Have to admit that I am probably going to regret committing myself to reviewing a television show with Countdown to Christmas right around the corner and me reviewing like 40 movies. But, like ships – you don’t choose the TV show, the TV show chooses you.
And when it comes down to it – Fire Country chose me.
I can blame our editor in chief, who told me that she had a feeling it would be her favorite new show. So after a long day, I turned it on, thinking – meh, I won’t like it. But, when I am wrong, I can say that I am wrong.
Fire Country tells the story of Bode, who is currently serving time for holding up a liquor store at gunpoint. He’s been given a chance to shorten his time by being a part of the convict’s fire fighter program. And hey, Bode wants nothing more than to be a good man and turn his life around.
From the moment that we meet Bode, there is something about him. Bode is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and you can visibly see it. He’s trying his best to not be defined by his past, but he’s definitely regretful for it. You can see that there is more to what he did, but you become thankful that they are not going to tell you everything at once.
They’ll let it unfold.
See, from the moment Fire Country starts you start to understand the politics of a small town. Everyone has a story no matter where you are, but the difference is that in a small town everyone knows the story. Everyone know the story of Bode, which is why he’s doing everything that he can to get out of there.
And Edgewater, California is the small town in question.
Now, I think with most procedurals, the city or town becomes a character of its own. This is no different. Edgewater is it’s own beast, everyone willing to do whatever to stay there and protect the town. It’s their home and they are a proud town. They will defend it no matter what.
As the inmates arrive in Edgewater, we’re introduced to a character that you just know is going to be part of a love triangle. But we’re not objecting to that, because you know that we love a good ship. No matter what.
Gabriella is an Olympic diver. The town celebrates her, which she feels awkward about. She was 14th in Tokyo, and she’s supposed to be heading off to Florida to train, but you can see from the moment that we meet her – standing on a stage – that she wants more. But, how do you disappoint a town that has put you on a podium and looks at you being 14th and winning a gold?
Well, Gabriella is willing to do that for the guy that she’s fallen in love with – Jake. She loves being in the small town, being with her Dad, being a part of something. Yet, as she tells Jake that she is not sure about leaving and that she loves him, he tells her not to give up her career for him.
The balls on this dude. Jake sets himself up right there as the fuck boy (yes, every town – big or small – has one). You can’t help but not like him. You actually want to, but the way that his ego, cockiness, and immaturity stand out, makes you just not be able to.
Gabriella though, she’s not willing to put up with that sh*t at the moment, and she leaves the bar. It’s that moment that you really start to like her, because she’s willing to stand up for herself. She’s willing not to settle.
And over the course of the show that only grows. Especially when her car breaks down, and Bode just happens to be there to help her.
See the Con Camp doesn’t have gates. It doesn’t have walls. The inmates are not to leave the grounds, and there is the possibility that they will run. But they will get caught – that’s what they tell you.
They are there to shorten their sentence, so most stay. Bode and Freddy have snuck off into the woods to meet MVP (a delivery man who has agreed to give them a burner, so Bode can call his lawyer). Ironically Gabriella’s car breaks down in front of them, and Freddy isn’t willing to help. Bode doesn’t want to leave her, because some bad guys could come along. Freddy reminds him that they are the bad guys.
Gabriella pulls out a gun when Bode makes his presence known, but they find a common ground and he helps her. Bode doesn’t worry about the gun, he just wants to help.
And he risks going back to prison to help her. But that’s not what sets these two up for a ship – it’s the natural chemistry that these two have on the screen. Stephanie Arcila and Max Thieriot have great on screen chemistry and it’s something that I love seeing.
Now, this show is about firefighters – but it’s not like Chicago Fire or Station 19. It’s not because it’s inmates as firefighters, but it’s the dynamic of a small town and the past that it holds unfolding in front of you, piece by piece.
We’re meeting the citizens of the town little by little. Fire Chief Vince and Chief Sharon are married, but we don’t realize that until the end. The pilot sets it up that you believe that it’s a tale as old as time – the animosity that is often portrayed between police and fire.
We’ve already talked a little about Jake, who is a firefighter, and who we know will be important. Manny is in charge of the inmate firefighters. Eve, who is also a firefighter.
If you’ve watched procedurals, you know that something is coming. And what is coming is a huge fire. A huge fire that will require the inmate fire fighters to participate in fighting it. This means that there is the chance that Bode will be seen and he wants to make sure that doesn’t happen at all costs.
While it’s predictable that he will be found out, it’s the matter that it happens that is different. Jake and Eve are trapped in the fire – a tree has fallen on Jake and she can’t get him out. Bode hears this on the fire and is willing to do whatever it takes – including going back to prison, in order to help.
He takes a chainsaw from another inmate and goes to cut Jake out. The three can’t get out, and have to use their portable shelter. Jake has dropped his pack, so rather than let him die, Bode gets him under his in just the knick of time.
Bode is a better man than a lot of men I know. Cause you see, Bode has every reason to hate Jake. When Jake and Eve figure out that it’s Bode that has saved him, we finally learn more about him and why he left.
Riley. Bode admits that it’s his fault that Riley lost her life, but it’s Jakes fault that she died with a broken heart. This scene sets the show up more to the make Bode more likable and Jake hated. I know, I know, you’re like Bode admitted that Riley is gone because of him.
Well, while the story is still to unfold and I am sure that we will find out more about what happened that night that Riley died, right now I can’t blame Bode. He had gone to get her, and she tried to exit the car, to go back to talk to Jake and when Bode reached out to her, the fatal accident happened.
While my opinion of Bode may change, make no mistake, in the first episode, this series has set him up to be loyal, misunderstood, and carrying pain. It’s made him a hero and redeemable. It’s made him a good man.
But redemption is hard to come by, isn’t it?
Fire Country airs Friday nights on CBS.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Chief Vince and Chief Sharon are Bode’s parents and well, I would like to say I am shocked, but I am not.
- I am hoping that we get to learn more about the other inmates, but I am pretty sure it won’t be as much as I want, because the premise of the show is centered around Edgewater and the fires.
- It’s evident that Vince blames Bode for everything, when he asks at the end why he’s there. Well, dude, that’s your son. Have some grace.
- Jake – I want to like you, but I don’t
- Gabriella telling her Dad that she’s not leaving – that was ballsy, but I loved it
- The town working on cutting line to contain the fire… well that’s the small town spirit I was hoping for.
- There is not a character that has been introduced that I don’t want to know more about. Well, except Jake. I don’t like him.
- Edgewater seems like a beautiful town.
- I want to know more about what happened with Riley, and more about the dynamics of this small town.
- The town clapping for the inmates after the Buckeye fire… I teared up.