‘Fire Country‘ Showrunner on That Shocking Fall Finale & Deadly Cliffhangers
[Warning:ThebelowcontainsMAJORspoilersfor[Warning:ThebelowcontainsMAJORspoilersforFire Country Season 4 Episode 9 “Who Owns the Dirt.”]
Uh-oh, there are multiple characters in deadly situations at the end of the Fire Country fall finale, which aired on Friday, December 19.
Station 42,led by Manny (Kevin Alejandro),steadfast to get ahead of a problem and not let drake County become the next Edgewater,responds to a fire that could become the next zabel Ridge (which led to Vince’s death). Along the way, Bode (Max Thieriot) realizes that Tyler (Conor Sherry), the teen he’s been semi-mentoring, has hitched a ride and ends up running into danger to deliver much-needed batteries; the firefighter finds him and gets him under a fire shelter just in time in the final moments. Meanwhile,Jake (Jordan calloway) comes face-to-face with his half-brother Malcolm,and the two start getting on the same page,only for their truck to run into trouble on the way back and crash.
below, showrunner Tia Napolitano unpacks the fall finale and those deadly cliffhangers and teases what’s ahead.
Like Chloe (alona Tal) said,Tyler could do a lot worse then ending up like Bode,but how much was Tyler kind of following in Bode’s footsteps with the fire and going there about wanting to help an interest in being a firefighter versus just wanting to help in general because of what’s going on with his home life?
Tia Napolitano: That’s a good question. I think Tyler’s wanting to help is very much shooting towards aiming to be a firefighter. I think if he could be anything like Bode Leone, that’s what he wants to be. He wants Bode’s approval, he wants to be like Bode, Bode’s the example and the blueprint for where this kid wants to go. So I think that absolutely could manifest in the form of firefighting.
what can you tease about how Bode is going to handle dealing with the fire surrounding them and protecting Tyler when the show returns?
Bode is going to be out there. They are in a fire shelter. You’ll see he, even if you notice, threw his helmet, so there’s no helmet inside that shelter because it’s such a tight squeeze.Those are built for one person; there’s two of them. It’s all about being tight in there. So we will be on the edge of our seats wondering, do they survive? How do they survive? Tyler obviously doesn’t have any protective gear on, and all of a sudden, Bode is going to have to contend with all of that. If they survive and if they get out, what next? It’s not like everything’s safe,
Speaking of not being safe, the other cliffhanger with Jake and Malcolm’s crash just as the brothers are…
‘Fire Country’ EP on Bode & Chloe’s Rekindled Connection & manny’s Rise
We no how Bode and Chloe felt about each other in high school. Will we see sparks in the present day? How much is she going to continue to be around? Max and Alona on screen together are great, which we knew from SEAL Team.
“I know, we’re so excited to have Alona. I think there’s that wish fulfillment of that unrequited crush or unfulfilled crushes on both their parts from high school coming back around when you’re an adult and saying like, wow, I’m still interested in you. And I think we’re at minimum flirting with that idea, but you will see a lot of Chloe and Bode screen time to maximize our wonderful – the opportunity to have Alona.”
In a way, is a potential relationship there easier than what both have to deal with or else – Bode with Gabriela (Stephanie Arcila) being gone, he and audrey (Leven Rambin) broke up, and Chloe with what’s going on with Landon?
“Yeah, there’s something realy refreshing about, again, high school sweethearts. It’s like, remember who we where before life happened? And so there is an ease to them, and they do already know each other. So some of the groundwork is laid,and they come from the same small town,and I think an ease between them is a great way to put it.”
Love Manny as battalion chief. It makes so much sense, and we’ve been seeing why he’s the right choice. Was that the plan from the moment you knew that Vince woudl be dying and you’d have to fill that spot?
“That was not the plan. There was definitely a universe in which Jake got battalion chief,but in the worst way ever; it’s this thing he always wanted,but it comes out of tragedy. And then it just felt like both we as writers and Cal Fire, in a fictional way, were overlooking manny, Manny with all of that experience, and how much did we love Manny as a leader in Season 1? And he was a leader of broken men at Three Rock and 42 starts off broken. He is the one to get them through this.It isn’t somebody’s first crack of battalion chief. That’s a hard gig with the former battalion chief having passed away, unfortunately.”
‘Fire Country’ EP Talks Ruby’s Return, Luke’s Grief & Crossover ‘Fan Candy’
They’re so good. Christine Lahti is so good. We’ll absolutely see Ruby again. She’s tasty. Diane and Christine love working together. Everyone loves Christine. ruby’s coming back.
Eve’s (Jules Latimer) warming up to her new Three Rock Guys and I like that it’s a process, that it wasn’t immediate, but are we going to see any of her old Three Rock guys again?
Oh, interesting.We do have plans for some Three Rock guys to return.
I love that Luke (Michael Trucco) is back in the U.S. That scene of him signing Bode’s probie book? So good because we see how he’s still grieving his brother and I feel like that can maybe kind of get lost with just because he’s not always on screen.How much more are we going to see of him,and how is he doing with that adjustment that he can’t just be the fun uncle anymore?
Yeah,we will see more of Luke. Luke will play a very big role in Bode’s professional life and step into more of a paternal figure because his brother is down. I think graduating out of fun uncle is more natural to Luke than he gives himself credit for. We love playing with is Luke bad or good, and what are his intentions? And I love when he surprises us with his very big heart, and that’s what happens at the end of [Episode] 8, and that note will continue to hit throughout the season.
What are the chances of seeing Gabriela again this season?
Good question.Never say never.
Are there any other returning characters coming?
Yes. I can’t tease who,but yes.
You have the two-part crossover with Sheriff Country coming up. What can you preview about that, but also any smaller crossovers between the two? Are we going to get Mickey (Morena Baccarin) over onfire Country to get some sisters stuff on here?
We do have smaller versions of crossovers, and I can’t tease anything more than what’s been out about the crossover, other than it is so exciting to see these worlds interact.I mean,just seeing the dailies and when we see cuts come in,it’s going to be just absolute fan candy. I’m so excited for it to get out there.
what else can you say about what’s coming up in the show returns?
Huge twists. I do not think people are ready for the big twists we have coming for them when the show returns. Wait for those final moments of Episode 10, in the midseason premiere.
What can you say about any Sharon and Manny scenes? I love that you can see adults just being friends and being there for each other without devolving into drama.
Yes, that will keep happening. Sharon and Manny deepen their friendship in an unromantic wa