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Celebrating 1,000 NCIS-franchise episodes

A Claim to Flame: Fire Country in the Media

Meredith Quill

By Meredith Quill
in Fire Country

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Trini

Trini

(edited)

FIRE COUNTRY stars Max Thieriot (SEAL TEAM) as Bode Donovan, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining an unconventional prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region.

It's a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began. Five years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he's back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire. Inspired by series star Max Thieriot's experiences growing up in Northern California fire country.  

FIRE COUNTRY stars Max Thieriot as Bode, Billy Burke as Vince, Kevin Alejandro as Manny, Diane Farr as Sharon, Stephanie Arcila as Gabriela, Jordan Calloway as Jake, and Jules Latimer as Eve.

Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Tia Napolitano, Max Thieriot, David Grae (pilot only), Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman and KristieAnne Reed are executive producers. Executive Producer James Strong (pilot only) directed from a story co-written by Phelan, Rater and Thieriot, and a teleplay by Phelan and Rater. The series is produced by CBS Studios.

Edited by Trini
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DanaK

DanaK

29 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

Starting off with pretty good ratings looks like.  According to Tvline,

Apparently for total viewers it did better that its lead in, SWAT, and held in the demo with the rest of the CBS lineup (SWAT and Blue Bloods).

CBS had a remarkably stable night with the best viewer numbers of the night

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DanaK

DanaK

On 10/19/2022 at 12:22 PM, Lady Calypso said:

Fire Country gets a full season order.

It has not been said what a full season order looks like; it could be 18 episode, or 22 episodes. But it'll be more than 13.

Glad to see it get a full season. I'm liking it so far and the ratings are decent. The ratings for all 3 CBS shows on Friday are remarkably steady and in near lockstep with each other

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Artsda

Artsda

This is great.

Quote

Fire Country has been a hit with viewers ranking as the No. 1 new series this season averaging 8.26 million viewers to date. The premiere of the series on October 7 gave CBS their best seven-day audience for a series in the time period since May 8, 2020. The seven-day streaming on Paramount+, CBS.com and the CBS app, meanwhile, is up 245% from Magnum P.I. last year based on average minute audience.

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circumvent

circumvent

I am still bummed by how the show completely walked away from the premise, which was the most interesting thing to me, of inmates working as firefighters and making pennies, not even having any privilege to try the profession once they are out of prison. 

I wonder if the top bosses got their ears full with pressure from the real Cal Fire - or the governments of the states that have such crews, or whoever makes the decisions to hire the inmates - to just fade them to the background, to not make them look too good and keep the audience ignorant about what they go through, how they are recruited, what happens to them, how they are treated. 

I will still watch but the show is turning into a super hero action series, with very bad acting from too many actors

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FnkyChkn34

FnkyChkn34

7 hours ago, circumvent said:

I am still bummed by how the show completely walked away from the premise, which was the most interesting thing to me, of inmates working as firefighters and making pennies, not even having any privilege to try the profession once they are out of prison. 

This article says that there is a chance for them to become full-time firefighters as ex-inmates:  https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/24/us/felon-firefighters-california/index.html  It's relatively new, and I guess it's not a "privilege," but it is at least something.  

At least based on this one article, it seems like the show is accurate in portraying which convicts can go to the fire camps in the first place.  Remember at the very beginning, Bode was expecting to get parole and be released, based on good behavior and because his victim forgave him.  "Cal Fire legacy" or not, he seems like the type of candidate they'd want in real life, too.  

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Danielg342

Danielg342

Manny also said he was a "graduate" of the inmate program. So, at least in the show's universe there is the possibility that campers could become full-time firefighters.

I actually think the series finale will see Bode finally get out of jail and replace Manny as captain, with Bode now leading the camp. There may even be a "new" Bode that the original Bode takes under his wing like Manny did to him, with the finale telling us that the cycle is repeating itself once again.

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circumvent

circumvent

13 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

I'm pretty sure Sacramento HQ of CalFire has more or less walked away from the show, outside of the bare bones technical advisories, because of its absurd portrayals of anyone in the fire service.

That's interesting because when institutions are involved with TV shows and movies, they sometimes rewrite scripts and pretty much dictate how they are portrayed. I guess I have not paid much attention to the props and equipment they have. If the technology is shared, the show runners usually follow whatever the lending institution tells them to do - see Top Gun and the military

 

6 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

At least based on this one article, it seems like the show is accurate in portraying which convicts can go to the fire camps in the first place.

