Spoilers for Season 3, Episode 2 of Fire Country are ahead! You can stream the episode right now with a Paramount+ subscription, and catch new ones as they air on the 2024 TV schedule every Friday on CBS at 9 p.m. ET.
There’s a big elephant in the room when it comes to Season 3 of Fire Country: Manny is on a mission to make sure Bode and Gabirela don’t end up back together. It was a semi-shocking and passionate revelation, and when I asked Max Thieriot about it, he surprised me by saying he thought Kevin Alejandro’s character was “looking out for” his daughter and Bode by saying it. Now, after watching Episode 2, I agree with both Manny’s declaration and Thieriot’s thoughts on why his mentor was in the right.
What Max Thieriot Told Me About Manny’s Drive To Make Sure Bode And Gabriela Don’t End Up Together
During Fire Country’s Season 3 premiere, there was a big confrontation between Gabriela and Diego, as he called out her feelings for Bode. It was rightfully done, as the two exes do need to sort out their complicated emotions for each other. However, on top of that, Manny declared to Sharon and Vince that they needed to make sure their kids didn’t end up together.
That seemed dramatic. However, it actually makes a lot of sense, because Manny cares so deeply for both Bode and Gabriela, as Max Thieriot told me during an interview for CinemaBlend:
I think it was a lot because, I think while Manny has always been such a big supporter and advocate for Bode, I think that he really does know what's best for both of them. I think that because he's been there, because he's walked in those shoes and has lived this life, I think that he knows how much work Bode needs to do on himself. And so I think that, while it might come off as being maybe harsh [and like] he doesn't have Bode’s back, and he's just looking out for his daughter. I think he really does; he's looking out for the two of them. I think it comes off as being a bit harsh, but I think he really does have their best in mind.
Now, at the time, I didn’t quite agree with Thieriot, though I could see where he was coming from. However, after seeing Episode 2 of Fire Country’s junior season and realizing the drama and secrets already plaguing Bode and Gabriela, I think both he and Manny made great points that should be listened to.
After Episode 2, I Think Both Manny And Max Thieriot Are 100% Right
In Episode 2 of Fire Country, it’s revealed that on the helicopter job, Bode and Gabriela broke protocol by hiding their patient's allergy identification tag to protect Gabriela’s job and cover her mistake. It’s also announced that she broke up with Diego. That is some shaky, shaky ground to start a relationship on.
So, yeah, things should not get romantic between these two yet, they have far too much to work through.
On top of that, they have their own personal hurdles to get over before they start worrying about each other. Bode is working to live up to the Leone legacy and transition into his life as a free man and (hopefully) a firefighter. Meanwhile, Gabriela just went through a break-up, and Manny is headed back to Three Rock after getting into legal trouble last season.
As Thieriot explained, Manny knows exactly what Bode is going through (and is going through it himself again), and he wants him to find and maintain success as a free man. He also wants to protect his daughter who is emotionally vulnerable right now for lots of reasons. So, at the moment, a relationship between Bode and Gabriela isn’t set up for success, and therefore shouldn’t happen, as Kevin Alejandro's character said.
Now, the question centers around whether Sharon and Vince can live up to Manny’s request and keep the two apart, and we’ll get to see how that shakes out as Fire Country continues to air its third season on CBS.
