As Battlestar Galactica Alum Arrives On NBC's Transplant, Showrunner Talks Replacing A Series Regular In Season 3
Welcome this BSG alum to Transplant Season 3!
The 2023 TV schedule is a lot lighter on medical dramas than usual, but Transplant is making its long-awaited return to NBC. The third season premiere will finally pay off on the cliffhangers than ended Season 2, including the seemingly final departure of Dr. Jed Bishop (John Hannah) from York Memorial to save Bash’s job.Season 3 will reveal a Battlestar Galactica alum is stepping up as his replacement, and showrunner Joseph Kay spoke with CinemaBlend about the new cast member from BSG fame!
Bash and Bishop were dealing with a malpractice issue throughout Season 2, and each tried to sacrifice their career to save the other’s. Bishop ultimately fell on the sword, and their relationship came full circle in the same episode that he left York Memorial. It seems that Season 3 isn’t going to undo that particular twist to bring former series regular John Hannah back, as Battlestar Galactica alum Rekha Sharma joins the cast as Dr. Neeta Devi.
When I spoke with the Transplant showrunner ahead of Season 3, I noted that many likely know Sharma as Tory Foster from BSG and asked what she brings to the show as John Hannah’s replacement. Joseph Kay dropped some details, saying:
If you watch the recap of the end of Transplant Season 2 for a refresher, you’ll get an idea of what exactly Dr. Devi could be facing in York’s emergency department. On top of Bishop having to leave, Theo was stranded in a life-or-death situation in the Canadian wilderness, June was dealing with the pressure of her chief resident position on top of a family tragedy, and Bash and Mags may have been out of excuses to avoid romance. Dr. Devi is stepping into what could be a tricky situation, as Joseph Kay continued:
It remains to be seen whether Dr. Devi’s transition into York’s ED will be smoother than when Dr. Novak joined the team in Season 2, but it’s already clear that she’ll be a very different kind of character than Dr. Bishop. Of course, John Hannah was still part of the cast when Novak debuted last season, which won’t be the case with Rekha Sharma. The showrunner explained a way that the two different approaches will affect the other characters:
The wait to see Rekha Sharm as Dr. Devi is nearly over, as Transplant returns for Season 3 on Thursday, October 12 at 9 p.m. ET. The showrunner also confirmed that there is a brief time jump from the end of Season 2 to the beginning of the Season 3, and fans will “have three answers to those questions” about Dr. Bishop, Theo, and Bash and Mags by the end of the premiere. For a refresher on what happened in Season 2, check out the recap below:
While there's a lot on the way with Season 3 of the medical drama, you can also go on a blast to the past. If you want to revisit some earlier days of Transplant as well, you can find the first two seasons streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.
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Laura turned a lifelong love of television into a valid reason to write and think about TV on a daily basis. She's not a doctor, lawyer, or detective, but watches a lot of them in primetime. CinemaBlend's resident expert and interviewer for One Chicago, the galaxy far, far away, and a variety of other primetime television. Will not time travel and can cite multiple TV shows to explain why. She does, however, want to believe that she can sneak references to The X-Files into daily conversation (and author bios).