Moving on from Smallville

Smallville has been around long enough (since October 2001, in fact) for stars associated with its early years to have moved on from the projects that they moved on to after leaving Smallville--and for other faces to return after a gap of many years.

Kristin Kreuk, for example, who made left turn into Street Fighter and is currently wowing audiences as the new love interest, Hannah, on NBC's Chuck, is heading into a whole new uncharted territiry: the sitcom. Kreuk has joined CBS' pilot Hitched, starring with the goony Jack Carpenter (I Love You, Beth Cooper) as a newlywed couple who have to deal with their family and friends. Eugene Levy was just cast as the groom's dad, a "a tracksuit-wearing four-times-divorced lothario." (I'm suddenly flashing back to Larry on Three's Company.) The move from Chuck to Hitched is no coincidence: both shows are co-created by Josh Schwartz.

Meanwhile, John Schneider, who was the show's anchor as the rock-solid Jonathan Kent for the first five seasons, has also signed just onto a pilot. A year after the script was green-lighted, Spike TV ordered a single-camera pilot titled Back Nine, starring Schneider as Ronnie Barnes, a has-been former US Open champ who travels the US competing in small-time tournaments in hopes of qualifying for the PGA Tour. Naturally he has a sex-addicted caddy (named Tiger!). Miguel Nunez is in talks to take on this role, which must be hoping to break his bad-luck streak: his resume includes a string of ill-fated series (Joey, the Travis Fimmel Tarzan, Homeboys from Outer Space, etc.).

Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) is currently being talked about for the lead in Wing Man, a feature film comedy about the guy who helps his buddy score with the hot chick by taking on the not-so-hot chick, from Rosenbaum's Sorority Boys costar Harland Williams. Sam Jones III (Pete Ross) is currently starring in Blue Mountain State. Eric Johnson (Whitney Fordman), who acquitted himself in the hugely flawed Flash Gordon, has a supporting role in the forthcoming Missy Peregrym crime drama Copper.

But the big news is that two mythology-central characters long gone from Smallville are slated to reappear: both Annette O'Toole (Senator Martha Kent, last seen in season 6) and Michael McKean (Perry White, who appeared once way back in 2003) have been booked to appear at the end of this season. The mother-son reunion will be rocked by an "unexpected surprise" or two, says EW.

"We're thrilled to have Michael back on the show," says executive producer Brian Peterson,"and to be able to link it with the anticipated return of Martha Kent is just a phenomenal way to gear up to the end of the season." Peterson added that White's latest visit will bring him "closer to his destiny" than ever before.