I think the conversations on SW can give you a good sampling of the ways people engage in conversations that are "small talk".
But....there is more going on than you perhaps are giving us credit for. For example, if I talk about my favorite episodes of a TV show, I am actually revealing some things about myself. Why do I select that episode? What does that say about me and what appeals to me emotionally?
Even telling a joke can be a sign of connection between two people: I might tell you a joke because I have come to know you well enough to realize that you in particular would appreciate that particular joke. So the shared laugh at the end is really an affirmation of understanding and friendship. It's not just about the joke.
If we think about deep conversations as the motions of heavy machinery in our brains, the small talk and the jokes are the grease that keeps the machinery running smoothly.
