It looks like CBS is going to be hot with fire shows, because, on top of Fire Country, it's developing another new series about firefighters. As the 2024 TV schedule really kicks into high gear, and CBS gets ready to launch its third season of Fire Country, they also announced that a new fire drama from Damon Wayans Jr. is in the works. While that’s all very exciting, it does have me wondering how it will impact the spinoffs being created around Max Thieriot’s hit drama.
CBS Is Developing A New Fire Drama Called Ten House
Over at CBS, they’re developing a new firefighter drama called Ten House with Damon Wayans Jr. and his production company Two Shakes Entertainment, TV Line reported. The series is set in the New York City Fire Department's Ten House, which is right across the street from the World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan.
According to the show’s synopsis, it will follow “two rookies” who are children of 9/11 first responders. The series is about them as they “grapple with their legacies” and navigate “burgeoning feelings toward one another.” It also noted that the supporting characters will be the “formidable veterans” who make up Ten House, and it will follow the crew as they respond to high-stakes emergencies in New York City.
So, while it’s another fire drama for CBS, it is notably very different from Fire Country. That’s because while Ten House is a metropolitan show, the other fire series takes place in a rural town and is about the fire department and inmate camp who work together to deal with everything from wildfires to electrical disasters in Edgewater.
However, I do have questions about how Ten House will impact Fire Country’s expansion plans.
How Will This Impact Fire Country’s Spinoffs?
At the moment, Fire Country has one confirmed spinoff, Sheriff Country, and it’s set to premiere on the 2025 TV schedule. On top of that, news came out last month that Jared Padalecki would be joining FC for three episodes, and there’s potential for that to turn into a spinoff.
Adding Ten House into CBS’s programming makes for an overwhelming amount of content that could be centered around fire. Already, the network’s slate is pretty full – at the moment Fire Country is scheduled between S.W.A.T. and Blue Bloods – and I’m not sure how three potential shows (all of which deal with similar-ish issues) could fit into one schedule. Obviously, a lot can be canceled and added in a given year. However, at the moment I’m not sure how the world of Edgewater can expand when shows within its wheelhouse are also in the works.
Of course, there’s always the chance Fire Country’s off-shoots or Ten House could go to Paramount+ instead. It’s by no means unheard of. For example, while NCIS and the majority of its spinoffs air on CBS, its upcoming series NCIS: Tony and Ziva will only be available with a Parmount+ subscription. Also, over in the NBC world, while you can watch Law and Order: SVU on the network, its sister series Organized Crime became a Peacock exclusive during Season 5.
So, I guess what I’m saying is it’s possible to have all these fire shows, I mean they have proven to be popular. However, there’s no doubt that it feels like a saturated market, and I’m curious to see how CBS handles it.
Will they all air on live TV? Will Fire Country expand with Paramount+ exclusives? Will Ten House overtake one of the spinoffs or vice versa for a timeslot? It’s hard to tell, but as we learn more about all these shows, we’ll keep you posted!
