S01.E12: Two Pink Lines

[jewel21]

Quote

Bode and his fellow prison inmate firefighters band together with the civilian station 42 crew to battle a monstrous fire that erupts after a plane crash. Meanwhile, the crews welcome a new member to the family.

Airdate: 01/29/2023

[bunnyface]

Is this the episode that will air "whenever" after the football game on Sunday?  I heard just a snip and wasn't sure if this was it or not.  

[FnkyChkn34]

1 hour ago, bunnyface said:

Is this the episode that will air "whenever" after the football game on Sunday?  I heard just a snip and wasn't sure if this was it or not.  

Appears so.  TV Guide shows a rerun for the normal Friday night time, and this episode at 10:00pm Sunday.  

[Maverick]

 So is the title a reference to a pregnancy test?   Inmate lawyer, Gabi or Sharon? 

[FnkyChkn34]

18 hours ago, Maverick said:

 So is the title a reference to a pregnancy test?   Inmate lawyer, Gabi or Sharon? 

I hope it's a Covid test instead.

[Dowel Jones]

Could be a retardant drop on a forest fire...

[Artsda]

Vince's face and "Let me guess" to the "we're missing one" line was hilarious because everyone knows it's always Bode.

I guess they made the camera angles and fire CGI better for the post football slot.

Guessing the fire starter is the new guy? 

[possibilities]

Does anyone know what's in the fire retardant? I'm curious about the environmental impact, but I'm hoping that if they think it's okay to dump it on the firefighters, then maybe it's not too bad.

I worried about the horses. Where were they running from, where are the people who saddled them up, where did they wind up?

 

[Danielg342]

Well, I mean, Freddy's baby is cute. Manny and Gabby having to goad Freddy into complaining about his eye just so he could leave to see his baby was also cute.

Michael O'Neil finally played someone who wasn't a cop, and he was great as the grizzled old man.

Billy Burke and Diane Farr shined again, and yay at getting Eve back.

Plus, like @Artsda, I had a good laugh when Vince remarked that he knew who the missing person was...because we all knew.

Other than that, I'm not sure what I watched. I think Blender makes better CGI rocks than what this show gave us, for one.

Mainly, I just don't know what the point of this episode really was. There was hardly a central story, and, for a critical situation, there was very little urgency.

Which, for an episode that was intended to bring in a new audience, served as a great microcosm of this show- it meanders, it was wonderful moments, great acting and a great foundation for a story...but, it has no focus and no actual story.

It's just "there". Characters do things and while they have wider arcs to navigate through, their day-to-day lives are pretty routine.

No one has an active struggle, something that they work on in each episode. As such, the show feels like a slog you just try to get through instead of something you actively follow along.

...but...

I guess we have a cliffhanger. Not sure I care enough to wonder who this mysterious firestarter is, except to say if they find a way to play that old Prodigy tune, that would be cool.

On to next week. Or, rather, this coming Friday.

[possibilities]

I think the on-going struggles are many!

Manny with his gambling addiction.
Bode with his entire personality.
Bode's mom whose name I've forgotten has kidney failure.
Their whole family is still getting over the death of B's sister and then his disappearance.
Jake is having a crisis of conscience and identity over not wanting to donate his kidney.
Freddy, when they give him anything to do, struggles with being in prison despite being innocent, plus he's got ADD, if you ask me.

Eve struggles to get airtime, despite being the best character they have. Plus her girlfriend hasn't been seen since they first introduced her.

--

I think it has as much arc as most procedurals.

I actually find it too soapy, to be honest.

 

[Court]

I like this show a lot and I love Freddy. I want more of the fire camp. I was excited to see Michael O'Neill. 

BUT I loathe the Gabby/Bode pairing. Can't they just be friends? 

Just now, Court said:

I like this show a lot and I love Freddy. I want more of the fire camp. I was excited to see Michael O'Neill. 

BUT I loathe the Gabby/Bode pairing. Can't they just be friends? 

The probie seems way too interested in Bode. 

