Could ABCs new trifecta of angels be answering the phone, “Good Morning Michael” this fall? They could if SMALLVILLE’s Michael Rosenbaum has anything to say about it.

“Rosenbaum keeps sending me tapes to be the voice of Charlie — seriously — he’s sent me three,” revealed CHARLIE’S ANGELS co-creator Al Gough when asked at this morning’s Television Critics Association Press Tour about the chances of seeing any of his former SMALLVILLE co-workers pop up on ANGELS now that they may-or have some time on their hands. “I think he might be a little young, but we’d obviously love to have any of them come on the show at some point.”

As for what Gough thought about SMALLVILLE’s controversial series finale and just what he might have done different had he still been running the series alongside co-creator Miles Miller (Who, for the record, didn’t see the finale.)

“The final image was always him [Clark] suiting up and flying away. Obviously back in the day there was going to be more of a thing with him and Lex because it all sort of came down to that Lex and Clark dynamic so it was again, as you know it was sort of inevitable,” said Gough, who fessed up to failing to keep up with the series since exiting the show in 2008. “Look I think it’s hard to wrap up any show that’s gone 10 years and I think they did the best they could.”

CHARLIE’S ANGELS premieres this Thursday September 22 on ABC at 8PM (CTV in Canada)a

After 10 seasons of defeating a seemingly never-ending parade of evildoers, it should come as no surprise that Friday’s SMALLVILLE series finale had Clark Kent finally meeting his match. That said, what should come as a surprise was that he failed to overcome the most menacing, the most terrifying and the most powerful villain of them all: The Warner Bros. legal department (Who, in keeping with our somewhat super theme, we will be referring to from here on in as the “Over-Billers!” Terrifying, right?) Or at least that’s what we spent the better part of two hours thinking as we jumped back on board the bandwagon to celebrate the series finale of SMALLVILLE.

But before we get into the negative, let us first offer up a heartfelt congratulations to both the talent in front (Erica Durance FTW!) and behind the camera. Ten years is not only a remarkable feat, it’s a virtually unheard of run for any network television series. And despite our one minor quibble (Okay two, seriously CW, was the shameless Microsoft Windows Product placement really necessary?), the two part swan song appropriately titled “Finale” was a solid sendoff for the venerable series punctuated by the phenomenal use of John WIlliams iconic Superman theme that never fails to give us chills, the welcome return of Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex Luthor (Every villain is only as great as his here, indeed) and the incredible (read: super-doesn’t-begin-to-describe-it) chemistry between Lois (Erica Durance) and Clark (Tom Welling)

Unfortunately, what had the potential to be a truly special finale ended up being somewhat less so as a result of one teensy little detail, which is where those nefarious “Over-Billers” come in.

Simply put, after 218 episodes of waiting, fans were robbed of seeing the “full” Superman in all his spandex glory. And while many may argue that the cash-strapped CW network simply couldn’t afford to outfit Tom Welling in a super suit befitting Superman (Try saying that three times over!), this somewhat conspiracy-prone TV Addict can’t help but wonder if this was a conscious decision on behalf of producing partner Warner Bros. to not inject the public with an iconic image of America’s favorite hero mere months before they begin to commit hundreds of millions of dollars to the Henry Cavill big-screen reboot. Adding credence to our theory was the even more disappointing fact that after being forced to endure a decade of insipid and silly nicknames of the “red-blue blue” variety, not even one of the innocent bystanders could be bothered to shout out the obligatory “It’s a bird… It’s a Plane… It’s, well you know who,” as Clark Kent saved both Air Force One and the world, from imminent doom.

Suffice it to say, both Tom Welling and the fans deserved better.

In celebrating of SMALLVILLE ending its momentous 10 year run this evening, executive producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson were kind enough to send theTVaddict.com our very own piece of SMALLVILLE history. Think you can place it? Take your best guess in the comments below and be sure to check back with us at 10PM (EST) — the precise time we predict Clark Kent will finally break his “No Tights, No Flights” policy — for the answer.

