TVSquad

(S07E20) After a pretty intense set of scenes from the past season, we open with Edward Teague trying to run to South America (as all fugitives tend to do). His stewardess ends up being Kara, who takes a very sinister turn as she threatens to throw Teague out of the plane. When he gives her the information she requires, she destroys the plane and kills him anyway (along with everyone else on the plane).

For the last time this season: Somebody saaaavvvveeee meeeee...

(S07E19) Lex is still pursuing the secret of Veritas. In his journeys, he encounters a cloaked stranger who tries to kill him and later on tries to kill Clark. I think this episode borrowed a page or two from The DaVinci Code. For that matter, I think half the season did.

Lex has been hurt or nearly killed a great deal since the start of this series. It's unlikely his latest chest mutilation will ever heal. It wouldn't surprise me if he left the area of Smallville entirely. Oh, wait...

We knew it was coming. At the end of February 2007, Smallville actor, Michael Rosenbaum, announced his intentions of leaving the show at the end of the 2007-2008 season in order to tackle new projects. For the past year, fans (I include myself here) hoped that the actor would change his mind. How can Smallville be, well, Smallville without Lex Luthor? Things looked grim when the actor reminded us last February that he was done with the show, come the Season 7 finale. And today, fans around the world must come to the realization that Rosenbaum wasn't joking: he really is leaving the show "to start the next chapter of my life and career," he says in a joint statement with The CW.

(S07E17) Most sci-fi or fantasy television series have used a "parallel universe" or "what if" storyline in which we see what life would be like if a different set of circumstances existed in the characters' universe. As of tonight's episode, Smallville is no exception to this rule. In fact, it's kind of surprising the creators haven't done it before now since they seem to rely on television clichés.

Somebody saaaaaavvvveeee meeeee....

(S07E17) In a mild diversion from the main story arc of the season, Jimmy Olsen becomes James Bond. At least he's a James Bond that makes breakfast.

Of all the characters in the show, the ones who have undergone the most growth is Chloe. It makes sense since the character was created specifically for this series (although it was somewhat as a Lois Lane stand-in).

Unless you've been hiding under an ozone-filled nuclear waste facility hidden in an Arctic glacier that has recently begun to melt, you know that today is Earth Day. Now, while other Earth Days have been important, this year's is down-right significant thanks to media reports letting us know that global warming is finally here. This is pretty serious, especially to those of us with young children. We certainly want to do anything in our power to stop global warming so all of the planet's resources aren't used up and we need to travel to another planet in a spaceship flown by Joey Tribbiani.

With that in mind, the environmentally-friendly folks at TV Squad (we write all of our articles on recycled toilet paper) have decided to point out those television characters who don't give the environment the credit it deserves. Some are actually trying to harm it on purpose (I'm leering in your direction, Rush Limbaugh), while others don't know that they are doing anything at all. Here are but a few of the most wanted.

(S07E16) Smallville returns from its hiatus with a death that was extremely predictable (particularly given the spoilers available throughout the Internet). I'm trying not to spoil it for anybody who hasn't watched yet so I'm saving the reveal until after the jump. It's surprising that they didn't even wait for the opening credits for that particular reveal.

At this juncture, I think it's safe to say that the character permanently died. No alternate timelines. No Kryptonite-fueled resurrections. No clones. No imaginary stories. Mind you, in the Smallville universe, it wouldn't surprise me if this or any death was only temporary (such as with Buffy before it).

(S07E15) This episode could have easily been the season finale of Smallville. It had characters change, characters vanish and a very sad cliffhanger ending. I wonder if it was the last one written before the writer's strike started?

It opened with a quiet day on the Kent farm. Then Brainiac (played by James Marsters) showed up and things got violent. In a rare instance, Clark showed up on time in the beginning to save the day, rather than the end of the program. On another note, that farm gets trashed a LOT.

(S07E14) Tonight's episode taught us a lot about the Luthor family. They seemed to be more the focus of this episode with Clark and company as supporting characters.

How is it that anyone can sneak up on Clark in a barn like that? I know flight hasn't kicked in, but doesn't he have superhearing and supervision? For that matter, doesn't he have superspeed to dodge the tasers? It's a minor quibble (since it could be argued that proximity of the Kryptonite lessened his powers), but it's a quibble nonetheless.

(S07E13) With regard to Smallville, and at the risk of sounding slightly racist, the token African-American from the first few seasons is back (which is more P.C. to write than "the token black is back"). Since then, he's become a meteor freak and a walking commercial for Stride gum at the same time.

Let's hear it for the token band One Republic. They must have gotten a good minute of air time. I bet money they're a Warner Brothers label (part of the same empire as the CW and Smallville).

Early pickups are always happy news -- especially if your favorite TV shows are among those getting the renewal. So, today's announcement that Smallville, Supernatural, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, America's Next Top Model and the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris are all returning to the CW next season is a reason to smile.

Tyra Banks, star hostess of America's Next Top Model, will be back for cycles 11 and 12. One Tree Hill will be back for a sixth season; and Gossip Girl will start season two. Women, that all important 18-34 demographic, are faithful viewers for these three shows.

(S07E12) Finally! They've gotten back to the amnesiac Kara in Detroit. Unfortunately, Lex got to her first.

Along with the amnesia from the confrontation in the Fortress with her father, Kara has also lost her powers. As a result, she couldn't punch out a psycho stalker fellow employee in the diner who kidnapped her.

And Lois, being the ever-stalkery reporter herself, found Lex stalking Kara using her own resources. Oh what a tangled web we weave.

(S07E11) Black Canary has entered the universe of Smallville, and she's totally goth. She's a pawn of Lex Luthor, and in her secret identity she is apparently that universe's version of Ann Coulter.

I've read Black Canary in the comic books and in that medium she's never been a knife-thrower. She also apparently has super-leaping powers. Perhaps she gained them in the short-lived series Birds of Prey.

Here's a gallery of images from the episode. More review follows after the jump.

Gallery: Smallville: Siren

Can you imagine Smallville without Lex Luthor?

That's the possibility that arises after you watch this video (also embedded after the jump) of star Michael Rosenbaum at YoungHollywood.com. Most of the video is just Rosenbaum explaining what he's doing at the Sundance Film Festival, what he gets in free stuff for being on a TV show, who his mom looks like, and how to fake a smile for all the cameras that are always shoved in his face. But in the last few seconds of the clip, Rosenbaum tells fans to watch the show "for only a couple more months, and then I'm done."

(S07E10) In a triumphant return to television after a few months off, Smallville returns with Brainiac (played by James Marsters, best known as Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and introduces a new Kryptonian named Dax-Ur (played by Marc McClure, best known as Jimmy Olsen from the Christopher Reeve Superman movies).

Has any actor involved with a previous screen version of Superman NOT been involved with this show? Anyone? Anyone? Okay, maybe Gene Hackman...

More after the jump...