After Scott Patterson, Sullivan's Crossing Season 4 Premiere Loses Another Star

Well, Sullivan's Crossing did not tiptoe into season 4. The premiere makes it pretty clear one fan favorite is gone for now — and he is not the only one hitting the road.

So... where did Sully go?

In the Monday, April 20 season 4 opener, the show explains Sully (Scott Patterson) is off on an extended trip to Ireland. That is the in-story answer for why he is not around, and the episode wastes no time moving the rest of the pieces accordingly.

On the romantic front, Sydney (Lindura Sappong) and Rafe (Dakota Taylor) do not see eye to eye on marriage. Rafe cuts things off and, to make the split stick, asks for a transfer so they are not working and living in the same place anymore.

• Sully (Scott Patterson): written out for now via a long stay in Ireland
• Sydney (Lindura Sappong) and Rafe (Dakota Taylor): break up after clashing over marriage; Rafe requests a transfer
• Maggie (Morgan Kohan): facing a bigger role at the Crossing with her dad away
• Cal (Chad Michael Murray): still in the mix with Maggie, but things are messy (see below)
• Liam (Marcus Rosner): Maggie’s secret husband who crashed in late last season and blew everything up
• Edna (Andrea Menard) and Frank (Tom Jackson): considering moving on from the campground

Quick refresher: where season 3 left everyone

Based on Robyn Carr’s book series, Sullivan’s Crossing follows neurosurgeon Maggie as she leaves her city life and returns to rural Nova Scotia to reconnect with her estranged father, Sully. What was supposed to be a quick breather turned into Maggie building a future in Sullivan’s Crossing — including a whole lot of sparks with Cal.

Season 3, which hit Netflix in August 2025, ended with a nasty surprise: Maggie and Cal’s relationship took a direct hit when her never-mentioned husband, Liam, literally walked into town. Elsewhere, Sully took off on a trip with his girlfriend, and Edna and Frank started thinking seriously about life beyond the campground. All of that tees up the current season’s shake-ups.

The off-screen story: Patterson’s exit and what the bosses say

Behind the scenes, Us Weekly reported in March that Patterson, 67, left the series ahead of season 4. Roma Roth told the outlet that, story-wise, Sully finished season 3 by heading to Ireland, and season 4 picks up the very next day with him still overseas. Translation: he is not physically in the new season, but the door is cracked for a possible return if the creative plan calls for it.

Patterson gave his side soon after, posting on Instagram that things had become unworkable for him on a creative level:

"The creative differences were becoming untenable and I just sadly realized that the show was not something that I could agree to continue."

He also pushed back on any suggestion that the series simply moved on from him, saying it was not his choice to go and that he spoke up because fans deserve clarity. It is messy — and unusual — to see both the star and the producers laying out competing versions this directly.

What that means for Maggie (and everyone else)

Morgan Kohan said in March that Maggie starts season 4 in a place she did not expect. She is newly settled with Cal when the rug gets yanked: suddenly she is taking over more responsibility at the Crossing, and her personal life is up in the air again thanks to Liam’s reappearance. Kohan also noted the obvious ripple effect — with Sully away, a key piece of Maggie’s support system is missing right when she needs it most.

Where to watch

Sullivan’s Crossing is currently streaming on Netflix. New season 4 episodes air Mondays on The CW at 8 p.m. ET.