Showrunner Roma Roth Promises More Emotion, More Drama, and More Cliffhangers in Season 2 of SULLIVAN’S CROSSING

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede Just how many life-altering circumstances can the makers of SULLIVAN’S CROSSING throw at Maggie Sullivan, played by Morgan Kohan? Having already endured plenty in the first season, the stakes get raised even higher in Season 2, which kicks off on Sunday, April 14, at a special time of 9 p.m. ET on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app (the series moves into its regular time slot, 8 p.m. ET, the following week). “I think Maggie is just a representation of what happens in our lives, although it might be a little condensed in timeline,” said executive producer and showrunner Roma Roth, with a chuckle. “We all go through a lot of the things that she’s going through, but it just happens to be a little bit more of an all-at-once kind of thing. But obviously we want to keep the stories moving for the audience. They don’t want to watch her brush her teeth or eat a sandwich.” Um, maybe that can be Season 10? Possible plotlines for future decades notwithstanding, SULLIVAN’S CROSSING is at the height of its power right now, coming off a rookie campaign in which it was the most-watched Canadian drama of the 2022-23 broadcast season. So, what was the special ingredient that allowed the series to break through and connect with Canadians? “Well, you know, I had promised CTV a hit show when I pitched them,” Roth said. Obviously, she keeps her promises! “Well, I attempt to,” Roth said. “Sometimes you can’t – sometimes things get out of your control, as Maggie will tell you! But I do try. And I felt that we were starting with the right building blocks that would allow us to at least have the ability to get as close to doing a hit as possible.” The “right building blocks,” according to Roth, included: having a book series to work with, written by Robyn Carr; utilizing the stunning visuals to showcase Nova Scotia, where SULLIVAN’S CROSSING is shot and set; and casting the show properly, with Kohan being joined by fellow headliners Chad Michael Murray as Cal, and Scott Patterson as Sully. Roth was asked if she has tweaked the characters at all, in response to the specific skill sets of her impressive cast. “Other than wanting to see a lot more of Chad Michael Murray in a singlet?” said Roth, laughing. “But no, I think that, oddly enough, I cast the right actors, so I didn’t really have to make any adjustments. I wanted a lovable curmudgeon for Sully – not to say that Scott Patterson’s a curmudgeon, but I think Scott has an edge, just like Sully does sometimes, in a good way, a lovable way. I think Chad is a very magnetic individual in real life. And Morgan has a softness to her while also embodying Maggie as somebody who wants to be in control of her craft, because as an actress Morgan is very prepared and extremely efficient, and yet she’s also a very warm and compassionate person.” Roth added that while she appreciates the fact that actors love acting, and they love becoming other people, it often works best when they have something in themselves to draw upon. That’s the approach Roth took with Kohan, Murray, and Patterson. “I’m not asking them to play Klingon, I’m asking them to play who they are,” Roth said. “So I do involve the actors when I’m developing the storylines. I do listen to their input. I do look at who they are in real life, and try to add a little piece of that. Obviously, the roles they’re playing are still fictional, but you can sprinkle it into the characters.” Bottom line, for fans who fell in love with SULLIVAN’S CROSSING in Season 1, what does Roth have in store for them in Season 2? “A lot more emotion, a lot more drama, and a lot more cliffhangers,” Roth said. Sounds like a lot more of everything. “A lot more fun!” Roth promised … and she tends to keep her promises. billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv