Manny’s Mystery Illness On Fire Country Is Bothering Me, So I Asked Kevin Alejandro Which Scenes We Should Focus On To Figure Out What Happened

Spoilers for Season 3, Episode 14 of Fire Country are ahead! You can catch up on the show with a Paramount+ subscription.

In the last episode of Fire Country to air on the 2025 TV schedule, the inmate Birch died of a mysterious illness. Then, one episode later, as Eve and Manny worked to figure out what happened, Kevin Alejandro’s character got sick too. Now, his character is in danger, and we don’t know why.

So, during an interview with Kevin Alejandro and the episode's director, Leslie Alejandro, I asked which scenes from Fire Country Season 3, Episode 14 we should pay extra attention to as we try to figure out what has plagued Three Rock.

Kevin Alejandro Said To Pay Attention To Eve And Manny’s Conversation With Birch’s Sister

When I asked the Manny actor which scene was the most important to pay attention to, he immediately noted the one where his character and Eve have a conversation with Birch’s sister. In it, they encourage her to get an autopsy done for her brother, however, she’s apprehensive because she’s not suspicious about why he died and really didn't think highly of him. Speaking about this moment, Kevin Alejandro told me:

In this scene, Manny advocates for Birch and notes that he was clean, working out, and doing well in his recovery. They’re deeply confused about why he died, noting that it happened out of the blue, and his sister ultimately agrees to the autopsy. That autopsy is key to the mystery, however, it didn’t happen because he was cremated before it could happen.

It’s later revealed that the DOC was surprised that the autopsy was blocked too. When Eve calls Birch’s sister, she cryptically responds by saying she asked for the cremation and she legally couldn’t talk about why…

And now that Manny is facing the same illness, the first conversation they had with Birch’s sister and her reaction to his cremation hints at a significantly larger and institutional problem.

We Should Take Note Of The Opening Scene In This Episode Of Fire Country

While the scene above might literally clue us into what is going on, the opening scene of this episode provides us with an idea of how Three Rock will handle the situation. In it, we see the inmates and Bode gathered around a memorial for Birch. They all added mementos to it, and then Eve’s voice plays over the scene, as she talks about how he was a good man who was working the program right.

It shows Three Rock is a united front when it comes to this issue, and Kevin Alejandro explained that to me, saying:

The Manny actor went on to say that Bode being there shows “how much respect there is in Three Rock” and how committed these men and Eve are to helping each other. Now, as we hopefully learn more about what’s making these men ill, this scene should serve as a reminder of how they’re ready and willing to help their own. As Alejandro told me, this moment “sets up what happens toward the end of the season.”

Here’s my takeaway from all of that: Three Rock is going to fight for their team, even if the system is trying to repress them. I think it’s going to be a problem that continues in Season 4 too, and the Manny actor confirmed that suspicion.

What’s Happening To Manny And The Inmates At Three Rock Will Be Important Moving Forward

Overall, Three Rock’s story is expanding with this mystery and highlighting a systemic issue regarding how these inmates are treated by everyone. Alejandro told me this is just the beginning of this arc, too, referring to Fire Country’s Season 4 renewal while explaining:

During a conversation with Eve in this episode, Bode tells her that “just because [Birch] was locked up doesn’t mean that he didn’t matter.” That idea permeated throughout the installment, and it’s been a big theme of this show. It sounds like it will be amplified, too, based on Alejandro’s comments.

So, as we move into the finale episodes of Fire Country’s third season, make sure to take notes of the scenes mentioned above. They should help solve the mystery surrounding this illness and highlight the commitment Three Rock has to saving and protecting each other and their program.