I know that many of you read this blog for views on the comic book industry, but seeing how important "Smallville" has been to the revival of the Superman mythology...well, I think it's only fair I cover it once in awhile. For those who haven't watched "Smallville" you can play catch-up by checking out the previous seven seasons on DVD (and in some cases HD-DVD and BluRay). But the show is basically a retelling of the Superman story, starting out as an action version of "Dawson's Creek" and evolving into a compelling adult drama in the veign of "Heroes" and "Lost." In fact I would say that those two shows owe a lot to "Smallville," as the creators managed to sell a prime-time fantasy series as a teen soap opera, and in turn kicked open the doors for other compelling fantasy and science fiction programming on network TV.The previous season ended with a shocking confrontation between Lex Luther and Clark Kent. Lex has learned of Clark's alien heritage, and destroyed the ice fortress with them both inside. Oh, and Clark lost his powers...again. This is more exciting then I'm making it sound, but there were some questions fans had of the rest of the story. Seeing as how Kristin Kruek, Michael Rosenberg, and John Glover have all left the show, now only Tom Welling and Allison Mac remain as regular cast members from season one. How are they going to finish the story left off from season seven if Lex Luther isn't in it (it's been confirmed that Rosenberg will not be appearing in any episodes this season, though Kruek is planned to make five guest appearences)? I know the writers have lots of hope that this new girl, Tess, will help fill the void left by Lex. They also plan to bring in Doomsday (which will likely result in another cliffhanger).
The one thing I'm concerned about is whether or not this will be the final season. Right now there are mixed reports on whether or not this will be the last year we see Clark battling evil, and the creators have even anounced that they have two endings in mind depending on what happens. That's usually not a good sign. Well, for now I'm looking forward to seeing where this season goes. The promise of Clark leaving behind the family farm and working for the Daily Planet is a step in the right direction. And if there IS a ninth season maybe the creators will be able to convince Rosenberg to return and finish the saga with a bang! But a series final without the Lex Luther showdown would certainly be disapointing. Not to mention anti-clamatic.
The showdown of the century has been put on hold pending contract negotiations.
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