Lots of fall television spoilers have been floating across the internet this summer, whetting our appetite for new episodes.  Glancing at each of The CW’s ten programs, we’ve chosen at least one intriguing storyline that should drive viewers to their nearest watercooler or chat room next month.   

90210:   Ready for some rockin’ and rollin’, West Coast style?  An earthquake jolts the Hills right away, but will that be enough to distract Naomi from her creepy teacher…who’s still very much around after the assault. 

Gossip Girl:   Two new babes steal the limelight—and that’s not easy with this cast.  Katie Cassidy latches onto Nate, but producers say she’ll also bring ‘nice, juicy trouble.’  Across town, Dan tends to Georgina’s baby, wondering how he became a papa. 

One Tree Hill:   What could be more dramatic than Clay and Quinn sprawled in pools of blood, with gun-toting whacko Katie still on the loose?  Might have been the series’ most heart-stopping season finale thus far. 

Life Unexpected:   In a stroke of programming genius, the Oct. 12 episode will feature a CW crossover, with One Tree Hill songbirds Haley and Mia (Cleveland’s Kate Voegele) trekking to Portland for Cate and Ryan’s radio concert promotion.            

America’s Next Top Model:   Venice and Milan…and a contestant who boasts “the smallest waist in the world.”  

Hellcats:   It’s a new show, so there’s much to reveal.  But judging from the promo trailers, Heather Hemmens (pictured) is more than an injured cheerleader.  She’s a Mean Girl.  And every pep squad dorm needs a backstabbing Mean Girl. 

The Vampire Diaries:   Seeing Katherine lop off four of David Anders’ fingers was frightening and gruesome.  The good news is Elena’s dad may well have survived the attack, says E! Online.  And doctors are doing wonders with re-attachment. 

Nikita:   Another freshman series, and this one’s working outside the box.  Expect action and suspense from the opening credits, but it’s an off-the-wall twist at the end that has bloggers abuzz.      

Smallville:   Nothing’s gonna be held back this season—it’s advisable to catch every episode.  Fan favorite Chloe will be missing for part of the year, throwing new beau Oliver for a loop.  But apparently her absence is tied to some new headgear: Dr. Fate’s helmet!  

Supernatural:   The new emphasis on family and monster mythology will be entertaining, but the highlight could be the Winchesters’ satirical send-up of the vampires from Twilight and Vampire Diaires.

The new fall TV season begins in just over four weeks, and many CW series are making guest appearance headlines.  Here’s the latest round of casting mayhem:  

Sebastian Roche (Fringe) is already at work on Supernatural.  Might he be the new angel who’s gone a bit rogue?  TVG describes the seraph as an “attractive charmer who appears slightly manic on the surface, but carries a great sadness.”    

Sahar Biniaz (pictured) has landed the role of Shayera in the second episode of Smallville.  Her alter-ego is Hawkgirl, the wife of Justice Society leader Hawkman (Michael Shanks, who is returning).  This may be a flashback scene, since Hawkgirl had been killed in battle when the superhero team appeared last season.  The stunning Sahar was the first runner-up to be Canada’s rep in the Miss Universe pageant.  

Courtney Ford hopes for an extended stay on The Vampire Diaires.  She’ll play a mysterious grad student at Duke who assists Alaric, Damon and Elena in digging up Isobel’s research on vampires and werewolves.  Exec producer Kevin Williamson teased EW that the role “could evolve into this massive storyline, or we could gut her like a fish.”  Courtney is best-known as the daughter of the deceased Trinity killer (Akron’s John Lithgow) on Dexter, and she’s married to big-screen Superman Brandon Routh.

Allie Bertram was recently added to the cast of Hellcats.  Sounds like she’ll be a member of the rival college cheerleading team—surely the claws come out, right?  The 21-year-old was a runner-up on the first season of a TV dance competition, so the transition to this aerobic workout should be smooth.  

