Smallville Season 9

Right now you can watch Smallville Season 9 on and — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. A compact run that never overstays its welcome. 4,515 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Tom Welling sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Smallville Season 9 is worth clearing space for. Smallville Season 9 uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. Last season, the enticing Tess Mercer maneuvered her way through town, discovered Clark's true identity and unleashed a new world of danger. Clark, he also met his greatest match: Doomsday. When Clark wasn't busy battling the beast, he was knee-deep in work at the Daily Planet. Tom Welling and Erica Durance lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 2009. The rules of Smallville Season 9's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Smallville Season 9 a chance. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single week. Tom Welling's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.