The Fire Country Team Had A Group Chat Going The Strikes, But Some Of Their Best Support Came From The Inmates Highlighted On The Show
Fire Country got support from its own team and inmates who are like the characters in the CBS hit.
Now that the WGA writers’ strike is officially over, rooms are reconvening, and work is starting on many beloved shows, including Season 2 of Fire Country. So, as the team gets working on the return to Edgewater, they opened up about the group chat they had during the strikes, and how some of their best support came from inmates, like the ones highlighted in Max Thieriot’s hit CBS drama.
Fire Country centers around Bode Donovan, an inmate who was sent to a fire camp in the hopes of shortening his prison sentence. During the strikes, David Gould, a co-executive producer on the show, took his son to San Quentin prison to play baseball with some of the inmates. While there, they spoke to a few people who were joining a fire program, like the one Thieriot’s character goes to. He elaborated on the experience, and why it was moving for him while talking to Deadline:
It’s well known that Fire Country is inspired by Max Thieriot’s own life experiences and a real fire he lived through. These programs, like Three Rock on the show, are also real. For this EP, getting to meet guys who watch the CBS hit and are living lives like the ones highlighted in the series was impactful.
Along with experiences like this that kept the team in good spirits and thinking about the show, co-creator Tony Phelan explained how they found support in group chats with other writers, directors and showrunners. Through that chat, they were able to speak about the ongoing strike, and work toward presenting as a united front because they were keeping each other informed and helping one another:
Then, another chat was created that included the Fire Country cast and executive producers. Through this message board, according to Phelan, they were able to coordinate and fundraise for their crew in Vancouver, Canada, where the show is filmed.
Even though the strike was hard on the writers, they were able to do so much good as the WGA worked to make a deal with the AMPTP. Between their group chats, and support from folks who have lived experiences like the firefighters in the show, it’s clear that this was a meaningful time for this team. Now, they are back at work, feeling supported and ready to write.
While Season 2 of Fire Country likely will not premiere on the 2023 TV schedule, it’s officially in the works and on its way. As we wait to see what happens next to Bode and co., you can stream Season 1 of the CBS hit drama with a Paramount+ subscription.
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Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.