I guess my frustration is more that they don't really care to tell the story of the inmates - except for Super Bode, of course. It would be much more interesting and original than use the same cliches of love/conflict/family/friendship that every other show employs

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FnkyChkn34

FnkyChkn34

5 hours ago, circumvent said:

I guess my frustration is more that they don't really care to tell the story of the inmates - except for Super Bode, of course. It would be much more interesting and original than use the same cliches of love/conflict/family/friendship that every other show employs

I don't think they've dropped Freddie's story though yet.  He maintains his innocence, and I bet we'll see that play out.

I think with the show called "Fire Country" that it's supposed to be based on the whole area, including all of Cal Fire and not just a focus on the inmate camp alone.

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circumvent

circumvent

34 minutes ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

I don't think they've dropped Freddie's story though yet.  He maintains his innocence, and I bet we'll see that play out.

I think with the show called "Fire Country" that it's supposed to be based on the whole area, including all of Cal Fire and not just a focus on the inmate camp alone.

Freddy story is pretty mainstream, I was hoping for more nuanced and detailed stories. Besides, they haven't really put too much effort on the character. The inmates are not portrayed as regulars, they are pretty much in the background. I guess it doesn't bring back the dough.

The name of the show has little to do with the premise. It is chosen by executives and the people who do the marketing. It is all part of what they think, or know, will bring audience and sponsors. There is very little appetite for reality or alternative views in the general audience, so they stick with the usual, the ordinary, the boring. The "based on the whole area" is a good excuse to not invest in soemthing new and saty on track with teh supposedly safer. Safer, at least.

 

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tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

‘Fire Country’: Rebecca Mader Joins Cast Of CBS Drama Series As Recurring
By Denise Petski    March 13, 2023
https://deadline.com/2023/03/fire-country-rebecca-mader-cast-cbs-drama-series-kanoa-goo-1235285232/ 

Quote

EXCLUSIVE: Once Upon A Time alumna Rebecca Mader is set for a key recurring role on CBS’ drama series Fire Country. Additionally, Kanoa Goo (The Rookie) has been cast in the series starring Max Thieriot.
*  *  *

Spoiler

Mader will play Faye. Smart, stunning, funny and rich, Faye is the head of a private concierge firefighting company, and when she meets Manny (Kevin Alejandro) at an AA meeting, there’s a romantic spark.  Faye wants to recruit him for her firm and a romantic fling. Manny likes his job, but doesn’t much like being alone, so Faye will have to settle for achieving fifty per cent of her goals.

Goo will play Kyle, a swim Adonis, who has arrived to attend a swim clinic. He knows Gabriela (Stephanie Arcila) well enough to tease her, and appears interested in acting as Bode’s new romantic rival. Gabriela definitely regards Kyle as a trusted friend, but he looks suspiciously like he’s trying to nudge his way into her heart.

Rebecca-Mader.jpg 

Kanoa-Goo-1.jpg

Edited by tv echo
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tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

Matt's Inside Line: Scoop on Ghosts, The Night Agent, Fire Country, NCIS, Titans, Abbott Elementary and More!
By Matt Webb Mitovich / April 17 2023
https://tvline.com/lists/ghosts-season-2-finale-spoilers-hetty-secret/ 

Quote

Anything on these last few episodes of Fire Country? –Dee
When I asked showrunner Tia Napolitano if any new characters will be introduced ahead of Season 2, she said,

Spoiler

“Oh, yes… especially in the Leone family.” Star and EP Max Thieriot then jumped in to note, “This is a small town, and Italian families are usually big families, so I think it will be exciting to see more Leones.”

Edited by tv echo
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tv echo

tv echo

Ratings: Fire Country Eyes Lows; SmackDown, Blue Bloods Lead Friday
By Matt Webb Mitovich / May 6 2023
https://tvline.com/2023/05/06/ratings-fire-country-season-1-episode-20/ 

Quote

CBS | Freshly cancelled SWAT (4.6 mil/0.3) slipped to its second-smallest audience of at least the season and also dipped in the demo. Fire Country (5.1 mil/0.3) tied its smallest audience and hit a demo low. Blue Bloods (5.4 mil/0.3) drew its second-smallest audience of at least the season but held steady in the demo.

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NJRadioGuy

NJRadioGuy

On 5/7/2023 at 12:14 PM, tv echo said:

Ratings: Fire Country Eyes Lows; SmackDown, Blue Bloods Lead Friday
By Matt Webb Mitovich / May 6 2023
https://tvline.com/2023/05/06/ratings-fire-country-season-1-episode-20/ 

It's pretty typical for late-season original episodes. Nice weather after a long winter = fewer people watching TV live with commercials, which is what they're measuring for ratings that determine a show's fate (C3).

