is a top 3 Clark Kent - thanks for signing my picture this year!
Love to meet John Glover and Michael
Everyone has layers, they make us unique and interesting and John likes to delve into his as often as he can, it makes him feel alive and he conveys that feeling to us through his acting🤩
Glover is hands down the best actor in Smallville.
****SPOILER****
I started rewatching Smallville funnily enough, and when Lionel loses his sight, which makes Lex turn his back on him multiple times and even for a few seconds, let his father die. This was a powerful moment for me, knowing that even though Lex hated his father for his own reasons, he is still his father and he still loved him enough to save him from the debris. Glad to see you both talking about it again!
Lionel was definitely my favorite character of Smallville
Hey, that's not Lionel, that's Jason Woodrue 😅
Or BTAS' Ed Nygma.
And too add I just finished season 7
I agree about how Lionel looked after he fell out the window
Like he was free from it all
Again the writers of this series was amazing ❤❤❤❤
All for naught, because Michael left the show and - like Natalie Dormer on Elementary - the remaining seasons were tainted by false hopes that the actor would return.
It's not true for all of the fans, but it was true for me and many fans were disappointed. I'm sorry, but the main character was fine, but the most interesting element was Lex.
I love Smallville…binged it all a year ago after never watching any episodes while it was on tv!!! Fire 🔥
One of my favorite sequences in the Shazam movie is watching John Glover sort of reprise his role as the architect of an antagonist again.
John Glover has the most natural maniacal laugh. It's fantastic.
Such an endearing interview. Got so much out of it. Thank you ❤️❤️🙏🏻.
He really knows how to play a villain. He was great as Dyson in Tron Uprising too
Beautiful reunion, great podcast! Thank You!
can't wait for this full inverview, I was a huge smallville fan in high school
Jeez that guy has barley aged
John Glover is amazing in everything he does, including Gremlins 2, and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise!
Batman and Robin may have been a shocking movie but John was so over the top it was great😂
John Glover did a book-on-tape of Stephen King's the Mist back in the day. It was very good.
It's amazing how we all talk about how perfect Michael was playing Lex but dam if John Glover wasn't perfectly cast as his father. So good.
Lex snd Lionel should have had their own spinoff. Imagine:
Luthor: The Unvarnished Truth
"We were good together." Really? REALLY? You weren't good together. You were formidable together. Together, you were forces of nature on screen. The best that Smallville could ever offer to us.
John Glover's energy here is awesome. Confident but not cocky. Love that
I just re-watched that scene (one great thing about TH-cam). What an amazing scene from an amazing series. Great acting.
I enjoyed Smallville but the best moments always occurred between Lex and Lionel. In fact, any scene between them was great, even when it might just be a casual moment between the pair.
I will always have a crush on Annette O'Toole ♥️♥️♥️
I always wanted to see John Glover in a remake of the Gene Roddenberry TV movie Spectre. Robert Culp played a sort of Sherlock Holmes of the supernatural world, with Gig Young as his Watson. Culp was good in it, but that sort of genius-type character in that particular milieu would've fit Glover to a tee (plus I always like to see actors known for their villain roles get to play the good guy for a chance...)
We were good together, we really were.... they were fantastic together, not one scene they share that is not facinating and wonderful to watch
I know this is weird, but every night, when I go to get a drink of water from my water cooler, in the dark, and I can’t see, I place a finger inside the glass to see when it’s full. And, god help me, I think of Lionel Luthor getting busted for faking being blind.
I always took Lionel as doing the wrong thing. For the right reasons.
John was so good, pure evil
Glover was the best acting on that show
Any relation to Danny Glover?
The best Devil on TV.
Mr Glover you look amazing
Your aging like fine wine
❤❤❤❤
All of you the whole cast was amazing in this series
He is so right I fell for both Lionel and lex
But I came to hate Lex more
IvLove this podcast ❤❤❤❤🙏🏽💝
❤
Without Lionel, Lex wouldn't have been such an interesting character. He gavelex the challenge of being your man and trying to surpass me.
He was so bad (good) in Shazam as well!
Do you read Sutter Cane....?
RACHAEL ANNE CALL YOUR FATHER.
Riding A Charlie Horse And Eating Liver, Amber Never Noticed Ellen Climbing A Long Ladder. Young Ones Usually Realize Falling As The Hurting Ear Ringing.
Hate Lionel?!?!? No way, he's my favorite- by far! Then Lex