Talking about the finale and how he will feel after it is done, Brian candidly admitted, “This was a huge endeavor and it had a lot of challenges, so if feels as if there’s a big weight that’s been lifted. To be honest, I think we won’t know until it really airs and it’s done forever.”  Reflectively Kelly said, that for her, “It’s strange.”  Brian also explained, “It’s very strange, but most importantly, I think we’re really proud. Everybody put 110% into the finale – all the actors. People did things they probably wouldn’t have done before — Visual Effects has thrown in some extra stuff. Everybody’s gone above and beyond the call of duty.”  Kelly added, “Peter Roth has been the biggest fan of the show from the beginning. It’s usually not the network’s job to pitch in on that stuff, but everyone gave us a lot of support because no one wanted to leave things off the screen.”  If anything is missing, it won’t be for the lack of trying.  They had a green-light to make the finale exactly as they wanted and they went for it.
 
When asked are their favorite moments from the finale, Kelly mentioned there is a significant scene in the church as Lois is about to walk down the aisle and Brian alluded to a mysterious “door” scene.  He explained, “There’s a very good scene with a door that is probably one of everyone’s favorite scenes in the show. There is one shot that is the [quintessential] Smallville shot. You’ll see it and you’ll be like, ‘This is what we needed in the finale!’ You’ll know it the second you see it.”  With a tease like that, we are surely all counting the minutes to find out what THAT is!
 
Another fun thing to look forward to in the finale is the long-awaited return of Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor.  Despite years trying to persuade Michael to do one last appearance for the fans, it ultimately came right down to the wire to make it happen.  But after carving out exactly one day to cement Lex into the SMALLVILLE legacy, the stars aligned and Michael was there in the end.  As Brian explained, “We really wanted to keep this Clark’s finale — but Lex plays a very interesting role and there are a couple big twists with Lex.”  Kelly had a much more illuminating take on the necessity of Lex to wrap the show, as she explained, “Because Michael hasn’t been on the show for the last couple years . . . we needed to tie up the last couple years and the season. We had Darkseid looming out there.  But when we were thinking about Michael coming back, and the Smallville Lex and what his purpose was, it was always not quite what you expected – it was much more human and emotional than any of us thought starting out on the series would have expected. So we really went back to the pilot and we thought, ‘There’s that guy who showed up and was totally personable, super sympathetic, and just wanted to thank a guy for saving his life.’ When we looked at having him back in the finale, it was the same thing: they’re going to go on to be huge enemies.  So it was about ‘what’s pivotal at this moment for our Lex Luthor and our Clark Kent?’ We had to wrap up a relationship that has been so complicated and so mixed with emotions for 10 years.”
 
So while they always hoped Lex would be back, as for venturing back into the Lana Lang storyline, Brian and Kelly knew from the beginning of the final season that Lana Lang’s story was done.  Brian explained it as, “We were told at the beginning of the season that Kristin would never be back. I think her role would have been much better in the 200th episode because it was about reunions and high school, and all that. Once that passed and we realized we weren’t going to get her for that because she just wasn’t available, we didn’t follow the Lana-thread.”  So while Lana’s story did not make it into the final season, they always kept the door open for the return of Lex, which as Brian said, “We always kept the Lex-thread partially alive.”
 
However much the die-hard romantics may dispute it, the SMALLVILLE story has always been about Clark’s journey which entangles a multitude of key people; and it will one day ultimately come to rest with Superman’s nemesis and arch-enemy, Lex Luthor.  To end the story with just a wedding would not be doing justice to the story of the hero – though it’s a beautiful send off for Clark Kent if it comes true.  What fans really want to see is Clark shedding the small farm boy persona and slipping into his super suit and become the Man of Steel.  No more hiding in the semblance of a normal life – time to take to the skies!
 
