We all know that The CW’s DC TV dominance is not what it used to be. Following the conclusion of The Flash after its ninth season earlier this spring, that left just two DC Comics shows left alive on the network. Unfortunately for fans, that number has now been stripped back to just one, with the cancellation of Gotham Knights after just one season.
On the plus side, Superman & Lois — long viewed as perhaps the highest-quality series to come out of the now-defunct Arrowverse — is coming back for a fourth season. But fans whooping for joy should be aware that the renewal might be something of a double-edged sword. As per Deadline, the series avoiding cancellation came at the price of a significant reduction of costs. Not only will the episode count be capped at 10 but at least one series regular has been removed.
Dylan Walsh, who has played Lois Lane’s father General Sam Lane on the series since its beginning, will not be returning as a regular in season four due to “budget” cuts. This was confirmed by his wife Leslie Bourque-Walsh on Instagram. “Congrats to the families of S&L for finally getting the update of their fate,” Bourque-Walsh wrote. “We now know General Lane was cue due to budget. It was a fun ride. Bye.”
It’s currently unclear if Walsh could reappear in a guest or recurring capacity, but Bourque-Walsh’s comments suggest his time with the series is over. If so, he’s the second original line-up regular to jump ship, following Jordan Elsass vacating the role of Jonathan Kent after season two, with Michael Bishop stepping in to replace him.
While the journey of the core four members of the Kent clan will wrap up in Superman & Lois season four, it’s a shame the full family won’t be reunited for its final run.
Published: Jun 14, 2023 12:48 PM UTC