 

[Danielg342]

16 minutes ago, possibilities said:

Bode's mom whose name I've forgotten

Sharon.

16 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I think the on-going struggles are many!

I feel they're more "background" stories than stories that are front and centre. They're not stories the characters are actively involved and in and doing things to resolve them.

Or, at least, we're not seeing the characters work to actively resolve their issues. Which is also a problem.

18 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I actually find it too soapy, to be honest.

I agree. The melodrama on this show is off the charts.

[Dowel Jones]

2 hours ago, possibilities said:

Does anyone know what's in the fire retardant? I'm curious about the environmental impact, but I'm hoping that if they think it's okay to dump it on the firefighters, then maybe it's not too bad.

I worried about the horses. Where were they running from, where are the people who saddled them up, where did they wind up?

Fire retardant as currently mixed is a compound of phosphorus and nitrogen to promote regrowth of the vegetation after the fire is out (basically a fertilizer), water, and a gelling compound to mix it into a slurry sort of mud.  They take a large pallet worth of the mix and inject it into a tank of water at the airbase, and then fill the airtankers up.  Load, drop, and repeat.  Environmentally, it can be problematic if dumped near or on streams in sufficient quantity to choke fish.  It has little effect on people except to make you miserable and stinky.  It will eat paint on cars if left on long enough.  That said (because of the scheduling I didn't see any of the program after the runaway horse scene, so I will rely on other posts until I can comment), the way it's mixed can result in large blobs of retardant coming out of the plane, which can be fatal it they hit people.

Having said all that, the entire plot of a rapidly moving fire in a snowed in forest was absurd.  I get that the atmospheric river dumped on the movie set just as it did throughout the western US, and they had to work with the script as written, but, Jeez.

Gabbie taking the blame for the gynormous Indiana Jones sized rock coming down the hill was stupid.  Own up to your mistakes, rook.  And next time, take the weather next to the fireline, not in a bunch of rocks.  Not that it would really matter in winter.

Sorry, but Freddy walking off the fireline was escape, pure and simple.  He would be gone.  Back in prison, no exceptions.  And Bode getting in the old man's face?  Gone.  Manny is the worst fire captain.

[circumvent]

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

Does anyone know what's in the fire retardant? I'm curious about the environmental impact, but I'm hoping that if they think it's okay to dump it on the firefighters, then maybe it's not too bad.

fire retardants shouldn't be needed. Isn't the only reason for combating fire in the forests and hills because humans have been destroying nature and building communities all over? I mean, isn't the reason why they have to stop the fires? Fire is good for nature, is part of a cycle. I know that it is not a reversible event, to stop us from taking over by destruction, but things are just becoming a business. Use up resources because it seems easier and faster, plus you can always request more for the frightened communities, creating a whole vicious cycle ripe for corruption

[jabRI]

My prediction since there are no new story lines across dramas:  legacy's father, who is a legend/hero at cal fire was an abusive bullying tyrant to his family, who had to hide in his shadow.

[possibilities]

Thanks for the info about what the pink stuff is made of.

The probie did own up to his mistake before the end of the episode, fwiw. He and Gabs were on the high ground because they were the lookouts, according to... I forget which other character said that. I guess they wanted someone to spot which direction things were moving? I'm not saying it makes sense, only that they tried to explain it.

 

 

[bunnyface]

Someone noted last week (and maybe before) that they are in the middle of an emergency and they have time to just stand around chatting about their families.  That happened again this week.  Big forest fires and Bode and Freddy are just chatting about their girlfriends.  And yeah, either one of them walking that far away from the work would be considered an escape.  Not just Freddy for going, but Bode for going also and no one's going to listen to "I was trying to get him back."

Other than that, I love Freddy.  "I don't need any help for my eyes...oh....y'all are all blurry!  I need help!"  lol  

The old guy was kind of a jerk about the whole thing but he wasn't entirely wrong about them talking and not working fast enough to save his house.  Of course, they shouldn't have been needing to save his house anyway, but....stop talking and work.

