Josh Gates Joins ‘The Librarians: The Next Chapter’ — Here’s What to Know

Crossovers between reality television hosts and scripted fantasy series are rare, but ‘The Librarians: The Next Chapter’ has always embraced genre-blending and surprising casting choices that keep its audience intrigued. The TNT series has been leaning into unexpected guest appearances during its second season, and this week’s episode promises one of its most astonishing yet.

Josh Gates has established himself as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable producer-hosts over the past 15 to 20 years. He began his career as a story producer and co-executive producer on reality shows like ‘Destination Truth’ and ‘Stranded.’ Gates later hosted his own talk show during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic before finding his niche as the frontman for ‘Expedition Unknown,’ along with its spinoffs ‘Expedition Files’ and ‘Expedition X.’

Now, Gates is making his mark on scripted television. He will guest star as himself in this week’s episode of ‘The Librarians: The Next Chapter,’ titled “And What Dreams May Come,” which airs Sunday night on TNT.

He won’t be the only notable guest in this episode. Dominic Monaghan, famous for his role as Merry in the original ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, will also appear as Merlin, adding another layer of star power to an already exciting hour.

According to TNT’s official episode description, a distress call from Monaghan’s Merlin sends the Librarians to a town where the entire population has mysteriously fallen asleep. This sets up the kind of myth-meets-mystery premise that has become the series’ hallmark. How Gates fits into this intriguing scenario remains a surprise leading up to Sunday’s broadcast.

Gates’ appearance aligns with a broader trend in the show’s second season, which has featured a guest list filled with recognizable names from film, television, and genre entertainment. Other newcomers this season include Screen Actors Guild Award nominees Jeremy Swift and Monaghan, as well as Stefan Kapičić, Oliver Dench, Ty Tennant, Flula Borg, and Alan Emrys.

The season has also welcomed back familiar faces from the original ‘Librarians’ franchise. Lindy Booth reprises her role as Cassandra Cillian, a character she portrayed throughout all four seasons of the original series that aired from 2014 to 2018. Meanwhile, Christian Kane continues his role as Jacob Stone after appearing in the spinoff’s first season.

‘The Librarians: The Next Chapter’ follows Vikram Chamberlain, played by Callum McGowan, a Librarian who time-traveled from 1847 and now navigates the present day alongside a newly expanded team. This ensemble also includes Jessica Green, Olivia Morris, and Bluey Robinson, who have spent the season tackling both external threats and their personal challenges as they adjust to their roles.

Noah Wyle, who originated the Librarian franchise on the big screen and previously produced the spinoff’s first season, is not credited in this season’s production. The show continues under the direction of showrunner Dean Devlin, who executive produces alongside Marc Roskin, Rachel Olschan-Wilson, and Gary Rosen.

With both Gates and Monaghan making their debut appearances in the same episode, “And What Dreams May Come” is set to be one of the season’s standout installments. Whether Gates’ real-world expertise as an explorer will play a significant role in the Librarians’ latest mission remains to be seen once the episode airs.

For fans who have followed Gates through years of reality television exploration, watching him step into a scripted fantasy world offers a delightful change from his usual on-screen persona. It also highlights how far ‘The Librarians: The Next Chapter’ has been willing to stretch its guest casting this season.

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