Suspense-drama series resumes with new episodes

The mysteries of “Manifest” are far from over for Melissa Roxburgh.

The actress returns as New York police detective Michaela Stone, one of those who returned after being aboard an airplane lost for more than five years — and believed to be dead — as the NBC suspense-drama, genuinely a new hit of this television season, resumes Monday (Jan. 7).

The saga opens another chapter with Michaela and her fellow-returnee brother Ben (Josh Dallas) unaware that another passenger is now a spy for the experiment-conducting enemies that person supposedly escaped from. Moreover, Michaela is torn by her ongoing feelings for her partner and former fiance Jared (J.R. Ramirez), who married her best friend Lourdes (Victoria Cartagena) during her absence.

“When the show first started, it really could go in a million different directions,” the friendly Roxburgh says, “and what I’m loving about it is that it doesn’t get bogged down in one direction. It constantly switches gears and keeps you on your toes, and with every script, I’m surprised by how creative they get with where the possibilities of the show can go. It’s a huge testament to the writers’ brains, and I’m having a blast seeing where the story goes.”

Though Roxburgh had a basis in who Michaela was when she started “Manifest,” she allows that new wrinkles just keep coming. “I knew that she was a bit of a troubled character, a second child who’s living in her brother’s shadow. She’s made a lot of mistakes, one being a massive mistake that ended somebody’s life … then feeling not worthy enough to be somebody’s fiancee.

“She’s really kind of at rock bottom,” adds Roxburgh, ”so I knew that going into the series, we would find Michaela at her worst, and she would build herself back up. And we have seen a lot of that, through this out-of-the-ordinary event.”

“Manifest” has been the best possible outcome for Roxburgh’s television career after she had only a brief run last season in The CW’s military drama “Valor.” She notes she’s “been lucky enough to have an awesome cast and crew” on both shows, “and when this came along, I couldn’t have asked for a better second series to be a part of.

“Having such a solid group of people has been wonderful, and with the show doing well on top of that, it’s been a massive blessing.”