Kelly and Brian were also quick to point out that, in the end, they just could not fit everything into the finale that they wanted.  The time constraints were too pressing and they had to make some hard choices.  Kelly shared, “The finale is two hours, and we had to cut quite a bit out actually. It is jam-packed . . . A lot of prep went in it and it was a really challenging episode. It was challenging when the first script came out — and then people just kept adding and bringing more to the table. Our crew and our cast were just tireless about making it the greatest it could be. I would say pretty much every moment in this had a lot of hours behind it, not just that one.” 

Funny enough, Brian explained, “It’s fair to say that we thought, at one point, that we might not have enough footage for the finale.  So we wrote a couple extra scenes with some of the Darkseid mythology, and with Granny and Godfrey, which ended up not making it into the final cut because the original script did fit. So those might end up showing up on the DVD or somewhere. They fleshed out the story a little; but because they weren’t our main characters, they were the first to go.”  So be sure to look for all those extras, as well as a lot more on the DVD box set.  In fact, Kelly described the DVD set as, “The DVD set is insane. I think it’s the biggest one Warner Brothers has ever put out for a whole series!”  Brian also added, “It’s really cool looking. They’ve gone back and interviewed people that were on those first seasons with us, like Al [Gough] and Miles [Millar]. Some of the stuff is still in negotiations right now.  But they did two featurettes that are going to go on this season. There’ll be lots of extra features.”
 
So while Lana will be M.I.A. and Granny’s screen time got cut-down, another familiar face returning for the finale is Jonathan Kent.  Despite being the dearly departed, Jonathan has been known to reappear both to remind Clark of his destiny and in the alt-verse from which Lionel Luther’s doppelganger managed to escape.  To explain Jonathan’s appearance in the finale, Kelly said, “It will be really clear what role Jonathan plays and why he shows up the way he does in this episode.”  Though personally for her, “Every time I see certain moments with Jonathan, I definitely get a tear in my eye — even after all these weeks of watching the footage!”  Brian also explained, “We very purposely platformed [Jonathan’s] role in the finale to match up what we did in the premiere this year, with that final scene that Clark has with him in ‘Lazarus.’ The whole point was to bookend the final season with Jonathan. He’s introduced in that same type of way.”  After all, what could the finale be without the return of the one man who had the greatest, positive influence on the man that Clark Kent would be as he struggled to be both Kryptonian and human at the same time?
 

Thus, being able to bring back Lex, Lionel, Martha and Jonathan into the finale was extraordinary good fortune.  But there were a few more storylines and long-lost faces that they simply could not weave in.  One of which was John Jones and the chance to showcase more of the Justice League of America.   Kelly admitted, “I think we probably would have liked to see the [JLA] a little bit more this season. John Jones was somebody we really wanted to bring back. What it just came down to was that the finale had a lot of people in it. At a certain point you tip the scale and you’re not servicing the people that are on screen. There were a lot of beloved characters that we wanted to see again that we didn’t get quite to bring back.”  But she added, “[B]ut in general, we were pretty happy with everything we were able to do.   Brian also remarked, “It’s always hard when another hero shows up because every minute that other hero’s on screen, it takes time away from Clark just by its nature. The VRA was supposed to be a vehicle to get as many people back as we could, but with the 200th episode and the finale, our resources were maxed out.”
 
Before fans of Chloe and Oliver worry that the charmed duo won’t be featured, rest reassured.  Both of Clark’s stalwart supporters and comrades-in-arms are back in fine fighting form for the big showdown with Darkseid.  As Kelly mysteriously hinted, “Chloe fans should definitely stay tuned through the whole show. There’s a jewel.” Brian also cautiously shared, “I don’t want to give anything away. Allison was doing a play so we got her for only half of the show. I think there are a lot of different ways people want Chloe’s story to end, and I think we served her character in a way that is right for who she was and who she’s becoming. She has one big moment with Clark where we get to see her shine. . . . There’s a certain thing that we give her that nobody got.”
 
