Amac Productions

Yes! Another firefighter show.

Do I have a problem? Eh, probably.

Let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about the first 18 episodes of Fire Country!

My Mom has been dying to watch this show and knows how much I love firefighter shows or will at least give them a chance. So, I decided to check it out. I logged on and watched the first episode, and couldn’t stop binging them after.

Within the weekend, I watched all 18 episodes.

First things first, I want to compliment the writers for a solid pilot episode. It started off in a way I was not expecting. It felt like we walked into the middle of a bunch of people trying to live their lives. The exposition wasn’t in my face.

It unfolded very naturally.

As I tried to guess where we were going.

I actually thought Riley was an ex-girlfriend of Bode’s when she was first mentioned. I was way happier to discover the whole entangled web of people we stumbled upon in this story.

If I had to knock this show on something, it would be that it’s too serious.

Unlike Station 19 or 911 or 911: Lone Star, this show approaches everything with the utmost seriousness. Even Sharon at one-point, tempers her probie Gabriella from getting too excited about joining a call because this could be someone’s worst day.

The other three I’ve watched all enjoy their job with a relish I find amusing.

Fire Country approaches their problems differently. Which I get, because their fires are much larger, more unpredictable, and can cost an entire town it’s property or lives. The others take place in cities where they are not often fighting massive wildfires spreading from a cigarette butt to a wildly out of control beast.

I appreciate that part.

I just wish otherwise the characters could lighten up a bit.

They take themselves far too seriously outside of work too.

There is very little joy or light-hearted moments. And I’d like more, because what else are you living for if not those wonderful moments?

Otherwise, this show is well done.

I’d probably feel differently, if I watched it weekly. Not all at once, where I see the drama constantly, and feel hammered on by the grittier setting.

Every character is riddled with flaws.

Sometimes, they’re right, sometimes, they’re wrong. No one is always one or the other. They try to pick themselves up and move forward everyday. To do the right thing, but sometimes, the right thing is really freaking hard.

It makes all the characters feel real to me.

No one is perfect.

I love that kind of writing.

Also, one of the things I truly enjoy is how many families are running around.

Bode is fourth generation Cal Fire.

Gabriella is second generation.

Jake is adopted into this fire family.

Vince and Sharon are married.

Eve is the adopted daughter and sister to Bode and Jake.

It adds a whole different level of stakes.

Like the moment they were heading up to help with a spreading wildfire heading for a prison. Vince called Manny and asked him to keep an eye on his son. In return, Manny asked Vince to watch over his daughter.

It was so damn sweet.

Because they’re trying to protect their kids, while also navigating that they are grown adults who hate that.

I also love that they are not in charge of their own kids, their friends are.

It makes it easier for the kids to actually listen to the person in charge, while still offering a level of care and protection.

When I played softball, my Dad and another girl’s dad were coaches of our team. But the dads made a deal, I answered to my friend’s dad, and she to my Dad. If I made a mistake, or stepped out of line, I dealt with the consequences. My Dad wouldn’t help. It was for my own good and my friend’s. Not to mention, as kids, we listened way better to anyone not related to us.

This show does a good job of showing maturing adults and mature adults as they cope.

Gabriella and Jake maintaining a friendship despite their break-up. Which I loved. Gabriella explaining that it wasn’t about Bode, it was about her not fully being in this relationship, and that it wasn’t fair to either of them was wonderful.

I loved the way it was written. It showed such a level of understanding of people. And for Gabriella of herself.

She knew having those feelings and that they weren’t going away meant she was kidding herself that things would work out with Jake. If she loved him, truly loved him, she wouldn’t have feelings for Bode.

It didn’t matter who the feelings were for. It mattered that they existed.

And her explaining the to Jake helped him.

Because it meant, she was trying to do the right thing for both of them. She didn’t want to make things worse by pressing forward only for them to get deeper and deeper only for it to break later. Because it was going to break. She knew it.

And she couldn’t do that to Jake.

Like she said, she respected him too much.

It was an amazing scene and one someone put a lot of thought into. Kudos to the writing team and to the actors.

Moments like this, is what make this show so good.

I even liked Jake afterward, when he cleared the air. I loved that Gabriella encouraged him to ask out Cara. Not to soothe herself or to make sure he was moving on so she didn’t have to feel guilty. But because she wanted to see him happy. She was genuinely excited and happy.

I loved that.

Eve has gotten lost in the cracks with the characters but that appears to be the writers’ intent.

Vince mentioned he feels like he and Sharon treated Jake and Eve like self-cleaning ovens. He knows they’ve messed up with their adopted/extended/chosen family. Vince sees they haven’t been paying as close attention as they should be.

I loved that writers acknowledged it.

Sometimes, when you have more than one kid in trouble. You can lose sight of the ones who seem alright. Only for an explosion to build and well…. Here we are.

Like I said, no one here is perfect.

Not Vince or Sharon or Manny. Just because they’re older doesn’t mean they have all the answers.

Bode or Gabriella or Jake or Eve. No one knows what they’re doing.

They’re just trying their best.

I can’t wait to see what comes next!

I hope Bode gets his parole. I mean, this show isn’t focusing entirely on the program, which means he could parole, and just become a regular firefighter. I’d love to see him working with his father and being outside Three Rock.

I want to see Freddy get out and be a daddy to his baby. But I also hope he joins Cal Fire too, because I enjoy his character too much to let him leave! His little scene when he wasn’t getting that Manny was trying to offer to take him to the hospital to see his baby was hilarious.

I need more moments like that.

I want to see Gabriella become an amazing firefighter.

Although, seriously, what is with former Olympians and becoming firefighters? Is it so commonplace that this happens, it’s happened on two different shows??

I really want to see some numbers on that.

Maybe I’ll take a walk to my local fire station and ask, “You got any former Olympians here?”

Anyway, I can’t wait to watch the rest of the season!

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