Jeph Loeb Talks "Insurgence"
By Craig Byrne - December 2002
Copy-edited by SullivanLane (of course!)

This interview is not to be reprinted in any form without the permission of KryptonSite or Jeph Loeb himself.

The January 21 episode of Smallville is titled "Insurgence," and for those of you who have not yet read the spoilers page, here's a quick run-down: Lionel and Martha are kidnapped; the person who orders it may shock you; and there are some surprises along the way. Hey -- don't get mad -- we told you this page had a spoiler warning.

The episode is written by Jeph Loeb -- you know, the guy who wrote "Red" who also happens to be the writer of the best-selling Batman comics in years. Mr. Loeb took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions for KryptonSite about the episode. Curious? Read on!

KRYPTONSITE: Do you know when the episode is scheduled to air?

JEPH LOEB: I'm not exactly sure on the dates. I know it's the first one back from after this short run of repeat episodes and it's sometime in January. It's shooting right now -- James Marshall is the director -- and the stuff looks amazing. [Editor's note: The WB has announced that "Insurgence" will air on January 14, 2003]

KSITE: How did pitching a story such as this come about?

LOEB: Honestly, I can't remember who said what first. And the fun about working on Smallville is that no one in the Writers' Room really cares: "Oh, that was MY idea!" I do remember talking about the overall plot with the gang and Miles (Millar) saying THIS is the show where Clark should... (and that's the big moment). I can't really talk about the big moment but it's very cool, and it has to do with seeing Clark for the first time do one of the "mythos" tasks. It's not bending steel in bare hands and it's not changing the course of mighty rivers. ACK. I've probably said too much.

KSITE: How would you best describe the relationship with Lex and his father at this point?

LOEB: Okay, here's the deal. We were all looking at their relationship -- which we love for its multilevel duplicity -- and felt like this "detente" they have going has gone on long enough. I mean, in "Red," which was great fun, these two argue over Lex's office space and what Lionel's done to the furniture. (laughs) We wanted to amp it up, put in some high voltage tension. Well, I think we blew out all the power in Smallville and the surrounding communities as well.

KSITE: This episode also seems to make good use of the Martha character. Do you feel having a younger Martha is an advantage, and what do you like best about the way she is portrayed here?

LOEB: That's got more to do with writing for Annette than anything else. Young or old, Martha has always had a certain strength and wisdom, and Annette brings that to the character along with a sensuality that is very underplayed, but is always there. The character is clearly very smart -- and all of that will be tested in this episode.

KSITE: What is your take on Jonathan Kent, especially in light of recent events such as his wife now working for Lionel Luthor?

LOEB: Again, a lot of that is John Schnieder and what he brings to the role. Jonathan (or Pa as he appears in my mind) says things that coming out of any other actor could be a little corny. But, John is so grounded, so honest about his feelings that he's like bedrock. It plays wonderfully. What makes the character really fun is that he has this
whipcord-angry streak that comes to the surface over the next few episodes and the consequences of that.

KSITE: Which character are you having the most fun writing for this episode, or any episode to date?

LOEB: Well, I tend to gravitate to the Jonathan and Clark stuff since I'm really interested in the father/son dynamic of the of the show. But, this one has some stuff for Lex to do that's just ... cool.

KSITE: Can you talk about the DC Comics character who appears in "Insurgence" (Maggie Sawyer) and if she differs at all from her comic book counterpart?

LOEB: Maggie's appearance is more like what I get to do as "Consulting Producer." As we were breaking the story (where the writers all get together to build the outline) we knew we needed a strong female Metropolis Police Lieutenant and I suggested we call her "Maggie Sawyer" as a shout out to the fans. Ken Biller, who co-wrote the episode with me (he wrote "Lineage" with Al and Miles) agreed and we made her Maggie. It's a small role, but who knows -- given her eventual place in the mythos anything can happen. It's a smile.

KSITE: Will we see more of Metropolis than we have in previous episodes, this time around?

LOEB: The Magic 8 Ball says "Yes."

KSITE: Is there a lesson or an underlying theme to "Insurgence?"

LOEB: Ah, that would be telling. But, it's got a BIG lesson for two of our characters.

KSITE: What sets "Insurgence" apart from any episode we've seen before?

LOEB: I don't think any one episode should be set aside from any of the others. They all are terrific in their own ways. But, I do think the audience is going to be surprised by the size of this one. It's pretty wild.

KSITE: How would you "sell" "Insurgence" to folks who are fans of the series already?

LOEB: If you've been watching the show you know that there's a storm brewing between Lex and Lionel that is going to swallow up the Kents. Get ready for the storm.

KSITE: How would you "sell" the episode to someone who has never seen the show before?

LOEB: What makes the show wonderful are the characters. There's some stuff in terms of how they all interact that is very, very compelling. It's a nail biter and quite a lot of fun.

KSITE: Is there anything else you would like to add?

LOEB: If you've liked what you've seen this season, you're going to love what's coming. And if you don't, stick around. It's getting better!

See you all on Tuesday night!

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Jeph Loeb photo courtesy of Wizard magazine