Season 3, episode 1 of Fire Country ends on a cliffhanger, with an explosion occurring at the crash site seconds before the credits roll. Bode and Gabriela spend the premiere tending to an injured pilot in the woods, while Jake attempts to save Genevieve and Rick back at Smokey’s Tavern. The out-of-control helicopter crashed into the roof, leaving them trapped, injured, and on borrowed time. Also on the scene is Eve, who’s surprised to learn that Gen may be Rick’s biological daughter.
Following their rescue, actor Jules Latimer explains that her character feels for Jake and the complicated situation he ends up in. However, Eve will do what she can to stay neutral and provide the best possible advice given the circumstances. Latimer continues on to share her excitement about Eve’s upcoming storyline and its inclusion of her real-life experience. She reveals that the new episodes will provide long-awaited answers about the firefighter’s past, including why Eve chose to become a first responder.
Screen Rant interviews Latimer about the events of the premiere, Eve’s backstory and her focus on Three Rock, and Jared Padalecki’s new role in Fire Country season 3.
Latimer Shares First Reaction To The Fire Country Season 3 Premiere Script
“Oh, we’re really coming in with a bang.”
What were your initial thoughts when you read the season 3 premiere script?
Jules Latimer: I was like, “Oh, we’re really coming in with a bang.” First of all, I didn’t know we were going to do a direct pickup, so that was a bit of a shocker. And then to see the helicopter crash, I was like, “You know it’s Fire Country because it can’t just be a wedding.” It has to be us having to rescue and save a bunch of people. I was really thrilled and excited.
Season 3 brings a lot of changes. How does Bode being a free man affect Eve’s storyline?
Jules Latimer: It’s actually kind of weird because, on a production side, I don’t see Max anymore. So whenever I do see him, I’m like, “Oh, wow. You’re not in my camp anymore.” We have a lot to catch up on when we have scenes together. They rearranged a lot of people. The first episode was a little weird. It was a bit of a reunion because I got to spend time with Sharon and Vince and Gabriela because we’re running and trying to save people, but it has everybody a bit scrambled.
When we first shot the episode and got back from hiatus, it was just like, “All systems go.” We’re just saving people, and I don’t think anybody has a chance to catch up to what’s going on. We’re all pulled into a lot of different directions. Eve is at the helicopter crash, then I go to Smokey’s, and then I’m with Jake, and then there’s Rick and Genevieve. Everybody’s trying to solve so many issues, and it was kind of chaotic.
Fire Country Season 3 Will Reveal More About Eve’s Backstory
“You get a lot of information about why she chose this career path and why she’s invested in Three Rock.”
Eve is with Jake for the events of 301, and they see a new side of Rick. Do you think he surprised them at all?
Jules Latimer: From the time that we grew up, Rick was just not a great guy. And then to see his relationship with Genevieve when they’re trapped—I think I really feel for Jake. He’s going through so much and that’s my best friend, and I’m just really there to support. So I don’t know. I had a myriad of emotions, and it is really just feeling for all the people around me and getting to know Rick. I’m sort of just fielding a lot of people’s emotions and being a sense of support for folks.
Jake isn’t enthusiastic about Rick potentially being Gen’s father. Now that Eve has been looped into everything, what would you say her thoughts are as Jake’s best friend?
Jules Latimer: It’s such a complicated situation. In subsequent episodes, we’re both trying to work through him being a father figure, which is weird for all of us. I just really feel for my friend. I feel like he’s in such a complicated situation. Like you feel for any friend that has to go through something that’s really tough, it’s hard for me to get my emotions involved in it, and I’m just trying to stay as neutral and give him the best advice that I possibly can.
Season 2 set up a lot for Eve with her work and her focus on Three Rock. How do you feel about your character’s progression going into this new batch of episodes?
Jules Latimer: I’m super excited because the theme of the season is “legacy”, so we get a lot of character-driven work. It’s not necessarily evident in the first episode, but we do get to learn a lot about Eve’s background, her family, and why she’s so into being a firefighter. It clears up a lot of things for me as an actor because I didn’t know what her background was.
We have a lot to look forward to in that. I think the theme for this episode is just family. These are firefighters that sacrifice their lives in order to save other people’s lives, but we don’t really know that much about their lives. You get a lot of information about why she chose this career path and why she’s invested in Three Rock and the way that she is.
We had such a short season last season, so I feel like we actually get a chance to round out all the characters, which is really thrilling. We’re going to get a lot on Eve. We actually just wrapped a couple episodes that are very heavy on her backstory, and it was very emotional. I’m really excited for people to see it.
Eve’s Backstory Is Inspired By Latimer’s Own Life
“I got to meet with the writers right before we started the season, and I talked about things that I was excited about showcasing.”
Is there a storyline that you would like to see explored for Eve that the show hasn’t had a chance to dive into yet?
Jules Latimer: Yeah, it’s funny because I got to meet with the writers right before we started the season, and I talked about things that I was excited about showcasing, and I was like, “I really want to showcase the fact that she’s a country girl.” I personally am from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and when I got the opportunity to do this show and in getting to know Max, I was like, “We’re both two people that are from the country, and I don’t think we have a lot of visuals on Black people in farms or ranches.”
“I think it would be really cool to see Eve—maybe she’s on a horse, maybe we see her on a farm. Maybe we see the things that tie her to small-town country values or things that she grew up with and that’s all that she knows.” Luckily enough, that happens this season, and we get a chance to see her relationship develop with an ex that comes into the scenario. You get to see what ties her to the town, and I’m really thrilled about that.
Fans are so excited that Jared Padalecki is joining Fire Country season 3. Does Eve get to interact with his character?
Jules Latimer: We do. We have a really beautiful episode together, and even his introduction is pretty incredible to the season. It’s very shocking, and we’re all just sort of like, “Who is this guy?” We have to deal with a whole fire that happens in a forest together. Just as a person, he is such a great guy. I’ve always been a fan of Jared. I had such a great time working with him.
He’s amazing. I just didn’t realize all the things that he’s done. I’m a Gilmore Girl, but just catching up with him and getting to know about him, his family, he is such a great guy. Him and Max are really great friends. We have such a familial environment on set, so it’s always great to have new people. Jared is extremely welcomed at Fire Country. He’s really phenomenal.
About CBS’ Fire Country
Inspired by series star Max Thieriot’s experiences growing up in Northern California fire country
FIRE COUNTRY stars Max Thieriot (SEAL TEAM) as Bode Leone, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region.
It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began. Years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.