With only 22 (or so) episodes, 52 weeks in a year and the apparent desire of the networks to have new episodes in September, November, February and May, it's inevitable that there will be weeks during the season when there's no new episode.

And this is actually pretty common and has been for many years. It seems to be getting worse in some instances in terms of the breaks being grouped together and being longer (I've noticed it on the WB especially, too. I remember a time last season when 'Angel' went a month or so without a new episode in the middle of the season), but potentially getting better in other instances (FOX deciding to delay the premiere of '24' until January and play the whole season without weeks off like in the first three seasons and ABC's deciding apparently the same thing for 'Alias').

I thought Chole looked a little like Scully from x-files when her head rounded the corner through the blue gas / tint.

Obviously you havent been watching much of the WB or UPN. They always did the same thing with Buffy, Angel and still do with Enterprise. New episodes are rare during the Holiday months.

Supposedly no new episodes of Everwood until the middle of January, 2005.

shit, look at sci-fi and Stargate
no new eps for 4 months

Nice Episode overall, but it would have been so much better if the head of the nerve agent research at Luthorcorp was a brilliant young biochemist named Jonathan Crane.


But then again, since he's appearing in "Begins", the WB film department would probably have had a caniption.

Decent episode, although i thought they skimmed over things a little too quickly. Jason all of a sudden walking out on Lana, and Lionel all of a sudden being released.

I would think the only person who has the money and political power to get Lionel off (besides maybe Lex) would be Dr. Swan

That's what I was thinking. If not him it must be a new guy.

Also he is the only one with a really good reason to want him out. He still needs him to help him find the truth.

My first thought was Dr. Swan as well: therefore, I think we can expect Kidder pretty soon again.

This is what I thought as well, but someone earlier in this thread brought up the possibility of it benig Jason's mother.

If you remember in the episode where Lex and Jason met, Lex alludes to the fact that Jason's family has as much money as his own does and also makes a reference to how their parents are alike (something like that.)

Plus, Jason isn't going anywhere. He is in the opening credits and they wouldn't have put him there if he was only going to be in 10 episodes.

Y'know, I was thinking this too but Chris Reeves is dead and I'm not in any hurry to see Margot Kidder again. Jason's mom was only briefly introduced & with an air of menace I might add.

Swan seems more logical but, c'mon this is Smallville, since when does logic matter to the writers?

I thought this was one was going to advance the story a bit but it did not. Lately it just seems like they come out with these random episodes. I really hope it gets better.

I'm halfway through watching this ep - it really kind of sucks.

Does anyone know exactly when the next new episode airs?

Not for a while. 12/29 at the earliest.

Yeah, I figured it was Margo Kidder's character. I'm guessing they won't be replacing Dr. Swann with another actor, so I'm guessing we'll hear of his death soon.

My second guess is Jane Seymour's new character.

My third guess would be Lex's ex-wife, Helen Bryce. Did they ever find her body?

Urmm....you may want to check other shows since that has happened in the past.

I thought this episode was just all right. I watched it twice, mainly because I had to leave while watching it the first time, but as I was watching it the second time I found myself being a little bored. Some of you mentioned thinking of the Dead Zone movie when Lex had his nightmare, but I was thinking about the actual show when it happened. If I had to guess who it was that sprung Lionel out of prison, I would say Dr. Swan. And since I don't think they will replace Christopher Reeves, I expect to see Margot Kidder sometime soon.

That really sucks there won't be new episodes for a while. It seems like new shows are only on when I am too busy to watch them.

Here's how you get Dr Swann back

The rerun this week is from season 3?

Half is.

They're showing 2 episodes together: last year's finale and this year's opener

When do they start showing the new episodes?

Looks like it'll be the 26th.

I think this has to be one of the longest in-season breaks I can remember between new episodes on one of the six networks.*

*I'm not talking about cable shows like Monk and Stargate SG-1