Now, though, Fire Country is finally doing something interesting with Jake this season – and no, it’s not his underwritten romance with Violet (Nesta Cooper). As of the last two episodes of Fire Country, Jake started opening his eyes to the inherent nepotism of Station 42 and the ways in which the Leones are often unable to separate their family issues from their work. As such, Vince (Billy Burke) and Sharon’s (Diane Farr) recent poor treatment of Jake is leading him to consider leaving Edgewater to go work at another station (and honestly, who can blame him?). Fire Country needs to keep Jake around, but he should leave the station for now, at least long enough for the Leones to understand how important he is to the 42.
‘Fire Country’ Is Finally Calling Out the Leones’ Special Treatment of Bode Over Jake
The Leones’ special treatment of their son at work has always been noticeable, but since Bode has been working at 42, it is even more glaring. Bode is constantly breaking the rules, making choices that go against protocol, and speaking disrespectfully to his parents while on the job. Nevertheless, Bode gets away with it every single time because he is a Leone. The Leones made it a point on their fishing trip to call Jake an honorary member of the family when it suited them, but Jake is not a Leone, and he does not get treated as such. The special treatment and measures in place to protect and support Bode are just not given to Jake.
In Fire Country‘s most recent episode, “Fire and Ice,” Sharon and Bode are fighting about the Oxalta situation, and they let it affect their work. They get into a screaming match at 42 during work hours, and Jake has to intervene by reminding Sharon that he is Bode’s Captain, and Bode that Sharon is the Division Chief. Then, while dealing with an avalanche, Bode comes up with a decent plan that Jake wants to use. Sharon refuses the plan because she’s mad at Bode, but Jake uses it anyway, because it’s the right plan. The plan works, but Sharon angrily suspends Jake for a week for disobeying her orders, even though she knows that she made the wrong call. Meanwhile, after Jake calls Sharon out, she immediately goes to apologize… to Bode. Jake, on the other hand, is still suspended.
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‘Fire Country’ Needs To Give Jake a Break From Station 42
When Audrey (Leven Rambin) expresses her enthusiasm to Jake about the job in Fire Country‘s latest episode, he warns her that 42 has an unbreakable glass ceiling, and that she should leave if she wants to move up in her career. Jake later apologizes for saying this, but he is not wrong. For those without the last name Leone, there is only so far to go at 42. Jake was already considering leaving before getting suspended, and hopefully, this will be what leads him to really take some time away. The Leones have been taking Jake for granted for a long time. They make very little effort to separate their personal and professional lives, often disregarding pretty much anyone but each other when they are dealing with a family problem.
New episodes of Fire Country premiere on Friday at 9 PM EST/PST on CBS and Paramount+ in the U.S.
