As CBS releases its upcoming release dates, Fire Country is finally ready for a return. The hit show follows Max Thieriot’s Bode Leone, as he continues his journey as a California firefighter. While the Fire Country season 2 ending featured Bode’s early release from prison, season 3 will offer him the opportunity to finally join the firefighting force, if the government will just give him the chance. As Bode continues to struggle to join Cal Fire officially, the rest of the cast will have to reckon with relationship drama and Bode’s newfound freedom.
Season 3 is officially on the way, as CBS has released its Fall 2024 premiere dates (via Deadline). Fire Country season 3 will premiere on Friday, October 18 at 9 p.m. and will run as a typical hour-long episode. That marks a return to typical release times for the show, which ran from February 16 to May 17, 2024 in its sophomore season. The delay was largely driven by the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes of 2023.
What To Expect From Fire Country Season 3
Season 3 Will Be A Return To Form For Fire Country
Allowing the show to maintain its Friday 9 p.m. timeslot is a sign of CBS’ faith in Bode’s story, though the Sheriff Country spin-off was already a strong indicator. Its massive ratings jump in season 2 saw an average of nine million viewers for each episode, which is an impressive showing for the procedural. With its solid numbers, the show can continue to set up future seasons and will likely not have to worry about being unable to resolve any upcoming cliffhangers. Still, a larger span of the season will focus on resolving existing cliffhangers.
Bode continues to struggle with the reality of life as a California firefighter.
Bode chose not to profess his feelings for Gabriela in the finale, though the wedding’s conclusion remains ambiguous. If Gabriela married Diego, her love affair with Bode may be over, which would change the show forever. Bode would likely need to find a new love interest or risk alienating Diego and preventing Gabriela from enjoying her happy ending. The more pressing issue, however, is Bode’s employment. Bode is facing a real-world issue that inmate firefighters face, as he lacks the certifications to become a firefighter, and as such will need to break through bureaucratic red tape to achieve that goal.
From a practical standpoint, Fire Country will likely take longer to push through plot developments. After season 2’s limited 10-episode run, season 3 should see the show return to its 22-episode length from season 1. Without the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes preventing writers and actors from working on the show, there will be more time to develop the characters and more opportunities for Bode to struggle with his past. Character growth is sure to be more consistent, as Bode continues to struggle with the reality of life as a California firefighter.
Bode Is No Longer A Member of Cal Fire
Bode Will Still Struggle To Become A Full-Time Firefighter
The entire premise of Fire Country revolves around the fact that Bode is an inmate firefighter and is completely unable to achieve many of his goals because of it. Even in his most accomplished moments, Bode is always a prisoner of the state and remains with Cal Fire at the whim of prison officials. It has been an extremely restrictive element for his character and has always prevented him from seeking more from his various relationships, including his connection with Genevieve. Having finally been freed from prison, Bode will no longer be forced to spend his days struggling for freedom.
Fire Country’s depiction of Cal Fire is controversial, partly because of its portrayal of the drama and challenges in the lives of the inmates. The next season will likely only make the program more controversial, as Bode works to rush through the paperwork that will permit him to serve openly as an ex-inmate. There are considerable challenges for former members of the inmate Conservation (Fire) Camp Program, but the show will likely add drama to the bureaucratic process to make it more interesting for Bode and the rest of the cast, who can be seen in the table below:
Additionally, it is unlikely that Bode will be standing by the rest of Cal Fire initially. Instead, the firefighting-related content in the show must focus on the existing core Cal Fire cast. Bode may still try to tag along with his team, but the lack of appropriate paperwork will make that extremely unlikely and downright impossible. Once he officially joins the team, he will also have to reckon with changed dynamics. He will no longer be a prisoner when Fire Country returns, and the rest of the team will undoubtedly treat him differently after his heroic acts in season 2.