Fire Country Season 2 Episode 6 Review: Alert the Sheriff

Fire Country Season 2 Episode 6, “Alert the Sheriff,” directly tackles the issue of rehabilitation, highlights the importance of a found family, and answers one of the season’s most burning questions.

It’s rare when a series continues to keep momentum week after week, but Fire Country has proven that it’s not impossible.

You’re Not the Father

While it may not happen until toward the end of the episode, the revelation that Bode is, in fact, not Genevieve’s father is heartbreaking.

Bode has been fighting tooth and nail to try and get his life on track since the realization that he could be a father, and now all the progress he’s made could be jeopardized. Part of me would like to believe it’s not likely that he will go off the rails after learning the truth, but it perfectly fits his character to do so.

Despite being a devastating moment for the entire Leone family, it’s wise that the series didn’t save this moment for the next episode. It not only rounds out the hour with an appropriate conclusion for the subject matter tackled.

Plus, revealing the paternity test results now allows Fire Country to do with Bode what it did with Cara’s death: move past it. If we can see a month-long time jump in between episodes after that, we can certainly see the same for better character growth, especially since the season is quickly coming to an end.

Three Rock in Trouble

“Alert the Sheriff” directly addresses the widely controversial topic of inmate rehabilitation. It’s nothing unusual for the series as it’s a concept Fire Country is built around, but this episode takes that topic and thrusts it face-first at the audience.

The thought that someone is inherently evil or not able to change all because they’re in prison is a mindset that too many people have.

Yes, there are obviously those with more violent crimes than others who don’t deserve to see the light of day. Still, for people like Cole, who accidentally killed someone in an act of defense, there needs to be further conversation about rehabilitation.

Even though Rudy wasn’t the one who killed the sheriff or deputy, his escape is enough to instill fear amongst the residents of Edgewater, leading to a petition being filed to disband Three Rock.

Manny to Eve: We gotta flip the narrative; make them proud to be associated with people who are fighting to turn their lives around. Three Rock doesn’t make this town dangerous. Three Rock makes this town great.

It’s unclear if this is something that we’ll see the show shove under the rug or if it will play a significant factor in the remaining episodes. Either way, imagining Fire Country without the Three Rock crew is hard.

Sisters Reunited

“Alert the Sheriff” also serves as the backdoor pilot episode for the brand-new untitled spinoff series for Fire Country that will star Morena Baccarin.

Baccarin makes her grand appearance as Sharon’s estranged sibling, Mickey, a Sheriff’s Deputy in Edgewater.

Even if a spinoff series is the sole reason for us being introduced to Sharon’s ex-step-sister, that doesn’t make it any less thrilling.

Watching Sharon and Mickey peel the layers on their relationship back like an onion throughout the hour is one of the more intriguing storylines we’ve been privy to. Learning about Mickey and how she was essentially ex-communicated from Sharon’s life is fascinating.

It’s hard to blame the trajectory of one’s life on a family member, as Sharon does Mickey with Bode. Nonetheless, it does raise the question as to how Bode’s life might’ve turned out had his aunt been more caring and attempted to help rather than throwing him in jail. That one moment could have been the moment that saved him from a life in prison, but thanks to Mickey and Sharon’s animosity toward one another, Bode was given no chance.

By the end, the two have made peace with one another’s decisions, coming together to comfort Bode in his time of need as he learns that Gen isn’t his daughter.

I hope this isn’t the last we see of Mickey this season.

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“Alert the Sheriff” is a thought-provoking hour of intense drama, action, and noteworthy moments. It’s hard to believe that the season is already more than halfway over, but with the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, it’s no surprise that programming was cut short this TV season.

Hopefully, Fire Country will return to its glory days of having twenty episodes when it returns for Season 3. That way, we can spend more time with these characters and reflect on their current standing.

With a highly cut-down season, the series has attempted to keep its focus on the most notable storylines, achieving the feat for the most part. However, Manny’s lack of screen time or a clear-cut storyline is disappointing.

It’s also troubling that the series made a big deal out of Gabriella’s brand-new relationship for the season, and we’ve hardly seen their relationship blossom on screen. Granted, I believe she should end up with Bode anyway, but if we’re going to have her be engaged the entire season, it would be nice to see the fiance for more than five minutes for three episodes.

The most we’ve seen of Diego is on “This Storm Will Pass,” and it’s evident that was only to push Bode’s storyline further.

Stray Thoughts:

• Gabriella might be happily committed, but you can’t convince me that she doesn’t look at Bode like she’s secretly still in love with him at the end of the episode. Despite my admiration for Rafael de la Fuente, I’m patiently waiting for Diego and Gabriella to call it quits.
• Eve and Manny joking around at the beginning of the episode is some of the best light-hearted fun, and I need more of it.

What did you think of this episode of Fire Country? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Fire Country airs Fridays at 9/8c on CBS.

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