Overview: Red-jacketed, blue-shirted Clark Kent (Tom Welling) draws closer to his Superman destiny in the exciting 22-episode, 6-disc Season 8 (2008-9) of Smallville.

DVD Verdict: I started watching live in season 6 and before it ended, I had bought every season on dvd! I still cannot believe I was kindl given this box set to review for this eigth season, but I'm oh so very happy!

I know it has changed over time, and is different every season but that is because actors get older, characters graduate high school and relationships change and grow. When a show is this great, year after year, there's bound to be people who wish it was always the same, and therefore absolutely as great always because it is exactly the same. Some episodes are better than others, and there are always growing pains in great shows but I don't see that as bad - every season is different for some reason or another.

I loved the whole Doomsday story and actually cried when I thought he died (even though I knew they couldn't kill him off for real). Alot of people are trashing this season but I don't understand why. It was alot of fun and very exciting. I hope they renew it for a 10th season.

Anyway, being a new fan who watched all seasons in one year, in a row, I see the changes and the growth all together at once and I absolutely love it. I understand wanting it to be the same because it is so great from the beginning but to call for such a great show to be cancelled because it is different, is just heartbreaking. Real, true fans who don't like some episodes or seasons, can forgive and come back or just don't watch but I've had many favorites that drifted and then had episodes or further seasons that I loved.

All too often great shows aren't even given a chance to air two or three episodes, much less two or three seasons to grow a decent fan base - or like this year in particular, many with good-even great ratings are cancelled for unknown reasons. With the trash on tv these days, Smallville is miles above 99% of the shows and should certainly not be cancelled.

Unique shows, like Smallville and Supernatural are particularly vulnerable because they aren't yet another Law and Order or CSI. I like CSI and L&O but that doesn't mean I don't want some variety in my choice of shows. I don't want a copy of every show that's popular, I just want great shows and I am so thankful to have that in Smallville. I love this show because it is different every week, has surprises that fit the show, and have terrific actors and characters. I Love this season, as much as all the others. [YM] This is a Widescreen presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Audio Commentaries on 2 key episodes
Unaired Scenes
In the Director's Chair: Behind the Lens and Calling the Shots With Allison Mack
Smallville's Doomsday: The Making of a Monster