Might Smallville Make It To Season 10?

The debate goes on and on as to whether Smallville is going beyond the upcoming 9th season.  In fact there are many things that are up in the air as far as what we know about the show.

The few things we do know:

• Tom Welling, who plays Clark Kent, has signed a 2-year contract renewal with the CW network.
• Allison Mack’s contract ends next year.
• Callum Blue & Brian Austin Green are hopping on board to play a few characters.

Things have been up in the air ever since Al Gough and Miles Millar left the show to the supporting showrunners Darren Swimmer, Todd Slakin, Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson.  They’ve proven themselves, more or less with season 8, despite the emptiness of the season finale.

But after having stepped up, Swimmer and Slakvin are moving on to take over Melrose Place, leaving Souders and Peterson to run the shop.

Where does that leave the show?  My guess is that the power hitters of the foursome were asked to move on to take over the reboot gamble of Melrose.  I could be wrong with that conjecture, but things are piling up to lead this editorial writer to that conclusion.

More Questions

We are still wondering the obvious.  Will Clark Fly?  Will Clark put on the suit?  Will Smallville become Metropolis?  Last December TV Guide stated that the CW was looking at a spin-off with Martian Manhunter but we haven’t heard any other word on that since then.  We even have unsubstantiated rumors that there’s a Smallville movie on the horizon and things that we want to hear, like Rosenbaum might return for an episode or two.

More Conjecture From Justin Hartley

Now we can add to the mixer of hope that calling the 9th season of Smallvile the last season may be premature – Justin Hartley who plays Oliver Queen / Green Arrow has stated this in a recent interview.  He further added to that by saying that the showrunners don’t know if they’re doing one or eight more seasons at this point in time.

Initially I thought he was chatting from some actual insider information, but I think all we’re seeing here is an actor being supportive of his own job.

While he was chatting, he added a little bit about his upcoming work in Smallville…

Hartley said that Oliver Queen might be going through some issues.  Those issues are a few saves gone awry and Oliver might start drinking again.  He also dropped the hint that he’ll be playing a younger Oliver Queen than we saw in season 8.

Is The Writing Is On The Wall?

If you recall, The CW moved Smallville to Friday nights for the 2009 / 2010 season as a lead-in to encore episodes of America’s Next Top Model.  It will also be up against the likes of Law and Order on NBC, Ghost Whisperer on CBS and Supernanny on ABC in its time slot.

It’s harsh enough that they moved it to Fridays, but the competition even on the awful TV night that is Friday looks like it might just guarantee the show’s demise.

Even if the move to Friday cuts its ratings in half (like the move did to the ill-fated Sarah Connor Chronicles), The CW says that if the show outperforms their previous Friday night fare, then “that would be super.”

To me, that seems to say an awful lot about just how the network feels about the show.  If they wanted it to go on, why Friday?

Here’s hoping all goes much better than it appears it might.  The 9th season of Smallville starts on Friday, September 25th and ends in May of 2010.

So is the writing really on the wall? Or do you think that Smallville could make it to season 10 and beyond?

Source: Sci Fi Wire