After the fiery devastation that closed out Season 2, Sullivan’s Crossing returns with its Season 3 premiere, “New Beginnings,” a slow-burning, emotionally wealthy episode that walks the fragile line between therapeutic and heartbreak. Although the solar is shining, the injuries beneath the floor are recent—and none extra so than Maggie’s.
The episode wastes no time reminding us what’s at stake emotionally. It opens with Maggie seemingly well-adjusted. She’s again on the Crossing, serving to out with friends, aiding Edna, and sharing heat moments with Cal. Their reunion is intimate and hopeful, capped with a kiss that might usually sign that every one is correct of their world. However one thing about Maggie feels… off. Her smile is just a bit too tight. Her eyes linger on issues with unstated weight. She seems like somebody holding her breath.
It isn’t till midway by means of the episode that viewers get affirmation of what many might have suspected: Maggie suffered a miscarriage following the fireplace. The second is revealed not by means of dialogue however by means of a haunting, quiet scene- Maggie unpacking alone in her room, discovering the tiny Sullivan’s Crossing onesie her father had gifted for the newborn. The shift in her face as she cradles it, the tears she holds again, the breath she doesn’t fairly take- it’s devastating.
| “New Beginnings” – SULLIVAN’S CROSSING. Pictured: Morgan Kohan as Maggie Sullivan and Chad Michael Murray as Cal Jones. Photo: Bell Media ©2025. All Rights Reserved. |
Cal, ever the supportive partner, senses something is wrong long before Maggie voices it. He offers gifts, time, and tenderness, and while she appreciates it, she can’t fully receive it. When she finally confesses to him that she’s not fine, that she thought she could push through the grief and bury it with busywork, it’s raw and real. Morgan Kohan delivers one of her most subtle and affecting performances to date. Maggie’s pain isn’t loud; it’s aching and quiet, which makes it hit even harder.
The episode ends on a beautiful metaphorical note: Maggie and Cal plant a tree together, a symbol of both loss and renewal. It mirrors a memory Maggie shares of planting a tree with Sully as a child, something that always made her feel connected to the Crossing no matter how far she went. As a butterfly lands on the freshly planted tree, Maggie smiles—not because she’s healed, but because she finally stopped holding her breath. She let herself feel. That final moment, a quiet nod to transformation, was all the closure Maggie needed for now.
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| “New Beginnings” – SULLIVAN’S CROSSING. Pictured: Andrea Menard as Edna Cranebear and Scott Petterson as Sully. Photo: Bell Media ©2025. All Rights Reserved. |
Meanwhile, Sully, alive and feisty as ever, is grappling with his own discomfort around the changing tide at the Crossing. Edna’s digital upgrades and website launches feel like a hostile takeover to him, despite her best intentions. Scott Patterson’s portrayal of a man trying to stay useful in a world that’s slowly moving on from his methods is both relatable and a little heartbreaking. His accidental meet-cute with the new guest Helen who is sharp-tongued and clearly unimpressed, is a highlight. There’s instant spark and clash, and it promises a fun dynamic to watch as the season unfolds.
In other parts of the Crossing, the rest of the town is spinning their wheels in various states of transition. Rob’s diner dreams are stalled, thanks to an insurance denial that nearly breaks him. Sydney and Rafe are navigating a relationship that’s more strained than sexy, and their steamy encounter at the fire station felt out of step with their later emotional distance. One of the show’s strengths has always been grounding relationships in realism, and it seems Rafe and Sydney may be headed for a reckoning.
The standout emotional scene belongs to Maggie and Frank in the garden. His butterfly metaphor about change and healing was subtle and powerful, offering the exact kind of gentle nudge Maggie needed. When she later plants the tree with Cal and is visited by a real butterfly, a perfectly timed bit of symbolism, it felt earned, not cheesy. Sometimes healing isn’t loud or dramatic. Sometimes, it’s just planting roots and watching something grow.
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| “New Beginnings” – SULLIVAN’S CROSSING. Pictured: Morgan Kohan as Maggie Sullivan and Tom Jackson as Frank Cranebear. Photo: Bell Media ©2025. All Rights Reserved. |
“New Beginnings” is a mild, grounded premiere that doesn’t depend on melodrama to hold its emotional weight. As a substitute, it trusts in silence, in stillness, and in Maggie’s sluggish, painful crawl towards therapeutic. There’s loads brewing within the background (luxurious resorts? Sully’s new nemesis?) however at its coronary heart, this episode belongs to Maggie—and it’s one of many present’s most emotionally trustworthy outings but.
