The Night Agent Creator Reveals Whether Rose Will Return In Season 3 Despite Incomplete Scripts
Season 2 leaves Rose at an intriguing spot.
The following article contains spoilers for The Night Agent season 2.The Night Agent creator and executive producer Shawn Ryan addresses Rose's future in season 3, with the show officially diverging from Matthew Quirk's novel from season 2 and onward. Played by Luciane Buchanan, Rose Larkin comes into Peter Sutherland's (Gabriel Basso) protection in season 1, and season 2 sees their bond becoming stronger on another mission. However, The Night Agent season 2 finale again leaves their paths divided, when Peter decides to break up with her for her safety.
In an interview with Deadline, Ryan discusses where the series is with Rose. With the script unfinished, the creator stresses that they are "still figuring all of that out" about what to do with the character because they "are very aware" of the strength of keeping Peter and Rose together. However, they also have to deal with "the reality of how different their lives are." With The Night Agent, his vision is to create a story-driven show, and Rose's presence will depend on "the storyline of that season." Check out what he said below:
We’ll see. I’ve been reluctant to talk too much about Season 3 because, even though we’ve started shooting it, we haven’t finished writing it yet. We’re still writing the last couple of episodes, we’ll have them done before we start shooting the New York portion of our filming, which begins February 3.
What I will say is that I don’t view this the way that I guess a lot of TV shows operate in that I think characters come and go and then come back to the show, depending on what the storyline for that season is. An example I would give you is that we really love the character of Chelsea in Season 1, who was played by Fola Evans-Akingbola.
It really pained me to have to call her between seasons one and two, and say, hey, the writers had been working for a few weeks, and we’re gravitating towards stories that I don’t think we have a role for you in. The story has just taken us here, and I’m so sorry, but we love you, and if there’s a chance to get you back on the show at some point, I would love to do it.
She was wonderful about it. And then, as we got towards the end, we found this opportunity to have this little cameo for her that will serve as a platform. And I will tell you, she will be part of Season 3.
As it relates to Rose, we’re still figuring all of that out. What I would say is that we don’t want to artificially create a situation where characters have to be part of a specific season on a regular basis. We want to tell the story that feels true in that moment. I am very aware that one of the big strengths of Season 1 — and what I think is a big strength in Season 2 — are Peter and Rose together. I think the relationship is really strong.
I think in Season 1, Peter protected her physically, and I think in Season 2, she protects him emotionally., and I think that’s a beautiful thing. At the same time, when the writers and I take a look at what the realities are, when we talk about the reality of how different their lives are — him as a Night Agent who’s going to be putting himself into these dangerous situations, into these worlds filled with lies and deception, and her natural role in Silicon Valley, her desire for that kind of life.
Their shared trauma from these first two seasons has built this incredible bond. But is it enough to overcome the difference in their lives and their lifestyles Is something that we spend a lot of time talking about. So, not trying to duck the question, but we’re still creatively looking into all that. This, hopefully, with the success, will be a long-running show, and the question you raise is something that we talk a lot about in the writers room.
Rose's Fate In Season 3 Faces Uncertainty
The uncertainty about Rose poses the biggest question the show has yet to address, which is where The Night Agent season 3 is going on a greater scale. Ryan's comment indicates that the show is at a pivotal point in establishing itself, and Rose's future is directly linked to the answer to that question. The fact that the creator is still determining whether Rose will be back in season 3 with the writing of "the last couple of episodes" still unfinished seems to hint that the current plan is she won't be in the first half of the season.
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In the same interview, Ryan reveals that he initially struggled with Rose's character and had to call Quirk for advice, but he eventually found the way in when he realized that Rose "complimented" Peter, which was further explored in season 2. The creator explained that Rose is "a natural rule breaker" and Peter is "a natural rule follower." In season 2, Rose pulls Peter back emotionally, but the moral complications make her job hard. While the creator loves Rose's character, her future will be determined by "where the story is going to take us long-term." This is especially the case with Peter becoming a double agent, with his focus now on Monroe.
The Night Agent Doesn't Work Without Rose
It's hard to picture The Night Agent without Rose. She's like the North Star in the show, keeping Peter grounded and centered, and this is also why she has become the most important person in Peter's life, one he would trade his own career and royalty to protect. Their bond, whether it is trauma bonding or not, is deep in the show's DNA.
Honestly, The Night Agent would lose half of its appeal if Rose wasn't back in season 3. The best time to pivot to a Peter-centered show was in season 2, when Rose's character had still yet to find its footing, but by the time it wrapped, Rose had already become too important not to be on the show. The truth is, removing her also has an effect on Peter's character, and it's best to keep them together.
Source: Deadline
Your RatingThe Night Agent
Release Date
March 23, 2023
Network
Netflix
Showrunner
Shawn Ryan
Directors
Adam Arkin, Guy Ferland, Millicent Shelton, Ramaa Mosley
Writers
Seth Fisher, Munis Rashid, Corey Deshon