Leslie Alejandro Steers Fire Country Season 3 Episode 14 Into Fresh Story Elements That Prove This Might Be the Best Season Yet

Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

4.5

No pun is intended when I say things on Fire Country are heating up.

Between Walter’s dementia, Gabriela’s journey, Bode’s drugs, and now these strange medical illnesses, the series is keeping the drama burning bright.

Since the show came back from its winter break, I have pointed out how the story has evolved from previous seasons.

Fire Country Season 3 Episode 14 felt like the culmination of everything the series has been trying to accomplish with Season 3.

The drama feels more organic and natural. The characters are becoming more layered and less one-dimensional. Best of all, the story has real stakes again rather than the “catastrophe of the week.”

By that, I mean Fire Country is returning to form and bringing back many of the elements that had us hooked during Fire Country Season 1 with arcs that are more plot than character-driven.

Even better, Walter’s storyline is both plot and character-driven because that old S.O.B. can’t get out of his own way.

The Most Realistic Part of Walter’s Struggle with Dementia Is His Stubbornness Towards Medical Advice

Listen, I feel for Water. I really do. My own grandfather went down the exact same path.

Anyone who has ever dealt with a loved one going through dementia knows the very unique and excruciating pain of the experience.

Watching someone you love lose parts of their memory and cognitive abilities is like watching them have parts of their life taken away.

It’s a very specific kind of heartbreak that can leave both people on either side of the situation feeling helpless. That said, there has to be a balance of tough love.

I know Walter is a stubborn old mule, but if he doesn’t do what he has to in order to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible, then someone will have to make him.

For crying out loud, Sharon even said Jeff Fahey’s (From Dusk Till Dawn) Walter is a big fan of red meat with a side of bacon.

However, there’s no judgment from me because there was a time when I was devouring a startling amount of bacon on a daily basis.

Thankfully, I came to my senses after a healthcare professional told me what I was doing to my arteries. So, I feel for Walter’s healthcare aide, Javi.

It’s astonishing how many people will brush off medical advice from trained professionals because they have the mindset that they’ve made it this far in life without depending on a doctor’s “nonsense.”

Sir (Walter), you are in this situation BECAUSE you’ve never listened to medical professionals. It’s time to put down the BBQ sauce and pick up something green and leafy.

That said, I applaud Fire Country for its accurate and rather poignant portrayal of the struggles associated with old age — and this episode was a two-for-one with the wellness check.

Leslie Alejandro Brought Incredible New Storytelling Elements to Fire Country for a Fresh and Terrifying Experience

Okay, right away, we have to give a big shout-out to Leslie Alejandro, Kevin Alejandro‘s wife, for doing a fantastic job directing this episode.

She brought in aspects of storytelling that have yet to be seen on Fire Country.

Was anyone sufficiently creeped out while Bode and Audrey were making their way through the patient Estelle’s house?

I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn’t the kind of show with jump scares.

It was truly incredible, considering this was Leslie Alejandro’s first time directing an episode of any kind.

Still, in true Fire Country fashion, anything that could go wrong absolutely did.

Seriously, is Edgewater cursed? Between the creepiness in this episode and the constant disasters, I’m starting to think the town was built on an ancient burial ground.

Not to mention the constant upheaval of everyone’s love lives. Now, there is this new guy, Finn, played by Blake Lee (Cruel Summer). The series isn’t even trying to segue him into being a new love interest for Gabriela.

That is precisely what Miss Perez does not need right now.

She has been doing so great focusing on herself and what she wants to accomplish. She does not need another guy, no matter how cute, distracting her again.

Also, is it me, or did Finn give the kind of vibes that he would see Gabriela more as a friend than a girlfriend — you know, in that brunching sort of way? Just me? My radar might be a little off.

Anyway, Gabriela needs to keep her eyes on the prize, and she definitely doesn’t need to be opening old Bode wounds.

Personally, I didn’t understand everyone acting like they knew Stephanie Arcila’s (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) Gabriela was still secretly harboring feelings for Bode. It really seemed like she had moved on.

She hasn’t interacted with Bode any differently than a regular friend would. If anything, she’s been less nosy, given how the Fire Country characters tend to be in each other’s business.

Also, why in the world would Gabriela choose to bring up her feelings and their history right after Bode had a scare with his grandfather?

Girl, read the room. The Leones don’t have time for your drama right now.

Besides, Bode has a new girl on his arm, and she is not nearly the mess that Gabriela was. However, that could be because Audrey already confronted the darkest part of her life.

Team Audrey Took a Bit of a Hit in This Episode with the Revelation of What “Jamesy” Went to Prison For

As I watched Audrey explain to Bode why she went to jail, all I could think was, “There are going to be so many viewers who hate her for this now.”

Listen, I get it. At first, I was like, “Okay. She stole a car. There are far worse things, and that’s what insurance is for anyway.”

Then she mentioned hearing the cry from the backseat, and guys, I audibly gasped. That was pretty tough to hear. The camera probably stayed on Leven Rambin’s (The Path) Audrey to avoid seeing Bode’s look of shock.

Here’s the thing, though: she immediately realized what she had done and confronted her actions in the moment.

She made a terrible mistake but took the time and did her duty to become the kind of woman she could face in the mirror.

So, I am still very much team Audrey, but, damn, that was pushing it.

However, that’s what I mean when I say that Fire Country Season 3 has ramped up the quality of the plots and overall writing.

It would have been very easy for the writers to give her some cut-and-dry felony, but they went the truly creative route, which incited an immediate reaction from us.

That’s the kind of writing that more broadcast TV shows need.

And now, we have this strange new arc involving Eve and Three Rock that had us at the edge of our seats, wondering, “What the heck is going on with these inmates?”

Fire Country Is Giving Audiences A Chance to Dive Down a Conspiracy Theory Hole That Is Just Too Mysterious Not to Throw a Million Questions At

CBS really is the place for some fun mysteries between Elsbeth and Matlock, but Fire Country isn’t taking the same whimsical or campy approach.

This new storyline involving Eve has me hooked because the setup was brilliant by breadcrumbing the audience into a possible conspiracy.

I’ve also mentioned in Fire Country Reviews that I could see Eve shouldering her own show, and for whatever reason, something about this new arc feels like it’s pointing in that direction.

Besides, how else would Manny return to being the captain of Three Rock if Eve still wears the helmet?

Speaking of Manny, what the hell is this sickness? Is it contagious? Is it a result of some kind of structural element at Three Rock?

Why did Birch’s sister suddenly change her mind about what happened to her brother? What could possibly be the reason for these strange occurrences of events?

Those aren’t rhetorical questions, either. Fire Country opened up the can for conspiracy theories, and I love a good deep dive into irrational thinking.

Especially since, on a show like Fire Country, whatever the reason, it’ll likely be the worst-case scenario. You know the writers aren’t about to give the characters a break from the drama.

Remember when Jake tried to give Sharon his liver, but he had a bad reaction to the anesthesia or whatever and became ineligible to donate on Fire Country Season 1 Episode 15?

Yeah, whatever the Fire Country writers cook up will be delicious with a big side of shock, especially since the next episode starts in the last quarter of CBS‘s Fire Country Season 3.

What do you think is happening at Three Rock with Birch and Manny’s mysterious illnesses?

How do you feel about the revelation of why Audrey went to jail?

Please drop a comment below to let me know, and join me again when I review another episode of Fire Country!

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