Kyle Riabko and Scheana Marie will quickly make their presence felt on 90210.  A Canadian pop singer and Broadway star (Spring Awakening), Kyle’s on board for an unusual romance.  Scheana, meanwhile, may follow in the West Beverly pill-pushing steps of George (Kellan Lutz) and Jasper (Zach Sherman).

Smallville isn’t resting on a decade of laurels.  The producers, stars and CW executives clearly want the 10^th and final season to be landmark television—so much so, the teasers announced at this month’s ComicCon and TCA press tour are almost too much to comprehend.  For starters, Supergirl (Laura Vandervoort), Brainiac (James Marsters) and Hawkman (Michael Shanks) are confirmed for early fall returns; and the brass is pushing hard for  Lionel (John Glover) and Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) to appear, as well.  Familiar DC Comics characters on tap include Darkseid, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and Daily Planet gossip maven Cat Grant, to be played by Keri Lyn Pratt (pictured).  Lois recognized The Blur’s kiss in the season finale—and yes, she will hide the secret (even from Clark) going forward.  Meanwhile, Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman) flatlined just prior to a visit from Granny Goodness; look for the ice queen alive and captive this fall.  And, of course, it’s no secret that Tom Welling will eventually take flight in the Superman spandex.  Lest fanboys fret over losing a superhero next year, CW exec Dawn Ostroff says the network is already looking for another DC property to adapt.  Super!       

Nearly a dozen WBNX shows will be releasing DVD collections this summer.  Here’s your one-stop guide to their street dates and bonus material:

One Tree Hill: Season 7 due Aug. 17.  Also contains three featurettes: New to Camp One Tree Hill, The Directors’ Debut, Pt. 2, and Spring Break; along with two audio commentaries, unaired scenes and a gag reel.

90210: Season 2 due Aug. 24.  Includes commentary with producers and series stars Michael Steger, Jessica Stroup, Trevor Donovan and Jessica Lowndes.  Other extras:  New Faces, Same Drama; From the Hills to the Beach, The Look of 90210; Beverly Hills Surf Crew; Adrianna and Navid; a set tour of the Beverly Hills Beach Club; and the season in review.

Gossip Girl: Season 3 due Aug. 24.  Special features:  Interactive Viewing Experience on Eps. 16; Throwing a Party, Gossip Girl-style; unaired scenes; Lady Gaga and Plasticines music videos; and a gag reel.

The Vampire Diaries: Season 1 blu-ray and DVD due Aug. 31.  Featurettes include Bringing Vampire Lore and the High School Experience from Page to Screen; The Popularity of Vampires and the Fans Who Love Them; A New Breed of Vampires—Casting the Series; and Vampire 101: Rules of the Vampire.  Other extras:  Creators and director pilot commentary; A Darker Truth webisodes; unaired scenes; gag reel; and downloadable audiobook of Vampire Diaires: The Awakening by L.J. Smith.

Smallville: Season 9 on blu-ray and DVD due Sep. 7.  Featurettes on Zod and the Justice Society of America; cast and creator commentaries on two episodes; and unaired scenes.

Supernatural: Season 5 on blu-ray and DVD due Sep. 7.  Bonus material includes a gag reel, an unaired scene from “The Real Ghostbusters” episode, producer/writer commentary track on “The End,” the Ghostfacers web series, and Apocalypse Survival Guides: Bobby’s Exclusive Video Collection.

Three WBNX weekday comedies recently released DVD sets:  The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Season 5), My Wife & Kids (Season 2) and According to Jim (Season 2).  Here’s a rundown on our other syndicated series:

Lost: Season 6 and The Complete Collection, on blu-ray and DVD, due Aug. 24.  Too much bonus material to list, including the much-anticipated 12-15 minute “new chapter of the island history” with Ben and Hurley.

The Office: Season 6 on blu-ray and DVD due Sep. 7; and the Seasons 1-5 Collection on Sep. 8.  Many hilarious extras!

Desperate Housewives: Season 6 due Sep. 21.  Extras include bloopers and deleted scenes.

Scrubs: Complete series, Seasons 1-9, due Sep. 28.  Many extras!