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tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

Matt's Inside Line: Scoop on NCIS: LA, The Conners, Magnum P.I., Fire Country, Silo, AGT, a CW Cancellation and More
By Matt Webb Mitovich / May 16 2023
https://tvline.com/lists/ncis-los-angeles-spoilers-series-finale-surprises/ 

Quote

Hi! This is my first time emailing a question. I was wondering if Kanoa Goo (Kyle) is going to be a recurring or regular character on Fire Country next season? –Shauna

Spoiler

Gabriela did seem to make her choice in last week’s episode, by bedding Bode. But then again… Bode’s dirty drug test bombshell is bound to complicate things anew. Coming out of the latest episode, “I’d say it’s left pretty open-ended,” The Rookie alum Goo says. “I think Kyle has fallen even more for [Gabriela] after witnessing her on the job, and so if it were up to him, he’s probably down to stick around Edgewater for a bit.”

Edited by tv echo
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Lady Calypso

Lady Calypso

CBS looking to expand Fire Country Universe:

Quote

“We are focused on mass-appeal franchises,” CBS president and CEO George Cheeks told our sister site Deadline at the Banff World Media Festival on Tuesday. “This season’s No. 1 show was Fire Country, which completely lends itself to building out a whole new universe.”

It sounds like serious talks have already been happening and one spinoff might already be in development.

Not that I'm surprised, but...no thanks, Fire Country really fell hard from its early episodes. Unless they assemble a better team for the spinoffs, I don't think I'm interested. I'm not even sure I'm returning for season 2 of THIS OG.

Again, though, not surprised at all. CBS would be the one to jump on a franchise after their FBI franchise has done so well. Plus, it IS a guaranteed viewership in some capacity and it does do well for the network.

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Danielg342

Danielg342

3 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

CBS looking to expand Fire Country Universe:

It sounds like serious talks have already been happening and one spinoff might already be in development.

Not that I'm surprised, but...no thanks, Fire Country really fell hard from its early episodes. Unless they assemble a better team for the spinoffs, I don't think I'm interested. I'm not even sure I'm returning for season 2 of THIS OG.

Again, though, not surprised at all. CBS would be the one to jump on a franchise after their FBI franchise has done so well. Plus, it IS a guaranteed viewership in some capacity and it does do well for the network.

I mean...I suppose I could see why CBS might think FC is "franchise" material. It's unique in that it's a fire/rescue show set in a rural area instead of an urban one, so maybe having a spin-off that deals with a national firefighting service (like the Forest Service or a fictional agency that oversees state agencies like Cal Fire) or a firefighter service in another region could work. I'm already thinking Fire Country: Hurricane Alley would be a fun series.

Though I am with you, @Lady Calypso, that any potential spinoff requires better writing and better showrunning than what got in FC. I'm ready to bail on the potential Mothership after the train wreck of a finale, so I already have my doubts about the viability of any future FC series. I wish them well, but they would need to do far better than Max Thieriot's effort to make other efforts worth my time.

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circumvent

circumvent

10 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

any potential spinoff requires better writing and better showrunning than what got in FC.

While I agree that better writing and better showrunning should happen, take a look at the 9-1-1 franchise. Bad writing and bad acting in the original, worse writing and much worse acting in the second one. The danger is that Max whats-his-face might want to be the hero n both shows. Then he would beat Rob Lowe in the "I am the most super super star ever". 

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tv echo

tv echo

(edited)

Inside Line: Scoop on Fire Country, For All Mankind, Magnum, Morning Show, Chucky, Sullivan’s Crossing, Euphoria, a Disney Cancellation and More
BY MATT WEBB MITOVICH   NOVEMBER 7, 2023
https://tvline.com/lists/fire-country-season-2-spinoff-spoilers/ 

Quote

Any scoop on Fire Country? –Ed
We are hearing that one of the two spinoffs in the works at CBS will be sheriff-centered. 

Edited by tv echo
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possibilities

possibilities

Wow. TWO spin-offs. I really don't think we need to see another show about police, and adding "cops in the small town" to the "rural fire" concept makes me shudder.

I live in a small town/rural area (400 households/1000 people)-- much smaller than the town shown on this show. We have a volunteer fire department and it mostly does emergency medical calls, and stuff like helping elders change their smoke detector batteries. If you call 911 for police, most of the time you get a response from "central dispatch" in another town in the county, and it takes a long time for them to send someone, often they get lost trying to find your house, etc. I laugh to think what a show about that would be like. But I guess they are not really considering a truly rural/small town show.

No hints about what the other spin-off will be. Will it be a fire service in another location? A jail or hospital show? I just hope they make it a real ensemble, and don't make it revolve around one idiot like they did with the original recipe.

 

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