The CW might pride itself on being a network of teenage soaps like Gossip Girl and 90210, but this Thursday marks the return of the network's sci-fi block with new episodes of Smallville and Supernatural. It also brings back the network's longest-running scripted series, as well as its best.

The one-two punch of Smallville and Supernatural will spend their new seasons trying to excite viewers, old and new, with some rather substantive changes that could redefine them forever.

Smallville's biggest changes are cosmetic, as the cast is getting a big overhaul. Michael Rosenbaum and Kristin Kreuk are out as Lex Luthor and Lana Lang (though Kreuk will be back for a few episodes mid-season). Filling the void are two new villains: Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman), the new CEO of LuthorCorp, and Davis Bloome (Battlestar Galactica veteran Sam Witwer), who is also known as Doomsday, Superman's killer in the comic book.

Lex has always been key to the series, but without him, there's the opportunity to expand the audience beyond Superman loyalists. Witwer is an especially smart casting decision, as BSG fans who fondly remember his Viper pilot Crashdown might tune in to see him while waiting for BSG's final episodes in January.

The other big change for Smallville is that Justin Hartley is returning as Green Arrow. The move is a stroke of genius by the new showrunners because it provides the opportunity to move away from Clark Kent and establish a totally new franchise. If this is Smallville's last season, Green Arrow would make the perfect spin-off, and giving Hartley more exposure is a smart way to build up a new brand.

Contrary to those cast changes, the new challenges on Supernatural are truly out of this world. In the third season finale, Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) was sent to Hell. Season 4 kicks off with his return to the living, but the real mystery is how and why he was able to come back.

The profound answers to those questions are better left for viewers to discover themselves on September 18 at 9pm. But those answers shift the basic premise and mythology of the entire series in a whole new direction, one that will certainly get a lot of attention. The kid gloves are coming off, and the new season of Supernatural is sure to be the subject of quite a bit of controversy for this daring new direction.

If I'm being vague, it's only because I want you to discover the secrets for yourself. Whether you're a die-hard Supernatural fan or have never seen the show before, the premiere, called "Lazarus Rising," is one of the best episodes of television for the whole year. There's plenty of comedic sexual innuendo, some intense family drama, amazing special effects, and a stunning opening eight minutes that contains virtually no dialogue.

The CW promoted the heck out of 90210, and despite a huge premiere, it quickly fell back to the CW's typically low numbers. While the teen dramas may be filled with tons of sex, the sci-fi Thursday night line-up is where the real action is.

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