Legend of the Seeker: Season 2 due Sep. 28.  Bonus material includes extended scenes and two featurettes: Under the Underworld and Redemption of a Mord’Sith—Meet Cara.

The 12^th annual Teen Choice Awards once again affirm the popularity of CW Network talent.  Gossip Girl leads all TV series with six nominations, and six other returning shows picked up at least one apiece.  Several stars also scored crossover recognition for their film work.  Below are the first wave of nominees with ties to WBNX, and teens (13-19) can vote daily for their favorites by clicking here.  Results will be announced August 8, with CW summer popstar Katy Perry (California Gurls) hosting. 

TV Drama:  90210 and Gossip Girl
TV Drama Actor:  Penn Badgley and Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl); Tristan Wilds (90210)
TV Drama Actress:  Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill); Blake Lively and Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl)
TV Villain:  Ian Somerhalder (Vampire Diaries), Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl), Terry O’Quinn (Lost)
TV Actor Fantasy/Sci-Fi:  Tom Welling (Smallville), Paul Wesley (Vampire Diaries), Josh Holloway (Lost)
TV Actress Fantasy/Sci-Fi:  Nina Dobrev (Vampire Diaries) and Evangeline Lilly (Lost)
TV Fantasy/Sci-Fi Show:  Lost, Smallville, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaires
TV Reality Competition:  America’s Next Top Model
TV Comedy Actor:  Steve Carell (The Office)
Choice Comedian:  George Lopez
Film Actor, Horror/Thriller:  Penn Badgley [pictured, with girlfriend Blake Lively]
Film Actress, Horror/Thriller:  Rumer Willis (90210) and Katie Cassidy (Melrose Place)
Film Actress, Romantic Comedy:  Kristen Bell (Gossip Girl)
Film Actress, Comedy:  Kristen Bell
Film Actor, Comedy:  Steve Carell and Chris Rock (Everybody Hates Chris)
Choice Movie Dance:  Steve Carell and Tina Fey

Katherine!  Poor John Gilbert (David Anders) suddenly lost his fingers and probably his life to the vengeful vampire queen.  Will Damon recognize her kiss in time to save Elena from a similar fate?   

Vamp-killing invention:  Oh, so that’s what the ancient device can do.  A high-pitched soundwave paralyzed the undead locals long enough to stake and burn them.  Sadly, Anna bit the dust—along with the mysterious Mayor Lockwood, whose supernatural roots will soon be uncovered.

Sam, the devil and Michael…all sealed in the cage!  (Kudos to Canton’s Jake Abel, who wasn’t kidding when he teased his return for a “pivotal role.”)  More intriguing, how—and as whom—did Sam later show up freed and sneering?

The sudden, shocking deaths of Castiel and Bobby.  Big relief when the angel got his mojo back.

Zod deep-fried half of Tess Mercer, whose death attracted a strange old woman knitting in the hospital hallway.  Many speculate that she is D.C. supervillain “Granny Goodness,” and her appearance foreshadows a Season 10 storyline of Apokolips and Darkseid.  Bring it on!  

Lois recognized The Blur’s kiss…as Clark!   

Runner-up moments: 

- Clark stabbed himself with blue kryptonite and is plunging toward his death.

-  The 2013 flash-forward headline:  Lex Luthor for President, a call-back to the Season One vision of his future Oval Office reign of terror.

Kooky psycho Katie (Sara’s doppelganger) interrupted everyone’s happy ending—Brooke engaged, Haley pregnant, Julian’s movie sold—by pumping bullets into both Quinn and Clay.  Anyone see that coming?   

Chuck Bass shot!  Seriously, teen billionaires should not be walking the NY streets alone at night. 

Georgina returns bearing evil spawn.  Yeah, she’s pregnant…but why did she first approach Chuck and Serena with tales of Russian mafia horror before visiting alleged baby daddy Dan?

Runner-up moment: 

-  Chuck and Jenny?!  That’ll kill a marriage proposal to Blair every time.   

