CBS is blowing the Fire Country franchise wide open.
Coming off a strong backdoor pilot for a Morena Baccarin-led spin-off, the network has officially ordered Sheriff Country.
The network says the show follows the “straight-shooting sheriff Mickey Fox, the stepsister of Cal Fire’s division chief Sharon Leone, who investigates criminal activity as she patrols the streets of small-town Edgewater while contending with her ex-con father and a mysterious incident involving her wayward daughter.”
It’s a compelling logline that expands ever so slightly on the initial conflicts revealed to viewers in the recent backdoor pilot.
News of the series order would naturally make viewers think it earned a slot in the 2024-2025 TV season, but CBS has revealed it won’t premiere until the 2025-2026 TV season.
The decision means we have a long wait before we delve back into Mickey’s storyline. Perhaps Baccarin will make more appearances on the upcoming Fire Country Season 3, set to premiere this fall on CBS.
How does Sheriff Country connect to Fire Country?
Mickey Fox is related to Fire Country’s Sharon, and given that she’s the sheriff, there’s plenty of crossover potential here that could further set up the spin-off before it even premieres.
The decision to hold the show for over a year means it will likely be paired up with Fire Country on Fridays.
As Monsters and Critics previously reported, NCIS: Sydney is joining the Friday night slate next season alongside S.W.A.T. and Fire Country once Blue Bloods ends its 14-season run.
The news also hints that Fire Country has been quietly renewed for Season 4 at CBS because a spin-off premiering without the mothership wouldn’t be well-received by fans of the franchise.
Fire Country remains a strong performer for CBS
Fire Country, starring Max Thieriot, has been a strong performer throughout its first two seasons on the air, so there’s little reason to believe the numbers will drop hard and fast any time soon.
Despite some meandering storylines this season, it’s still a cut above the other network TV offerings on Friday nights and has cemented itself as the show to watch.
There has been chatter of a third series set in the Fire Country universe, but it probably won’t materialize until Sheriff Country premieres. Then CBS can evaluate if it’s worth going all NCIS and FBI by adding a third show.
Fire Country airs on CBS on Fridays at 9/8c. Catch full episodes on Paramount+.