Why Sam Witwer Left Smallville After Season 8

Summary

• Sam Witwer's time on Smallville as Davis Bloome was effective but short-lived.
• The departure of key actors and creators led to a major overhaul of Smallville, which coincided with Witwer's introduction as a new villain.
• Witwer declined a return for season 9 as Zod due to concerns over how this would work alongside his performance as his previous character, Davis Bloome.

Sam Witwer departed the DC Universe Superman prequel Smallville after only one season. The actor’s villainous trajectory on the series is reminiscent of Jensen Ackles, who also left Smallville early. Facing a series of changes, much of Smallville moved to Metropolis in season 8, and Sam Witwer’s Davis Bloome came on board as a new villain with Kryptonian heritage. The character had a long and strange journey over the season, culminating in a transformation into the villain Doomsday. The season ended violently, but did suggest a possible return by Witwer as a new, iconic character.
Sam Witwer joined Smallville during a tumultuous overhaul in the series. Many major actors from the series, including Michael Rosenbaum and Kristin Kreuk, left the show after the end of season 7. In addition, the original creators and showrunners of the program - Alfred Gough and Miles Millar - had departed, bringing in new creative visions for a total overhaul of the series. As a result, Witwer’s season-long arc in the series feels somewhat like a spinoff. Still, parts of his Davis Bloome character were effective, and it was disappointing the actor didn't return, even if his explanation makes sense.


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