Hils's journal

Yeah - sometimes they don't say these things, because they expect you to work it out, or for it to be natural knowledge.

I forget it's name, I've not seen it in years, however there's this fantastic Japanese war film I once saw. It seems to start in the middle, but this is because people in the West don't know Japanese history, so the fact that it's just a segment of history, and we're meant to know the back story going into it was lost on me.

Similarly, we wouldn't need an explanation of how the American, or British civil war's began, it's ingrained knowledge we carry with us.

In a way, how Clark and companions make some of the social and economical movements should be expected by us, we can fill in the blanks without being told. Rather than wasting air time, when the situation, or object in question isn't necessary. Just like we don't see heroes going to the loo - it's a given that it happens, and it's not going to affect the plot.

I do think it's a bit careless in Smallville though, you can make too many of these assumptions on behalf of your audience.