Even if networks don’t want to say it, crossovers are marketing events aimed at attracting viewers from different shows to boost ratings.
And you know what? This one has done its job because I’m now considering catching up on Sheriff Country after this 2-hour event.
Fire Country Season 4 Episode 13, “The Bravest,” concludes the second half by executing a tense rescue that tests everyone involved.
Finally, all the characters who had been left out in Sheriff Country Season 1 Episode 13, “The Finest,” get a chance to shine, even though some of them, like Jake, do the opposite.
The fact that this saga starts in Sheriff Country means that we have to revisit events from the show because that’s where the strengths and weaknesses begin.
The case this hour tries to blend in law enforcement and firefighting with mixed results. The crime part of it is the lowest part of the story because it just doesn’t make sense on many levels.
Cops seem to be landing on clues or convenient behavior quite too often, making the investigation feel like pure luck or a guessing game.
I know Edgewater-verse markets itself as a story about a small town, and the negative aspects of that will also show up at an hour like this.
In a town where everyone has crossed paths with everyone, investigations don’t need to go any deeper because you will find someone in the same room to connect the dots.
“Who are we talking about?” someone interjects when a character is brought up. “Oh, I know them. We used to go steady before the cheater left me for my high school BFF. But in all fairness, I slept with their cousin.”
Add stupid criminals to the mix who would rather blow things up than execute a clean operation, and they don’t seem so good after all.
They are dangerous, but when everyone doesn’t do any due diligence to realize that asking for 2.6 million in an unannounced budget or not having your kid take the bus that other children are kidnapped on would constitute red flags even to a rookie police officer.
The writers try to balance things out by introducing twists, but they lost me way too early.
However, the best thing about crossovers is the unique opportunity they offer viewers to experience fresh dynamics when characters from different shows interact.
This hour brings two such pairings that I could watch endlessly.
Doucheface One Meets Doucheface Two
Bode and Boone are two sides of the same coin: both headstrong and a bit narcissistic.
The crossover pits them against each other during the game and in an emergency. What emerges is two clowns who balance each other out.
Of course, the writers are forced to pull some Bodeisms and make Bode appear more capable as an investigator than he is, but for this one time, I’ll forgive it.
I’ll give it a pass because we get some genuinely entertaining scenes with them together, and I wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to hear Bode roast Boone’s The CW-coded haircut that outs him as a cop.
Bode turns out to be a resourceful investigator because why not? He knows something about bombs and people who make them.
But despite what he’d like to believe, Bode doesn’t know everything and nearly gets everyone killed.
While Boone is quick to catch the bomb wiring in the buried container, Bode sees it as his opportunity to shine and save the day.
Boone notices the same problem we’ve been complaining about forever and calls it out.
Is Bode likely to change from that? No. Fire Country has confirmed to us that they know what’s happening with Bode and are not willing to fix him.
So, yes, this could be them mocking us.
We’re Not Holding Hands Here
Meanwhile, we also get another fresh pairing: Eve and Wes.
And not to gloat, but this episode has made me feel vindicated in a way I haven’t in a long time.
In my review of Fire Country Season 4 Episode 12, I mentioned that Three Rock is marketed as a place for redemption, but it plays out as a place of exploitation.
Some of you did not like that I considered individuals’ well-being, and some strong words were used in the comments section.
Wes arrives with that same observation, and Eve is the one to throw a tantrum.
Kool-Aid is real, and sometimes we drink it without knowing it. That’s why it’s important to hear different opinions because the truth is never black and white; it exists somewhere in the gray.
It can be true that Three Rock gives some inmates a chance at redemption, but exploits most of them.
It’s interesting that in the many years the show has been on air, few inmates have left, and two of them have been because of favors.
I haven’t kept up with Sheriff Country, but if the Wes Fox we see in this crossover — someone willing to challenge common consensus — is a recurring character on the show, that’s another reason to watch.
“The Bravest” concludes by leaving the truth in the gray. Three Rock might be helping these boys, but the system is exploiting them for cheap labor with no guarantee of freedom.
Gut Check
“The Bravest” concludes the crossover without losing its core setups for good or worse.
The rescue is tense and anxiety-inducing, but also, the criminals are weak, and Sharon’s drama with her mother feels out of place.
The crossover feels like the break we needed from the Tyler mess, but we’re back to it next week.
Intrusive Thoughts
- What if Wes had failed, and that landmine had gone off? Both their funerals would have required a closed casket.
- Sharon cringed so hard watching Wes and Ruby dance. What would she have done if she had found them in something more escalated? Maybe something that requires fewer clothes? We all know they’re crazy enough for it.
- I understand that children getting kidnapped is bad, but why was everyone mourning? That’s a huge overreaction in my opinion, like calm down, everyone. Bode will save them.
Over to you, Fire Country Fanatics. What did you think of this crossover? Did it live up to your expectations? Do you watch both shows? If so, which one do you like better, if any?
Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
Say something in the comments, share if you’re moved to, and keep reading. Independent voices need readers like you.
-
Boston Blue Season 1 Episode 13 Finally Gives Edwin A Big Story During Henry’s Long-Awaited Visit
Boston Blue Season 1 Episode 13 featured the long-promised return of Henry Reagan while Edwin had a crisis of his own. Our review!
-
Sheriff Country’s Matt Lauria Believes Boone Has Learned the Intricacies of Small-Town Policing — And It’s Made Him a Better Person
Nathan Boone has had to learn what it means to be a small-town cop on Sheriff Country, and it’s just one thing Matt Lauria chatted about.
-
Fire Country Season 4 Episode 13 Review: The Epic Crossover Event Ends on a High Note
Strengths and weaknesses from the Fire Country and Sheriff Country crossover carry over to the second hour as a race against time heats up. Our review.
-
Sheriff Country Kicks Off a Major Two-Hour Crossover with a Parent’s Worst Nightmare
The Country world has fully crossed over. It all starts with a Sheriff Country hour that brings a school bus of missing children.
-
Matlock Season 2 Episode 13’s Important Case Wasn’t As Compelling as Madeline and Edwin’s Beautiful Love Story
Matlock Season 2 Episode 13 offered one of the most important cases of Madeline’s career, but the real story was her romance. Our review!
The post Fire Country Season 4 Episode 13 Review: The Epic Crossover Event Ends on a High Note appeared first on TV Fanatic.