Then as for Oliver, Brian noted, “Because Oliver came in so late in the series, we wanted to serve him, but this show is about Clark. [Thus] it started as one thing and we wanted to end it there. He has a big heroic moment. He has a big arc and he has some complications clearly.”  Kelly further elaborated, “One thing that I really enjoy about watching Justin [Hartley] and getting to wrap up the Oliver Queen story is that you really see what an impact these heroes coming together has made on him  and having Clark as a friend. It’s very clear in this episode. It defines that relationship and what it means to both of them. There’s a really great moment that you just see their friendship and that bond — and that’s what’s going to get them through a lot of hard times in the future.”   Brian also added, “We purposely had the last couple episodes be a little Oliver-heavy because we knew we wouldn’t be able to have as much time for him in the finale. So the one that Justin directed called ‘Dominion’ and ‘Prophecy’ had a lot of Oliver in them. Hopefully, people feel satisfied with a little conclusion in the finale.”
 
Similarly they felt the story involving Kara had been addressed, which Brian explained as, “We saw this last run, not as individual episodes, but as a lead-up.  So we wanted to not try to pack everything in the finale. That was our cap-off of villains so that we could have the villains in the finale be Darkseid and Lex and Lionel. That was to show that villains will go on — heroes will go on — Kara will go on to her destiny — and wrap up all that to protect Clark and everything that was in the finale.”
 
Instead, the finale will focus on bookending the series and concluding the last major battle with evil before Clark fully embraces his destiny and the Superman persona.   Just as Clark needs to face the Luthers and his parents in his last final moment as Clark, he must also confront his relationship with Jor-El. As Kelly shared, “Sometimes your mentors and the people that you look to for help can also be holding you back or it can be your imagination that they’re holding you back. I think it’s about that final step of trying to figure out, as an adult, whether you are friends with your parents or if your parents are still your parents. Clark is really trying to figure out all those last relationships as he finally takes this step into complete manhood — or shall we say, Superman-hood. I think it’s still a complication in his life that he has to make peace with in the finale.”  Brian also explained, “Finding problems and character flaws for Superman has always been a challenge of this show because he’s perfect. What we purposely chose to be his stumbling block this year is the fact that he’s actually trying too hard to be a hero and trying too hard to force his destiny. So some of the problems that he’s facing at the top of the finale are about him trying too hard to decide who he is and to be a hero, and to not let it happen at the pace it should.”  Kelly further explained, “One of the things that’s difficult, and it really started a bit in the 200th episode, is when you’ve seen your future, how does that start adjusting what you do on a daily basis? You have a mind-set of, ‘Oh, I’ve got to do this,’ or ‘I’ve got to do that to be this person.’ I think all of us would have that if we just jumped 10 years into our future and spent a day there.  I can’t even imagine what sort of impact we’d come back with. It’d be a real challenge just to stay in a present mind-set. That’s not easy.”  So Clark’s journey for this final season was to confront his destiny and not be deterred or boxed in by it.  To find a way to live his life amongst all the responsibilities he is assuming and make peace with it.
 
Then, if there is one thing that Brian and Kelly want fans to take away from the show, it is a belief in heroes.  As Kelly revealed, “I think that has become incredibly important to us that we were able to work on a show that had such a positive message. The fact that we have such hardcore fans that have followed the show, I think that’s why they watch. It’s not because we’re going to have the biggest visual effects they’ll ever see on a screen and it’s not because of really anything other than I think they want to believe in the heroes.”  Brian added, “I think Superman was born out of a very tumultuous time in our history and I think we’re facing a lot of other challenges right now and we will in the future. To me, it’s inspiration for sure.”  In our darkest hour, we turn not to the darkness, but to the light and seek out heroes that will save us from our fears and give us hope for a better future.  SMALLVILLE is to remind us of that.  It is okay to believe in heroes – to seek out heroes and even achieve to be heroes.  That kind of inspiration resonates in our hearts and souls. 

