Not that Clark Kent gets to fly in Thursday's fifth season premiere, airing at 8 p.m. EDT on The WB. (That's a new day and time slot.) But viewers won't need telescopic vision to see the series has returned to its original flight plan. The focus is back on Clark (Tom Welling), his family and friends.

Last season veered off course with a search for Kryptonian power stones, people getting possessed by other spirits or personalities and a new boyfriend that neither Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) nor viewers needed. Clark even had a possible love interest with an unfamiliar character who could teleport herself. All of that made me feel that, just like Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz," I wasn't in Kansas any more - at least not the Kansas known to Superman fans.

All of that changes with the season premiere. The episode, "The Arrival," is the best "Smallville" story since the third season. The reasons: The show has strengthened its focus on Clark Kent dealing with his Kryptonian and human sides, and the producers have wisely incorporated elements from the first two (and the best two) "Superman" movies. Most of all, the episode keeps its focus on the characters we know and care about.