In a casting coup that’s got fans of heartfelt small-town sagas buzzing like fireflies on a summer night, Sullivan’s Crossing—the CW’s crown jewel of romantic drama—has officially locked in its Season 4 ensemble with none other than Shubham Maheshwari, the magnetic newcomer who stole hearts as Gat Patil in Prime Video’s smash-hit adaptation of We Were Liars. Chad Michael Murray, the brooding heartthrob who’s anchored the series as the enigmatic Sully since its 2023 debut, couldn’t be more thrilled. “Shubham brings this fresh energy, like a cool breeze off the Atlantic,” Murray told Variety exclusively. “He’s got that quiet intensity that makes every scene simmer—perfect for the twists we’re cooking up this season.”

For the uninitiated (and if you’re not watching yet, consider this your gentle nudge), Sullivan’s Crossing is the Robyn Carr-inspired gem that transplants the Virgin River vibe to the rugged shores of Nova Scotia. It’s a tapestry of second chances, tangled family ties, and swoon-worthy romances, all wrapped in breathtaking coastal cinematography that makes you want to pack your bags for a lobster roll and a life-altering epiphany. Season 3, which wrapped its emotional rollercoaster in May 2025 with a cliffhanger involving a devastating storm and a paternity bombshell, drew record viewership—peaking at 2.1 million live viewers—and earned a swift greenlight for Season 4 from The CW. Now streaming on Netflix after its U.S. debut in July, the series has solidified its status as appointment TV for anyone craving escapism with a side of soul-searching.

Murray, 44, reprises his role as Frank “Sully” Sullivan, the stoic campground owner with a heart of gold (and a past shrouded in mystery) who’s become the emotional north star of the show. Since trading Tree Hill for the misty trails of Sullivan’s Crossing, Murray has reinvented himself as the king of cozy romance, blending his signature charm—think those smoldering stares from One Tree Hill—with a newfound depth that critics rave about. “Chad’s Sully isn’t just a leading man; he’s the glue,” says showrunner Roma Roth, who helmed the adaptation from Carr’s bestselling novels. “In Season 4, we’re diving deeper into his vulnerabilities, and Shubham’s arrival? It’s like striking gold.”

The announcement dropped like a perfectly timed plot twist during a virtual press junket on Monday, where Murray, flanked by co-stars Morgan Kohan (Maggie Sullivan) and Tom Jackson (retiring as the wise-cracking Cal Jones), spilled the tea on what’s next. Maheshwari, 24, joins as Dr. Aiden Patel, a charismatic urban transplant who’s equal parts healer and heartbreaker. Fresh off his breakout turn in We Were Liars—the psychological thriller that reimagined E. Lockhart’s YA cult classic as a sun-soaked family nightmare—Maheshwari’s casting feels like destiny. In the Prime series, which premiered to 15 million global streams in June 2025, he embodied Gat, the sharp-witted outsider whose forbidden romance with Emily Alyn Lind’s Cadence Sinclair unraveled a web of privilege and tragedy. Critics hailed him as “the revelation of the summer,” with The Hollywood Reporter dubbing his performance “a masterclass in simmering restraint.”

But who is Shubham Maheshwari, really? Born in Dubai to Indian immigrant parents—his father a software engineer, his mother a schoolteacher—the actor grew up straddling worlds. “I was that kid quoting The Godfather in a desert villa, dreaming of Bollywood but bingeing Friends,” Maheshwari shared in a recent Teen Vogue profile. An economics major at the American University in Dubai, he stumbled into acting via a whim. “I saw an open casting call on Backstage for We Were Liars while cramming for finals. Thought, ‘Why not?’ Zoomed in from my dorm. Next thing, I’m in Nova Scotia, freezing my butt off in a four-month crash course on set.” That gig, his screen debut, thrust him into the spotlight: from zero credits to fan-favorite status, complete with 500,000 Instagram followers overnight. “Gat was my gateway drug to this world,” he laughs. “Playing an outsider who crashes the family party? Relatable. Now, Aiden in Sullivan’s Crossing? He’s got that same fire—chasing roots he didn’t know he needed.”

Maheshwari’s Aiden Patel isn’t just filler; he’s a seismic shift for the series’ DNA. Arriving in the titular Sullivan’s Crossing—a ramshackle campground turned haven for the lost—as a hotshot ER doc fleeing a Denver scandal (think malpractice whispers and a messy breakup), Aiden clashes with Sully from the jump. “Their first scene? Sparks fly—literally,” teases Kohan, 28, who plays Maggie, the neurosurgeon daughter returning to mend fences with her estranged dad. “Chad and Shubham have this brotherly tension that explodes into something profound. Aiden’s got secrets, Sully’s got walls, and boom—Season 4’s central romance arc.” Sources whisper Aiden’s storyline weaves in cultural layers: a nod to his Indian heritage through family flashbacks, including a tense video call with a disapproving auntie back home. “We’re not tokenizing,” insists Roth. “Shubham’s input on the scripts? Invaluable. It’s about identity, belonging—themes that hit harder in a place like Nova Scotia, where everyone’s an immigrant story waiting to unfold.”

The series’ magic has always lain in its alchemy of heart and heat. Season 1 introduced us to Maggie (Kohan, a The Expanse alum whose star turn here earned her a 2024 Leo Award) barreling back to her roots after a career implosion, only to rediscover love in the unlikeliest arms—fellow hiker Rob (Dominic Sherwood). Sully, played with grizzled gravitas by Murray, anchored the chaos as the father she ghosted years ago. Flashbacks peeled back layers: a teen pregnancy, a custody battle, the raw ache of unspoken grief. By Season 2, romances bloomed—Cal (Jackson) and Phoebe (Kandyse McClure) navigated blended-family bliss—while environmental threats loomed, like the logging company’s encroachment on the Crossing’s sacred woods. Season 3 amped the stakes: a hurricane ravaged the campground, exposing buried family secrets (was Sully not Maggie’s bio-dad?) and testing every couple’s mettle. That finale—Sully collapsing mid-argument, Aiden’s ambulance sirens wailing in the distance—left fans unhinged, petitioning Netflix for early episodes.

