The Last Alaskans loses cast members & faces off with a persistent villain ahead of Season 3 premiere

The Last Alaskans‘ 2017 iteration is going to be markedly different from previous years, thanks to the unexpected & unexplained departure of two cast members. While Discovery’s out-of-the-blue announcement of The Last Alaskans Season 3 has been met with cheers from critics and fans alike, Reality Blurred was among the first to point out that Ray and Cindy Lewis–along with daughters Emma, Sarah, and Molly–are apparently not going to be part of the return.

Making matters (slightly) stranger is the fact that the pair’s bios are still up on Discovery’s official Last Alaskans page. While it’s not all that unusual for a network to be slightly behind the curve on bios and social media info for its newest cast members–generally they update both as soon as a series begins its newest season–the fact that almost none of the Last Alaskans‘ cast is on any social media at all does heighten the sense of mystery.

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The Lewis’ departure comes right on the heels of mainstay Bob Harte’s temporary goodbye to the refuge and the show during Season 2. In fact, as the press release for Season 3 suggests, it seems everyone has a potential reason to flee the ANWR–and reality TV stardom is hardly to blame:

This season, as the Artic Refuge’s final permit holders seek prosperity in a hungry land, a new generation steps into this age-old way of life. Eager young trappers, Tyler and Ashley Selden, and Charlie Jagow fully commit to a life among North America’s most isolated, modern day pioneers. Aside from the day-to-day challenges, Tyler and Ashley face another surprise this season – welcoming their first child. Meanwhile, Bob Harte faces his mortality and flees the Alaskan winter and after 40 years in the bush, the legendary Heimo Korth yearns to pass the torch to his daughter Krin. In an unexpected twist, both new and old generations must now learn how to survive a winter with much lighter snowfall than past.

Based on that description, climate change is going to be The Last Alaskans villain going forward–just as it is to the way of life of everyone who depends on snow and ice in any way.

You can follow The Last Alaskans official Twitter account here, and HalfYard Production, the show’s production company, here. The Last Alaskans Season 3 premieres Wednesday, March 22, at 10 PM on Discovery.

(Photo credits: The Last Alaskans 2017 via Discovery on Facebook)