(Photo by: Bettina Strauss/CBS)

Bode’s chance for redemption will continue into the 2023-24 television season. CBS has renewed the Fire Country series for a second season. The Friday night drama debuted in October and returns from its holiday hiatus tonight.

A drama series, the Fire Country TV show stars Max Thieriot, Billy Burke, Kevin Alejandro, Diane Farr, Stephanie Arcila, Jordan Calloway, and Jules Latimer. In the story, Bode Donovan (Thieriot) is a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence. He joins a prison release firefighting program in Northern California. and it’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment. Bode is unwittingly assigned to Three Rock Con Camp, which is located in his small hometown of Edgewater. That’s where he was once a golden all-American son and also where his troubles began. Five years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life and left town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and hoping for a chance at redemption.

Airing on Friday nights, the first season of Fire Country averages a 0.43 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.54 million viewers in the live+same day ratings (including DVR playback through 3:00 AM). Compared to CBS’ other scripted series, Fire Country lands in the middle of the pack, which is impressive since it airs on Friday nights. It’s also the network’s highest-rated new show.

Here’s the 2023-24 season renewal announcement from CBS:

CBS RENEWS BROADCAST AND STREAMING HIT “FIRE COUNTRY” FOR A SECOND SEASON

CBS announced today that it has renewed the broadcast and streaming hit FIRE COUNTRY for the 2023-2024 season.

Since its premiere on Oct. 7, FIRE COUNTRY has averaged 8 million viewers per episode, making it the top new broadcast series of the season. With live +35-day multiplatform viewing, more than 10 million viewers an episode are watching FIRE COUNTRY across Linear + Streaming platforms (CBS, linear playback, VOD, Paramount+ and the CBS app).

“It’s pretty remarkable to see a new series resonate like this with both broadcast and streaming audiences right out of the gate,” said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment. “FIRE COUNTRY has so many appealing entry points for the audience. It combines high-stakes action with small town charm, mystery and romance, and a family franchise at its core. We’re blessed to have an incredible team in front of and behind the camera led by amazing producers and writers and an exceptionally talented cast.”

FIRE COUNTRY stars Max Thieriot (SEAL TEAM) as Bode Donovan, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son – until his troubles began. Five years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.

The new series has also been in high demand with international buyers and is currently distributed in nearly 100 countries around the world by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

FIRE COUNTRY also stars Billy Burke, Kevin Alejandro, Diane Farr, Stephanie Arcila, Jordan Calloway and Jules Latimer. Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Tia Napolitano, Max Thieriot, Jerry Bruckheimer and KristieAnne Reed are executive producers. The series is produced by CBS Studios.

FIRE COUNTRY returns with new episodes beginning tonight, Friday, Jan. 6 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) and will air on a special day and time immediately following the AFC Championship Game, Sunday, Jan. 29 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET; 9:00-10:00 PM, CT; 8:00-9:00 PM, MT; 7:00-8:00 PM, PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*.

What do you think? Have you enjoyed watching the Fire Country TV series on CBS? Are you happy to hear that the show’s been renewed for a second season? Were you concerned that it might be cancelled?