After three fiery episodes and one mediocre one, Fire Country settles into its regular rhythm in this episode.
Fire Country Season 4 Episode 5, “Happy First Day, Manny,” features all the classic themes the show is known for — strained relationships, unique and thrilling emergencies, Bode, and some mystery.
The underwhelming developments in Fire Country Season 4 Episode 4 elevate this one, but it stands out in its own right. It’s Manny’s first day as Battalion Chief, and with that comes some adjusting from all corners.
I wasn’t elated with how Manny became chief, but it wasn’t because of his ability to do the job; it was because it felt contrived.
But whether I like it or not, that’s the new reality for the show and the characters.
Manny’s First Day Brings Growth and Chaos
To highlight how abrupt the transition is, no one has had the time to adjust when the episode begins. To Eve, this is always the Manny she’s always known. However, she does try to recognize his new role. With time, it’ll stick, and Chief Perez will roll off the tongue easily.
Despite having his heart broken by not becoming BC, Jake adjusts, as he has always done.
Fire Country has always mistreated two characters: Jake and Gabriela. This is because of their proximity to Bode, who can never stop himself from abusing and misusing the people who like him.
With Gabriela gone, Jake is left as the punching bag, but we have seen some changes this season. He refuses to dim himself for the fear of upsetting Bode.
He continues on this trajectory in the episode by telling Bode some truths, however uncomfortable those truths may be. And props to Bode because he listens and plans on adjusting. That’s progress coming from Bode.
However, I’ve always felt that their “friendship” and “brotherhood” were just ideas on paper. We have heard a lot about how close they were when they were younger, but we’ve never seen it.
It causes me second-hand embarrassment to see Jake try to rekindle a connection that may no longer exist. Seeing him try to maintain a cordial relationship with Bode and calling him “B” is painful.
People grow up and apart; that’s a fact of life. What worked as children might not work anymore because people change. Trying to maintain childhood friendships can be exhausting; I’ve done it, and I wouldn’t recommend it. But maybe Jake is a better man than I.
We’ve seen this dance before, where they seem like things are getting better, only for Bode to get triggered by something or another and fly off the handle. The fact that Bode has moved back in with Jake does not inspire confidence about the future of this friendship.
The question becomes: how long will it take before they’re at odds again? When that happens, it’ll become another cycle in this oscillating storyline that offers no progress.
However, the show is making progress with many of its storylines, especially with Vince’s death.
I admire how the writers have handled this by keeping his memory alive through the characters without pushing it down the viewer’s throat. Whether it’s the shot of the empty locker space with his name tag, or Sharon’s struggles with change after she’d gotten used to him so much, or even (and it hurts me to write this) Bode’s misguided missions.
It makes the loss feel real without stagnating the story, something that has been happening on 9-1-1 since Bobby Nash’s death.
Three Rock Needs to Stay Closed
Nonetheless, that’s not to say the show isn’t trying to get stuck in the past; a good example is the Three Rock storyline.
I’m not a fan of reopening the camp because, at this point in the show, it doesn’t do it any service. It’s just another plot that takes away from developing all the characters and staging amazing emergencies.
Their desire to keep this storyline going underscores a fundamental problem with Fire Country and Eve, where they have never known what to do with her.
Season 3 was a significant turning point for her, as it saw her personal life unfold, including her romance with Francine and the strained family relationship with her father.
Instead of digging deeper, the writers want to saddle her with Three Rock and move on from her personal life. For a show about life-threatening emergencies, this feels like the beginning of torturing the character.
For example, what’s with the chicken in the firehouse? That was an unusual way of introducing potential solutions to the budget issue plaguing the reopening of the fire camp.
The problem is that I don’t buy it. Having chickens produce eggs would offset the budget by $20,000, but is that sustainable?
Anyone who has reared chickens can tell you that it’s not as easy as it seems. They don’t feed on empty air, live on trees, and lay huge eggs. Chickens require attention like any other domestic animal.
Add Eve’s proposal of arable farming to the mix, and that camp will no longer be about fighting fires; it’ll be a full-time farm. But what do I know? I’ve never run an inmate fire camp.
Gut Check
“Happy First Day, Manny” is like every episode of Fire Country, but with some progressive storylines. It’s everything good about the show packaged inside an hour, and as a result, it becomes an entertaining watch. It’s good, but it’s not bold. And in a season that promised upheaval, that feels like a letdown.
Stray Observation
- I love it when Bode saves the moment. How could a dozen firefighters catch one chicken without his talents?
- I just know Bode was dying to be the moment’s hero and bring down the drive-in theater’s screen. He will never forgive Jake for driving that truck so well.
- The cliffhanger hints at the appearance of Sharon’s mother, and she’s already interesting without having a single scene. Can’t wait to meet her!
- So Richards and James are gone just like that?
Over to you, Fire Country fanatics. What did you think of the episode? Do you like Manny as the new BC? Is Three Rock worth reopening, or has it run its course?
Drop a line in the comments section. It’s always fun to read another perspective.
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