Stephanie Arcila‘s Fire Country co-stars agree: “It’s a shocker” that she is not returning as a series regular for Season 4 — especially since no exit storyline was even hinted at in last month’s otherwise cliffhanger-filled finale.
Working the red carpet at CBS‘ recent schedule-reveal shindig, TVLine asked Kevin Alejandro, Diane Farr and Jules Latimer if they had heard anything — or had theories — on why Gabby will suddenly be missing from Edgewater when Season 4 arrives this fall.
“Honestly, it’s a mystery to all of us,” Alejandro says in the TVLine video above, noting that his TV daughter’s demotion was “such a shocker.”
“The finale ends with so many questions… anything in the universe could happen” with Gabriela, he continues. “I just know that the presence will be missed, and we’ll see how the community heals” in the wake of the fires at Three Rock and the memory care facility, the latter of which left Sharon, Walter and (especially) Vince‘s lives in limbo. (Billy Burke is also not returning for Season 4).
“Our show is about community and redemption and getting through circumstances together,” Alejandro notes, “and I feel that as a cast and as a show, we’re going to do that.”
Besides, as Farr reminds/interjects, Arcila reportedly will be “invited back” at some future date.
In the immediate wake of Fire Country‘s Season 3 finale — which in addition to the aforementioned blazes, saw Audrey (Leven Rambin) shoot Finn (Blake Lee) to stop his assault of Gabby — TVLine asked Arcila herself if she had any intel on her exit storyline.
“I think that’s a question for [showrunner] Tia [Napolitano] and the executive producers,” she hedged. “They’ve said that it’s a creative decision on their end, so I don’t know.
“I’ve said it before, the writers always surprise me, and I’m looking forward to what they’ll write and and how they’ll justify this journey,” she added. “Every show needs some type of of shocking aspect, and I guess this is it, right?”
As alluded to by Farr above, Fire Country co-creator Joan Rater has said they hope to at some point bring Gabby back, in some capacity, in a “satisfying, beautiful way.”
Is Arcila open to such an encore? “You know, I never say never, and I believe that,” she told me. “Having this news come out has really shown me how people feel about Gabriella, and I had no idea. And it’s been so heartwarming to have all of that support.”