Enter Season 4, filming since August in Halifax’s windswept locales, promising “legacy and longing” per the logline. Production insiders dish on elevated production values: drone shots sweeping over fog-shrouded bays, a folk-infused score by The Lumineers‘ Wesley Schultz, and guest spots from Carr herself in a meta cameo. But the real juice? The love quadrangle brewing around Aiden. “He’s the catalyst,” Murray hints, eyes twinkling. “Sully sees a younger himself in him—stubborn, searching. But Aiden’s got eyes for [spoiler redacted], and let’s just say loyalties shatter.” Kohan giggles: “Shubham’s charm offensive is lethal. Watch out, world—he’s got that brooding poet vibe, but with abs.” Maheshwari, ever humble, demurs: “Aiden’s journey mirrors mine—landing in a tight-knit community, fumbling through connections. Working with Chad? Dream fuel. He’s like the cool uncle who drops wisdom bombs between takes.”

Murray’s own arc this season dives into uncharted waters. Post-One Tree Hill heartthrob (Lucas Scott forever), he’s navigated a career of rom-com reinventions—Freaky Friday sequel, Riverdale villainy—but Sullivan’s Crossing feels like home. “This show’s my reset,” he confessed on The Kelly Clarkson Show last month. “Sully taught me vulnerability on-screen and off. Fatherhood [to sons Ace, 8, and Ozzy, toddler] changed everything—now Sully’s reckoning with empty nests and what-ifs.” Fans adore the meta: Murray’s real-life romance with co-star Sarah Roemer (they met on Chosen) mirrors Sully’s slow-burn with new flames. “Chad’s got that evergreen appeal,” gushes Roth. “Season 4? We’re giving him a subplot that rips your heart out—think lost love resurfacing, with Shubham as the mirror.”

Maheshwari’s meteoric rise adds electric tension. From Dubai’s skyscrapers to We Were Liars‘ eerie island sets, his path screams serendipity. “Economics was safe—numbers don’t judge,” he told Polyester Zine. “Acting? Terrifying. But Gat unlocked something. That role—falling for Cadence amid all the lies—taught me to lean into the mess.” Directed by Euphoria‘s Sam Levinson, the series twisted Lockhart’s tale into a bingeable fever dream: privilege’s dark underbelly, gaslit memories, a finale that trended #WeWereBroken worldwide. Maheshwari’s chemistry with Lind sparked fanfic frenzies, earning him a Streamy nod at 24. “Shubham’s not just pretty—he’s profound,” Lind tweeted post-wrap. “Gat’s fire? All him.”

Transitioning to Sullivan’s Crossing was seamless, says Maheshwari: “Nova Scotia again! From thriller chills to romance warms—it’s like upgrading from espresso to hot cocoa.” On set, he’s bonded with the vets: improv sessions with Murray over craft beer, trail hikes with Kohan dissecting Carr’s prose. “Chad’s got stories for days—Gilmore Girls gossip, A Cinderella Story bloopers. But he’s real: talks mental health, the grind of dad life.” Off-camera, Maheshwari’s carving his niche: a poetry chapbook in the works (Desert Echoes), advocacy for South Asian rep via his Untitled Entertainment deal. “Dubai shaped me—hustle, hybridity. Aiden embodies that: a doc healing others while mending himself.”

Fan frenzy hit fever pitch post-announcement. On X, #SullivansS4 trended with 250,000 posts: “Shubham as Aiden? My heart’s already shipping!” one user swooned, while another theorized, “Outsider doc + Sully drama = Emmy bait.” Reddit’s r/SullivansCrossing exploded with casting polls—85% approval for Maheshwari—fueled by Liars crossover memes: Gat’s brooding glare photoshopped onto Aiden’s scrubs. Netflix data shows a 40% viewer spike among 18-24s since the news, with Carr tweeting: “Shubham’s the spark this season needs. Welcome to the Crossing, darlin’.”

Yet, beneath the sparkle, Sullivan’s Crossing grapples with timely thorns. Season 4 tackles climate fragility—rising tides threatening the campground—mirroring Nova Scotia’s real floods. Aiden’s arc spotlights immigrant resilience: “His family’s back in India, pushing arranged matches while he’s chasing passion,” Roth explains. “It’s universal—who hasn’t felt pulled between worlds?” Murray nods: “In today’s chaos, this show’s a balm. Shubham reminds us: connection trumps division.”

As production ramps toward a spring 2026 premiere, whispers of crossovers abound—Virgin River nods? A Carr multiverse? For now, the buzz centers on Maheshwari’s debut scene: Aiden arriving amid a midnight rescue, locking eyes with Sully across a rain-lashed cliff. “It’s poetic,” Maheshwari teases. “Two wanderers colliding—question is, do they save each other or burn it down?” Murray grins: “Tune in. This season? We’re rounding out the family, one heartbreak at a time.”

In an industry churning reboots and remakes, Sullivan’s Crossing endures as a beacon of authentic romance—flawed folks finding footing on uneven ground. With Maheshwari’s star ascending, Murray’s steady glow, and Carr’s blueprint for feels, Season 4 promises to be the Crossing’s most intoxicating chapter yet. Will Aiden heal the rifts or ignite new ones? Only the tides know. Grab your flannel, queue up the playlist, and settle in—love’s calling, and it’s got a Nova Scotian accent.