Smallville: Marking the End of an Era

Smallville has just returned for the final stretch of its 10th and final season!  Yes, Smallville is STILL on the air ... if only I could get a nickel for every time I hear this question when the show is mentioned these days ...

If I had to choose in high school which one out of all the shows I watched would still be around 10 years down the road, Smallville (which I only saw off and on) would NOT have been my pick.  Yet, here it is, three academic degrees and the rise and fall of a whole lot of television favorites later, the sole survivor of a time when thirty was old (cue "Strawberry Wine" playing in the background).  [R.I.P. Roswell, Dawson's Creek, Friends, Alias, Gilmore Girls, Charmed, BSG, 24, Lost and all those in between.]

I may not have been the most steadfast fan of this series and will admit I've missed a couple of seasons entirely, but I am truly amazed by its perseverance.  Smallville 2011 edition is barely recognizable from the fresh-faced debutante it was in 2001.  It has survived departures of major characters (Petey, Johnathan Kent, Lex, Lana ... basically Clark and Chloe are the only regulars left of the original cast), the fall of a network (the WB frog is no more) AND a move to the graveyard (aka where-shows-go-to-die) Friday night time-slot.  Yet, I have never been more devoted to this show as I have been for the past two seasons ... maybe because I luuurve Lois (especially!) and Clark (or Clois to the shippers), or the addition of the Green Arrow, or the increased action and superhero alliance storylines.  Bottomline, I actually like the grown-up Smallville more!

On a network targeting Twilight tweeners, where attention spans tend to be challenged (see recent ratings for Gossip Girl, the ex-hottest-show-on-CW), this show's staying power is nothing short of remarkable.  Even on Fridays in its last season, it manages to attract a larger overall audience than most other CW shows (all but the Vampire Diaries maybe?).  Sure, the network is all about the 18-34 women demo (which, speaking as someone who still fits in this group, is alienating and does a disservice to the network should it ever want to expand its market share), but losing Smallville and its sizable (and likely more diverse) audience will no doubt hurt.

Anyway, now that the gang is back, I am hoping confident (power of positive thinking, right?) the writers will wrap up this show in a way that will do it justice, and go out with a bang.  Clark and Lois sticking it out, more superhero team efforts (preferably including lizard Visitor Supergirl (Laura Vandervoort), Clark finally flying,  and the return of Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) would be much appreciated!  I would like to see Lana back too, but only so Clark can go all "you out girl Lois is the one" on her =P