Summary
The first major casualty inFire Countryturns out to be a blessing in disguise for TV’s number 1 show during the 2023-2024 season. CBS' firefighting procedural premiered in 2022 and quickly became a hit for the network. BeingMax Thieriot’s TV comeback after departingSEAL, there is much fanfare on the show, despitecriticisms about how accurateFire Countryis. Beyond its main premise, which is seeing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection aka Cal Fire respond to various fire threats in their area, the main draw of the show lies in its characters.
Admittedly,Fire Country isn’t exactly a critical darlingdespite its viewership success. It ranks 19th in ratings, raking in more than 7.3 million viewers per week on average. This makes it more popular than small-screen institutions like bothLaw & Order season23 andLaw & Order: SVUseason 25, as well asGrey’s Anatomyseason 21. Despite issues with its storytelling, death is part of its narrative, considering its premise. With that,Fire Countryseasons 1 and 2 have had some big losses, but the firefighter procedural’s first major casualty happened towards the end of its debut year.
Fire Country Season 2 Finale Set Up Bode’s Best Season 3 Future
The Fire Country season 2 finale ended unexpectedly for Max Thieriot’s Bode, but the episode also perfectly set up the character for season 3.
Fiona Rene’s Rebecca Is The First Major Death In Fire Country
Rebecca Dies While The Team Rescues Eve
Due to the nature of their job, Cal Fire participants risk their lives every day in the name of service. So, deaths are to be expected inFire Country. That said, the CBS police procedural has been able to get away with just a couple of major casualties in the show thus far — something that can change as the stakes of its storytelling get higher moving forward.Fire Country’s first big death is Fiona Rene’s Rebecca Lee,Bode Leone’s fellow inmate firefighter who also served as a member of Three Rock.
The character’s prominence in theNorth California-setFire Countrywas ramped up towards her death. During a joint mission with Black Creek, she is accidentally hit by a fallen tree in the abdomen during the team’s efforts to rescue the injured Eve Edwards. While Bode and the rest are able to still rush her to the hospital, she eventually dies after her spleen ruptures.
Rebecca’s Fire Country Death Allows Her To Move To Tracker
Tracker Cast Rene As Reenie Greene
Rebecca’s death inFire Countryis tragic, but off-screen, it is a blessing in disguise for Rene. Because of this, the actor is able to become a part ofTracker’s cast. Justin Hartley’s newest TV series ranks the number 1 most-watched show during the 2023-2024 season, averaging almost 11 million viewers every week. InTracker, Rene plays Reenie Greene, the lawyer ally of Hartley’s"rewardist,“Colter Shaw. The actor has appeared in multiple episodes during its debut year, but she is expected to be more involved in the upcoming season.
While being part of a very successful show likeFire Countryis not shabby,Fiona’s role as Rebecca was rather small compared to the one she now plays inTracker. Aside from being Colter’s go-to for anything related to legal matters, there’s also a possibility that they eventually develop a romance down the road, which would only expand her involvement in CBS' latest procedural. Overall, both shows benefit from Rebecca’s death. The incident re-established the stakes ofFire Country. Meanwhile, it leads toTrackereventually casting Rene as Reenie.
Fire Country
Fire Country follows Bode Donovan, a young convict seeking redemption by joining a firefighting program in his Northern California hometown. Working alongside elite firefighters, Donovan and fellow inmates strive to control massive wildfires in the region while navigating personal challenges and community dynamics.
Tracker
Tracker follows lone-wolf survivalist Colter Shaw as he navigates the country as a reward seeker. Utilizing his expert tracking skills, he aids private citizens and law enforcement in solving various mysteries while grappling with issues from his fractured family.