Finally, not only do Clark and Superman have a legacy to live up to, but so does SMALLVILLE.  When asked what kind of legacy they want the show to have, Kelly said, “What I hope is that what SMALLVILLE did was make one of the most recognizable heroes in the world accessible and made him human to people — so that they could relate to him and be inspired by him. That would be my hope.”  For Brian, he explained it as, “With Batman, we see his angst on a daily basis. He literally wears it on his sleeve. Superman is this larger-than-life, poppy red and blue, almost perfect inspiration. So, for me, it’s that we got to see the immense struggle it took to get to that point because he doesn’t wear it on his sleeve every day. We filled in the space from when he arrived on Earth to the point that he decided to be that inspiration for people.”  To show the world that Superman is still just a man – albeit a super special one and one with a heart of gold, but a man that we can relate to and embrace.  To make him our hero, not because he is supposed to be a hero, but because we watched him become one. To be more than the sum of his abilities and truly become extraordinary – and he did.
  
In the end, for Brian and Kelly, SMALLVILLE was not only a dream-come-true, it was a gift.  They had the privilege of carving out a piece of iconic hero history and making it their own and sharing that fantastic vision with the world.  SMALLVILLE will be remembered for its warmth, its humor and its tenacious desire to show the miraculous journey of a man who embraced his destiny and became something more – Superman.  For the years of joy, from Brian and Kelly and the rest of the cast and crew, SMALLVILLE is their legacy – a gift to treasure and share.  And we are grateful.  Thank you!

Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to The TV Addict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower). Tiffany also writes as a columnist for NiceGirlsTV.

Any idea as to whether or not Tom and Lynette are actually heading for splitsville on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES? — Jennifer
The TV Addict: It sure looks that way doesn’t it! And while we don’t pretend to know if Wisteria Lane’s most stable couple will actually go as far as to commence those dreaded divorce proceedings, what we can promise is that you won’t have to wait all summer to find out. “I believe we gain some closure,” said Tom’s portrayer Doug Savant during a recent one-on-one with the TV Addict. “This marriage and relationships in general are an ongoing evolution, but fans will be relieved to know that there is some closure to this particular issue.”

Any clues as to who will be ripping a hole in BONES’ heart tonight? — Madison
The TV Addict: Yes. But since we sure as heck aren’t about to risk the wrath of fellow countryman Hart Hanson by spilling the beans as to which character will find himself on the wrong end of sniper Jacob Ripkin Broadsky sight (Seriously, have you seen a Canadian get mad?) we will only go as far as to reveal that it’s a character that fans will most certainly scream “Nooooo!” over… followed by a quick reach for the tissues. Oh, and on the off chance you’re stopping off at a store in-between work and home, it might behoove you to stock up on tissues as tonight’s key death sends shockwaves throughout the entire team. Watch for a casket, flowers and a very unexpected song that may-or-may-not haunt you until Friday.

Full disclosure, I have a slight obsession with T.J. Thyne and his piercing blue eyes. Did Thyne happen to have anything fun to reveal about his character at the recent Paley Center Event honoring BONES? — Lindsey
The TV Addict: Fun Fact: Despite a set filled with blood, guts and gore, there is only one thing that T.J. Thyne refuses to have anything to do with on BONES: Pogo Sticks! When his castmate David Boreanaz playfully suggested that he wants to see Hodgins on a pogo stick bouncing around the Smithsonian lab, T.J. was quick to chime-in and say that it’s absolutely the one thing you will not see on the show. Bugs, blood and bodies are okay – but not the pogo stick. Though the word is still out on jet packs…

Will the unlucky in-love Dov Epstein be less so when ROOKIE BLUE returns this summer? — Darnell
The TV Addict: Truthfully, we’re not sure. But what we can share on the Dov front is that fans will learn a doozy of a secret with regards to a tragedy that plagued Dov’s family in the upcoming June 16th second season premiere. A secret that may-or-may-not shed some much needed light as to why Dov was so dead-set on becoming a police officer.

