Why Killing This Character Could Be Fire Country’s Biggest Regret md11

The Fire Country Season 4 trailer just dropped, and it confirms the worst possible news. When we last left the main characters in the Season 3 finale, “I’d Do It Again,” series protagonist Bode Leone (Max Thieriot) watched helplessly as the retirement center he and his grandfather, Walter Leone (Jeff Fahey), were attempting to evacuate, exploded. What’s worse? Bode’s parents, Sharon (Diane Farr) and Vince Leone (Billy Burke), along with Walter, were still inside the burning building. Now, the Season 4 trailer confirms that Vince perishes in the blaze and does not survive. Fire Country just made what could go down as the biggest mistake in the show’s history, which could have damaging consequences on the show’s foreseeable future.

Why the Death of Vince Leone Really Stings

Unfortunately, we already knew that Burke was leaving Fire Country with the upcoming fourth season, so Vince’s survival into the fourth season seemed doubtful. Regardless, Vince’s death still stings for viewers who had hoped for a better outcome. We were adamant following Season 3 that Vince could have survived and easily been written out of the show, taking an early retirement from his role as the chief of Battalion 1508. Sadly, Vince’s comments to his subordinate, Captain Jake Crawford (Jordan Calloway), about not being dead yet turned out to be ironically prophetic for his eventual fate. Vince’s death stinks, as it’s a major blow to the cast of Fire Country, and it’s difficult to imagine​​​​​​the series continuing without him.

Vince was an indelible part of Fire Country, as his character served as an emotional center and secondary protagonist to his son Bode throughout the first three seasons. It was rewarding to see Vince mend his relationship with his estranged son, and Vince’s pride watching Bode take on the family’s legacy as a firefighter. Vince and his wife, Sharon, also experienced some turmoil, but their marriage became stronger as a result, and they became one of the best married couples on network television. Now, Fire Country has officially lost one of the show’s best actors, emotional anchors, a voice of reason, and one of its most likable characters. The Leone family not only loses a father and husband, but Battalion 1508 loses its leader, and the series loses its emotional conscience. If the writers of the series are not careful, the death and absence of Vince could prove extremely detrimental to Season 4.

‘Fire Country’ Season 4 Will Struggle Without Vince

At the moment, it’s hard to see how Fire Country will be able to function without Vince. Burke carried a huge amount of the show’s emotional heavy lifting with the various subplots involving his family, and he also plays a crucial role, imparting a significant amount of exposition within the overall plot. As the boots-on-the-ground battalion chief in Edgewater, Vince frequently acts as a guide for the audience for many of the major events, rescue missions, and firefighting action sequences depicted throughout the series. Vince was the glue that held the show together. Burke always made his work in the series look incredibly effortless, natural, and realistic, and while the Fire Country cast is exceptionally talented, no one handled the narrative beats as well as Burke.

Vince’s death will force the characters to undergo a period of extreme mourning and grief, which will be a harrowing and dramatic experience. Sharon will likely be hit the hardest, based on footage from the newly revealed trailer, as she and Vince were preparing to finally take a long vacation together and travel around the country in their airstream. Unfortunately, real life constantly interfered with their plans, including the legal conflict with Oxalta and adjusting to Walter’s Alzheimer’s disease. Utilizing the pain from grief for character growth in a television series can grow old and tiresome very quickly, so hopefully, that does not become a crutch for the writers in Season 4, or the show will continue to struggle.