Pilot

**Pilot** is the first episode of the first season of the CBS original drama, *Fire Country* and the first episode of the series overall. It aired on October 7, 2022.

## Synopsis

Max Thieriot stars as Bode Leone, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a 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, on the series premiere of FIRE COUNTRY, Friday, Oct. 7 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+\*. Series also stars Billy Burke, Kevin Alejandro, Diane Farr, Stephanie Arcila, Jordan Calloway and Jules Latimer.

## Plot

Bode stands up before the board at his parole hearing to thank them for their time and take full responsibility for his actions in robbing a liquor store owner at gunpoint several years ago. However, his request for parole is ultimately denied. As a last resort, his lawyer recommends he enlist in the Cal Fire firefighter program in hopes of early release.

Meanwhile, in Edgewater, California, 200 miles north of San Francisco, Station 42 is called in for a vegetation fire on Bodega Highway. Before long, they arrive at the scene of the fire, with Jake and Eve taking the lead. However, as the fire begins to spread, Eve takes notice of the nearby propane tank. Fortunately, Vince has called in a water drop to extinguish the spreading flames.

Bode is seated on a transportation bus alongside a fellow inmate with ADD named Freddy, who reveals that his girlfriend Cookie is a chef and that they're planning on getting a food truck when he's released. Initially, he was reluctant to enroll in Cal Fire, but then he heard they got $5 a day just for showing up and an extra $2 an hour if they work a fire. Bode then learns that they're headed for Edgewater, despite his lawyer previously telling him that they're going to a different camp. They arrive in town just as Edgewater celebrates Gabriela coming in 14th place in the Olympics for diving by throwing her a ceremony and awarding her the key to the city.

Back on the bus, Bode informs Corey that he was told that he'd be going to the camp in Eel River, but Corey isn't concerned and instructs Bode to take a seat. They arrive at Three Rock Con Camp, where there are no fences, and while Corey doesn't intend to prevent them from leaving, he does warn them that if they do decide to run, they won't get far. And when they're apprehended, they go back to prison with an extended sentence. Bode then asks for a phone to call his lawyer, but they won't get phone privileges for another week.

Jake, Gabriela, and Eve gather at Smokey's Tavern, where Eve makes the acquaintance of the new chef Aydan. Jake encourages Eve to go and talk to her, but she instead retreats to the jukebox. Alone, Jake apologizes for missing Gabriela's ceremony, but it's not as if she saw a reason to celebrate her choking in Tokyo. Gabriela questions what she and Jake are doing; she's been in town for five months already, which is the longest break she's had from diving since she was ten years old. For the first time in a long time, Gabriela was having fun, but now she wants more than that. She's even considering staying in Edgewater, as she's no longer sure she wants to be a diver. Gabriela believes she may be at the point where she's ready for the next stage in her life, which she hopes includes Jake, expressing that she loves him, to which he replies that she shouldn't move out to Edgewater and give up her career for him. Upset that he didn't say he loved her back, Gabriela leaves abruptly.

Bode and Freddy are greeted by Manny, who informs them of the female con camp a couple miles down the road that occasionally trains at Camp Three Rock. After Manny takes off, Bode enlists in Freddy's help with making friendly with the delivery driver in hopes that he'll allow Bode to use his phone. Freddy questions why Bode is so intent on hustling his way out of camp, to which Bode reveals that he's from Edgewater and that he left for a reason.

Manny lays down the ground rules, explaining that so long as they work hard and do as instructed, their sentence will be reduced. Today, he intends to show them how to cut lines to remove the vegetation from the forest floor so that the fire has no fuel to burn. He then instructs Corey to hand out their 10s and 18s — ten standard firefighter orders and 18 fire watch-out situations for each of them to memorize.

Between Jake's dwindling relationship with Gabriela and Eve's hesitance to even talk to another girl, she believes that they're both afraid to get close to anyone because of the possibility of them dying like Riley, who was Eve's best friend. Admittedly, Jake does miss her, but he insists that his relationship drama with Gabriela is separate. Unbeknownst to the two of them, Vince is listening from the hall.

Bode makes the acquaintance of another inmate who has so far served an 18-year sentence. While he doesn't share the nature of his crime, he does explain that he's only looking forward. Freddy then comes running back towards the crew after crossing paths with what he claimed to be a bear, but was in actuality a goat, resulting in a new nickname for Freddy.

