The annual Edge Water Fair turned disastrous on Fire Country Season 1 Episode 14, turning a regular day for the crew into an emergency.
Bode expressed nervousness about seeing former acquaintances for the first time in a while, while Rebecca shot her shot and missed.
Jake had his first date with Cara, and things ended on a high note with the promise of subsequent dates.
Feelings Gabriela thought she was over arose again, hindering her ability to do her job.
Our Fire Country Fanatics Jasmine, Dale, and Denis got together to discuss the episode’s biggest moments, including how the emergency made them feel, whether Eve would make a good captain, and whether they like Cara.
Bode expressed nervousness over attending the fair as he feared being bad-mouthed by his high school acquaintances. What do you think about this?
Jasmine: It sounds about right for Bode. It’s a small town and a big enough event where he would feel most on display and as if he has something to prove. And he was right about that. I understood that and probably would have been the same way.
Dale: I feel that’s only natural for someone with a checkered past, such as Bode. Small towns gossip. Bode would be a prime candidate about whom to gossip, the former baseball star who screwed up and got incarcerated.
And sure enough, he ran into a former teammate who felt Bode got the scholarship he should have gotten.
Denis: Small towns, am I right? They are some of the last places where people can’t keep their opinions close to their chest. Coupled with Bode’s almost impulsive nature to try and be liked by everyone, that was a bad situation for him.
I kind of felt bad for him. It was relatable on some level.
Rebecca tried to hit on Bode but failed. React!
Jasmine: I forgot about the Rebecca of it all, so when she was back, it threw me off. I’m not a big fan of when things predominantly take place offscreen, and that’s how it feels like Bode and Rebecca’s relationship was, so there was no investment.
I didn’t care for the plot. It sucked that she got rejected and didn’t like it, and it didn’t help that Bode and Gabriela kept making eyes at each other like Rebecca wasn’t there, but overall, I was disinterested in the ordeal.
Dale: It was good that Bode was upfront about how he felt. He and Rebecca had a one-night stand back when he was unattached. Now that he’s kind of with Gabriella, he nicely rebuffed Rebecca, and she naturally took that badly.
She came around by the episode’s end, understanding that Bode had moved on.
Denis: Who gets so attached after a one-night stand? Being in prison is not a good enough excuse. She initially annoyed me, but I sympathized with her when she revealed the source of her behavior.
Eve realized she might want to be a fire captain. Compare and contrast this with the other role she declined.
Jasmine: I think this is a much better fit for her because she gets to be part of the action and get that high and actually help. Eve genuinely cares and sees everyone she works aside, including the inmates, as colleagues, her team, and people.
She also has the leadership ability for the gig and understands how things can and should work.
Dale: Being a fire captain hit Eve differently than being an incident commander. She liked the idea of helping convicts such as Bode start a new chapter of their lives. And she was more involved with them than she would have been as an I.C.
She could see herself becoming a fire captain down the road.
Denis: You can’t keep Eve from the action, and you can’t deny she is a natural-born leader. Unlike being a chief, being a captain helps her utilize both qualities. She will make a great captain, I’m sure.
The episode was titled “A Fair to Remember.” What do you think you can’t forget about it?
Jasmine: Oof. That spin wheel ride going insane had me cringing. Stronger effects for this episode, and I was enthralled with the intensity of it all.
Dale: The search for the missing boy. It was frightening to think he had been tossed off that crazily spinning ride. It appeared that the fire crews’ hunt for him was bound to have an unhappy ending.
Fortunately, he landed in a perfect spot among those stuffed animals, and Bode could determine where he had gone to hide.
Denis: I keep thinking of being on that ride, the ride overspeeding and being tossed out. Even being on the ground and being trampled by all those scared people is scary. It was intense, as Jasmine put it.
Cara had much more screen time, and she is interested in Jake. What do you think of her? Did you like or hate her? Is she right for Jake?
Jasmine: Cara seems nice enough. She’s come in handy, and I like how well they find ways to incorporate her with her being a nurse. She’s fine. I don’t have strong feelings about her. She and Jake seem cute together, so good for them.
Dale: Unlike the absent Colin, I have nothing against Cara, about whom we know very little so far. Jake deserves someone to start again with after Gabriela decided to hook up with his former best friend, and he could do worse than Bode’s ex.
Sure, it’s awkward as hell, but there are only so many straight characters of a certain age to pair off on the series. Also, it never hurts to have another person with medical training on a show dealing with first-responder situations.
Denis: She looks like a nice gal. Considerate, strong, and hardworking. There is no reason to hate her. It was only the first date, so I’ll keep the verdict for a later time. She might turn out to be an organ thief; I don’t know.
What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline from the episode, and why?
Jasmine: I loved everything with Eve and Cap. Honestly, she’s the best character on this series, and I loved that Cap pointed out how Jake gets all the glory, but she’s quietly fantastic. It’s so true.
I’m glad they cleared the air, and he apologized when he realized he was being an ass and she genuinely wanted to help.
Dale: I enjoyed the scene when Gaby confessed to Sharon about her panic attacks and how they sabotaged her diving career. Up until now, Gaby had seemed like the perfect probie.
Now she has this flaw to deal with, and Sharon appears to want to help her conquer it.
Denis: Cara giving Jake a second date was the sweetest thing. It is not fair to judge people by their distant past actions as there is always room for growth.
Anything else, good or bad, you would like to point out about the episode?
Jasmine: I know it’s a revolving door of relationships and teases with all these “kids,” but Vince and Sharon will always be the blueprint. They’re such a great couple, and I don’t think any of the younger couples will ever have that same impact or level of interest.
I also loved the three-way hug. Sharon is getting her kidney!
Dale: I feel that poor Cap is walking a tightrope. He’s paranoid about anyone who shows an interest in him or his work. He must realize that there are people willing to help him and value the traits he brings to his job.
It’s OK to keep his private life private, but his frustrations are leaking out at people around him.
Denis: I’ve just realized Bode is written as a pep talk giver. He does that every episode. In this episode, he does it to Gabriela, and suddenly she gets over her anxiety. I feel that’s a cheap cop-out tactic the writers use when they don’t want to dig deeper.
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As always, you can watch Fire Country online anytime via TV Fanatic and check out the review for the episode if you haven’t already.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on Twitter.