Fox renews ‘Murder in a Small Town’ for season 3 as Peter Gallagher joins cast

Murder in a Small Town returns for season 3 as Peter Gallagher joins the Fox drama in a major new role

Fox has officially renewed Murder in a Small Town for a third season, with veteran actor Peter Gallagher joining the cast as a new series regular, according to an exclusive report from Deadline.

The upcoming season will consist of 10 episodes and will see returning leads Rossif Sutherland and Kristin Kreuk reprise their roles in the mystery drama. Gallagher is set to play Rod Finlayson, a charismatic yet unpredictable figure whose arrival at the Gibsons marina is expected to create major complications for the central characters.

Based on the book series by L.R. Wright, Murder in a Small Town follows detective Karl Alberg, played by Sutherland, as he relocates to a quiet coastal community after leaving behind the pressures of big-city police work. Kreuk stars as local librarian Cassandra, who develops a relationship with Alberg as the pair become entangled in a series of investigations.

Fox reportedly viewed the renewal as expected following strong performance gains during season 2. The series experienced an increase in multiplatform audience numbers and streaming viewership, while continuing to operate under Fox’s cost-efficient international production strategy.

Produced by Sepia Films in partnership with Fox Entertainment and Future Shack Entertainment, the Canadian-made drama has become a reliable performer for the network’s growing lineup of mystery-focused programming.

Fox executives praised the series’ continued audience appeal and welcomed Gallagher’s addition as part of the show’s evolving storytelling approach. Previous seasons also introduced high-profile recurring stars, including Marcia Gay Harden.

Gallagher is widely known for television roles in The O.C., Grace and Frankie, and Grey’s Anatomy, alongside film appearances in American Beauty and Short Cuts.