Dougray Scott not returning for Batwoman season 3

Batwoman -- “I’ll Give You a Clue” -- Image Number: BWN213fg_0030r -- Pictured: Dougray Scott as Commander Jacob Kane -- Photo: The CW -- © 2021 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Batwoman season 2 has come to an end, and when season 3 kickoffs in the fall, it will be without Dougray Scott.

Following the premiere of the Batwoman season 2 finale, showrunner Caroline Dries announced that Scott was leaving the series. It was not, however, without planning and mutual agreement.

“Having Dougray Scott as Jacob Kane on Batwoman was incredibly special for all of us,” Dries told EW in a statement. “An actor with his pedigree and reputation elevates any project, and he had great chemistry with his castmates. We loved telling Commander Kane’s story for the last two seasons, and we will always leave the door open to have him return. We wish him the very best!”

“The character obviously had a really intense storyline,” Dries said. “The story was just lending itself of wrapping up the Crows because we took such a hard stance against police brutality this season and really used the Crows to represent the metaphor of that. For us, the story could really only end to Ryan’s satisfaction [if the Crows were] shut down completely. To us, there was no version of the Crows that could exist that felt okay; that felt like a compromise.”

Dries continued, “So it worked out that it was mutual [with Scott]. We ended up being able to really write to a good ending for Jacob, just kind of knowing in advance that’s what we were going to do. I’m very pleased with how that storyline worked out for him. It allowed us to give Dougray some really rich stuff toward the end.”

With Jacob gone, and Kate in a state of flux, the Kane family will be in a bit of an odd place. “What will be fun in season 3 is really rejuvenating this relationship between Mary and Alice,” Dries said. “She is literally the last person there is for her family. Likewise for Alice, Mary is the last one there is. So they will find that they have this common thing, but they also don’t care for each very much. It’ll make a very fun dynamic.”

Batwoman season 3 will debut on The CW on Oct. 13.