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:
The San Quentin team, they were very curious and asking about the strike, and they said, we’re super supportive of you guys. That’s a population that, network television is very important to them; they don’t have Amazon and Netflix. A couple of guys watch the show; they were fans and really appreciated our intention of showing the family stories and the humanity.
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:
The fact that we were all talking to each other allowed us to hear rumors and immediately tamp them down. For example, when somebody, Variety maybe, put out an article saying, oh, all the showrunners think that this whole idea of minimums is ridiculous, we were able to mobilize 400 showrunners to say, no, no, we all agree. We all agree that it’s a good thing.
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.