Murder In A Small Town Boss Addresses Mayor Holman’s Fate Ahead Of The Finale And The ‘Really Unsettling’ Story For Cassandra

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Be warned: the following contains spoilers for the ninth episode of Murder in a Small Town Season 2, titled “The Fall of Holman.” The episode is available to stream the day after it airs with a Hulu subscription.

The second season of Murder in a Small Town is almost finished airing on Fox in 2025. The second-to-last episode resolved a key storyline and introduced a new, potentially dangerous problem for Cassandra, hinting at what might happen in Season 3. This episode, “The Fall of Holman,” might be Marcia Gay Harden’s final appearance on the show.

Ian Weir, the creator of the show, discussed with TopMob why some major plot points were revealed before the season ended and whether a particular unsettling character might return in future seasons, potentially as early as 2026.

Mayor Holman’s Swan Song

Mayor Holman of Gibsons faced potential scandal when Cassandra obtained damaging emails. Holman avoided public embarrassment by resigning before Cassandra could reveal them. However, that wasn’t her biggest issue – later that night, she was attacked outside her home.

Good news for fans of Marcia Gay Harden’s character: she survived the events of Murder in a Small Town. Though she suffered a concussion while her attacker was being pursued by Karl and his team, she wasn’t one of the town’s victims. It turned out her son-in-law attacked her, hoping to silence her before she discovered his financial crimes, but luckily, she was saved.

Okay, so everyone’s wondering if James Harden will pop up in the Season 2 finale, but honestly, “The Fall of Holman” felt like a real finale to me. It was a seriously gripping hour of TV, and it tied up a huge storyline that’s been building all season. I actually chatted with showrunner Ian Weir about why they decided to give us what felt like a finale one episode early, and he explained the writers’ thinking behind it.

That’s a good question – we discussed it a lot with the writers and producers. We really enjoyed working with Marcia throughout the season and wanted to focus a story around her. However, we didn’t want to commit to a constantly escalating, high-stakes murder mystery. We preferred to explore the characters’ relationships more deeply. That’s why we chose the storyline for Episode 9, and then saved the big reveals and action for Episode 10.

The show Murder in a Small Town has been slowly revealing the truth behind the decades-old death of one of Cassandra’s friends, hinting at a more complex story than originally thought. By resolving the storyline of the character Holman earlier than expected, the show allowed for a dedicated episode to explore her fate – and showcase Marcia Gay Harden’s acting. The creator, Weir, added that the finale promises to be exciting.

As a longtime fan, I really appreciated how the season finale, ‘Fireworks,’ finally tied everything together. It brought closure to the story that started 25 years ago with the death of Cassandra’s friend, Lauren. Seeing the connections between Lauren’s death and the other mysteries over the years, and then finally understanding what was really happening in the last episode, felt incredibly satisfying. We really got to see things ramp up – it was a full-throttle, action-packed finish to the main storyline.

If “The Fall of Holman” is Marcia Gay Harden’s final appearance, she’ll be remembered as one of the most impactful cast members across both seasons. Season 2 has also benefited from excellent guest stars, including a memorable last performance by Malcolm-Jamal Warner and a welcome return by a familiar face from The X-Files.

Trouble For Cassandra In Season 3

After Cassandra provided the emails and was no longer a suspect in the Holman attack, she faced a new threat in “The Fall of Holman.” Warren, an old friend from Sacramento, had tracked her down to Gibsons and was now stalking her.

Throughout the second-to-last episode, Warren repeatedly tried to reconnect with Cassandra, but she kept rejecting his advances. Things became even more tense when Todd noticed Warren was upsetting her, and I was left anxiously wondering if Warren would become violent towards Cassandra, or if Todd would confront him and make the situation worse.

Okay, so the episode thankfully didn’t have any big violent moments. I did tell the showrunner, though, that Warren really creeped me out this season – even though he wasn’t actually doing the killing. It’s just a feeling I had. And the showrunner responded with…

I completely agree with you. Birkett Turton was fantastic in the role – even creepier than we expected! We aimed to capture a certain energy inspired by Warren in the script, and when he acted opposite Cassandra, it really came to life. There was a genuinely unsettling quality to his performance.

Birkett Turton, who had previously worked on shows like Riverdale, Family Law, and Keeper, brought a particularly unsettling quality to his role in Murder in a Small Town. The show’s creator noted that Turton’s performance was even creepier than originally intended and hinted that this could be explored further in a potential third season. Weir explained that…

If we get a third season, I’d really like to delve deeper into that character. He’s relatable – someone you could easily imagine meeting in everyday life – but also has a hidden, disturbing side. His actions had a significant and unfair impact on Cassandra’s life in Sacramento, essentially ruining things for her despite her innocence.

Honestly, what really got under my skin about Warren was Kristin Kreuk’s acting. She played this amazing mix of terrified and strong-willed in just a few scenes, and the showrunner totally agreed – he said she was “terrific” in them. And that’s putting it mildly, if you ask me. He went on to say…

She was consistently excellent throughout the show, but her scenes with Warren were particularly strong. I really felt a sense of a past connection between them – they clearly used to be close friends, and now their relationship has changed.

It’s still uncertain if the show will return for a third season, so it’s not yet confirmed whether Warren will be back. Cassandra’s fate will probably depend on how Season 2 ends. The finale, titled “Nightshade,” will feature Alberg and his team finding a clue at a crime scene that might connect to other murders. Despite being told to stay away from the investigation, Cassandra will get involved because of a personal connection to the case.

Don’t miss the season finale of Murder in a Small Town on Fox, Monday, December 2nd at 8 p.m. Eastern! While we’re hoping for news about Season 3 soon, it took almost two months for the show to be renewed after Season 1, so we might have to wait a bit. However, the creator is likely already planning for the future.

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2025-11-26 05:10