Vince meets with the executive board to discuss his station getting a new bulldozer. However, the committee is reluctant to shed the expense, with Sharon reminding Vince that he and Glen Ellen share a dozer, but it is 45 minutes away, he retorts. Vince reminds them that he's third generation Cal Fire, meaning that he remembers the Hanley fire, which wiped out 56,000 acres, destroyed 84 homes, and claimed 19 lives, including two firefighters. That area has not burned since then, but Vince is certain it will happen again.

Jake heads over to Gabriela's to apologize, but she's on her way out to cover a shift at Smokey's after one of Maya's waitresses quit. Gabriela regrets telling Jake that she loved him; she claims she was drunk and didn't mean it because that's not how she wants to remember the first "I love you" she's ever said. Jake realizes his mistake from last night, apologizing to Gabriela and admitting that what he should've said is that he loved her too, which he now does at the moment after kissing her.

Sharon returns home and informs Vince that the board voted against the dozer because they didn't believe he did his due diligence looking for a used one. While Sharon agrees with Vince, she reminds him that they have 473 Cal Fire stations to manage and recommends he look for a used dozer. Vince then reveals he stopped by the cemetery to talk to Riley for a bit. He also heard Eve and Jake talking about needing to move on after her death, which Vince believes they should, but there's no moving in for him and Sharon.

That night, Bode and Freddy sneak out to the main road to meet MVP, the truck driver from earlier who agreed to bring them a phone, though Freddy is curious why Bode is so determined to leave town, suspecting that it has something to do with Riley, who Bode has tattooed on his arm. Unfortunately, the transaction is delayed when Gabriela's car breaks down on the road. Freddy flees back to camp in fear of being apprehended, but Bode offers to help. Startled, Gabriela pretends to call Jake before pulling out her gun and warning Bode to leave her alone. With his hands up and her gun drawn, Bode cautiously inches towards Gabriela and offers to fix her car, during which time, Gabriela reveals that she grew up in San Diego and that when her parents got divorced a couple of years, her dad moved to Edgewater. Gabriela starts her car up and offers to pay Bode as a show of appreciation, which results in her dropping a photo of her and Jake, who Bode recognizes.

The following day, Eve reveals to Vince that Jake told Gabriela he loved her, to which Vince advises him not to blow it as he has with his past lovers. Eve accuses Jake of getting bored quickly and advises him to properly love Gabriela. Jake agrees that it's time for him to grow up before grabbing the water hose on the sink and spraying Eve. They are then called in for a vehicular accident on Buckeye Road. They arrive on scene to find a lady and her baby trapped in her car that drove off into a ditch and a downed power line, causing fire to spread. Jake breaks the back window to the car and climbs in through the trunk, first grabbing the baby and handing him over to Eve. He then saves the mother in the front seat and leads her out of the car just before it explodes.

Freddy joins Bode and reveals that MVP dropped the phone off after breakfast, but before he can retrieve it, they're confronted by Manny and Corey, who learned from Gabriela that Bode and Freddy had taken a late night stroll. Corey suspect that Freddy got the phone from MVP, but Bode confesses to having the phone. He then reveals to Manny that he was arrested for robbing the owner of a liquor store at gunpoint. That owner got up at his parole hearing and read a letter, saying he forgave Bode, which inspired him to want to succeed, but he can't do that in Edgewater as it's his hometown. Manny asks why he didn't say that sooner, but before Bode can reply, they're called into a fire.

Manny has gathered the inmates on the bus and prepares them for the fire ahead. The fire started with a crash on Buckeye Road, and every fire is named after where it was ignited, so Manny welcomes them to the Buckeye.

Sharon arrives on scene and informs Vince that help is on the way. Worried about Harrison Ridge, Vince tells her that he sent Eve and Jake to get eyes on the fire, because if the fire reaches the Miller Canyon, it will rip right into town. Fearful that Vince was right and that the dozer won't arrive in time, Sharon believes that they should begin evacuation.

Manny has led the crew deep into the forest to cut lines and prevent the fire from reaching town. Jake and Eve pass them by on their way to Harrison Ridge.

Vince pulls up outside of Smokey's Tavern to inform Gabriela that they're evacuating the west side of town and to have her close down the bar.

Jake and Eve arrive at Harrison Ridge to discover that the fire has unfortunately reached Miller Canyon and is spreading rapidly. Unfortunately, Jake falls into a stump hole and catches fire, even melting his boot, slowing them down as they try to escape, ultimately resulting in Jake getting trapped under a small tree.

