Michael Weatherly may finally be free of NCIS with Bull season 3 changes

In season 3 of Bull, Michael Weatherly may finally be free of the golden shackles of portraying Anthony DiNozzo thanks to a few minor changes on his CBS show.

Michael Weatherly may finally have broken free of NCIS with some major season 3 changes on Bull. While many fans still wish for him to return to his former show and reunite with Cote de Pablo, it is clear that Weatherly as Jason Bull is forging into the future, not looking back whatsoever.

What sorts of changes will fans see on Bull season 3?

Monday night slot

After two seasons of being sandwiched in with Weatherly’s old show NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans, Bull is moving to Monday evenings for season 3, paired up with the other lighter crime show Magnum. Although Bull is mostly a courtroom drama, it has now become lighter and it fits better on the Monday night slot. Bull is no longer going to rely on NCIS for ratings. This is a huge test for the show.

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Cable is gone

Annabelle Attanasio who portrays the controversial hacker will not be returning to Bull according to TVLIne. Attansasio is working on her own new project and could not make both shows work. The daughter of Bull creator Paul Attanasio, she is venturing on her own.

In season 2 of Bull, Cable did a very, very bad thing when she was tricked into betraying the client and the Bull team, then Jason Bull fired her. They could not find anyone with her dark web, super hacking skillset to replace her and Jason brought her back. Does this mean that season 3 will be a repeat of season 2 with the team searching for her replacement? There is certainly opportunity for Weatherly’s character to grow with this latest Cable departure.

Jill Hennessy guest stars, but will she be a romantic interest?

The Crossing Jordan star will be guest starring on Bull in “multiple episodes,” reports TVLIne. Jill Hennessy will be front and center in one of the “most challenging and emotional cases” that Jason Bull has ever solved.

Could this mean a romance will be brewing? This is hard to determine. In season 1, guest star Eliza Dashku was romantically pitted against Weatherby in several episodes, yet she did not return for a second season.

Former Moonlighting showrunner Glenn Gordon Caron took the Bull reins at the end of the inaugural season and he promised more character development and less meaningless jury drivel. Many assumed that he would try to recreate some of the great chemistry that Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis had on Caron’s former show, or better yet, some of the sizzling chemistry that Ziva and Tony had on NCIS.

In season 2, there was just a bit of spark for Jason Bull and that was between Bull and Izzy, his ex-wife portrayed by Yara Martinez from Jane the Virgin. She was about to remarry and Bull was trying to dissuade her.

Discussing season 3, Caron revealed to TV Insider that she is a “wonderful actress” portraying a “wonderful character.”  Could Martinez return as a love interest for Bull, or will fans of the CBS show have to watch Weatherly flirt with the likes of Hennessy without the satisfaction of watching Michael Weatherly in a romantic lead?

Heart attack

Perhaps the biggest season 3 change may be Jason Bull himself. The season 2 finale ended with Bull having a heart attack after winning a hard fought victory when he saved an innocent client from the electric chair. Caron revealed that the new season will begin after “a time jump” of a few months after that last scene. Bull fans are spared any sort of medical treatment storyline.

Caron suggests that instead, Bull will be going through some pretty heavy psychological changes because of his health. Will this mean that Weatherly will start to portray a more lighthearted and fun guy? Possibly. Despite being a courtroom/police procedural show, this is based on Dr. Phil McGraw’s own work life prior to his television show. The question is how will Jason change after experiencing a lifechanging “aha” moment? Nothing says major change like a heart attack.

What do you think of the upcoming season 3 changes for Bull? Do you want to see Michael Weatherly in a romantic role? Share your predictions and hopes for the upcoming season below.

Bull season 3 will be returning to its new CBS Monday time slot on September 24.