I have been a comic book lover ever since I was a kid. Spider-Man, Batman, Green Lantern, X-Men, Punisher, Superman, and so many others have found a way into my collection over the years. Like many comic fans I generally latch on to whatever I can get my hands on that even remotely represents a book that I grew up with. From movies to games and even TV, it's safe to say that there's plenty to talk about over the past decade or so. Smallville is a prime example of that.

Way back in 2001 this teenage drama reinvention of everyone's favorite Kryptonian started making headlines. What started as a freak of the week adventure with a young Clark Kent learning what it means to be super quickly turned into something special. As Kent's powers grew and more of his Kryptonian heritage seeped onto the screen, I found that I appreciated the show more. Additional support from other parts of the DC franchise helped turn me into a fan, but the polarized focus on the many relationships between the characters was definitely a sore spot for me.

Over the course of the show there have been many ups and downs, and if you've been following the show to this point you probably already know that the seventh season was definitely one of the biggest low points. There were simply too many inconsistencies and all around the series felt like it had lost some direction. Thankfully that changes somewhat with the either season, and the 22 episodes here are stronger overall.

When we left Smallville at the end of season seven Lana left to do her own thing, Chloe was attacked by Brainiac, and Clark and Lex disappeared beneath the collapsing Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic. Up to that point it's safe to say that the seventh season was kind of a let down, really. I mean, the entire season was Clark and Lana pining for each other, and wow, did that get old fast! This has been a driving force of the show, but generally speaking the quality of the rest helped to cushion the blow. Sadly that wasn't the case for that season. Thankfully with Lana (mostly) out of the picture the eighth season is free to explore more comic book aspects, more Clark and Lois, and darker elements from the DC Universe.

So what exactly happens this season? Well, first and foremost Clark has to get his powers back (again) at the beginning and this time around it costs everyone's favorite Martian Manhunter his abilities. It's all part of the growing up plan from Jor'El's guidebook to fatherhood and naturally this element is explored a few additional times throughout the season. In addition to his quest to get those powers back, Clark also decides that it's time to get a job. He naturally lands a gig at the Daily Planet and finds himself at a desk opposite of Lois. Over the course of the season the show explores their relationship and it's clear that there's some romance developing there, which is a nice touch that we've been waiting for.

Clark also begins to do more heroics and begins to gain some notoriety as somebody known as the Red-Blue-Blur. Lame, I know, but it's a nice precursor to the Superman persona. You do get the impression that he should just put the suit on already and be done with it.

What's going on with the other characters in this season? Well, Lois is back once again just the same as always. The only real thing that happens with her is that she discovers her feelings for Clark and the show builds upon those every now and then. Chloe is back, and this time she's infected by Brainiac at the beginning of the season. Her brain becomes like a super computer and this plotline ties into another that encompasses much of the season. Oh, she and Jimmy Olsen also get married in this season. Green Arrow is back and Mr. Queen has more screen time than in any of the other seasons. He grows a bit and we learn more about his past, which is definitely a plus.

Joining the eighth season are two characters who become big players in terms of what stories this year has to tell. Tess Mercer takes over Luthorcorp in Lex's stead. She's a beautiful, calculative woman and you never quite know what she's going to do. I enjoyed the character and felt she was a nice addition to the show and appropriate replacement for Lex.

The other character introduced this season has greater ties to the comic book version of Superman. At first the guy, Davis Bloome, seems harmless enough. He's an EMT who befriends Chloe and appears to be an all around nice guy. Over the course of the season it's revealed that he has a darker side, and eventually it comes to light that he's actually the human representation of Doomsday, who is an alter-ego of sorts. As a fan of the comic book I was naturally excited to see the show introduce Doomsday, and I must say that they play it off quite nicely. This is visited upon from episode to episode and it builds slowly towards the end of the season. You never quite know how it's going to end and there's plenty of surprises in store for you as you watch.

While I don't want to discuss particular episodes, I will say that there's a great deal of continuity in this season. So many storylines are carried over between episodes and there's a nice string of connections sewn throughout. An even that happens in one episode will be referenced a few down the road, and something that didn't seem important then actually becomes so. The quality of writing is all around better for the eighth season, and the majority of episodes are fantastic, though that doesn't mean there aren't a few stinkers in the bunch.

