‘Fire Country,’ Please Don’t Make Bode and Audrey Romantic
The latest episode of Fire Country finally showed us a new, softer side to newcomer Audrey “Jamesy” James (Leven Rambin), and it gives us hope for her future on the show. As Audrey and Bode (Max Thieriot) became actual pals in this episode, we see that even these two can set aside their differences and work together like any other pair of firefighters. But, as usual, there are rumblings of chemistry between this pair that makes us wonder if the CBS drama may be pivoting to a Bode and Audrey romance. The problem is, that would be a huge mistake, and not just because it would throw a bigger wrench in the drama between Bode and Gabriela (Stephanie Arcila)…
Bode and Audrey Work Best as Partners
Longtime Fire Country fans might remember a similar situation back during the show’s first season. While Bode was pining after Gabriela, who was still dating Jake (Jordan Calloway) at the time, he got together with fellow inmate firefighter Rebecca Lee (Tracker’s own Fiona Rene). The pair had great chemistry, worked well together in the field, and seemed as if they might even have a future beyond Three Rock. But Bode’s romance with Gabriela got in the way of that, and things between him and Rebecca fizzled out before her untimely death (sadly, her character was largely wasted on the show). If the past is prologue, we can only hope that Fire Country shifts the narrative completely.
When we first met Audrey, she was a tough-as-nails cadet who aimed to tear Bode down, seemingly believing that his place among the other cadets was given and not earned. But in the latest episode, “Welcome to the Cult,” we see that wasn’t the whole story. Audrey, who has failed the training program a few times before, wants to be a firefighter and is willing to be competitive if it means securing her position. Yet, throughout the episode, a softer side reveals itself, and we learn that she isn’t as rough around the edges as she lets on. In the end, Audrey is willing to get a strike herself if it means doing the right thing by keeping Bode around, a clear hint that she wants him there.
As we see them stand up for each other and fall on their respective swords for the other, it’s clear that these two would thrive as partners. Their chemistry aside, they are willing to do whatever it takes to save lives, and their shared fire camp history only contributes to how they view the job. There’s a lot of potential in this pairing, but adding romance would only spark a fire that these two don’t need in their lives. After all, they’ve each worked so hard to get to where they are now. It would be a shame if heartbreak were to threaten that. And make no mistake, any romance between these two would only end in heartbreak…
Bode and Audrey Could Push Each Other Best as Non-Romantic Partners
Whether you’re a fan of the Bode/Gabriela romance or not, it’s clear that Bode and Audrey should remain friends and partners rather than lovers. Bode’s past treatment of other non-Gabriela love interests and his claim that he’ll wait for Gabriela as long as it takes is enough of an indication that this relationship wouldn’t last half the season. Bode needs time to work on himself, and Audrey deserves far better than only half a commitment. Seeing the two of them work together to excel at Station 42 (or wherever Cal Fire may send them) is enough of a rush for fans and would scratch their respective firefighting itches plenty. Yes, Max Thieriot and Leven Rambin have real on-screen chemistry, but that doesn’t mean things between Bode and “Jamesy” have to be romantic. Sometimes, the best TV duos are pairings that are strictly platonic, not unlike Bode’s friendship with Freddy (W. Tré Davis) back in Season 1.
More than that, though, a Bode/Audrey romance would just be uninspired at this point. We’ve already seen how this would go down, and if it only serves to keep Bode and Gabriela apart (as her engagement/wedding did last season), then it’s ultimately pointless. Rather, this time apart from Gabriela could allow Bode to work more on himself and become a better firefighter and a better man. Together, he and Audrey could both learn how to best live outside the confines of the fire camp
