Smallville has NEVER been as good as it is this season, and if Tom Welling decides not to return next year, this could be the end of the series. If so, it’s an amazing time to go out. Of all all the promos and trailers I’ve seen for what to expect on various shows next year, this new Smallville video gets me the most excited.

If this is the end of the series, I sincerely hope that Michael Rosenbaum can be convinced to return to the role of Lex one more time. It even looks like they might actually call Clark “Superman” when the Legion shows up.

EEEK! I’m loving this show!

Rumblings across the web have have made their way to TV Guide, and there is concern that Tom Welling may not return for a 9th season of “Smallville”.

Now, if you’d told me that last year I would have said “good”. After watching this season, however, I can truly say that I hope he changes his mind. Welling is not contracted for season 9 of the series, and while I can understand being ready to move on after having played the role for so many years, the show is the best its ever been – and I’d hate to lose now.

Unless, of course, they have him play Superman in a movie that grows out of the “Smallville” series. It’s unlikely that will happen – but if it did, the concept of Superman could be easily worked in with the “Smallville” cast – and re-introduced to an audience as a new feature film, without having to worry about the baggage of the series.

A Superman film doesn’t need a major all-star cast to be a success – it needs a great Superman story, with a group of talented actors, and “Smallville” already has that in place.

It’ll never happen – but with the right director and writer, it could be awesome.

Official Episode Description:

IT’S CHLOE AND JIMMY’S DREAM WEDDING DAY BUT TWO UNEXPECTED GUESTS CRASH THE PARTY — Chloe (Allison Mack) is excited that she’s marrying Jimmy (Aaron Ashmore). Meanwhile, Oliver (Justin Hartley) tells Clark (Tom Welling) he thinks he’s discovered where Lex is hiding and takes off to Cuba to confront him. However, when he arrives, Oliver is shocked to find Lana (Kristin Kreuk) instead. Clark and Lois (Erica Durance) grow closer but chaos ensues when Doomsday crashes the wedding and tries to kidnap Chloe. Jeannot Szwarc directed the episode written by Al Septian & Turi Meyer

“Abyss” (S08e09)

Official Episode Description:

BRAINIAC ERASES CHLOE’S MEMORY — Brainiac begins removing Chloe’s (Allison Mack) memories one by one until the only person she remembers is Davis (Sam Witwer). Clark (Tom Welling) realizes the only way to stop Brainiac from taking over Chloe’s mind is to rebuild the Fortress and ask Jor-El to heal her.

I seriously cannot believe how good Season 8 of Smallville has been thus far. It is, hands down, the best season of this entire series, and it just goes to show you that amazing things are possible when the creative team gets a much needed refresh.

Tonight was all about Chloe, and the fact that her memory was being taken over by Brainiac. Clark uses his crystal to rebuild the fortress and make piece with Jor-El in an attempt to save Chloe after he and Jimmy begin to fade from her memory.

Davis is eventually the only person she can remember, and she comes to him for help, after escaping the hospital where Jimmy has tried to get her an MRI to find out what’s wrong with her.

Ultimately Clark takes her back to the Fortress, and Jor-El decodes her brain, removing the bile of Brainiac…but at a cost. Clark asks that he also remove her knowledge of his secret to protect her from the burden that knowing it carries.

It’s amazing how the current writer’s have tied together the history of the show to explain why Clark wouldn’t tell Jimmy and Lois after telling so many people in previous seasons. It’s really wonderfully done, and when it’s over, and Chloe doesn’t remember his abilities anymore, Clark and the audience realize that we’ve lost a very special part of this show, and that things truly have changed.

In the last few seconds of the episode we see that the small amount of material that was within Chloe was all that it takes for Brainiac to seize control of the Fortress, and we learn – for sure – that Doomsday is coming!

THEN – the teaser for next week gives us a glimpse of what Doomsday will look like…and it is AMAZING. Next week’s episode is the fall finale, so it will be weeks before we see anything new, so expect some major stuff to happen.