Just how exactly is SMALLVILLE planning on ending its super ten year run this Friday? — Adam
The TV Addict: According to theTVaddict.com’s very own super-girl — West Coast Correspondent Tiffany Vogt — who was fortunate enough to snag an elusive invite to special screening with SMALLVILLE executive producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders earlier in the week, “With a little bit of everything and a blast from the past. Executive producers Peterson and Souders admitted to re-watching the pilot and several other episodes to make sure they incorporated as much of the original mythology established in SMALLVILLE to give the series a heart-warming send off.  Knowing that their job is not to end the Superman story, they instead embraced the idea of gently merging the world of SMALLVILLE with the overall Superman mythology.  Their job was to build the bridge in the finale, not close the book.  The finale will be more of a hand-off between the two worlds – for the story of Clark Kent and Superman is, after all, just beginning. So look for some long-lost familiar faces to pop-up and some long awaited iconic moments to finally be fulfilled.”

Care to share any of the fun stuff planned for cul-du-sac crew’s very Hawaiian vacation coming up on COUGAR TOWN? —Mandy
The TV Addict: While there is plenty of hilarity — complete with the Hawaiian version of “Penny Can” and the return of SCRUBS’ Mr. Smithers equivalent Ted “Unlucky in love” Buckland — what fans will really take away from the cul-du-sac crew’s upcoming hour-long May 25th vacation is the emotional fork in the road Jules and Grayson inexplicably encounter. One that will be eerily reminiscent of a certain relationship struggle Courteney Cox’s Monica went through during her FRIENDS years.

Any word on who is reportedly becoming a father on HOUSE? —Raja
The TV Addict: Once again, since we’re not in the business of really spoiling the countless hours of painstakingly hard work both the cast and creative team of HOUSE put into each episode — which by the way continues to be one of our most beautifully shot shows on the small screen — we’ll simply tease this: As a result of an old friend showing up at Thirteen’s doorstep with a big, bloody problem, Thirteen and Chase will… for the first time… get physical. Very Physical.

Is Nikita really dead? — Steven
The TV Addict: If you seriously think that the show would kill off its titular character, there is a bridge in Brooklyn we’re interested in selling you! That said, just to give you an idea as to how off-the-hook tonight’s shocking season finale of NIKTA is (And yes, you heard us correctly CW, season finale), we should probably warn you: A series regular will die at the hands of a somewhat perturbed Amanda… who to put it mildly… has not taken to being left in the dark by Percy well. Not well at all.

Anything on my favorite COVERT AFFAIRS character Auggie? — Donna
The TV Addict: Following up on TVLine’s recent scoop that had Auggie being sent to “an as-yet-undisclosed international location off the continent,” we are thrilled to be able to reveal the identity of said undisclosed location. Auggie, posing as a music journalist, is headed to Istanbul, where in typical Auggie fashion he’ll catch the eye of a beautiful Lufthansa flight attended named Franka who will of course be much more than she first appears to be.

Any chance you know who wins tonight’s second-annual Paintball extravaganza on COMMUNITY? — Richie
The TV Addict: Alas, the winner of tonight’s much-anticipated match is being kept tightly under wraps. But, in an effort to ensure readers don’t click away empty handed, we thought we’d share with you the identity of two of tonight’s unexpected guest stars, which as you can see from the spoiler photo below are being kept under slightly-less tight wraps.

Additional Reporting by Tiffany Vogt

When Michael Rosenbaum makes his long-awaited return to SMALLVILLE in the equally anticipated series finale this May 13, he will not be doing so alone. Helping him complete the transformation to Lex Luthor, Clark Kent’s most nefarious nemesis, will be a trusty bald cap. Now, we’re no Michael Westmore, but we can’t see the difference, can you? Let us know in the comments below.

After almost a decade of adhering to creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar strict “No tights, no flights” policy, SMALLVILLE’s penultimate episode of the series entitled “Prophecy” will finally give fans their first look at the iconic Superman suit courtesy of Jor-El, who bestows upon the couple a unique wedding gift when Clark asks him for his blessing with regards to his marriage with Lois. But does it work? Judge for yourself after the jump.

