IT'S OFFICIAL: Smallville renewed for 10th season

A few weeks back, when the CW Network announced early renewals for five of its series and Smallville wasn't on that list, fans of the show continued to wonder -- as they had at this time last year -- whether this, the show's 9th season, might be its last.

But thanks no doubt in large part to the introduction of the Justice Society, the show's ratings are on the upswing, with the February 6 episode "Absolute Justice," introducing those characters (like Green Arrow and Hawkman, pictured) attracting the show's largest audience of the season at 2.8 million, and the largest CW Friday night results in over a year.

“SMALLVILLE” TO RETURN FOR A TENTH SEASON ON THE CW

March 4, 2010 (Burbank, California) € The CW Network has announced that its hit series “Smallville” will return in the fall of 2010 for a momentous tenth season.

“Smallville,” a modern retelling of the Superman legend, stars Tom Welling as Clark Kent. The series moved to Friday nights this season, where it currently ranks as network television’s #1 show in its time period among men 18-34 and men 18-49. Additionally, “Smallville” has dramatically improved The CW’s ratings performance in its Friday 8:00-9:00p.m.time period by 67% among adults 18-34 (1.5/6), 200% in men 18-34 (1.8/7), 75% in adults 18-49 (1.4/5), 183% in men 18-49 (1.7/6) and 74% in total viewers (3.12million).

“Smallville” joins the five previously announced series – “The Vampire Diaries,” “Gossip Girl,” “90210,” “Supernatural” and “America’s Next Top Model” – which will all return for another season on The CW.

“Smallville” was developed for television by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (“Shanghai Noon,” “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”), based on the DC Comics characters. Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson serve as executive producers, along with James Marshall, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins and Joe Davola. The series is produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions, Millar/Gough Ink and Warner Bros. Television. SUPERMAN was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.