Smallville’s Superboy lands on Netflix SA

Smallville, a series chronicling Superman’s early year, is streaming on Netflix South Africa from today (1 June 2026). The show premiered in 2001 and ran for 217 episodes until 2011.

The story follows the coming-of-age adventures of Clark Kent (Tom Welling), informally dubbed “Superboy” by viewers, as he develops the abilities that will one day make him the Man of Steel.

Creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar adopted a strict “no tights, no flights” rule, keeping the core focus on Clark’s life before the cape. This rule anchored his early relationships with his neighbor Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) and future nemesis Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum), before expanding to include Lois Lane (Erica Durance) in later seasons.

The show features several DC Comics heroes, including Green Arrow, The Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, Martian Manhunter, and Supergirl. Christopher Reeve, who played Superman in the 1978 film and several sequels, made two guest appearances. The Smallville pilot episode recorded 8.4-million viewers, setting a ratings record for a debut on The WB television network.

The series received numerous accolades, including Emmy and Teen Choice Award nominations and wins. The series spawned a range of spin-off media, including young adult novels, a DC Comics bi-monthly comic book series, soundtrack albums, and related merchandise.

Smallville was produced by Millar/Gough Ink, Tollin/Robbins Productions, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros Television.