Fire Country is gearing up for its fifth season on the 2026 TV schedule, but things are going to look a little different. That's because the series is among the few shows returning to CBS that will be getting shortened seasons. While I’m sad that it’s happening, star and co-creator Max Thieriot actually feels differently.
Despite the fact that Fire Country continues to be a hit for CBS, the firefighter drama is only getting 13 episodes for Season 5 as opposed to the 20 the last two seasons have received. Now, Fire Country is one of my favorite shows, and I hate that we’ll be getting less of it. However, Thieriot gave his take on the whole situation while speaking with CinemaBlend, and I totally understand his point about why it's actually not a bad thing:
I mean, look, obviously, like those decisions are far above my pay grade. You know, 20 episodes, I won't lie, is a lot. It's taxing on everybody. The writers, the crew, the actors. Like, 20 episodes of a show, like this is not easy on anybody who works on the show.
Not only is 20 episodes a lot for any show, but for a show like Fire Country, where there is so much action, it can take quite a physical and emotional toll on everyone involved. So, it's understandable why Thieriot isn’t particularly upset about the episode order.
That being said, he did share the fun challenge that comes with having a 13-episode season, and it makes me excited for what’s in store:
The thing is sort of not getting stuck on thinking about, ‘Man, I'm bummed we're doing less episodes.’ But how can we make these episodes the best episodes we possibly can make, and you know, and how can we not only just bring our A game every episode, but how can we make each episode that much more impactful and really sort of shape these storylines really methodically with 13 episodes.
Sometimes the challenge of having a longer season results in having to drag out stories and do filler episodes. It sounds like Fire Country getting just 13 episodes is going to be a bit of an advantage, not just for the cast and crew but for the storyline.
This is not the shortest season of Fire Country, as Season 2 only had 10 episodes in 2024 following the Hollywood strikes, and it went pretty well. So I have complete faith that Season 5 will turn out great, and just hearing Thieriot talk about the advantages of having fewer episodes has me intrigued:
And I think that is the beauty of doing less is, you know, sometimes when you do so many it's like a weird sprint, but also a marathon. So doing fewer episodes, you really can plan to figure out how to pace yourself – and I mean that story-wise – and really, really think about how you're arcing out each story in the season, which is important for the stories individually, but also important when the stories are intertwining. It just allows you to really kind of lay it out and have a great game plan and map for the season.
There are already some fun things planned on Fire Country for Season 5. The show is cooking up another crossover with Sheriff Country, which has actually been given a full season order for Season 2. Fire Country will also be introducing a new firefighter, Cecilia Jade ”CJ” Ryan, played by Olivia Thirlby. There’s no telling what else is going to happen in the new season, but Thieriot is looking forward to all the possibilities that come with having a shorter season:
So that's kind of our biggest focus and has been leading up is like shaping the season and having these incidents be great, but having all the character stuff really be next level and land every moment and see everything through. So, I think it will be I think it will be a blessing.
Fire Country has not disappointed me yet, so I have high expectations for this upcoming season, knowing that there will be fewer episodes. There's a silver lining to the shortened season, and it sounds like there is still going to be a lot to be excited about. I can’t wait to see what happens.
Fire Country Season 5 premieres on Friday, October 9 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.