This season has been so filled with greatness, it’s almost hard to believe it’s actually Smallville. If you’re not watching this show – and you have EVER watched it in the past — you’re missing everyone involved being at the top of their game.

DON’T MISS THIS!!!!

(s08e06 “Identity”)

Official Episode Description:

Jimmy (Aaron Ashmore) snaps a picture of Clark (Tom Welling) super-speeding to save Lois (Erica Durance) from a mugger and manages to catch a red and blue blur on film. Jimmy shows it to Tess (Cassidy Freeman) who decides to run it on the front page of the Daily Planet. Clark fears his identity will be discovered so he asks Chloe (Allison Mack) to run interference with Jimmy, but she refuses. Justin Hartley and Sam Witwer also star. Mairzee Almas directed the episode written by Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer

What a fantastic episode. Smallville’s 8th season – thus far – is the best season of this series yet.

Tonight Clark’s identity was called into question after Jimmy snapped a blurry red and blue photograph of someone saving Lois from getting hit by a car. Olsen was determined to figure out who the red and blue blur was, and he was quickly convinced that it was Clark.

Meanwhile Lois was being stalked by a freak with memory reading powers that was hired by Tess to discover who took her missing crystal.

I don’t honestly want to talk much about this episode. To say anything is to truly spoil a FANTASTIC episode of this series. I’m not sure where they’re going – but I’m enjoying the hell out of the ride.

(s08e05) Prey

Tonight opened with us getting a good, solid look at Clark Kent – hero. He’s running through the sitting, leaping tall building in a single bound (seriously), and saving kids from bullies…but he misses out when a monster attacks a building full of people.

When he gets there he sees Davis Bloom covered in blood, and tries to help him. Afterwards, it’s clear that Clark is obsessed with saving the world, and finding this killer. Detective John Jones (a de-powered Martian Manhunter) joins him as he tries to unravel the mystery…and John notices that Davis is the only connection to all of the attacks that have been reported.

One of Chloe’s council group kids gets killed by the mysterious creature in the opening, and when Clark goes to her looking for info on the kids in her group, she gets really upset. The strain on Chloe and Clark’s relationship is grows further when Davis comes to her, teary eyed – afraid that he might actually be the killer. Chloe refuses to believe it – because (whether she loves Jimmy or not) she can’t help but we sweet on this guy.

On top of that, when John starts investigating a list of names that Clark pulled from Chloe’s personal files – she is horrified to find her council group turning against her, and furious at Clark for doing it.

Later, Clark confronts Davis about photos of victims in his locker, and we got an intense moment between the two that really shows us where things are headed later in the season. David points out to Clark that Clark himself happens to be at all the sites too – ending the discussion with a cold stare down.

When Chloe confronts Clark about betraying her, Clark, however, has some compelling test results on Davis that quickly change the subject…and we learn that the skin under the nails of the victims is, in fact, Davis’.

Earlier in the episode Jimmy convinced Davis to let him ride along on his night shift. When he does so, things get serious. The two answer a call, and Davis tells Jimmy to wait by the ambulance. All signs point to a Davis blackout, but when Clark arrives it turns out there is some kind of shadow creature attacking Jimmy and Davis. The monster ended up being the geeky kid from Chloe’s group.

So, for now, Davis is clear in the minds of Chloe and Clark…but that will soon change, I think.

Chloe and Clark make up at the end of the episode, but as things come to a close, we see Chloe and Davis having a lunch meeting that seems to clearly point to trouble for Jimmy and Chloe down the road. Davis wants to be with her badly, but Chloe is afraid. She tells him that she doesn’t want to see him for a while.

The episode comes to a close with two very important scenes. In the first John tells Clark that he has to be more careful about keeping his identity secret. Jimmy comes into play, obsessed with the idea of find out who the secret metropolis savior is…and it looks like he’s going to find out something next week.

The second has a Lex Corp representative show up to discuss recruiting the shadow-kid in jail. She confirms that he isn’t the real killer…just a copy cat, and see in the last shot that Davis has the cross of one of the victims hanging from the mirror in his ambulance.

