In a shocking, completely unexpected move, the creators of Smallville, Al Gough and Miles Millar, have quit the series.  In a letter that was released to the press today, the executive producers announced their departure, which will be effective at the end of the current season.  In the letter, they mentioned that they were happy to look back at "seven amazing years" and 152 episodes, but added in that, "After much heartache and debate we have decided it is time for us to move on."  Other than that, there was no concrete reason given for the move, forcing fans to have to read between the lines.

The letter reads, "We are incredibly proud of our work on this show.  We achieved what we set out to do.  We never compromised our vision. We leave knowing that Smallville is the longest-running comic book based series of all-time.  The show was featured on the covers of Rolling Stone, MAD magazine, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly.  The pilot had the highest-rated premiere in the history of the WB.  Even in its seventh year it is still the #1 scripted show on the network.  Smallville is watched by millions of people in hundreds of countries and in dozens of languages around the world."

Gough and Millar go on to thank the talented cast and crew, and also give a shout out to the people who made Smallville a success.  They write, "Finally, to the fans who have stuck with us through the highs and the lows:  know this — we never stopped fighting to make this show great.  Thanks for watching."

This letter is truly so unexpected that I had to make sure it wasn't a late April Fool's joke after reading it.  It's odd that, after sticking with the series for seven years, they would quit before what will likely be the final season.  Were there problems with the network?  Was there a dispute over money?  And what does this mean for the future of the series?

Hours after Gough and Millar announced their departures, the CW released a statement naming the new showrunners of the series.  The network's statement reads, "Al Gough and Miles Millar have been great partners and instrumental in the development and success of Smallville.  While we are sad to see them go, we are very excited to announce that executive producers Darren Swimmer, Todd Slavkin, Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson will helm the show next season.  [They] have been writing for the show for the past six seasons, and as producers for the last four years, they have played an integral role in the ongoing creative evolution of the series.  As showrunners, they will continue to deliver the compelling storytelling that Smallville fans have come to expect and love."

This reminds me of the unfortunate incident that happened with Gilmore Girls, when creator Amy Sherman-Palladino left the series just before the final season.  However, in that case there were known troubles with the network and a contract dispute, whereas this came completely out of left field.  The end result for Gilmore Girls was that it had its weakest season ever, leaving many fans longing for the glory days of the series.  Will Smallville suffer the same fate?

Now that we know who will take over the series, let's hope they know what they're doing.  It can't be easy to grab the reins of such a mythology heavy show, especially as it moves into what may be its final year.  Smallville may never be the same.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of the CW)