The Night Agent Season 3: Creator and Star on Rose’s Exit
Luciane Buchanan revealed in September that she was not invited back for Season 3 of the night agent, and the show’s creator and cast have since addressed how the series moved forward and what might bring Rose Larkin back. The season’s tense opening minutes are now available to watch, and the creative team says the character’s absence was a deliberate choice tied to a new storyline.
Why Rose was written out
Showrunner Shawn Ryan said the writers’ room began by exploring what a Peter-and-Rose–centric third season would look like but found that approach felt derivative of earlier seasons. The creative decision, he said, was to tell a different story that required new connections and settings. Ryan described the change as a purely creative one and emphasized his appreciation for Luciane Buchanan as an actress and person, adding that if the right storyline emerges the team would welcome her return.
New partnership for Peter Sutherland
Season 3 pairs Peter Sutherland with a tenacious financial reporter named Isabel, played by Genesis Rodriguez. Isabel’s father is revealed to be the intelligence broker Jacob Monroe, which places the new lead squarely in a financial world that the creative team argued Rose’s character would not inhabit. That new pairing is central to the season’s plot, which centers on conspiracy and corruption extending to the White House.
Rose’s presence still felt
Although Buchanan does not appear as a regular, Season 3 contains several direct and indirect references to Rose, her whereabouts and her relationship with Peter. The season opener, which picks up almost a year after the Season 2 finale, includes an on-screen exchange with Deputy Director Aiden Mosely asking if Peter and Rose are still in touch; Peter replies, "No, but it’s safer for her. " Peter also mentions on more than one occasion that there was someone he "cared about" that he "couldn’t make it work" and who was threatened in prior events. In an early scene set in Istanbul, a local performer’s song about doomed lovers parallels Peter and Rose’s history, and a bar exchange — "Your fault or hers?" followed by "It was mine, it was definitely mine" — underscores Peter’s struggle between duty and relationship.
How The Night Agent opened Season 3
The season’s opening minutes — described as tense — are already available to watch, introducing the story nearly a year after the last finale and establishing Peter operating without Rose at his side. The shift to a storyline focused on financial institutions and Isabel’s personal ties to Monroe is presented as the clear reason Rose was not part of this arc. The creative team has left the possibility of a return open, noting they would consider bringing Rose back when a storyline that fits her character emerges.
Key takeaways
- Luciane Buchanan was not invited back for Season 3 and is written out for safety and creative reasons.
- Peter is paired with Isabel, a financial reporter whose father is Jacob Monroe, shifting the show’s focus.
- Season 3 makes multiple references to Rose and opens almost a year after Season 2, keeping her presence alive off-screen.
Creators framed Rose’s absence as a narrative choice tied to the demands of the new plot rather than a closed door; they have stated they would pursue a return only if the story warrants it. The opening minutes set that new tone and leave room for future developments that could bring Rose back into the fold, though any return is not publicly confirmed at this time.