If you're a fan of the show then you should consider the eighth season strongly recommended. It's leaps and bounds better than the previous outing, and it's ever so slowly inching its way to that comic book motif we all crave. The show is definitely reaching a point where it needs to be brought to an end as it's starting to show its age, but until then let's just hope that the level of writing keeps up and we see more material adapted form the comics.

Smallville: The Complete Eighth Season is presented on DVD with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and has been enhanced for anamorphic playback like you'd expect. The show is as colorful and as sharp as always and there are several moments here where the standard edition truly stands out. While it's not exactly leaps and bounds better than the seventh season of the show, it's worth noting that some of the video feels cleaner all around. There's less grain and compression artifacts aren't nearly as prevalent. With that all being said the Blu-ray release obviously offers the better resolution out of the two, so if that option is available to you, you might want to consider it. However, it's nice to know that the DVD version of the season is as solid as you'd expect and doesn't disappoint from start to finish. All 22 episodes and bonus features are included here on six discs.

This season of Smallville hits with an English Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track as its only option. It's a solid enough offering for the show and it's no slouch in terms of effects and diversity on the soundstage though. There's a nice enough presence that will work your surround system at times, but then again if you're familiar with this show you know that the action elements are definitely outweighed by the dialogue. Still, it's nice to hear the familiar "whoosh" of Clark running by and the whiz of one of Green Arrows projectiles. It's adequate and not inherently flawed, but it just doesn't do quite enough to stand out either. This presentation was virtually identical to that of the Blu-ray and my ears could not distinguish any noticeable differences.

The bonus features for Smallville's eighth season are plentiful enough to add some additional runtime, but not quite as in depth as one might hope for. These features are also identical to what is featured on the Blu-ray release, so there are no exclusive materials.

There are two audio commentaries available for this season, though in all honesty I felt there were other episodes that could have benefited more from this treatment. The first episode is "Identity" and it features Casside Freeman, Director Mairzee Almas, and Executive Producer Brian Peterson all talking about the episode. It's not a very lively track, though it's fairly informative and gives a nice impression of where they were going with some elements of the story where Jimmy almost figures out Clark's real identity. The other commentary comes for the episode "Legion", which has some important moments, but it wasn't the be all and end all of what should have been talked about in this season. Commentators for this one are Writer Geoff Johns, Executive Producer Darrne Swimmer, and Supervising Producer Tim Scanlan.

Aside from the commentaries there are also unaired scenes for episodes "Plastique", "Instinct", "Legion", "Power", "Requiem", "Turbulence", "Hex", "Eternal", "Beast", and "Injustice". These are all worth checking out, but aren't necessarily defining of each episode in their own right. The only other bonus content you're going to find here are two featurettes: "In the Director's Chair" and "Smallville's Doomsday".

"In the Director's Chair: Behind the Lens and Calling the Shots with Allison Mack" not only has a long title, but it's actually a fairly interesting featurette that examines the production aspect of the show. There is an extensive amount of behind the scenes footage and plenty of commentary from Mack on what it's like to work on the show. "Smallville's Doomsday: The Making of a Monster" is a solid enough look at what it took to bring Doomsday from the comic to the TV show. There were obvious concessions that had to be made in order to do so, and this one is mostly about the special effects surrounding their design.

Smallville The Complete Eighth Season is a great return to form for the show. The writing is better, the characters feel more grown up, and you'll constantly have the nagging feeling that you're just an episode away from Clark becoming Superman and flying around Metropolis. While the 22 episodes that comprise this season vary greatly in terms of quality, the bulk of it is quite good with loads of action and plenty of nods to the comic book. I really appreciated the Doomsday storyline and liked how the show used more Lois and less Lana. While not quite as solid with regards to technical merit, the DVD is a viable option if Blu-ray is not available to you. It's every bit as solid a presentation as we saw on the other seven sets and stands out in several other ways. Strongly Recommended.

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