Caffeinated Clint
I think it goes without saying that “Smallville” is on life-support right now (as most shows usually are when they get to about their seventh or eighth season, if they’re lucky enough to even last that long). With series’ faves Michael Rosenbaum (Lex) and Kristin Kruek (Lana) gone, there doesn’t seem to be any punch left in the bowl over on the show table. If anything, it seems to be just playing out… (inadvertently transforming into another “Lois & Clark”, since Erica Durance’s incarnation of the fiesty reporter seems to be Kent’s main sidekick these days, along the way).
But the show’s falling numbers aren’t necessarily the only reason why the Kent Farm might be about to go into receivership.
According to this week’s TV Guide (via Aint it Cool), 31-year-old Tom Welling is as free as a bird next year. His contract with the show is up. And though the young actor hasn’t exactly got a viable film career to jump into (besides the forgettable remake of “The Fog” that he did, the only other thing he seems to have going on on the big screen are those incessant “Cheaper with the Dozen” films, where he plays kid number 2) he’s understandably going to be a little tired of playing a teenage Clark Kent and itching to play anything but for a while – even if that is Steve Martin’s tweenage son in another umpteenth “Dozen” sequels.
Welling hasn’t indicated one way or the other yet, but the fact that he’s no longer legally obligated to file stories for The Daily Planet does suggest he might look for work elsewhere next year. And fair enough too, as much as I’ve enjoyed the show, I have to admit, it’s really starting to tire (how many of Chloe’s nine lives has she used up now!?).
“Smallville” executive producer Darren Swimmer also tells TV Guide this week that he’s prepared for a series finale if it comes to pass, but there are still a few things he wants to see Clark explore before everything is wrapped up. “Clark’s now in full control of his powers and basically accepting the fact that he’s going to become Superman,” Swimmer said. “The formation of the dual identity is what he’s going to be negotiating from here on out. He’ll start to experiment.”
(And I’d also think he’d want Rosenbaum to return for one final episode as Lex Luthor, right?)
And if The CW does chop “Smallville”, Swimmer also has a suggestion for them : Give “Martian Manhunter” (played by Phil Morris on the series) his own hourly adventure series.