“Game changer” just does not mean what it used to.  In fact, it means virtually nothing these days simply because the over-use of the term has diluted the very meaning of it.  When did the phrase “game changer” turn into such a snooze-fest? Back in the good ole days, when you heard that a television show was going to air a “game changer” episode, it meant something so much more thrilling — something so significant and unexpected that viewers were shocked and could not believe their eyes.  A “game changer” used to mean that a key character was being killed-off, someone was coming back from the dead, or there was going to be so mind-blowing that you could not foresee it happening.  But nowadays, it could mean anything from the addition of a new character, a character losing their job, or even less gasp-worthy, a character getting pregnant.

Great examples of “game changers” were LOST, 24 and TORCHWOOD’s willingness to kill off key characters.  Another show particularly adept at game-changers was the J.J. Abrams’ series ALIAS, such as when it took down SD-6 with one swift blow during the second season or when it surprised viewers with the 2 -year time jump.  Game-changers are risk taking and shocking.  The viewer should be sitting on their sofa wondering why the world felt like it had just tilted.

In recent television, FRINGE’s reveal that there was an alternate universe qualifies as a game-changer, but the over-hyped Fauxlivia’s pregnancy did not feel as mind-bending.  Likewise on V, the fact that Anna could bliss humans did not feel as big a game-changer as it should have been.  Nor the fact that Katie was carrying a super-human baby on NO ORDINARY FAMILY.  True game-changers would have been to find out that Father Jack was a mole working for Anna since the beginning on V; or that Katie was a plant by Dr. King to keep an eye on Steph’s research from the get go.  Even the fact that Orwell was afflicted by a similar mental illness to her father’s in THE CAPE did not feel as startling, as it should have been.

To be worthy of the label “game changer,” something must be not be foreseeable.  It must be unexpected to such a degree that everyone is talking about it, altering the way you look at a show completely.  Unpredictability is essential:  a previously unknown relationship, a major deception such as a traitor or mole, an unveiling of another layer of reality, a shocking and unexpected death of a key character.  All of these things send a show spiralling out of control or in a different direction.

Anything that can be foreseen or which is just a blip on the radar of a show feels less game-changing and more like a predictable event within a storyline. Perhaps over the years, television viewers have simply seen too much and things that would have surprised us a decade ago, now feel much more mundane.  Having just seen that DEXTER killed off Dexter’s wife, Rita and that LOST killed off Sun, Jin and Sayid in one quick swoop, even primary characters are not safe on television these days and we have come to expect that shows will take such risks – even with beloved characters.

Other classic game-changers in television included:  Angel losing his soul in BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, the Cylons taking over New Caprica on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, the death of Marisa Cooper on THE O.C., the Veronica-Logan kiss on VERONICA MARS, watching Michael kill Ana Lucia and Libby on LOST, and Fox Mulder’s abrupt departure from THE X-FILES.  Each of these events were shocking, surprising and game-changing for each of these shows.  It propelled storylines in new directions and left viewers wondering what the heck was going-on.

Imagine today if such scenarios played out:  if Peter is the real villain of FRINGE; if DEXTER were killed leaving his sister to avenge his death; if the crew of Destiny were enslaved by the Lucian Alliance for an entire season on STARGATE: UNIVERSE; if Clark Kent or the Powells lost all their super-human abilities for an extended period of time and had to live normal lives on SMALLVILLE and NO ORDINARY FAMILY.  All such scenarios would be truly game-changing.  Unexpected, horrifying and mind-boggling.

It would be a fun change of pace to truly see a genuine “game changer” on television and not feel let down when the hyped game-changers are merely a minor reveal and not shocking at all.  Let’s bring back true “game changers” so that we may all savor the fun of being surprised once again!

Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to The TV Addict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower). Tiffany also writes as a columnist for NiceGirlsTV.