 

[Dowel Jones]

I'm also curious as to why that pilot was skywriting over the forest in BF Egypt.

[circumvent]

16 hours ago, Artsda said:

I guess they made the camera angles and fire CGI better for the post football slot

The CGI in this show is really bad. It is supposed to be a big production and they are slacking on the basic theme, which is fire. 

 

16 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

Billy Burke and Diane Farr shined again,

Sorry, I don't see it. Billy Burke is just above average but he has nothing to do most of the time, acting wise. Diane Farr overacts and is just terrible. 

 

15 hours ago, Court said:

I like this show a lot and I love Freddy. I want more of the fire camp

I like Freddy but they are making him the class clown and I hate that. Instead of the soapy stories, they could have gone a little more realistic and have some higher up not allow him to see his baby, create a real drama instead of the foolish overdramatic stuff they are giving us. I also want more of the fire camp, the inmates but I guess that would be another show. I doubt the writers will exercise creativity.

 

Speaking of overdramatic stuff, why does everyone in this show has to get so emotionally involved with people they have just met? Bode was in tears because the old man didn't want to leave the house, as if he was guilty of personally caused his death. If there was a storyline where Bode feels pressure building up and the emotions come exploding, I could buy it. But I am just rolling my eyes on every scene he is in. He is either brooding, crying or frowning, usually all three at the same time. Even in his "sensual" (haha, no) scenes with Gabriela.

Sharon and Vince behavior is unprofessional. Every time they talk, they have to kiss, hug, even in the middle of a fire. She cannot keep her hands off him not for a minute. It does't feel natural to me. I know really old people who have been together for a long time and they are tender and sweet to each other but in a well, tender and sweet way. With Sharon and Vince, it feel forced. It is like they MUST show they are a happy couple in every scene together and the ONLY way they know is through some touching. It is annoying. Bad direction in my opinion.  

Each week I think I will not make it through the next episode but keep running in my head the show I would like to see. This episode was empty of everything. I liked the scene between Vince and the cabin guy inside the house though. That's what above average acting looks like. The rest, it is all too much or nothing at all, with an almost good thing here and there

[CoyoteBlue]

Freddy, it's not like the whole fire house traipsed down to the hospital to visit the baby - it was literally DELIVERED in the FIRE HOUSE. They aren't mocking the fact that you were at work when she arrived and gave birth.

During the pink rain, NONE of them thought that maybe putting their goggles down would be a good idea, especially since they went through the trouble to say it stings and is hard to get out of clothing? Maybe, y'know, protect your eyes? Did the writers have everyone be idjits just to give the out for Freddy later?

"My wallet's in the fire! And $500!" WTF, dude, seriously? Like, you didn't have a go-bag strapped to you since you sent the wife off in the ambulance? You deserve to lose all that shit you just left in there.

Is Jake still measuring himself against Bode? Realistically, when did Bode become the yardstick for anyone who knew him back in the day when he was messed up?

Gabriela, what kind of chastity-ring dickteasing was that? Not the idea that they should avoid a relationship for the next year while they get their shit together, but the "It'll be like a precious gift!" for abstaining.

I'm guessing the cliffhanger firebug is Harlan getting "revenge" for the loss of his house.

[Danielg342]

My guess is that the guy in the cliffhanger is either Odin (from "Mama Bear") or a completely new character, someone not referred to before their introduction. I'm going to guess this character will provide the storyline for February Sweeps.

[Danielg342]

For what it's worth, according to The Futon Critic, this episode was aired out of order. This was supposed to be Episode 13 while the one that will air this Friday was supposed to be Episode 12, but CBS switched them for some reason. I have to wonder if the cliffhanger we got at the end of this episode was always there or if CBS tacked it on the end of this episode because they moved it.

[Dowel Jones]

Well, that's going to be interesting.

[circumvent]

4 hours ago, CoyoteBlue said:

Gabriela, what kind of chastity-ring dickteasing was that? Not the idea that they should avoid a relationship for the next year while they get their shit together, but the "It'll be like a precious gift!" for abstaining.

