From 2001 to 2011, “Smallville” had a beloved 10-season run. But while every fan and critic may have their favorite season, only one clearly stands out as the most important: season 7. After its seventh outing, “Smallville” practically transforms into a different show. This is when the series moves from its bright rural countryside setting to a grimy and dark Metropolis, losing so many familiar faces in the process.
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Kristin Kreuk departed “Smallville” around this time and would only return in season 8 for a five-episode arc to close out Lana Lang’s story. Michael Rosenbaum also left the show after completing his contract obligations but made a fantastic cameo in the series finale. Even original showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar made their exit after season 7, and along with them went the great John Glover, who played Lex Luthor’s brilliant and morally complex father, Lionel.
Seeing as there was such a dramatic and massive cast overhaul after season 7, it can be surmised that Glover’s contract was simply over. This is especially believable since not only was his character killed off, but the actor also did not appear in the show’s next two seasons. He did, however, come back for a four-episode guest arc in season 10 … which, according to Glover, didn’t prove to be all that great.
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Lionel Luthor’s final run in Smallville did not impress John Glover
During the first seven seasons of “Smallville,” Glover’s character is the one that receives arguably the most character development. Lionel goes from the world’s worst father and evil corporate overlord to something of a trusted advisor to Clark Kent (Tom Welling). Lionel’s rollercoaster of a storyline comes to a dramatic end when he’s killed by his own son in episode 16, “Descent.” That’s some Shakespearean drama right there.
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Fans would not see Lionel again until the show’s final season. However, it wasn’t the same Lionel; this was when a Lionel from an alternate world (that’s right, “Smallville” did variants before they were cool!) showed up to wreak some havoc. Sadly, this last hoorah, which culminates in Lionel being possessed and used as a vessel for Darkseid, did not compare to Lionel’s previous stories. At least, not to Glover. As he explained to Michael Rosenbaum on the latter’s podcast in 2023, he felt the final season turned Lionel, a morally grey character, into a “stereotypical villain” and drained all the nuance from him. However, with criticism there also comes praise, as Glover fully admitted that his initial run on the show was incredible. “I had seven great years,” he told Rosenbaum. “I had a ball. It was the longest I played one part.” He’s definitely not wrong about that. For over 140 episodes, Glover absolutely embodied the role of Lionel Luthor.
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For fans wanting to read more, be sure to check out our rankings of each “Smallville” season from worst to best, and which “Supernatural” actor lost the role of Clark Kent to Tom Welling.
