Smallville is an American television series created by writer/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and was initially broadcast by The WB. After its fifth season, the WB and UPN merged to form The CW, which is the current broadcaster for the show in the United States. Smallville premiered on October 16, 2001, and completed its sixth season on May 17, 2007. An eighth season was officially announced by The CW on March 3, 2008. It is filmed in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The plot follows the adventures of a young Clark Kent's life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman. The first four seasons focused on Clark and his friends' high school years. Since season five, the show has ventured into more adult settings, with some characters attending college. Recent seasons have seen an increase in the introductions of other DC comic book superheroes and villains.

Smallville inspired an Aquaman spin-off pilot, which was not picked up by The CW network, as well as promotional tie-ins with Verizon, Sprint, and Toyota. In other media, the show has spawned a series of young-adult novels, a DC Comics comic book and soundtrack releases. The show broke the record for highest rated debut for The WB, with 8.4 million viewers tuning in for its pilot episode.

Season one of Smallville, an American television series developed by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, began airing on October 16,2001 on The WB Television Network (The WB). The first season recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during his teenage years before he becomes Superman. It comprises 21 episodes and concluded its initial airing on May 21,2002. Season one regular cast members include Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Kristin Kreuk, Annette O'Toole, John Schneider, Sam Jones III, Allison Mack, and Eric Johnson.

The season's stories focus on Martha and Jonathan Kent's (O'Toole and Schneider) attempts to help their adopted son Clark (Welling) cope with his alien origin and control his developing superhuman abilities. Clark must deal with the meteor-infected individuals that begin appearing in Smallville, his love for Lana Lang (Kreuk), and not being able to tell his two best friends, Pete Ross (Jones III) and Chloe Sullivan (Mack), about his alien nature. Clark also befriends Lex Luthor (Rosenbaum).

The episodes were filmed primarily in Vancouver, Canada, and post-production work took place in Los Angeles. Gough and Millar assisted the writing staff with week-to-week story development. "Villain of the week" storylines were predominant during the first season; physical effects, make-up effects, and computer generated imagery became important components as well. Limited filming schedules sometimes forced guest actors to perform physical stunts, and the series regulars were more than willing to do stunt work. Episode budgets ultimately became strictly regulated, as the show frequently ran over budget during the first half of the season. The pilot broke The WB viewership record for a debut series, and was nominated for various awards. Although the villain of the week storylines became a concern for producers, critical reception was generally favorable and the series was noted as having a promising start.

A meteor shower bursts from the heavens, raining destruction on the unsuspecting citizens of Smallville. Twelve years later and the healing process has left the town's inhabitants with scars and secrets. From the ashes of tragedy, a popular yet awkward teen attempts to decipher the meaning of his life and his clouded past. As he struggles with the transition from boyhood to adulthood, his strength and strange abilities set him uncomfortably apart from his peers, and his name is Clark Kent. Written by Antonio Carruyo

In October 1989, a huge meteor shower destroyed most of the town of Smallville, Kansas. This event brought Jonathan (John Schneider) and Martha Kent (Annette O'Toole) what they have always wanted, a son they named Clark (Tom Welling). In 2001, their son is becoming a man, who has two best friends, Pete Ross (Sam Jones III) and Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack), and has a crush on the hottest girl in school, Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk), not to mention a budding friendship with future nemesis Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum). But his parents have been hiding a secret from him: that they found him inside a spaceship when the meteor shower came. As he begins to develop his powers and discover more abilities that will soon transform him into Superman, Clark begins to take on his mantle as the Man of Steel. Written by Will