I was so sure they would have sex on that big table between them. And because I don't really pay attention to much on this show, why do they have to avoid a relationship? Because it is forbidden? If so, do any of them have a sense of irony? Pretty much anything Bode does is forbidden, one way or another. Breaking the rules is a way of life.

This show is written only by men, by manly men who believe every woman needs a man to protect them. Bode coming hot to defend Gabriela in the middle of a fire burning the house they are trying to save was one example of that. And Gabriela just stood there (likely flattered). 

Also, both crews plus a plane using all resources to protect ONE house is too much fantasy to me. If it was a mansion, I could buy it but the guy had nothing (except for a wallet with 500.00). Everyone is too saintly in this show. 

[Madding crowd]

The actress who plays Sharon overacts so much it drives me crazy. She acts like she is drunk or high all the time and doesn’t seem professional at all. My husband and I have been married 28 years and we are still affectionate but can survive for ten minutes without kissing or stating our undying love. It is great to see middle aged people shown as still romantic and sexual beings but not on the job.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Madding crowd

[circumvent]

3 minutes ago, Madding crowd said:

The actress who plays Sharon overacts so much it drives me crazy. She acts like she is drunk or high all the time and doesn’t seem professional at all. My husband and I have been married 28 years and we are still affectionate but can survive for ten minutes without kissing or stating our undying love. It is great to see middle aged people shown as still romantic and sexual beings but not on the job.

I would just add that we don't need to see Vince and Sharon attached to each other every scene they are together, specially when there is a dialogue with another character that is part of a plot that doesn't involved their marriage or love life. Just talk to the visitor, no need to keep hugging and kissing while the conversation has nothing to do with them. And yes, she looks drunk all the time. Excessively perky, unrealistically so.

[Dowel Jones]

7 hours ago, circumvent said:

Also, both crews plus a plane using all resources to protect ONE house is too much fantasy to me.

In reality, if there were a whole bunch of houses scattered out through the woods, as is often the case, firefighters usually do a quick triage on which houses are stand alone savable, which need help, and which are losers.  That house would absolutely be in the last category because it would likely burn anyway.  He should have done some clearance way ahead of time.  Anyway, for a single house, an engine crew and a hand crew could get that job done straightaway, unless they're jibberjabbing about personal stuff, and then the hand crew moves off to do its normal job.  But, since this show is the forest equivalent of copaganda, you gotta have heroes.

[NJRadioGuy]

3 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

The actress who plays Sharon overacts so much it drives me crazy. She acts like she is drunk or high all the time and doesn’t seem professional at all. My husband and I have been married 28 years and we are still affectionate but can survive for ten minutes without kissing or stating our undying love. It is great to see middle aged people shown as still romantic and sexual beings but not on the job.

My way of thinking is that we have to see just how much they're in love (remember, the rule of TV: Show, don't tell). Then, when she dies during kidney transplant surgery we, the audience, will process the depth of Vince's loss. Maybe she'll get moved to Chicago Med where Crocket will do the operation in ER 2.0 and it goes horribly wrong. Oh, wait. Wrong network.

2 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

In reality, if there were a whole bunch of houses scattered out through the woods, as is often the case, firefighters usually do a quick triage on which houses are stand alone savable, which need help, and which are losers.  That house would absolutely be in the last category because it would likely burn anyway.  He should have done some clearance way ahead of time.  Anyway, for a single house, an engine crew and a hand crew could get that job done straightaway, unless they're jibberjabbing about personal stuff, and then the hand crew moves off to do its normal job.  But, since this show is the forest equivalent of copaganda, you gotta have heroes.

What I was kinda disappointed about was they didn't seem to have any mention of the old guy after the episode was over. The guy's old life is gone and I'd like to think maybe they'd try to organize some kind of relief effort for him. 

12 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

My guess is that the guy in the cliffhanger is either Odin (from "Mama Bear") or a completely new character, someone not referred to before their introduction. I'm going to guess this character will provide the storyline for February Sweeps.

