SPOILER ALERT: This put up comprises spoilers from “The Approach We Had been,” Season 3, Episode 2 of  Hallmark’s “The Approach House,” which streams on Hallmark+.

Every part was arising Elliot (Evan Williams) within the Jan. 3 Season 3 premiere of “The Approach House” on Hallmark Channel. His surrogate household was reunited with their long-lost son and brother, Jacob (Spencer MacPherson). He and Kat (Chyler Leigh) lastly made time to decide to their relationship with one another with out a time-traveling pond getting in the best way. When it comes to life objectives, Elliot was knocking it out of the park. Whereas he and Kat took the following step of their relationship – shifting in collectively – within the season’s second episode, there are already some cracks beginning to present in one of many present’s central relationships.

“We’ve these three ladies, and we all the time apply previous, current and future thematically to them. This season is about Del questioning her previous. Alice is questioning her future and what that appears like, and Kat is questioning her current,” says Alex Clarke, the daughter half of the present’s mother-daughter showrunner crew. “She’s such a doer. She’s very very like Del, and final season was about finishing the mission and getting Jacob house. To a sure extent, it was additionally about giving Susanna what’s owed to her. On the prime of this season, these missions are accomplished. Jacob is house. The e book is revealed beneath Susanna’s title. She’s accomplished the entire issues, so she’s questioning who she is now and the place she matches.” 

Kat promised Elliot that she was completed with the pond within the premiere episode after a closing journey to the 1800s to get closure. Nevertheless, the pond continues to be a barrier between them, regardless of figuring out that he can time journey along with her so long as they leap into the water collectively. The mysterious physique of water began sending Alice (Sadie Laflamme-Snow) again to the Seventies, and Kat wanted to observe to make sure that her daughter was protected. The determined want to seek out her daughter impressed Kat to harshly snap that she didn’t wish to need to “take care of” Elliot when he supplied to come back along with her. 

“Pay attention, it was a aggravating second —she doesn’t have a filter,” Chyler Leigh says, defending Kat in a latest interview. “She unfilteredly ended up saying, ‘No, thanks, you keep.’ That’s what she meant.” 

Co-star and scene accomplice Williams backed her up. “We don’t wish to neglect the truth that the pond has been accountable for tearing the household aside for 25 years. It’s a portal via time. It’s not an elevator. It’s not such as you get in and you realize the place you’re going,” Williams says. “You would possibly find yourself getting misplaced in time ceaselessly. It’s not youngster’s play. It’s to not be taken frivolously.” 

The chief producers aren’t essentially attempting to excuse Kat’s conduct, and teased that the second of pressure is hinting at a bit extra happening beneath the floor of the connection.

“Nobody mentioned Kat was excellent,” says present co-showrunner Heather Conkie. “When you concentrate on it, she’s some of the flawed characters we’ve ever written. I feel she’s torn more often than not, however she does know in her coronary heart of hearts that her ceaselessly particular person is probably Elliot. He’s so regular, and he’s there for her. She’s gotten sort of spoiled.” 

“It does say somewhat bit about possibly there’s resentment for one thing that’s effervescent up in a second with out anticipating it to,” Clarke says. “I feel that’s simply actual life. You say issues with out which means them. You say issues which might be sort of impetuous and impulsive, and also you remorse it later.” 

Kat apologized when she returned from her journey to the previous, and the 2 may simply transfer past the uncomfortable second, nevertheless it doesn’t change the truth that the pond nonetheless has the flexibility to come back between them. As Kat begins one other journey, it may additionally carry up doubts about whether or not she’s actually completed with the previous, whether or not that’s the Seventies or the individuals she left behind within the 1800s. 

“On the finish of the day, she’s an investigative journalist for a cause. It’s at her core. She has to seek out out why, what, and the way. I feel as a result of that’s innately ingrained in her, she will be able to’t simply let that go,” Leigh says. “It’s all the time these questions which might be all the time going to be there. It’ll all the time be a matter of, ‘However is there extra to seek out out?’ She does get introduced with that fairly a bit this season. She’s cussed as hell, so she’s simply going to maintain going to maintain discovering out till she will be able to’t anymore.” 

A kind of huge query marks for followers is Kat’s relationship with Susanna. The 2 have been in a position to say goodbye, even when it was rushed and dissatisfying, within the premiere. And it’s clear, particularly as Kat promotes the e book she compiled from Susanna’s journals, that the connection continues to be very sturdy between the 2 of them. 

“Susanna is a personality who was born within the unsuitable time. Susanna can be extremely proud, and she or he does love the place she is, however she additionally realizes that there’s this complete different world on the market the place Kat resides the place individuals are extra free and far more in a position to love who they wish to love,” Clarke says of the longing of their final scene collectively. “We’ve all the time mentioned these two characters are simply fully in awe of each other — of how courageous, sturdy and unbiased they’re for numerous causes. We needed to proceed that awe.” 

“They kind this — you may undoubtedly say a friendship, nevertheless it’s actually like a relationship that I discover very stunning,” Leigh says. “It’s very touching, the power they alternate with each other. It’s undoubtedly heartbreaking, and who is aware of? Nobody is absolutely gone with time journey.” 

And whereas Elliot isn’t conscious his girlfriend has developed a sensual relationship along with his ancestor, Williams is all concerning the Kat and Susanna lore and what it means for “The Approach House.” 

“I’m happy with the present for displaying us all these completely different sorts of affection. It’s virtually like each relationship within the present is a chance to point out a unique archetype of affection. I like that we will lean into the paradox and the completely different sorts of affection that don’t essentially even want a label,” Williams says. “We present love as a spectrum, which I feel is each progressive and lifelike, particularly in a present that’s fantastical, that could be a time journey present a few pond — and having love be the grounding issue.” 

It’s not as if Elliot doesn’t even have his personal points in the intervening time as properly. His father, Victor (James Gallanders), can be again on the town for the second episode. Elliot dedicated to “letting within the gentle” on the finish of Season 2, however his father’s presence in Port Haven is a temptation to recede again right into a darker mindset, which may additionally spell bother in different facets of Elliot’s life.

“It’s a enjoyable arc to begin off the season feeling like Elliot’s received every little thing beneath management. Every part is on the record. He’s a linear kind of man, so the sensation of getting every little thing checked off was superb — and left that room to fall when Victor reveals up,” Williams says. “I’ve mentioned earlier than that one in all my favourite issues about taking part in this character is taking part in a personality who falls. It was enjoyable to principally get pushed down the steps metaphorically when Victor reveals up, as a result of all of that childhood stuff comes dashing again.” 

So whereas Elliot and Kat could have began the season on the identical web page, they usually have the large journey of residing collectively forward, there’ll nonetheless be obstacles in the best way of their fortunately ever after. Clarke guarantees that Kat meant what she mentioned within the premiere although, and Elliot is the one she’s selecting…for now. 

“Elliot has all the time been her anchor. I feel she’s going into this relationship very optimistic that that is what her current is, that is what her ‘subsequent journey’ is. Whether or not that pans out, we’ll see,” Clarke says. “Clearly, there’s going to be some bumps within the highway, however I feel she’s very satisfied on the prime of the season that that is the following highway to go down, and that is the current that she’s chosen.”