# Fire Country season 1

The first season of the American action drama Fire Country premiered on CBS on October 7, 2022, and ended on May 19, 2023 with 22 episodes. The season is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Television and CBS Studios.
The series stars Max Thieriot, Kevin Alejandro, Jordan Calloway, Stephanie Arcila, Jules Latimer, Diane Farr, and Billy Burke and centers on Bode Donovan (played by Thieriot) working at the California Conservation Camp Program to assist the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.

## Cast and characters
### Main

* Max Thieriot as Bode Leone (formerly known as Bode Donovan), an inmate firefighter seeking redemption
* Kevin Alejandro as Manny Perez, Gabriela's father and Captain of Three Rock Con Camp
* Jordan Calloway as Jake Crawford, ex-boyfriend of Riley and Gabriela, a Cal Fire firefighter
* Stephanie Arcila as Gabriela Perez, Manny's daughter, a Cal Fire firefighter
* Jules Latimer as Eve Edwards, Bode & Jake's best friend, a Cal Fire firefighter
* Diane Farr as Sharon Leone, Bode & Riley's mother, Vince's wife and Cal Fire Division Chief
* Billy Burke as Vince Leone, Bode & Riley's father, Sharon's husband and Cal Fire Battalion Chief

### Recurring

* W. Tre Davis as Freddy "Goat" Mills, inmate firefighter and Bode's friend
* Michael Trucco as Luke Leone, Vince's brother and Cal Fire Battalion Chief
* Jade Pettyjohn as Riley Leone, Vince and Sharon's deceased daughter, Bode's younger sister and Eve's best friend
* Fiona Rene as Rebecca Lee, female inmate and former attorney
* Sabina Gadecki as Cara Maisonette, Bode's ex-girlfriend and an aspiring ER nurse
* April Amber Telek as Retired Fire Chief Dolly Burnett, Bode's aunt
* Aaron Pearl as Retired Fire Chief Paulie Burnett, Bode's uncle
* Zach Tinker as Collin O'Reilly/Alex Shawcross, a probationary firefighter
* Katrina Reynolds as Cookie, Freddy's girlfriend
* Karen LeBlanc as Dr. Lilly Crawford, Jake's mother and a cardiothoracic surgeon in LA
* Barclay Hope as Father David Pascal
* Rebecca Mader as Faye Stone, the CEO and founder of a private concierge firefighting company, Nozzle
* Kanoa Goo as Kyle Ferguson, a diving friend of Gabriela's
* Crystal Balint as Erika Snow, a Cal Fire Assistant Chief
* Riley Davis as Troy Elliott, a young inmate firefighter

### Guest Stars

* Kane Brown as Robin, a train hopper who helps Cal Fire with victims of a train crash
* Michael O'Neill as Harlen Denbo

## Episodes

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | James Strong | Teleplay by : Joan Rater & Tony Phelan Story by : Joan Rater & Tony Phelan & Max Thieriot | October 7, 2022 (2022-10-07) | 5.91 |
| 2 | 2 | "The Fresh Prince of Edgewater" | Dermott Downs | Natalia Fernàndez | October 14, 2022 (2022-10-14) | 5.80 |
| 3 | 3 | "Where There's Smoke..." | Eagle Egilsson | David Gould | October 21, 2022 (2022-10-21) | 5.26 |
| 4 | 4 | "Work, Don't Worry" | Jacquie Gould | Tonya Kong | October 28, 2022 (2022-10-28) | 5.30 |
| 5 | 5 | "Get Some, Be Safe" | Gonzalo Amat | Barbara Kaye Friend | November 4, 2022 (2022-11-04) | 5.53 |
| 6 | 6 | "Like Old Times" | Erica Watson | Sara Casey & Manuel Herrera | November 18, 2022 (2022-11-18) | 5.47 |
| 7 | 7 | "Happy to Help" | Antonio Negret | Dwain Worrell | December 2, 2022 (2022-12-02) | 5.46 |
| 8 | 8 | "Bad Guy" | Kevin Alejandro | Tia Napolitano | December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09) | 5.59 |
| 9 | 9 | "No Good Deed" | Sarah Wayne Callies | Tia Napolitano & Julia Fontana | January 6, 2023 (2023-01-06) | 6.57 |
| 10 | 10 | "Get Your Hopes Up" | Laura Nisbet Peters | Natalia Fernàndez | January 13, 2023 (2023-01-13) | 5.95 |
| 11 | 11 | "Mama Bear" | Anton L. Cropper | David Gould | January 20, 2023 (2023-01-20) | 6.10 |
| 12 | 12 | "Two Pink Lines" | Dermott Downs | Joan Rater & Tony Phelan | January 29, 2023 (2023-01-29) | 10.08 |
| Note: This episode aired after CBS's broadcast of the AFC Championship Game. |||||||
| 13 | 13 | "You Know Your Dragon Best" | Marie Jamora | Tia Napolitano & Barbara Kaye Friend | February 3, 2023 (2023-02-03) | 6.37 |
| 14 | 14 | "A Fair to Remember" | Kantú Lentz | Sara Casey & Manuel Herrera | February 10, 2023 (2023-02-10) | 6.49 |
| 15 | 15 | "False Promises" | C. Chi-Yoon Chung | Natalia Fernàndez | March 3, 2023 (2023-03-03) | 6.00 |
| 16 | 16 | "My Kinda Leader" | Eagle Egilsson | Dwain Worrell | March 10, 2023 (2023-03-10) | 5.59 |
| 17 | 17 | "A Cry for Help" | Gonzalo Amat | Julia Fontana | March 31, 2023 (2023-03-31) | 5.27 |
| 18 | 18 | "Off the Rails" | Bill Purple | Tia Napolitano & David Gould | April 7, 2023 (2023-04-07) | 6.09 |
| 19 | 19 | "Watch Your Step" | Lisa Demaine | Joelle Garfinkel | April 21, 2023 (2023-04-21) | 5.82 |
| 20 | 20 | "At the End of My Rope" | Joy Lane | Julia Fontana & Barbara Kaye Friend | May 5, 2023 (2023-05-05) | 5.32 |
| 21 | 21 | "Backfire" | Max Thieriot | David Gould | May 12, 2023 (2023-05-12) | 5.06 |
| 22 | 22 | "I Know It Feels Impossible" | Dermott Downs | Tia Napolitano | May 19, 2023 (2023-05-19) | 5.32 |

