The first half of Smallville's eighth season has been quite the roller-coaster ride.  Lex may be incapacitated and hooked up to a bunch of machines, but Davis Bloome (Sam Witwer) has certainly made for a formidable foe in his absence.  The paramedic first appeared rather nice and charming, but finally revealed his true self in last week's episode when he morphed into the deadly Doomsday.  Does Clark have what it takes to stop a villain as powerful as General Zod's son?

Now that we're about halfway through season 8 of Smallville, it's a perfect time to look back at the first 10 episodes and vote for the best of the bunch.  Is this season up to the quality of previous years, or is it doomed to fall short?

What's the best episode of season 8 so far?  You can vote for your pick by clicking on the showdown link below. Our Smallville showdown pits the first 10 episodes of the series against each other, so simply vote for your favorites until only one episode remains.  The showdown ends on Sunday, November 30, and we'll reveal the episode fans chose as the best on December 1.  Vote now and vote often, otherwise some crazy people might rank "Instinct" as the best of the bunch.

If you can't remember what happened in a specific episode, check out our descriptions below.

Episode 8.1:  "Odyssey"

Green Arrow, Aquaman and Black Canary head to the Arctic to search for Clark, who has been stripped of his powers by Jor-El.  Meanwhile, Chloe is held prisoner by a suspicious group that knows she has a new power.


Episode 8.2:  "Plastique"

During Clark's first day at the Daily Planet, he's paired up with Lois to cover the story of a bus that exploded outside the office.  Paramedic Davis Bloome arrives in Metropolis and finds himself drawn to Chloe.


Episode 8.3:  "Toxic"

After Oliver collapses at a charity event, he flashes back to the days when he was stranded on an island and first learning how to use a bow and arrow.  He also recalls meeting Tess for the first time after she had been kidnapped by a drug runner.


Episode 8.4:  "Instinct"

Maxima, a queen from the planet Almerac, comes to Metropolis looking for a mate.  She initially sets her eyes on Jimmy, but soon turns to wooing Clark, who isn't immune to her powers of seduction.


Episode 8.5:  "Committed"

After leaving their engagement party, Chloe and Jimmy are kidnapped by a psychotic jeweler, who's bitter over his wife's infidelity and now kidnaps couples and subjects them to lie detector tests.  Clark and Lois soon get abducted themselves after posing as a couple.


Episode 8.6:  "Prey"

A serial killer is on the loose in Metropolis, leading Davis to believe that he may be committing the murders during his blackouts.  Clark suspects it's the work of a meteor freak and asks Chloe to hand over the names of the people she's counseling at the Isis Foundation.


Episode 8.7:  "Identity"

Jimmy nearly finds out about Clark's powers after snapping a picture of his friend super-speeding to save Lois from a mugger.  Clark turns to Chloe for help with the situation, but instead of running interference with Jimmy, she suggests Clark think up a secret identity to help with his super heroics.


Episode 8.8:  "Bloodline"

Clark and Lois are transported to the Phantom Zone, but Lois is possessed by a criminal named Faora on the return to Earth.  While Lois goes on a rampage in Metropolis, it's revealed that Davis is the son of General Zod.


Episode 8.9:  "Abyss"

Thanks to Brainiac, Chloe starts losing her memories one by one until she remembers no one but Davis.   Clark realizes that the only way to save Chloe's mind is to take her to the Fortress of Solitude and ask Jor-El to heal her.


Episode 8.10:  "Bride"

It's Chloe and Jimmy's wedding day, but things don't go quite as planned.  Lana returns to town after Oliver finds her in Cuba, and Doomsday crashes the wedding to kidnap Chloe.


Which of these 10 episodes is the best of the season?  Vote by clicking below, then check back on Monday for the final results.



- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of the CW)