Naomi assaulted by Mr. Cannon!  Wong place, wrong night for car trouble.  Inside West Bev, the teacher she falsely accused of sexual harassment taunts:  “Who’s gonna believe the girl who cried wolf?”

Allison Mack has been surrounded by so many costumed costars on Smallville, who could blame her for wanting to slip into a cool disguise?  She’s joined the second season of Riese, a sci-fi/fantasy web series so impressive it may soon find a home on television.  The story involves a kingdom overthrown by a shadowy, terrifying group called The Sect, which drives the people to near-feral behavior.  Their only beacon is a mysterious wanderer, Riese, and her wolf.  Allison plays Marlise, an ambitious member of The Sect feigning innocence to mask a manipulative mind and thirst for power.  The series is on brief hiatus while new distribution paths are hammered out, but you can click here to preview the upcoming episodes.  Allison’s longtime boyfriend, Chad Krowchuk, is in charge of the production design; go behind-the-scenes with him here.  The two also star in a unique short film, Frog, which is currently traveling the festival circuit.  It unfolds across five blocks in one single camera shot, examining “the fragile nature of human dependence and the difficulty of saying goodbye to a person we still have so much of ourselves stored inside,” the synopsis notes.  You can enjoy the trailer below.  These are just two of the side projects Allison is involved in.  Once a supporting star, she is now one of The CW’s most beloved leading ladies, and we look forward to Chloe’s evolution in the Justice League watchtower. 

If you enjoy a healthy dose of shock-and-awe while watching television, you sure weren’t disappointed in the past few evenings of CW dramatics.  Let’s take a whirlwind review:  

The Vampire Diaries:   The captivating 1864 flashback episode revealed that Anna (Jeremy’s new stalker girlfriend) was a vampire child back when her mother, Pearl, and Katherine were supposedly burned in the church fire.  And Stefan was inadvertently responsible for Katherine’s capture!  But unless we’re missing something, it sure didn’t seem like Katherine was the vamp who turned the Salvatore boys, did it?  So who did?  In the present day…Bonnie and Elena are both kidnapped by the undead.  Uh-oh. 

Supernatural:   Another trip to the past, just not as far.  Landing in 1978 to save their young parents from rogue angel Anna, Sam and Dean were forced to tell their mother who they really are.  Major wow.  But just when it appeared they’d all be killed, the archangel Michael made his first appearance, using the body of John Winchester.  He easily vanquished the bad seeds before laying out Dean’s stunning destiny. 

Smallville:   The Absolute Justice event was a true TV milestone.  We knew Hawkman, Dr. Fate and Stargirl were key guest stars, but who expected to see historical newsclips of so many other Justice Society legends:  Atom, The Flash, Wildcat, Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, Hawkgirl and Ma Hunkle—along with the untimely murders of the now-aged Star-Spangled Kid and Sandman?  Did you catch the confirmation via Dr. Fate that Lex Luthor is, indeed, alive?  The more immediate threat, however, may come via Agent Amanda Waller and her Checkmate/Suicide Squad operation.  And Tess Mercer’s a secret agent?  Gal gets around. 

One Tree Hill:   When Bess Armstrong dropped in on her three girls for the first time in five seasons, you had to know something was up.  Pancreatic cancer and a short time live.  Haley and Quinn are devastated, and rebel sister Taylor is unable to face the end, quickly fleeing town without a goodbye.  Armstrong is a real heavyweight actress, and we’ll see her tackle this on-screen challenge over the next few weeks.  It was a bit surprising to learn that Haley’s father had also passed away, since it had never been mentioned on the show. 

Life Unexpected:   A week after the kookiest family dinner this side of Stars Hollow—and Lux’s shocking $3,200 rent payment for Baze—the kid reverted back to the kind of destructive decision teenagers often make.  In a fit of unbridled (and unjustified) anger, she exposed Cate and Ryan’s secret engagement to their radio audience.  And that led to the series’ most poignant lecture to date, as Cate offered up an ultimatum to a clearly-shaken Lux:  I’m doing the best I can at being a new mom, and you can take it or leave it…the choice is yours.  Powerful stuff.   