Since we saw retardant on the character's boots as he was lighting the torch, it's obviously a firefighter. I have a feeling deep in my gut that it's Manny, who, I suspect has no intention of leaving that newly-started fire alive and has perhaps taken out life insurance payable to Gabriella. I hope I'm wrong.

[circumvent]

43 minutes ago, NJRadioGuy said:

My way of thinking is that we have to see just how much they're in love (remember, the rule of TV: Show, don't tell). Then, when she dies during kidney transplant surgery we, the audience, will process the depth of Vince's loss

Nah. Occam's Razor. It is just overacting

[JenLily]

40 minutes ago, NJRadioGuy said:

Since we saw retardant on the character's boots as he was lighting the torch, it's obviously a firefighter.

I assumed it was new kid (the pebble, or whatever they called him), setting the fire so he could play the big hero and put it out, thus making up for almost squashing half the crew and "proving" that he's got what it takes to follow in his daddy's footprints.

[Dowel Jones]

He's using a drip torch which, although available to anyone for purchase (but expensive!), is not commonly used outside the fire service.

[NJRadioGuy]

If so, then that nugget is about to get fried.

[FnkyChkn34]

I'm pretty sure that the previews for next week show that someone suspects Manny.  When I saw the episode, I immediately thought of the new guy too. 

[mythoughtis]

Manny has already fessed up to his addiction, cut up his credit card, and lost the house. I don’t see any reason that it would be him nor do I think he’d allow  harm to come to his daughter for money.  

I think it is  the new guy.  There is no reason to bring him in as a new cast member otherwise.  We have so many cast members that Eve is only in every other episode.

I just looked up Jules Latimer on the internet   Is she really a newcomer to the industry?  She’s really talented 

 

Edited February 1, 2023 by mythoughtis

[KeithJ]

When did Bode become first saw again?  That’s who gets the chainsaw isn’t it?

[LaylaGirl]

Do they ever have a sense of urgency about anything? I have really noticed this in the last few episodes - they never seem to be in a rush, even during an active fire. They are always walking slowly to the truck to get something and I can't believe how much they talk about personal stuff during active situations. I watch both of the 911 shows and they save the personal talk for the firehouse.

The scene with the horses was just strange. Two of them had saddles on but no bridles, which would indicate that someone was with the horses and took off the bridles so they could run from the fire. So why weren't the firefighters concerned about the people that let the horses go?

[Danielg342]

1 hour ago, LaylaGirl said:

Do they ever have a sense of urgency about anything?

This speaks to the pacing problems that plague this show. Now, maybe there was a stylistic decision made here because the show wanted the character stories to be at the forefront with the cases in the background, and, to be fair, the situations the show depicts would likely take hours to resolve, not 42 minutes, but that's not enough to resolve pacing issue.

The only thing it does is make Fire Country a very "talky" show. These characters are great at telling each other- and thus us- how they feel about each other and everything around them, but they do very little else, and what happens to them and around them feels more like background noises than actual episodes of drama. I feel like I'm just watching characters vent all the time- which has its place, but when it happens all the time you just want to tell the characters "to get over it and move on".

[DanaK]

I enjoy this show overall, but I agree with the annoyance at the lack of urgency at times. 

I thought kidney donations were fairly safe these days. Is the concern that it would be a particular issue for a firefighter?

The old guy refusing to leave his house was pretty annoying especially when he berated the firefighters for not working fast enough. They are making a special effort to save your house you ungrateful jerk. Plus he lied about not having his wife there. They should have just let the house be, except they didn’t know about the sick wife

Vince and Sharon shouldn’t be doing so much PDA while on the job; it’s definitely unprofessional

Freddy’s other set of funny lines was about the doctor inmate, after Bodie asked him if he knew he was a doctor: “I thought he was in for dealing drugs. Ohh, he was dealing druuuugs”

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by DanaK

[possibilities]

Freddie is the only person on the show who has any excitement in him.