Back at the site, Vince and Sharon game plan. They decide to make their stand at Old Creek Road to prevent the fire from reaching town

Manny informs the crew that they've been relocated to cut a line in town, but Freddy is tired of digging and demands a break. Manny threatens to have him sent back to prison, but Bode pleads with Freddy to get back up. Tired and hungry, Bode offers Freddy his energy bar, as does the rest of the crew. On their way down to town, Manny gets word that Jake and Eve are trapped on Harrison Ridge. Bode wants to go after them, but Manny assures him a rescue team will get them. However, given their close proximity, Bode takes matters into his own hands even as Manny threatens to have him sent back to jail for disobeying a direct command. Before heading up the ridge, Bode recites rule #6 from the 10s and 18s: "Keep calm, think clearly, act decisively."

Vince arrives at Old Creek Road to find Gabriela and the townsfolk cutting lines. Gabriela explains that after her parents got divorced, on weekends with her dad, he made her get out of bed, clear debris, and cut line, so she's more than qualified to help. Terrified for Jake and Eve, Gabriela needs to do something with her time and refuses to leave.

Bode makes his way to Harrison Ridge, where he finds Eve struggling to help Jake, who is pinned under a tree. Bode covers his face to conceal his identity and takes a chainsaw to the tree. After helping Jake to his feet, the three of them scramble for cover. Surrounded by flames, Bode and Eve deploy their fire shelters, but Jake is without his after it caught fire, and so, Bode tackles him to the ground, shielding Jake from the flames.

Vince and Manny lead Gabriela, Freddy, and the rest of the crew in cutting lines before setting a smaller fire so that when the approaching fire hits it, there will be no fuel to burn.

Once the fire has passed, Bode, Jake, and Eve emerge from their shelters. Jake expresses his gratitude before Bode reveals his identity and punches Jake, revealing that Jake was hooking up with Riley. Bode went to his place to pick Riley up the night of the crash. She was crying and tried to get out of the car to go back and talk to Jake. When Bode reached over to pull her back in, he lost control. It's his fault that she died, but it's because of Jake she died with a broken heart. Having met Gabriela, Bode asks if she knows what kind of guy Jake is, resulting in another scuffle until Eve intervenes. Bode came to save Jake, as he didn't want him to die a hero. They are then picked up by the rescue crew.

With the winds dying down and the fire's 60% contained, hopefully by sunrise, all that will be left is for them to clean up. After today's fire, Sharon assures Vince that she could pull some strings to get him a dozer. He thanks her and expresses that he would like to go on a victory lap through town.

Manny tells Gabriela that Jake is fine and that she shouldn't be there, but she reveals that she intends to stay in Edgewater rather than return to Florida. Being a part of something as she was today was a feeling she'd never felt before, and she didn't wish to give it up. Manny fears that she is throwing her career away. He put her in diving when she was a little girl because he liked the idea of her being surrounded by water, as opposed to fire, which simply destroys everything around it. Diving was her ticket out, but Gabriela neither wants saving nor a way out.

Freddy and the crew of inmates return to the bus to a standing ovation from the townsfolk, who cheer them on with gratitude.

Eve approaches Sharon in the hospital and reveals that Bode is back in town. Sharon then goes searching for him, instructing Manny to give her the room. Once they're alone, Bode greets his mother as she tearfully embraces him. Vince arrives moments later and asks why Bode is back in town.

## Cast

* Kevin Alejandro as Manny Perez
* Jordan Calloway as Jake Crawford
* Stephanie Arcila as Gabriela Perez
* Jules Latimer as Eve Edwards
* Diane Farr as Sharon Leone
* Billy Burke as Vince Leone
* Ty Olsson as Cory Walters
* Marcelo Arroyo as Julio
* Josh Cerda as

Co-starring* Kaylah Zander as Aydan Sato
* Michelle Choi-Lee as Ana Koh
* Aleita Northey as Lindsey
* Ian Gregson as Mayor

## Trivia

* This episode was the most-watched series premiere of fall 2022.

## Gallery

### Videos

Fire Country - New HomeFire Country - Three Little WordsFire Country Series Premiere Preview

## References

1. ↑ Fire Country: Season One Ratings - TV Series Finale
2. ↑ Fire Country - Episode 1.01 - Pilot - Promotional Photos + Press Release -SpoilerTV
3. ↑ Ratings: CBS' Fire Country Marks Fall's Most-Watched Series Premiere - TVLine