The
pilot episode of the television series
Smallville premiered on
The WB on October 16, 2001. It was written by series developers
Alfred Gough and
Miles Millar, and directed by
David Nutter. The
Smallville pilot introduces the characters of
Clark Kent, an orphaned alien with superhuman abilities, and his friends and family who live in the fictional town of
Smallville, Kansas. It follows Clark as he first learns of his alien origins, and attempts to stop a vengeful student from killing Smallville High School students. The episode introduces many themes that were designed to run either the course of the season or the entire series, such as the triangular relationships of the main characters.