Tom Welling Reveals Least Favorite ‘Smallville’ Storyline at Fan Expo

NEW ORLEANS, La. — Tom Welling, star of the hit DC TV drama ‘Smallville,’ revealed his least favorite storyline from the show’s 10-season run during a panel at Fan Expo New Orleans. The actor, who played Clark Kent, singled out the ‘Red Blue Blur‘ arc as his most disliked plotline, sparking a candid discussion with his co-stars.

‘I’ll tell you my least favorite was the Red Blue Blur stuff,’ Welling said during the panel. Co-star Erica Durance, who played Lois Lane, jokingly responded, ‘I was going to say it’s my favorite because you hated it so much!’ Welling laughed but doubled down, saying, ‘I hated it! You saw me being just disgruntled.’

The ‘Red Blue Blur’ storyline, which aired during the show’s eighth season, introduced a mysterious hero saving people in Metropolis. The arc was pivotal in Clark Kent’s journey toward becoming Superman, but Welling admitted he struggled with the concept. ‘I knew it needed to happen because we were… we were dying!’ he said, referencing the show’s need to progress Clark’s transformation.

Durance chimed in, adding, ‘It was weird!’ Welling also revealed the practical challenges of the storyline, particularly the dialogue. ‘It was really hard to say Red Blue Blur,’ he said, drawing laughter from the audience.

Welling’s comments shed light on the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the long-running series, which premiered in 2001 and concluded in 2011. The show followed Clark Kent’s journey from a small-town teenager to the iconic superhero Superman, blending coming-of-age drama with superhero action.

During the panel, Welling also discussed his reluctance to reprise the role of Clark Kent in other DC Arrowverse properties. ‘I got some calls, but they weren’t [about] me acting on these shows,’ he said. ‘It was me playing Clark on those shows, and I really felt protective of the fact that Clark wouldn’t exist on those shows.’

However, Welling eventually agreed to appear in the 2019 crossover event ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths‘ after reading the script. ‘Finally, I got a [call] from someone connected to it who said, ‘Listen, please just read it. It’s one scene. Just please read it,” he recalled. ‘And I read it and I was like, ‘This is good.”

Welling’s appearance in the crossover was met with enthusiasm from fans, who appreciated the nod to his iconic portrayal of Clark Kent. All 10 seasons of ‘Smallville’ are currently available to stream on Hulu.