Big Sky quickly became a fan favorite when the series premiered in November 2020 and has become a streaming winner for ABC during the show’s first two seasons. The series hit 11.1 million viewers, getting about 31 percent of its total viewers and more than half its 18-49 audience via digital. With a new show title, Big Sky: Deadly Trails, and the addition of country music icon Reba McEntire for season 3, the show will surely draw more eyes to the David. E. Kelley detective drama. Here’s everything we know so far about season 3 of Big Sky, including new casting and renewal news.
What is Big Sky about?
Big Sky follows the events in a Montana town and more specifically, stories that involve two detectives, Cassie Dewell (Kylie Bunbury) and Jenny Hoyt (Katheryn Winnick).
Is Big Sky based on other material?
Big Sky is based on a series of books by author C.J. Box.
Who’s in the cast for Big Sky: Deadly Trails?
Kylie Bunbury (Cassie Dewell)
Cassie is a private investigator in the small town of Big Sky and is one of the central characters in C.J. Box’s books. She originally works with Cody Hoyt (Ryan Phillipe) but after he goes missing and later turns up dead, Cassie and Jenny form a partnership of sorts. Kylie Bunbury was previously the lead in on Fox’s Pitch, about the first female pitcher in Major League baseball.
Kathryn Winnick (Jenny Hoyt)
Jenny is a former police detective who is estranged from her husband, Cody Hoyt, at the beginning of the series. When her son’s girlfriend and sister go missing, as well as Cody, she and Cassie join forces to investigate. In the back half of the first season, she gets involved in a case when her ex, Blake Kleinsasser calls her for help. Kathryn Winnick is a Canadian actress who has had main cast roles on Vikings and Wu Assassins before joining the cast of Big Sky.
Dedee Pfeiffer (Denise Brisbane)
Denise is the detective agency’s receptionist extraordinaire. In real life, Pfeiffer is the sister-in-law of Big Sky creator and producer, David. E. Kelley.
Jamie-Lynn Sigler (Tonya Walsh)
In the beginning of the series, Tonya was a milquetoast waitress who cowered at the slightest noise. Adapting to circumstances beyond her control, she has learn to be tough and cunning. Fun fact: Tonya’s frequent co-hort, Donno, is played by Ryan O’Nan who also serves as a supervising producer on the show!
Jensen Ackles (Beau Arlen)
Jensen Ackles joins the cast as a series regular for season 3. He appeared as a guest in the season 2 finale as Sheriff Arlen, the replacement for Sheriff Tubbs who is temporarily out of commission. Tubbs calls in a favor with his friend Arlen, who arrives in town to take over the sheriff duties. As the new sheriff, Arlen is also Jenny’s new boss.
Reba McEntire (Sunny Barnes)
Reba McEntire joins the show for season 3 as Sunny Barnes, the mercurial matriarch of the Barnes clan. The Barnes run a successful backcountry outfitter though it has an unfortunate habit of losing their clientele. This is the first time McEntire has portrayed a villain on a show. McEntire spent six seasons on her eponymous sitcom, Reba and also starred in Malibu Country. The country music superstar also has a recurring role on Young Sheldon and will star in the upcoming Lifetime TV movie, The Hammer.
Rex Linn (Buck Barnes)
Linn joins the cast as Sunny’s husband, Buck Barnes. The two own Sunny Day Excursions, a backcountry outfitter that specializes in glamping. Linn also co-stars with McEntire in the upcoming Lifetime movie, The Hammer. Fun fact: Linn is McEntire’s real-life boyfriend. The two have known each other for decades but only started dating in recent years.
Luke Mitchell (Cormac Barnes)
Mitchell joins the cast as Sunny’s son, Cormac, who is responsible for making sure the glamping guests are equipped and comfortable. Fans will recognize Mitchell from his roles on Blindspot, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Legacies.
Rosanna Arquette (Virginia “Gigi” Cessna)
Rosanna Arquette joins the cast as “Gigi,” Jenny’s fast-talking scam artist mother. Jenny still harbors resentment over Gigi incorporating a young Jenny in her grifts. Gigi rolls into town with eyes set on her next con and mother and daughter must work through their relationship. Arquette is best known for her roles in Desperately Seeking Susan and Crash.
Henry Ian Cusick (Avery)
Cusick plays Avery, a successful tech entrepreneur who books a camping trip for him and his stepdaughter. Fans will recognize Cusick from his roles on Lost and MacGyver.
What happened in Big Sky season 1?