(s08e04) “Instinct”

Official Episode Description:

DC COMICS CHARACTER MAXIMA SETS HER SIGHTS ON CLARK — Tess (Cassidy Freeman) and her team perform tests on Clark’s (Tom Welling) crystal that she had retrieved from the arctic, causing it to send a beam of light into the universe. This triggers the arrival of Maxima (guest star Charlotte Sullivan), a queen from the planet Almerac, who is searching for her soulmate, who she believes sent the signal. Unfortunately, Maxima’s power is too great for mortal men and her kiss kills them. The seductive Maxima arrives in Metropolis and begins her search, starting with Jimmy (Aaron Ashmore).

(S09e03) Toxic

Office CW Episode Description:

OLIVER FLASHES BACK TO HIS DAYS ON THE ISLAND AND LEARNS MORE ABOUT HIS PARENTS’ DEMISE — Oliver (Justin Hartley) collapses at a charity event and reveals he only has 24 hours to live. Clark (Tom Welling) and Chloe (Allison Mack) call Davis (Sam Witwer) for help but his prognosis is grim. Delirious, Oliver flashes back to when he was stranded on an island and first learned how to use a bow and arrow. He also recalls meeting Tess (Cassidy Freeman) for the first time on that island after she had been kidnapped by a drug runner. Meanwhile, Chloe decides to use her new powers to help save Oliver, shocking Clark.

Tonight’s edition of “Smallville” was heavy on the soap opera drama. We got to learn a bit more about new series regulars Oliver Queen and Tess Mercer – and their history together. Tess is now tied to the origin of Oliver’s alter ego “Green Arrow” in an interesting way that I won’t spoil here.

A “friend” from both of their pasts returned and poisoned Ollie, giving us a look back into his past, and letting our new gang of series regulars, including everyone’s favorite “Doomed” medic, join in the saving game.

For the most part I thought Ollie’s origin was well handled, and Tess’ back story was also intriguing – it wasn’t until the two got together in the present that things got a little too soapy. Right down to dialogue that would even make the “One Life to Live” crew cringe, the story hit some rough patches when things got overly emotional.

The story of Chloe and her Brainiac powers continued to evolve this week as did her relationship with Davis Bloom. Not a whole lot to report there – it’s really all set up for stuff that is going to happen later in the season.

Still, all things considered, this episode may be the worst of season 8 thus far – but its still heads and shoulders above the quality of the last few years of the show. I’m still excited to be enjoying “Smallville” again – and I’m looking forward to more episodes.

Smallville is looking pretty good this season, and this week’s Green Arrow centric episode kicks up the soap opera drama. You can read the official description below.

Oliver (Justin Hartley) collapses at a charity event and reveals he only has 24 hours to live. Clark (Tom Welling) and Chloe (Allison Mack) call Davis (Sam Witwer) for help but his prognosis is grim. Delirious, Oliver flashes back to when he was stranded on an island and first learned how to use a bow and arrow. He also recalls meeting Tess (Cassidy Freeman) for the first time on that island after she had been kidnapped by a drug runner. Meanwhile, Chloe decides to use her new powers to help save Oliver, shocking Clark.

Thanks to Krypton Site for the info.

(se08ep02) Plastique

Tonight is the night for the second episode of Smallville’s 8th season – and not only will we see Lois and Clark’s first day together as a reporting team, we’ll also get a look at Paramedic Davis Bloom – the man who will become DOOMSDAY!

It’s Clark’s (Tom Welling) first day at the Daily Planet with Louis (Erica Durance), and the pair are immediately thrown together on a story when a bus explodes outside the office. Clark rescues Bette (guest star Jessica Parker Kennedy), a young girl who bonds with Chloe (Allison Mack) over their shared meteor abilities, but Bette is hiding a big secret. Paramedic Davis Bloom (Sam Witwer) arrives in Metropolis and is drawn to Chloe.