WARNING: This article has spoilers for the 12th season finale of Supernatural.
“The Devil You Know” – Mark Sheppard as Crowley in SUPERNATURAL on The CW.
Photo: Michael Courtney/The CW
©2010
Fan favorite Mark Sheppard won’t be returning to Supernatural, TV Line reported. From the fifth season to the twelfth season, Mark Sheppard has played a major role on Supernatural as Crowley. Crowley was a roguishly charming but completely untrustworthy demon, a human sinner who was sent to Hell when he died, became a Crossroads Demon, worked his way up to King of the Crossroads, and eventually took advantage of a power vacuum when Lucifer had a bit of bad luck and made himself King of Hell. In the twelfth season finale, “All Along the Watchtower,” written by Andrew Dabb, Crowley’s character was killed. Normally on a show like Supernatural, being killed is more of a minor inconvenience than anything else. The dead don’t necessarily stay dead. This time, the death appears to be real and Sheppard seems adamant that he will not be returning to Supernatural.
Co-Executive Producer Jim Michaels hinted that Mark Sheppard might return. “Never say never.” Sheppard contradicted him on Twitter. He also said he would not be attending Creation Cons after December. Sheppard has not said whether or not he will be attending fan-run conventions.
With all due respect, your comment is inaccurate and misleading to the fans. There are NO plans to have me return to SPN at ANY juncture.
— Mark Sheppard (@Mark_Sheppard) May 25, 2017
“This is starting to sound like Mark Sheppard’s departure from Supernatural wasn’t amicable,” suggested science fiction convention organizer Pearl Stickler.
Sheppard is a musician as well as an actor. Now that he is no longer playing Crowley on Supernatural, he wants to get back to his first love, music. He’s played the drums with Robyn Hitchcock, the Barracudas, Light a Big Fire, School of Fish, and Louden Swain (featuring fellow Supernatural actor Rob Benedict). Now he’s rejoining Robyn Hitchcock on tour, with Luther Russell on guitar and Tony Buchen on bass.
Sheppard told Audix he was delighted to be rejoining Robyn Hitchcock, whom he had played drums for “when I was 17 and now I am playing with him 35 years later—it’s an extraordinary experience. And I’m obviously a much better drummer than at 15. It’s fun to do. It is so cool.”
Crowley is far from Mark Sheppard’s first science fiction/fantasy role. It would be easier to tally up the genre shows he hasn’t been on that to count the ones he has appeared in as a guest or a regular. Of 62 acting roles credited to him on IMDB.com, 22 have been for genre shows (23 if you count the MacGyver reboot).
- 1993 ** The X-Files ** Cecil L’Ively
- 1995 ** M.A. N. T. I. S. ** C. Flayton Ruell
- 1997 ** Soldier of Fortune ** C. J. Yates
- 1999 ** Sliders ** Jack
- 2000 ** Star Trek: Voyager ** Leucon
- 2001 ** The Invisible Man ** Yuri Gregorov
- 2001 ** Special Unit 2 ** The Chameleon
- 2002 ** Charmed ** Arnon
- 2002 ** Firefly ** Badger
- 2003 ** Jake 2.0 ** Hartman
- 2007 ** Bionic Woman ** Anthony Anthros
- 2007 ** Battlestar Galactica ** Romo Lampkin
- 2008 ** Leverage ** Jim Sterling
- 2009 ** Dollhouse ** Tanaka
- 2009 ** White Collar ** Curtis Hagen
- 2009 ** Warehouse 13 ** Benedict Valda
- 2009 ** Supernatural ** Crowley
- 2010 ** Chuck ** Ring Director
- 2011 ** Xtinction: Predator X ** Dr. Charles Leblanc
- 2011 ** Dr. Who ** Agent Canton Everett Delaware III
- 2012 ** Mysterious Island ** Captain Nemo (also director of the movie)
- 2012 ** War of the Worlds: Goliath ** Sean O’Brien
Mark Sheppard and his father W. Morgan Sheppard have played the same role at different ages three times, as Agent Delaware in Dr. Who, as Marcin Jerek in NCIS, and as Captain Nemo in Mysterious Island. Both Sheppards have expressed interest in reprising the role of Canton E. Delaware if the opportunity arises.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
