Malcolm-Jamal Warner Filmed Guest Appearance on Fox Series Shortly Before His Death

Fans of Malcolm-Jamal Warner will be able to see his final on-screen performance very soon.

The Cosby Show alum died in July in an accidental drowning while on vacation with his family in Costa Rica.

PEOPLE reports that Warner filmed a guest spot on the second season of Fox’s Murder in a Small Town prior to his death. It will be the third episode of the season, “Mother Love,” airing on Oct. 7. Warner plays Richard Buscombe, “a protective father who becomes a lead suspect in a murder investigation when his ex-wife is killed just after returning to town. Still heartbroken years after the split, Richard wears his anger and pain on his sleeve, but his only goal in life is to keep his daughter safe.”

“His performance – as a struggling single dad, fiercely protective of his daughter – just glows with integrity,” showrunner and executive producer Ian Weir told the outlet. “He found levels that I hadn’t imagined. We were really delighted when Malcolm agreed to join us as a guest star – and completely thrilled by the experience of working with him. He was such a leader and a gentleman. It’s such a terrible, tragic loss.”

Warner was best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. He also had a starring role on the Fox medical drama The Resident as Dr. AJ Austin. He continued to appear on Fox following The Resident, which was canceled in 2023 after six seasons. He had guest appearances on Accused in 2023 and Alert: Missing Persons Unit earlier this year. Other recent credits include Not All Hood (NAH), 9-1-1, Grown-ish, The Irrational, The Wonder Years, and Smokey Pete.

A few weeks after his death, Warner’s mother launched the Malcolm-Jamal Warner Living Legacy Instagram account to celebrate his legacy. “Needless to say our hearts are heavy with the loss of Malcolm,” she wrote in a statement. “He was a kind, loving man with a huge heart for humanity. He wanted all to be aware of their inner strength and that they could succeed, accomplish and transform. This was his latest mission and work, transformation, in order for you to be fully present in your life.”

Fans can keep Warner’s legacy and memory alive by tuning in to his final on-screen performance in Season 2, Episode 3 of Murder in a Small Town, premiering on Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox, streaming the next day on Hulu.