Overview

• The premiere confirms Carra Patterson did not appear as Kaya Blanke, with an in-episode explanation that the character accepted an undercover assignment in Washington, D.C.
• Patterson stepped back from series-regular status in May and is confirmed to participate this season as a guest star.
• Her next appearance is slated for Episode 3, titled Good Grief, where Kaya’s work intersects with an Elsbeth case without revealing plot specifics.
• Showrunner Jonathan Tolins said the writers’ room shaped Kaya’s reduced presence and did not specify how many episodes Patterson will appear in.
• Carrie Preston said Season 3 uses different detectives and uniformed officers across cases, creating flexibility for intermittent returns.