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.
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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
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212 Comments
I think they started out with agreat premise and some great stories.
Now it just seems to be about bringing in chracters from the comics with very little backstory and explanation.
They spent an entire season leading up to a confrontation between Doomsday and Clark ,
It was a 2 punch battle.
2 PUNCHES!
They could have done better.
I agree but I would have preferred that Clark put on the suit before all the other Comic Book Heroes came out and certainly, before Doomsday. After all, it was never Clark that did battle with Doomsday but a seasoned Superman.
just bring Michael Rosenbaum back as Lex and I will be happy!!!
Foopher, I realize we have different opinions on Smallville. And that’s perfectly fine. Everone has their own individual tastes and preferences. However, just because you, or I or anyone else happens to like a show doesn’t mean it’s a particularly good one. I mean look at Degrassi or Gossip Girl. People obviously watch them but that doesn’t mean much int he way of quality.
For instance, I enjoy most of Jackie Chan’s films. I realize that they typically don’t have very goood scripts, or meaningful story arcs or well drawn characters, but I’m willing to overlook that because of his terrific stuntwork and everyman persona. Yet at the same time, I realize that many other people don’t like them,and that’s okay because really when it comes down to it, they’re just not that great of movies. They’re just a particular type of bad movie which I happen to peronsally enjoy.
I think the same can be said for Smallville, I’m a fan of the comics and characters, and the show does enough right that I’m willing to overlook a lot of it’s flaws. However, when it comes down to it, it’s just not that well-made of a show at times. Overall, I would say that Superman The Animated series (and without a doubt Batman The Animated Series) has featured better writing than Smallville, and there’s just no excuse for that when you’re dealing with a primetime television series.
Good news for Smallville fans! Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly reports that Clark will wear the iconic “S” symbol in season 9! Sounds like a step in the right direction to me.
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/07/ask-ausiello-spoilers-on-gossip-fringe-greys-etc.html
That’s awesome.
Luke, i know.
but like you said it’s good enough
Yeah, I read the EW article, and now I’m VERY curious. I would still be really surprised if he became Superman before the end of the series, but that’s certainly what the article makes it sounds like (they also said he’ll take on a new approach to crimefighting).
Hopefully, they don’t mean it’s some alien symobl which literally appears on his chest, I could almost see them going that route.
Yeah. and i hope it’s not that 8 in the middle thing like at the end of season 2. They finally brought the real symbol into the picture in season 6 and 7, but haven’t done anything with it.
@ Luke
I agree with ya there about Superman: TAS and Batman: TAS Bruce Timm and those guys did such a good job. Especially how they kep things connected up to Justice League Unlimited. I only wished we could of had one more season. I read Tom Welling say in a interview he plans not to wear the suit no longer than he has to. I have my doubts we’ll see Tom as superman for a whole season unless they change the name of the show to Metropolis. But then again, they could always change their minds, pay Tom more money, and have him as Superboy in Smallville like the Superboy tv series took place.
Foopher, honestly I’m glad you enjoy the series, I still enjoy it enough to tune in every week. It’s just discouraging because when you look at the the better comics based films and animated series, you know that Smallville could be a lot better if they only made the effort, and that’s what annoys me the most.
I don’t think they’ll change the name of the show to Metropolis, that’d be a little stupid. Even in the Superman movies Clark would make his visits to Metropolis frequently as he;s doing now. But I want the final season to feel like the classic Superman comics, but of course with the Smallville twists. And yes, they could be putting more effort into it. But then again Smallville is a modern interpretation from the core. They always wanted to be different, and refreshing from the comics, something new for the new generation, just like the new animated Spider-man show.
Luke, i see what you mean. I know it could be better, but i don’t think it’s as horrible as people make it out to be.
Smallville is a whole new story that people want to be like the Superman comics. It’s not even the story of how he becomes superman, but a story of just what happens preceeding his “super” days. All the villians and superpowered freaks are just extras to try to entertain the masses. he’ll be Superman when he wants to, and he doesn’t want to yet. Yes, he wants to help/save people from the forces of evil, but he doesn’t want to be publicly recognized yet. Hense, the red/blue “BLUR”. Once he realizes that the people not only need a symbol of hope, but a face, is when he’ll put on the tights and don the “S”. Until then he’s hiding in the shadows battling the baddest of the bad and people should watch for entertainment, not to critique his methods of becoming a hero. Don’t watch to look for flaws, just enjoy what you’re being given. If that doesn’t work, get into film making or whatever and fix it yourself.
Luke I would go as far as to say that Lois and Clark the New Adventures of Superman was an overall better show lol.
^ HA
I agree, this show is far from the Comics. In the Comics, it was Martha Kent that designed and made the suit from the blanket found in the Spacecraft and Lois gave him the name.
In the show, not only was his ship destroyed, so was his cousin’s. I guess if he gets the suit, it will have to come from Jor-El at the Fortress of Solitude (like in the Christopher Reeve’s movie), which would not be to bad and really would make more sense. I just hope Lois still gives him his name, right on the front page on the Daily Planet, in bold type.
Other than those things, I do watch the show just for its entertainment value and separated it from the comics a long time ago, so that I could continue to enjoy the show.
@ Foopher
Ive always said to people who look for flaws, like from Batman, to Terminator films etc. If you want it done right, go colledge for filmmakin and do it right yourself with a reboot.
I also thought Lois & Clark was a great show, especially the first two seasons.
Foopher,
I understand what you are trying to say But I dont entirely agree.
Smallville isnt a whole new show.
Its based on characters That have been around for decades .
They were not created just for this show.
And Alfred Gough And Miles Millar clearly intended for Clarks journey To end with him Becoming Superman.
They talked about it MANY times .
I was never really able to watch Lois & Clark but the few episodes I saw, I thought were pretty good. I liked that they had the Yellow “S” on the Cape (unlike in the last movie). I had hoped during the 1st 2 seasons, that if Tom Wellings was never going to be called Superman, they should have a spin-off called Superboy, but now he’s too old for that.
As for the show Superboy, I never even knew it was ever made, at least not until last year and then was disappointed that I could not find any episodes to watch to see what it was like.
Superboy is not on DVD?
Not that I’ve ever seen or heard of.
The complete first season of Adventures of Superboy should be out to buy still. I bought mine back in 06 at Best Buy store. It was one of those things to promote Superman Returns when it came out. I think you can still buy it at F.Y.E stores or special order it. The show lasted 4 seasons.
Chrisj,
Seasons 2 to 4 havent been released yet though.
Gary,
I know, i was mentioning how many seasons the show lasted.
I may check EBay
Thanks for the information on the show.
Anytime. I just wished i knew if the rest of the seasons will come out. Seems doubtful if its been 3 years and no 2nd season boxset came out.
“I understand what you are trying to say But I dont entirely agree.
Smallville isnt a whole new show.
Its based on characters That have been around for decades .
They were not created just for this show.
And Alfred Gough And Miles Millar clearly intended for Clarks journey To end with him Becoming Superman.
They talked about it MANY times .”
I kind of worded that wrong. I know it’s supposed to end with him being superman, but not every episode is him coming one step closer to it. how do i explain it? uhm… It’s his “journey” to becoming superman. something like that doesn’t take just a couple of years (especially not a couple years out of high school). it doesn’t matter how old Tom Welling is, Clark is still young. So he’s slowly going to creep his way there, and kick some bad guy butt on the way
The show really lost its’ way after the ‘high school phase’!
Season 5-8 are not worth watching even once!
I have to say season 8 pretty much water the show down. i actually hope season 9 is the last.
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