Chad Michael Murray Said This Sullivan's Crossing Scene Was 'So Ridiculous' (But A Lot Of Fun To Film)

There are few ways to make a big splash in your season premiere, and "Sullivan's Crossing" hit the jackpot in Season 4 by making its two hunky leading men strip down to just their tank tops and compete in a wood-chopping competition. Following the big Season 3 plot twist, Season 4 opens right after Maggie's (Morgan Kohan) secret husband, Liam (Marcus Rosner), has followed her to Timberlake. But Liam is not there to win Maggie back and steal her from Cal, played by Hollywood celeb turned Hallmark star Chad Michael Murray. Instead, Liam is looking for the paperwork for their annulment so he can leave for good.

Naturally, this doesn't stop Cal and Liam from forging a rivalry over Maggie's heart. That tension eventually spills out in the most manly way after Liam proposes a "friendly competition" to impress a group of kids. Murray described the wood-chopping scene as "so ridiculous" in a July 2026 interview with People. "I remember there was such a large debate in just the tank tops. Like, 'Whoa, whoa, well, is he going to be in the dark tank top and you're the light tank top?'" he recalled. "And then it both ended up being the same shirt, we shop at the same store. So that was a whole thing, which was actually pretty funny."

The "Gilmore Girls" cast member also told the outlet, "So the chop-off was fun. We shot it. We went through a lot of wood and got my workout for today. Boom." It's worth noting this is not the first time Murray has had to chop wood while filming the show, with Cal previously claiming he does it to "[blow] off a little steam." But this time around, it actually had the opposite effect. 

Chad Michael Murray has said that "Sullivan's Crossing" is his dream show for his current stage of life. He told People in 2025 that he prayed for "[A] show that didn't feel gratuitous, that was very family-friendly, that ended up in a very beautiful location where my family and I felt like we could integrate into the community ... with a cast that we'd all get along and everyone would bond." The series is filmed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Murray has moved his wife, Sarah Roemer, and their three kids there too.

But every job comes with its challenges, and one of those came as a key scene in the finale of Season 4. After a season of Maggie going back and forth between Liam and Cal, and Cal calling it quits on their relationship, the lead couple finally reconciles in the season finale. But instead of taking it slow, Cal immediately proposes to Maggie. Murray told People in 2026 that this crucial scene had to be reworked multiple times.

"That proposal was a monster debate. It was such a large conversation for many, many, many moons with everybody from the top down," Murray said. "I think one of the things for me is I thought it was important that Cal draw a line in the sand because being walked all over is not a good example of how to function in life, period." He added how variations of the proposal were written as well. Maggie did not give an answer to the proposal in the season finale, which means fans will have to wait until Season 5 airs to know if the couple will be walking down the aisle.