Last week, I wrote a spoiler-filled article discussing the possibility of Chloe and Jimmy getting married when Smallville returns for its eighth season in September.  Though I'm a fan of the couple, I was surprised to discover that many Smallville fans would like to banish the "Chimmey" pairing to the Phantom Zone.  Chloe is a rather divisive character in the fan base, with some finding her essential to the show and others finding her a saintly annoyance who's given too much screen time.

Whether you love her or hate her, there's no denying that Chloe will continue to be an important part of the series throughout the next season.  TV Guide recently sat down with new showrunner Darren Swimmer to find out what awaits the character in season 8, as well as what's in store for Clark (Tom Welling) now that Lana and Lex have moved on.

Though some Smallville fans still hold out hope that Chloe (Allison Mack) and Clark will strike up a romance, Swimmer confirms that it's not going to happen anytime soon.  "Chloe's love for Clark will never go away, but [those two] as a couple this year is pretty unlikely," he says.  "All the 'Chlark' fans out there will have to keep waiting."  Fans also shouldn't hold their breath waiting for Lois (Erica Durance) to die and for Chloe to become the real Lois Lane.  "There is that theory that Chloe is Lois, but she is not Lois.  Lois is Lois, as crazy as that may seem," Swimmer points out.  "We hear the fans and we understand where that comes from.  But unfortunately, it's not the way that the show is going."

As for Chloe's meteor powers, which caused much debate amongst loyal viewers, Swimmer says that next season, "She has powers, but they've changed.  They won't manifest in the same way that they did before."  He also mentions that Chloe will be dealing with some romantic twists, but will still find plenty of time to be a supportive friend for Clark. 

Swimmer may not be willing to indulge the whims of every Smallville fan, but he does promise that the writers pay attention to fan reaction on the Internet.  "We definitely hear what the fans say and we can't help but be influenced by it, but I don't think that we're guided by it in the sense that we let it dictate anything, obviously," he says.  "I don't think that fans would necessarily want that either.  But we read it and we're in touch with what the fans are saying.  They're our core fans.  I think sometimes when somebody says they don't like something they still may find it entertaining, so we have to gauge how much of that is a response to the characters or a response to the way the story is being told."

Those hoping to see more of Clark's Kryptonian background may be disappointed in season 8, as Swimmer plans to move the character toward his future instead of exploring his past.  "I think we're moving away from the Kryptonian story," he says.  "Last year we focused a lot on that and aspects of Clark's past.  Clark can't escape his Kryptonian roots and that's definitely going to come back and haunt him this season, but this year will be more about moving forward with his destiny as becoming Superman in a way that we've never done before."

Smallville season 8 premieres on the CW September 18.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
Source: TV Guide
(Image courtesy of the CW)