We don’t blame “Fire Country” for wanting to shake things up after five seasons. But rocking the town with a literal sinkhole? Poor Edgewood can’t even enjoy a simple Founder’s Day without the festivities being interrupted by yet another disaster.
Fortunately, Station 42 is ready for any emergency, so Bode and the gang spring into action in Friday’s Season 5 premiere, getting some unexpected help from new series regular Olivia Thirlby as CJ Ryan, a former firefighter who swore she left the profession behind her for mysterious reasons.
Elsewhere this week, Jake learns that Violet might be pregnant, some locals blame Station 42 for not putting out a recent fire, Manny’s dangerous nephew Angel reenters his life, Sharon returns from her road trip with bad news about the station’s funding, and Bode suggests resurrecting Edgewater’s volunteer firefighter program — with new recruit CJ leading the charge.
But before we discuss any of that, let’s start with the moment every “Fire Country” fan will be thinking about until next Friday: right after Bode makes a big speech about believing in the people of Edgewater, gunfire suddenly rings out in the firehouse. It’s a chaotic scene as the firefighters duck for cover amid a barrage of bullets from an unknown shooter.
The good news? We can confirm that the show isn’t pulling another Vince Leone. This shooting will not claim the lives of any of your favorite characters. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a harbinger of more danger to come.
“Physically, everyone is OK,” showrunner Eric Guggenheim tells TVLine. “But there is some mental fallout. It’s one thing to risk your life on incident. It’s another when someone is taking shots at you.”
Read on for more of Guggenheim’s thoughts on the “Fire Country” Season 5 premiere, including what’s really going on with CJ, and how worried Manny should be about Angel:
Chloe will be back soon — but should she be worried about Bode and CJ?
While fighting a fire ahead of Founder’s Day, Bode mentions that Chloe is going to miss the festivities. In fact, he says that his girlfriend is going to be away for several weeks, leading us to wonder if we’ve seen the last of Alona Tal’s character on the show.
Fortunately, Eric Guggenheim confirms to TVLine that Chloe will return in Episode 4 this season. Even though the actress is busy starring on the Prime Video thriller “Cross,” Guggenheim says the show was “lucky to get her back for multiple episodes” this time around.
Speaking of Bode’s relationship, we’re picking up on some flirty vibes between Bode and CJ. Maybe it’s their little meet-cute in the forest, or maybe it’s the way he calls her “Pennsylvania” as a nickname, but there’s definitely chemistry there. As it turns out, we — and more importantly Chloe — apparently have nothing to worry about.
“They certainly have terrific chemistry but it didn’t read to us as flirty,” Guggenheim says. “They do have a close relationship, but it’s platonic.”
Adds Olivia Thirlby in a separate interview, “The way it was explained to me, how the writers conceived of this character, is that they really want her to be her own character. They want CJ to be a part of Edgewater, a part of Station 42, and a part of this whole world of ‘Fire Country.’ Bringing on somebody who only exists as a love interest felt less interesting to them than creating a whole character.”
Angel’s presence in Edgewater will ‘test’ Manny… and Camille?
The Season 5 premiere of “Fire Country” also introduces viewers to Angel, an inmate at Three Rock who turns out to be Manny’s nephew. More about Angel’s backstory will be revealed in Episode 2, but the premiere gives us a pretty good idea of what he’s all about, including him immediately threatening Tex’s leadership position.
Manny explains that Angel’s dad Ricardo is a “shot caller,” currently serving a life sentence in prison for murder. Manny is convinced that Angel’s nice guy act, which Eve is eating up like Thanksgiving dinner, is merely a cover for nefarious intentions. But is he right?
“That’s the real question,” Eric Guggenheim says. “Because Manny’s absolutely right — Angel has an agenda, and he’s fiercely loyal to Ricardo. But being at Three Rock and having Eve as his captain could cause him to break good, which would certainly lead to some inner turmoil.”
Speaking of turmoil, not even Manny’s love life is safe at the moment. Natalie Zea is present as Camille for the first two episodes of Season 5, and Guggenheim confirms that “she’ll be back again” at a later date, but it won’t all be smooth sailing to come.
“They’re in a good place,” Guggenheim says of Manny and Camille. “But Angel’s presence in Edgewater — and what that stirs up for Manny — will test them.”
OK, let’s talk: What did you think of the Season 5 premiere of “Fire Country”? Did that shooting take you completely by surprise? Did you also pick up on (apparently nonexistent) flirty vibes between Bode and CJ? And do you think Manny should keep an open mind with Angel? Grade the episode in our poll below, then drop a comment with your full review.