Rossif Sutherland Opened Up About The ‘Joy’ Of Working With An X-Files Icon On Murder In A Small Town, But I Still Got Cigarette-Smoking Man Vibes

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Be warned: this contains spoilers for the latest episode of *Murder in a Small Town* Season 2, titled “Mother Love.” The episode is currently available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

Season 2 of Murder in a Small Town, which began airing in 2025, brought changes for both Cassandra, now an elected official, and Alberg, a police officer whose department gained new resources. The episode “Mother Love” featured a complex case and marked the final performance of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, alongside a guest appearance by The X-Files star William B. Davis. Rossif Sutherland discussed his experience working with Warner and revealed a personal connection between Davis and his late father, Donald Sutherland.

Although the actor, best known from *The X-Files*, wasn’t portraying a secretive bad guy like he did on the show in the 1990s, I still sensed a similar energy to his famous character, the Cigarette-Smoking Man.

Rossif Sutherland Opens Up About Working With William B. Davis

William B. Davis portrayed Captain Darcy Stewart, a man who learned he had a daughter just before she passed away. Though the director considered other suspects, he noticed some emotional connection between his character and Stewart. Rossif Sutherland and Kristin Kreuk discussed the many murders in Murder in a Small Town, and Sutherland shared his experience working with Davis.

I enjoyed having dinner with him after filming, as he was an old friend of my father’s. They’d known each other back when my father was a student at the University of Toronto and first starting his acting career, so we spent the evening sharing stories about those times.

Donald Sutherland sadly passed away before he could begin filming his role in the first episode of *Murder in a Small Town*. However, the director, Rossif, shared that he cherished the time he spent with Sutherland, as the actor had a long history with Rossif’s father. Rossif also spoke highly of their collaboration on “Mother Love,” saying:

Working with him is fantastic – he’s not only a talented actor but also a really helpful acting coach. He’s incredibly experienced and generous, and we always have a good time on set. He doesn’t play the killer in our show, but unfortunately, his character’s daughter is murdered, and now the storyline revolves around finding out who’s responsible.

While William B. Davis is known for playing characters with a high number of victims, his role in *Murder in a Small Town* was different. The episode ended on a bittersweet note, as Stewart had the chance to meet his granddaughter, offering some comfort to those who survived.

Why I Got Cigarette-Smoking Man Vibes

I’ve been a fan of *The X-Files* for so long that I tend to see its influence in a lot of TV shows – it’s not just because so many famous actors appeared on it early in their careers. But seeing William B. Davis in *Murder in a Small Town* felt particularly familiar. While his character wasn’t the mysterious, tough villain he played on *The X-Files*, I’d seen Davis play a sick older man on Fox before, so it didn’t seem out of place.

I have to admit, it was funny seeing William B. Davis play a sweet old man on *MIST* and deliver lines that sounded exactly like something the Cigarette Smoking Man would say on *The X-Files*, but with a much darker meaning. It was especially amusing because his character also had a disappointing son! He really seemed to channel that same kind of vibe.

  • “I’d always wanted a daughter. And then all of a sudden, there she was on my doorstep.”
  • “We’ve all done things we’re not proud of.”
  • “I don’t suppose you’ve ever abandoned a child?”
  • “Don’t you dare make the same mistake that I did.”

The idea that Captain Stewart suddenly had a daughter because of a fake alien kidnapping? Not true. And while Stewart had a shady past, it wasn’t part of some huge, logical conspiracy. It definitely wasn’t as extreme as what the Cigarette-Smoking Man did to Spender in *The X-Files*. Still, I enjoyed it, and it was great to see William B. Davis back on Fox.

If you’re looking for a role where William B. Davis isn’t smoking, check out his appearance in Season 2 of *Murder in a Small Town*, now streaming on Hulu. New episodes of the drama continue to air on Fox Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern. And, you can also watch every episode of *The X-Files* on Hulu.

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2025-10-10 03:09