Who would have guessed that SMALLVILLE would have survived 10 years and two networks to live on as the longest running Superman-inspired series on television.

From the inspired storytelling that took a young Clark Kent (Tom Welling) and chronicled his formative years before he became Superman, the series has taken many twists and turns, while also telling its own revisionist history of Kryptonians favorite son.

As they get closer to the Season 10 series finale, executive producers Brian Wayne Peterson and Kelly Souders spoke with ASSIGNMENT X in this exclusive interview about where SMALLVILLE is going (without getting too spoilery in the process).

ASSIGNMENT X: I was under the impression from interviews last year that Zod was intended as a two-year arc?

BRIAN WAYNE PETERSON: Callum [Blue] had a two year contract, but even though we had loved Callum, we felt we had really run the character’s arc out. The exciting news is, we have hopes of having one great Zod episode. Nothing in stone, but we’re hopeful for this year.

KELLY SOUDERS: We know what it’s going to be.

AX: I think the great thing about this season, is officially knowing the show will be over so you can use the entire season to wrap things out.

SOUDERS: A lot of people say, “you have your last season, you don’t have to worry about a pick-up and all the pressure is off …”

PETERSON: We’ve never felt more pressure in our lives.

SOUDERS: After being fans of the show for a decade, we wanted to end this on the highest note possible. I would say we’re running harder and this whole writing staff is running harder than they’ve ever run before.

AX: Did you know you wanted to bring John Schneider back last season, or was it something that happened when you realized Season 10 would be the last season?

PETERSON: We always have known, because the show has gone on for so long, and it really has roots that go back further than a lot of the storylines we’re playing out. So we wanted to end it by bringing back a few of the faces and people who were instrumental in the development of the show.

SOUDERS: We’ve been wanting to bring him back for awhile.

AX: Will John appear in more episodes?

PETERSON: He will reappear a couple more times this season.

AX: What do you think Jonathan Kent’s appearance adds to the show in the final season.

SOUDERS: It’s really to root Clark. Clark has been through a lot, and a lot has changed since the beginning of SMALLVILLE. When we went into this season, the fans of the first nine years will get everything they want out of the tenth season and everything we want out of the tenth season. We wanted to go back to some of the basic aspects of SMALLVILLE and in Clark Kent’s life and there’s nobody that exemplifies that more than Jonathan Kent.

AX: Oliver and Chloe – how does that play out?

SOUDERS: Allison [Mack] was in the premiere and she’ll be back mid-season for a few episodes, and after that, we’re not sure, schedule permitting.

PETERSON: Their relationship in one way or another plays out all season long.

AX: It has to be so tough for you, when you have actors who are partially available for this final season.

PETERSON: We’re just thrilled that Allison was committed enough to do it this year, and she really wanted to send her character off in the best way possible and she worked with us to do that in the best way possible.

AX: Is Lana Lang’s story done? Would you or could you bring her back?

SOUDERS: This season is a lot about Clark confronting the ghosts of his past, and I think he has something to learn from everybody. We’ve never had any problem, when we looked back at these nine seasons, and tried to bring something out of it we’ve seen before, but figured out a new twist. And what part of that impact on Clark’s life hasn’t been resolved yet. I can’t think of anybody who has been on the show where we wouldn’t have a clear idea of what their story is.

AX: You have to have Michael Rosenbaum back as Lex before Season 10 is over. How do you convince him he has to be back by that last episode?

PETERSON: You know what, if it’s roses, we’ve done that. If it’s dinner, we’ve done that.

SOUDERS: We love him, and he’s such a talented actor and brought such life to Lex Luthor.

AX: Are you going to do a one hour or two hour finale?

PETERSON: It will be spectacular. We have some big hopes for it.

AX: Does that mean you’re going to have to save up your bank, to be able to do the big thing you want to do?

PETERSON: We have our piggy bank.

SOUDERS: We have been protecting that all along. We have wonderful co-horts at the studio.

AX: Obviously shows like LOST and THE SOPRANOS, they try to find unconventional ways to tell their ending  – do you have any surprises? Do you feel SMALLVILLE kind of has to end in a way that makes sense for the entire series or can you be meta and weird and do something strange too?

PETERSON: I think we succeed best when we do both. When we can pull off both, that’s when we’ve done our job. When we do something surprising and satisfying.

SOUDERS: We’re going to try to do it all.

CLICK HERE for more exclusive ASSIGNMENT X coverage of SMALLVILLE

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