When Fireplace Nation Season 1 Episode 22 aired means again in Could of 2023, its controversial conclusion left followers divided.
The debut season of the hit CBS drama dragged its protagonists via hell and delivered some surprisingly satisfying character arcs — just for the season finale to deliver us proper again to the place Bode Leone’s story started:
Bode’s determination to take the autumn for a drug ring landed him again behind bars and left viewers with the sensation that Fireplace County Season 2 may wind up rehashing the redemption narrative the present already explored in Season 1.
So, after a a lot longer-than-usual hiatus owing to the writers’ and actors’ strikes, did Fireplace Nation Season 2 Episode 1 discover a strategy to hold issues recent?
Nicely, the opening scene whips us round — is Bode a free man already?! Has he earned his father’s approval?! — earlier than revealing that we’re within the well-trodden territory of the dream sequence.
Bode is not a free man, we study, and is as a substitute six months into a brand new and undeserved jail sentence.
Fortunately, he is earned a little bit of belief, and former skeptics like Manny Perez now understand that Bode is an effective man who’s made some unhealthy choices (most just lately, confessing to a criminal offense he did not commit).
A go to with Manny and Vince tidily supplies some much-needed exposition as we study that not solely is Bode again within the slammer, however he is been choosing fights with the aim of being positioned in Aspen Block, residence of probably the most violent offenders.
His aim is to get to his nemesis Sleeper earlier than Sleeper will get to him.
From there, we’re reminded of how a lot this present has taken on plot-wise, as Eve Edwards lays the smackdown on a prisoner in her new place of authority, and Jake and Cara talk about the truth that Bode is Genevieve’s dad.
Season premieres are second solely to sequence premieres relating to the unlucky necessity of info-dump scenes, however this episode proved surprisingly deft at bringing us up to the mark with out feeling like a Wikipedia web page.
There is a satisfying thematic connection between adjoining scenes, as back-to-back conversations remind us that Bode and Jake Crawford have a number of exes in frequent.
Sure, Gabriela Perez has lastly given up on Bode — sarcastically, simply as her dad grew to become one among his greatest supporters.
Wildfires could be notoriously unpredictable, however they don’t have anything on the life and relationships of Bode Leone!
It is Manny who delivers the episode’s titular line, when he tells the remainder of the crew that “one thing’s coming” for Bode
Talking of unpredictable — how about an earthquake to liven issues up? And that is all earlier than the opening title card!
If the writers of Fireplace Nation heard the criticism that Season 1 was a bit too loaded with twists and turns that examined the bounds of credulity, they actually did not let it have an effect on their method.
However the present’s capability to maintain characters entrance and middle amid all of the pure disasters and motion sequences has additionally remained in place.
Manny bemoans his place as a demoted captain, and with out spelling it out for us, the scene highlights the methods through which his personal setbacks have made him extra sympathetic to Bode’s.
That scene results in one with a intelligent callback to the present’s sequence premiere, as Eve informs her Three Rock recruits that fires are named for his or her level of origin.
“So gents, welcome to Rancho Sequoia,” she tells her crew.
Eve and Jake each discover their new authority put to the take a look at in several methods, as he narrowly saves his group from a propane explosion, and she or he’s confronted with the chance that she did the flawed factor by sending an in a position firefighter again to jail for a minor offense.
It is then that the long-awaited return of Sharon Leone — full with new kidney — reminds us why she’s change into one of many sequence’ most beloved characters.
Her ardour for preventing fires stays undiminished, however her love for her son, we study, has been dampened by his newest setbacks.
The a number of reassurances that Bode wasn’t harmed within the quake are sarcastically contrasted with scenes through which he treats his personal stab wound utilizing abilities he realized — the place else? — from his mother.
With the worst of the quake disaster over, the characters are free to debate their new roles.
Eve feels responsible about taking Manny’s job as captain; Gabriela is psyched about turning into a medic, and Vince and Sharon have traded locations on the subject of Bode.
Once more, it is lots of exposition, and lots of people saying precisely what’s on their thoughts in ways in which nobody ever does in actual life.
Fireplace Nation is often just a little higher at conveying info in a non-clunky trend, however we’ll give it a cross and chalk that awkwardness as much as a foul case of the season premieres.
Ensemble reveals have it robust typically.
Probably the most shocking of all these adjustments could be the truth that Gabriela is now in a relationship with newcomer Diego.
“Blissful four-month anniversary,” he coos, as if their kiss did not already ship the message that they are pretty severe.
Once more, the writers are guiding us by the hand rather a lot, however we’re hoping thatt’s a one-time deal.
It is then that Bode borrows his charismatic cellmate’s telephone (a cell telephone, you may say!) to name Manny, his former harshest critic.
Jake commandeers the decision to inform Bode that he is a dad, and whereas the second feels a bit soapy, maybe that tone was unavoidable beneath such melodramatic circumstances.
Talking of melodrama, how else may such an eventful episode finish than with a jail knife battle that is interrupted by an aftershock?
When the ceiling collapses on Sleeper, Bode acknowledges the chance to get his redemption arc again on observe, and he saves his enemy’s life in change for a promise to assist him clear his identify.
Yeah, it is one of many present’s most ridiculous deus ex machinas so far, but it surely nudges issues in a extra fan-friendly route by serving to transfer Bode again to the hearth camp.
After all, he is obtained issues on the surface — like an ex who cites his mother and father as the right couple in conversations together with her new dude.
Gabriela needs to marry Diego to allow them to be the following Vince and Sharon?
Does she know what Vince and Sharon have been via?!
Anyway, Bodie’s triumphant return to Three Rock is greater than a bit undermined by the information of Gabriela’s engagement, however his loss is our achieve, because the stakes could not be a lot larger as we delve deep into Fireplace Nation Season 2.
What did you suppose, Fireplace Nation fanatics? Was all of it a bit a lot? Are issues transferring too shortly? What do you suppose harm Bode extra, the knife in his aspect or the information about Gabriela?
Hit the feedback beneath to share your ideas!
Tyler Johnson is an Affiliate Editor for TV Fanatic and the opposite Mediavine O&O websites. In his spare time, he enjoys studying, cooking, and, in fact, watching TV. You may Follow him on X and electronic mail him right here at TV Fanatic.