## Production
### Development

In November 2021, CBS announced it was developing a series with Thieriot, Tony Phelan and Joan Rater, based on Thierot's experiences growing up in Northern California fire country. The potential series was then known as Cal Fire. In February 2022, a series pilot was green-lit. The pilot was written by Phelan and Rater, with Thieriot as co-writer, and directed by James Strong. In May 2022, CBS picked up the series, now titled Fire Country. Tia Napolitano would serve as the series showrunner. On October 19, 2022, the series received a full season order.

### Casting

In February 2022, it was announced that Thieriot would star in the series. In March 2022, Burke and Alejandro were given lead roles in the pilot. A few days later, it was announced that Farr, Calloway, Arcila, and Latimer would be appearing as series regulars. In September 2022, it was announced that Trucco would be joining the show in a recurring role. In January 2023, it was reported that Zach Tinker joined the cast in an undisclosed capacity. In March 2023, it was announced that Rebecca Mader and Kanoa Goo were cast in recurring roles.

## Broadcast and release

The season premiered on CBS on October 7, 2022. It aired on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. It was available to stream on Paramount+ via subscription and on Pluto TV for free. It was added to Netflix on August 1, 2024.

## Reception
### Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of Fire Country season 1 :
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Pilot" | October 7, 2022 | 0.4 | 5.91 | 0.3 | 2.35 | 0.7 | 8.26 |
| 2 | "The Fresh Prince of Edgewater" | October 14, 2022 | 0.5 | 5.80 | 0.3 | 2.45 | 0.7 | 8.25 |
| 3 | "Where There's Smoke..." | October 21, 2022 | 0.5 | 5.26 | 0.3 | 2.14 | 0.7 | 7.39 |
| 4 | "Work, Don't Worry" | October 28, 2022 | 0.5 | 5.30 | 0.3 | 2.59 | 0.8 | 7.89 |
| 5 | "Get Some, Be Safe" | November 4, 2022 | 0.4 | 5.53 | 0.3 | 2.45 | 0.7 | 7.98 |
| 6 | "Like Old Times" | November 18, 2022 | 0.4 | 5.47 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | "Happy to Help" | December 2, 2022 | 0.4 | 5.46 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | "Bad Guy" | December 9, 2022 | 0.4 | 5.59 | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | "No Good Deed" | January 6, 2023 | 0.6 | 6.57 | 0.3 | 2.43 | 0.9 | 9.00 |
| 10 | "Get Your Hopes Up" | January 13, 2023 | 0.5 | 5.95 | 0.3 | 2.46 | 0.8 | 8.41 |
| 11 | "Mama Bear" | January 20, 2023 | 0.5 | 6.10 | 0.3 | 2.71 | 0.9 | 8.81 |
| 12 | "Two Pink Lines" | January 29, 2023 | 1.9 | 10.08 | — | — | — | — |
| 13 | "You Know Your Dragon Best" | February 3, 2023 | 0.5 | 6.37 | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | "A Fair to Remember" | February 10, 2023 | 0.5 | 6.49 | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | "False Promises" | March 3, 2023 | 0.5 | 6.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 16 | "My Kinda Leader" | March 10, 2023 | 0.4 | 5.59 | — | — | — | — |
| 17 | "A Cry for Help" | March 31, 2023 | 0.4 | 5.27 | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | "Off the Rails" | April 7, 2023 | 0.4 | 6.09 | — | — | — | — |
| 19 | "Watch Your Step" | April 21, 2023 | 0.4 | 5.82 | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | "At the End of My Rope" | May 5, 2023 | 0.3 | 5.32 | — | — | — | — |
| 21 | "Backfire" | May 12, 2023 | 0.4 | 5.06 | — | — | — | — |
| 22 | "I Know It Feels Impossible" | May 19, 2023 | 0.4 | 5.32 | — | — | — | — |