Sharon returned to work just as a new member joined the firehouse on Fire Country Season 1 Episode 12.
Bode and Gabriela also shared a passionate kiss that threatened to start another fire with how hot it was.
Our Fire Country Fanatics Jasmine Peterson, Dale McGarrigle, and Denis Kimathi got together to discuss some of the episode’s biggest moments and what they loved or hated about “Two Pink Lines.”
Civilian Station 42 welcomed a new member. What are your feelings about Colin and the “nugget” label?
Jasmine: I didn’t think much of the “nugget” label. Every field has its nicknames and such.
I do have my suspicions about him being the arsonist. It’s what makes the most sense, given his abrupt introduction as ineptitude.
Dale: First, let’s address the “nugget” label. It’s a harmless nickname for a legacy firefighter. It could be viewed as somebody that can be polished into gold.
As for Collin, he’s there for a specific role. At first, it seemed that he would be the other man in a Bode-Gabriella love triangle. But that possibility got dispatched fairly quickly. It appears more likely that he’s the firefighter/arsonist shown in that final scene.
Denis: Colin spelled trouble since his first onscreen appearance. Being a “nugget,” he can buzz through the station without being capable of doing the job. He seemed to lack self-motivation, was easily distracted, and was generally careless.
Other firefighters are already singling him out due to the special treatment they perceive he’s receiving, so I think he might have a tough time fitting in the house if he ever makes it.
Freddy’s baby daughter was welcomed into the world in his absence. What are your feelings about this?
Jasmine: I was in my feelings about this, and I’m glad he could meet his daughter even if he was channeling Bode with his behavior. I was genuinely happy to see Freddy with a storyline and more screen time that didn’t consist of him playing the supportive character of Bode.
I felt for him the whole installment, from not being there for her birth to them pulling strings and allowing that introduction.
Dale: Freddy should be happy to have been as involved as he was, thanks to the unusual circumstances of his daughter’s birth. First, Bode, of all people, stopped him from doing something stupid. Then Sharon and Manny conspired to get Freddy sometime alone with Cookie and their daughter.
Denis: I’m glad he got some screen time because we had pegged him as a coward from the early episodes, but he needs to chill. While his feelings about missing his daughter’s birth are valid, he should take some responsibility for how that came to be and not get mad at people.
Sharon rejected Bode’s kidney. React!
Jasmine: It wasn’t a surprising move for Sharon, albeit frustrating. I understand the instinctive nature of saying no, but come on! I am finding this to be one of those storylines that’s drama just for the sake of it.
Dale: Sharon’s gut reaction was largely mitigated by the end of the fire during that Leone family hug. Sharon was outvoted 2-1 about taking Bode’s kidney. However, there is another option that got revealed late: Jake.
Denis: It didn’t seem like a no-brainer for me. If there is someone with the kidney she needs and they are willing to donate, it doesn’t make sense to say no. Would she prefer to die? Bode would be perfectly capable of surviving with one kidney.
I would have understood if she had a valid reason for rejecting it, but the fact that surgeries can be fatal is not good enough. Death, too, is fatal.
Jake was a match for Sharon’s kidney. He hid this from everybody. What are your feelings about this?
Jasmine: Jake is still growing on me. I’ve come around to him more than before, but I did have another moment with that reveal and him hiding it. He’s definitely the one who will have to donate his kidney to her, and his process of reaching that point will be interesting.
Dale: Jake is generally a good guy. In the end, I’m betting he’ll overcome his fear and be Sharon’s kidney donor. But, of course, things aren’t likely to go that smoothly!
Denis: Contrary to everyone, I think Jake is a great guy. Feelings are always valid, but they should not cloud someone’s judgment. He will be just fine if he donates one kidney. And hey, someone else gets to live.
Bode and Gabriela shared a very passionate kiss. React!
Jasmine: They were really trying to start a fire of their own with that make-out session, weren’t they? Hot damn, indeed!
They’ve been building to something like this for a minute, but I still didn’t anticipate it happening so soon. I thought they were about to sleep together right there. Their attraction to each other has been inevitable.
I think that physical attraction will continue to be a barrier for them and how they’ll drag on and play into the will they/won’t they nature of their relationship because they clearly want each other.
Still, they have a lot of work to do individually to get a place to work as a pair. I don’t want to even think about how crossing that boundary will affect them and their relationships with other characters in the field.
Dale: It was inevitable. Gaby couldn’t stay mad at him, despite his impulsive tendencies. The trick is to keep them separated in their off hours when they’re getting thrown together by work regularly. Otherwise, there will be trouble for them down the road once Vince and Manny find out about them.
Denis: That came out of nowhere. I expected them to partake in some self-torture at least until near the end of the season.
That said, it will make for great drama in the coming episodes as they navigate day-to-day life while thinking of jumping each other’s bones all the time.
What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline from the episode, and why?
Jasmine: I was a sucker for Freddy getting to meet his daughter and how Sharon and others kept bending the rules to allow things like that. Freddie is one of my favorite background characters, and I was glad to have some storyline with him instead of everything revolving around Brode.
Dale: Probably Bode convincing Freddy not to run off and do something stupid, which would only keep him from seeing his daughter longer. Black, meet kettle. Maybe Bode will learn to think rather than react. But, based on his rushing in to attempt to save Harlan, maybe not.
Denis: Sharon’s returning to work. When she arrived on the scene, she commanded respect and obedience but wasn’t too menacing. She always gave a different perspective, helping diffuse tense situations more often than once.
Anything else, good or bad, you would like to point out about the episode?
Jasmine: Harlan was so freaking annoying that I couldn’t even enjoy most of that case even though I understood the parallels.
Dale: As Sharon returned to work, one thing that wasn’t addressed was her timetable for a transplant. Is that going to get back burner until another health crisis pops up? How about more detail about what’s going to be involved?
Denis: I was looking forward to seeing more of Eve, and they keep relegating her to the background. She was a bit prominent in the early episodes, but it was all trauma. She is the tokenized queer character in the show, and having her fade into the background doesn’t sit right with me.
Over to you, Fire Country Fanatics. What do you think?
Hit the big blue “Show Comments” and chime in on any questions.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on Twitter.