At the beginning of the premiere season, two sisters—Danielle and Grace Sullivan (Natalie Alyn Lind and Jade Pettyjohn, respectively)—are headed up to Big Sky to meet up with Danielle’s boyfriend, Justin Hoyt (Gage Marsh). On their way there, their car breaks down and they are kidnapped by Ron Pergman (Brian Geraghty), who pretends to stop to help them. Justin’s father, Cody (Ryan Phillippe), goes to search for them and he goes missing too. With three people now missing, Justin’s mother, Jenny, teams up with Cassie and begins to look into the disappearances. Locked in a storage container with Jerrie (Jesse James Keitel), another captive, the sisters plot an escape plan. Ultimately, the three women are rescued but Ronald is on the run and his cohort, Rick Legarski (John Carroll Lynch) is hospitalized after having been shot in the head by Cassie. Whew! All of that was just in the first half of Big Sky‘s premiere season. In the back half, Jenny gets involved in another case after an old flame calls her for help. Blake Kleinsasser (Michael Raymond-James) finds himself mixed up in a crime that pulls him back into his family‘s dysfunctional ways. John, his younger brother (Kyle Schmid) wants to take control of the family ranch from their domineering and manipulative father, Horst (Ted Levine). With an equally manipulative sister, Cheyenne (Britt Robertson) and a seemingly meek mother (Michelle Forbes), it’s no wonder Blake has been trying to leave his family behind. Ultimately, only the Kleinsasser women survive the goings-on at the ranch. Meanwhile, Ronald is captured but only for a short while. After he reveals the location of one of his victims, Mark (Omar Metwally) and Jenny are taking him back to jail when a car crashes into and wrecks their vehicle. Two men from the Syndicate exit the car and begin firing on them. Both Mark and Jenny are injured in the crash and shootout. Ronald escapes with the Syndicate and is reunited with Scarlet (Anja Savcic), but when the two realize there are no plans to return for Scarlet’s daughter, the two overpower and kill their rescuers.
What happened in Big Sky season 2?
Season 2 of Big Sky continued with the search for Ronald and Scarlet while a new mystery begins after a group of kids in town witness a murder and take the duffel bag of cash that the murder victim instructs them to take with his last breath. The kids get entwined with the same case both Cassie and Jenny are investigating separately. Jenny learns an old flame, Travis (Logan Marshall-Green) is working undercover as a gofer and henchman for the local drug dealers in town. We later learn he is undercover to avenge a woman he was in love with. Ronald and Scarlet find themselves hostages of Wolf Legarski (John Carroll Lynch), the twin brother of Rick Legarski, Ronald’s former partner in crime. As the two try to escape (one with force, the other with kindness), Wolf and his wife have plans for them. The kids eventually get out of the mess they were in and go on with their lives as the story concluded midseason. The back half of season 2 focused on the Bhullar crime family and their dealings in town.
What will happen in season 3 of Big Sky?
Season 3 of Big Sky has an ominous title - Big Sky: Deadly Trails. Private detective Cassie Dewell, undersheriff Jenny Hoyt, and newly appointed sheriff Beau Arlen maintain order in Helena, Montana with their unparalleled investigative skills. But when a local backcountry trip led by charismatic outfitter Sunny Barnes goes awry, the trio faces their most formidable mystery yet - in which no camper can be trusted and where danger lurks around every jagged rock and gnarled tree.
Are there any sneak peeks from Big Sky: Deadly Trails?
ABC posted a teaser poster for the new season on their social media. They also released two new sneak peek clips! Check them out below.
Where is Big Sky filmed?
While the show takes place in the state of Montana, Big Sky is filmed in Vancouver, Canada.
How many episodes are there of Big Sky?
The first season was comprised of 16 episodes, while season 2 had 18 episodes. Each season has been divided into half seasons with each half focusing on a separate storyline with an overarching storyline for the full season.
What channel is Big Sky on?
What night is Big Sky on?
Big Sky: Deadly Trails will move to the prime spot Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC for season 3.
What time is Big Sky on?
Big Sky: Deadly Trails airs at 10 p.m. ET and is available to stream on Hulu and ABC.com the next day.
When does season 3 of Big Sky premiere?
Big Sky: Deadly Trails premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC and can be streamed the next day on Hulu.
Is there a trailer for the new season of Big Sky?
There sure is! Check out the official trailer for the new season of Big Sky: Deadly Trails narrated by new series regular, Reba McEntire.
How to watch the first two seasons of Big Sky
Next, Meet the New Stars Who Joined Big Sky in the Back Half of Season 2