You don’t need to be a comic connoisseur to realize the significance of this Friday’s world premiere movie event, Smallville: Absolute Justice.  Executive Producer Brian Peterson calls the two-hour superhero-fest “one of the seminal episodes of the series” which now spans nine years and 185 stories.  Over the last two seasons in particular, the drama has reached deep into the DC Comics vault to bring legendary characters in contact with young Clark Kent.  And now, the pinnacle!  “It’s the first live-action Justice Society of America,” raves acclaimed writer Geoff Johns, who also penned the 2009 Legion of Superheroes episode.  For those unfamiliar, JSA is the first-ever team of underground crimefighters, dating back to World War II, with iconic members like Green Lantern, Atom, Flash, Wonder Woman, Batman and Wildcat.  In a CW spoilery nutshell, the retired heroes are targets of an assassin—DC madman Icicle—and Sylvester Pemberton (aka, Star-Spangled Kid) lures Clark’s crew into the fray.  Hawkman, Stargirl and Dr. Fate play major roles, but expect many hush-hush cameos and “things you never thought you’d see on TV,” Johns teases to TV Guide.  Outlandish costumes add to the fun, and one joint scene “looks like you’re flipping through a comic book,” says Justin Hartley (Green Arrow) on IGN.  “It’s really cool.”  New recurring villain Amanda Waller (played by Pam Grier) makes her first appearance, as well.  Advance promos spy Clark in awe of the secret Society’s historic lair, and sharp-eyed viewers will get goosebumps as he examines the museum-like display of JSA accessories.  Whereas current Justice League upstarts are flying solo, “Clark gets to see what it was really like to have a team that functioned together and worked together as a family,” Peterson tells Fancast.  It’s a formative lesson for Superman from the “greatest generation”—and promises to be one of the year’s most electrifying nights of television.

The list of long-departed characters heading back to their CW series continues to grow, and each new announcement brings more excitement than the last.  Which star are you most anxious to see? 

It’s been more than five years since we’ve heard from “Lydia James,” mother of Haley, Taylor and Quinn on One Tree Hill.  The always-radiant actress returns February 8 with a shocking announcement for her girls.  Are there even more siblings out there?  How many recall that rock star Huey Lewis played Haley’s father back in Season Two?  And can it really be three decades since Bess stole our hearts in her film debut opposite Alan Alda and Carol Burnett in The Four Seasons? 

Remember when Supernatural sent Dean sent back in time to meet his young parents—and his grandfather (Mitch Pileggi), who turned out to be possessed by Azazel?  Next Thursday, both Winchester boys find themselves in 1978 trying to prevent the murder of John (Matt Cohen) and Mary (Amy Gumenick).  The previous flashback was one of the series’ best episodes, and Sam’s first encounter with his disco-era folks will be emotional.  On a side note, how is Matt Cohen not a series regular somewhere on The CW?

Martha Kent has been one hard-working congresswoman, absent from the Smallville farm for nearly three seasons.  And Perry White, last seen in ‘03?  It’s about time he starts barking orders at the Daily Planet.  The real-life married couple returns with some big news in May, EW reports, and there’s online speculation it has something to do with “government agent/villain” Amanda Waller (Pam Grier).

You didn’t think we’d seen the last of Clay’s deceased wife, Sara, on One Tree Hill, did ya?  It was the season’s most heartfelt love story and certainly ended too soon.  Foreshadowing a new mystery, E! Online says we’ll see Sara again…but she won’t be Sara.  Hmm.

Last season, the Canton, Ohio native delivered one of the unlikeliest twists ever seen on Supernatural.  Turns out, Sam and Dean had a secret half-brother their dad never mentioned…and the kid led a normal, monster-free childhood.  Well, until a ghoul ate him.  On a press tour this month for Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Jake revealed that “Adam” comes back to play a pivotal role in an upcoming episode.