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The identity of the infamous arsonist was revealed on Fire Country Season 1 Episode 17 while Jake, after feeling the pressure of being wrongly accused, confronted his demons.
To say this was a packed episode would be a huge understatement. It served a twist with a storyline we thought we had figured out, explored trauma from multiple angles, and brought two people closer.
It didn’t come as a surprise that Colin/Alex was the arsonist because it had been teased for so long; many viewers had almost figured it out. The twist about who he was and how he managed to slither into 42 made for a more exciting hour of television.
To kick off, the investigator landed, rope in hand, ready to drag someone out. The person we met in this episode differed greatly from the one on Fire Country Season 1, Episode 9.
There was something to be admired about how she dug her foot down this time. How she handled the investigation into the bridge rescue left a lot to be desired, and it was great to see that was not how she usually works.
Investigator: The department is on the hunt for a serial arsonist. And we’ve narrowed the search down to this department.
Eve: You think one of us is a firebug?
Jake was the primary suspect, and despite Sharon’s best efforts to disbelieve it, all evidence seemed to be pointing toward him.
The whole thing was not easy to pick a side because, on the one hand, evidence is the only thing we can trust more than anything else, but on the other hand, they know Jake. Even if there was a solid basis to believe Jake was not the arsonist, it was still disappointing to see people he considered family waver in their conviction.
Why? One mistake and lie I made as a kid makes me an arsonist. Negates all the trust I’ve built with you.
Jake
A lot was at stake for him. Not only did he risk prosecution because arson is treated as a grave criminal offense, but it also went without saying that he would lose his career. Everything he’d worked for will go down the drain just like that!
To compound the loss, his entire life revolves around being a firefighter. They are his friends, family, and neighbors. When he realized he wasn’t getting any support from them then, he felt like he’d lost them. That was what made him feel lonely.
Jake: Everything I’ve done to protect this house and everyone in it. To look up today to see no one had my back? I’ve never felt so alone in my life.
Bode: You have a brother in me. Always.
Even after the real arsonist was caught, the feeling didn’t just go away. It will take time before he can forgive Sharon and Vince for suspecting him, but they shouldn’t expect that to happen soon. It might never happen. Trust is a two-way street, and Jake’s had been violated.
Talking to Bode helped. It was the only way he could decipher his feelings and make sense of where his insecurities came from.
Gabriela was also feeling insecure.
It was evident when she tried to set the ladder within the required time but kept coming short. Later, she tried to save the kid but came out empty-handed. Normally when a firefighter goes in to save a person, the moment is elevated by success. She didn’t get that.
Noboy is looking at you, Gabs. Everyone is inside their own story.
Eve
Gabriela lives in her head too much, and Eve’s advice was something she needed to hear.
The advice is quite applicable in real life, and in all honesty, we could use it. We sometimes get concerned with what other people think about us, and we forget that they are also dealing with their problems and could care less about ours.
No one thinks about you or your shortcomings; if they do, it must be love.
The case of Colin being the arsonist was a curious one. The writers could have resolved it without thickening the narrative, but if there is anything we have come to expect about FIre Country, they don’t do lazy.
Eve: Probie?
Vince: I thought you were off shift?
Alex: I was close. I thought you could use the help.
Sadly, there is not a shortage of people with hero complexes. Most first responders get a kick out of rushing toward danger and emerging unscathed or alive, but they don’t manufacture the emergency to massage their ego.
The case was almost similar to the one from 9-1-1 Season 5 Episode 17, where a guy had gotten addicted to playing a hero since he was a kid. He grew up to become a first responder but to milk the situation for all it was worth; he would put patients to the brink of death only to bring them back to life.
I wondered how they didn’t smoke Alex out when he first joined, but his cover was pretty solid. How he came up with pretending to be a son of a legendary firefighter will forever remain a mystery. He appeared quite smart, but too bad he used his brains for the wrong thing — such a tragedy.
Guns as weapons are the leading cause of death among children and teenagers, surpassing car accidents. The conversation around guns mostly centers on the victims who have passed on, but rarely is the trauma associated with experiencing a gun-related incident.
Watching someone die within seconds is not a simple thing. The fact that Danny didn’t get mental support from his mom after watching his dad die was baffling.
But what would you expect from someone who holds weekend “hunting” with an arsenal worthy of a police station in her house? No one should be able to own assault weapons, is a common consensus, but even having five guns should not be normal.
That situation put firefighters’ lives at risk. That woman should have been charged with something.
“A Cry for Help” was a great episode. It was fast-paced throughout, with some good advice and even better emergencies.
Jordan Calloway got the opportunity to showcase his prowess as an actor without playing the hurt lover or angry guy, and he knocked it out of the park. The scene in which Jake opens up to Bode about his past is easily my favorite of the season.
What did you think?
Were you satisfied with the way the arsonist plot was resolved?
Do you think Bode and Jake would thrive if they were brothers instead of rivals?
Let us know in the comments section.
You can watch Fire Country online via TV Fanatic.
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.