The recent Season 4 premiere of a fan-favorite CBS show confirmed the departure of two major characters.
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We’re diving headfirst into Fire Country‘s Season 4 premiere. Spoilers, naturally, await.
Following the Season 3 finale in April, CBS announced that Billy Burke and Stephanie Arcila would be leaving the drama Fire Country.
The Season 3 finale, as our sister site PopCulture.com highlights, set the stage for Burke’s departure by showing his character, Battalion Chief Vince Leone, trapped in a care facility fire alongside Sharon (Diane Farr) and Walter (Jeff Fahey), with their fates left unresolved at the episode’s end.
Meanwhile, the Season 4 premiere, “Goodbye for Now,” picks up immediately after the Season 3 finale. Bode (series lead Max Thieriot) is restrained by Jake (Jordan Calloway) and other firefighters, even locked in a rig, to prevent him from entering the burning building. Walter, despite Vince’s absence, pulls Sharon out of the structure.
Sharon begged Walter to let her stay and search for Vince, citing her duty as Division Chief, but he refused. They escaped the building, and firefighters later found Vince, but it was too late. While the official Season 4 promo had already confirmed Vince’s death, the loss deeply affected Station 42. Sharon benched the team for several weeks. Meanwhile, Gabriela and Manny took turns monitoring Bode and Sharon.
A New Chief Takes Over Station 42…
When Station 42 returns to service, a new battalion chief, Brett Richards (Shawn Hatosy), takes over. Vince disliked him, and Sharon is unhappy with the appointment. This isn’t the only change for the station. Throughout the episode, Gabriela and Manny discuss her last day at 42. In the end, she finally tells Bode what’s happening, admitting she didn’t know how to break the news while he was grieving.
Gabriela reveals the internet latched onto “the whole Olympian turned paramedic who saves her stalker’s life” story. Cal Fire wants her to speak at recruiting events, saying they want her to “make more young firefighters.” Gabriela then confesses her love for Bode. “Love’s never been our issue, Gabs,” he replies. Before leaving, Gabriela gives Bode Vince’s token, the Patron Saint of Firefighters, which Vince gave to Jake, who then gave it to Gabriela. “I think Vince would’ve wanted it to stay here with you. To watch over you,” she says, emphasizing it’s “goodbye for now.”
One of the Departing Character Might Return to the CBS Show…
Fans of the CBS hit show were so distraught at Battalion Chief Vince Leone’s death that his onscreen wife took to social media to console them…
Meanwhile, Gabriela’s goodbye might not be as permanent. Co-creator Tony Phelan told Deadline in April, “We’re hoping to bring that character back… the audience is really invested in the two of them. But with everything happening in the finale and next season, it was time for her to discover what’s next.”