Bode's big day arrived, but he wasn't thrilled about it on Fire Country Season 1 Episode 13. Eve got the chance to shadow Sharon during an emergency.

Bode and Jake made up, and Bode agreed to let Jake donate his kidney to Sharon.

Our Fire Country Fanatics Jasmine, Dale, and Denis got together to discuss some of the biggest moments from the episode.

Bode didn't want to reveal it was his birthday. What are your feelings about this?

Jasmine: I understood where he was coming from. Birthdays are weird, especially when you hit 30.

You end up reflecting more, and milestone birthdays have a way of making you reflect on where you are in life and whether or not you're where you thought you would be.

He's in this weird place in his life, not where he would've imagined by this age, and of course, his sister is gone, but he's still here. It has a way of messing with you.

Dale: Birthdays are a time for celebration and reflection. I think Bode was turning 30 and was in no mood to celebrate or reflect.

While he is slowly turning his life around, Bode still suffers from low self-esteem because of the way his life has deteriorated since Riley's death. 

He didn't want his friends to throw him a birthday celebration just to cheer him up. But in the end, it turned out that Gabby and Eve's birthday rotisserie chicken was just what he didn't know he needed.

Denis: I feel like that was a justified reaction. Society has ingrained in us that birthdays are a joyous occasion, but exceptions exist. It is no joy to realize you are aging while it feels like your life is paused.

Eve had a chance to shadow Sharon and ultimately did not like the role. Why is that, do you think?

Jasmine: Eve said it how it was. Right now, she lives for the action of actually fighting fires, so the idea that she'd be delegating all the fun work doesn't appeal to her.

I think she'd be great in the position down the road, but she's too young for it right now.

I like that Eve knows this early on that this could be in her future, and I love that Sharon mentors the female firefighters because there are so few of them, and it's a tough industry to break into as a woman.

Dale: Sharon was correct when she felt Eve could handle the responsibilities of being an incident commander. She showed the right instincts when handling that car fire. 

But she's not ready to become one anytime soon. I feel that Eve is happy being one of the guys. She got itchy when she wasn't in the middle of the action. Maybe she'll be ready to tackle being an I.C. down the road. 

Denis: At her age, she still has much to give on the front lines as a firefighter. Despite showing leadership skills this early, Eve needs to exhaust youth excitement before becoming a reliable leader.

There was a theory Colin might be the arsonist. Do you feel the same after this episode? Why?

Jasmine: Yeah, I'm still sticking to my hunch about Colin. He sends all my hairs on end, and everything about him screams that he'll be trouble.

His approach to fires on the scene raises so many flags – like, why are you guessing and judging how it happened instead of focusing on stopping them? And it felt ominous how he spoke to Gabby at the end. 

Dale: I felt that way after he was introduced in the previous episode, and nothing in this episode changed my mind. He's more skittish than a probie should be, and he's hiding something. I wouldn't be shocked if he threw the Molotov cocktail at the construction-site office.

While he made an awkward play for Gabby, that will never happen. So why else would he have been brought on in midseason if not to be the arsonist?

The arsonist definitely is a firefighter and not from Three Rock since the convicts don't have the necessary freedom of movement.

So who else could it be? 

Denis: Since I read that, I haven't been able to get the idea out of my head, and everything screams that he is the arsonist.

He is too enthusiastic about being around fires but is careless during other emergencies. I could also swear he's the one who threw the molotov cocktail.

Bode tried so hard to get himself chosen as the donor. What is his motivation do you think? What are your feelings about it?

Jasmine: Obviously, Bode was looking at this as some form of amends and redemption. He wanted to offer up something to his mother and make his life feel as if it was worth it. Yada, yada, yada.

I get it; I do.

But he irritated my entire soul with his behavior this whole time. He was so self-consumed about all of this when it was about Sharon.

I don't even get how HE didn't see why Jake was the best choice if it meant his mother would get what she needed, and he'd still be around and part of this program.

I couldn't believe he spent most of the episode brooding and whining about this. 

Dale: I feel that Bode saw that his kidney donation to Sharon would symbolize his personal redemption. That's why he lashed out so hard at Jake when Jake volunteered to donate his kidney instead.

Of course, Jake did so in the worst possible manner, offering to do so to Vince in the middle of a fire, within earshot of Bode. That's on Jake.

It took that comment by Tatum, the protester, about how it doesn't matter how the trees get saved as long as they get saved to put Bode's mind on the right track. Sharon just needs a kidney. It didn't matter who it was from. The decision isn't about Bode.

Denis: Bode has always felt like an outsider in the family. He thinks giving his kidney will have them like him better. I think this is stupid and could backfire big time. You can't win people over by offerings, even if they are a part of your body.

It doesn't work like that.

Bode and Jake came to an understanding at the end of the episode. Is this the beginning of an old friendship? Do you think it will remain so? What are your feelings about this?

Jasmine: I think Bode and Jake will always find ways to butt heads with each other. They're like brothers and have an antagonistic relationship that way.

I like that they're good for the time being, but I'm not under the impression it'll last for long before they find another reason to be at each other's throats.

I'm enjoying the high of the good place they're in now. I think a solid male friendship is so underrated without the typical "bromance" shtick, so I find them refreshing and look forward to more.

Dale: I believe that they have turned the page. Jake offered to donate his kidney so that Bode wouldn't have threatened the progress (if you can it that) that he had made.

Also, Vince doesn't need two recuperating transplant patients to take care of. It would be a lot better if Bode were there to help.

So, Jake donating would be best for everybody. He was doing so not just to save Sharon but also to protect Bode. No wonder Bode accepted his offer and called him his brother again. Bode admitted that he missed the closeness they once shared before Riley's death.

Denis: Although Jake seems to be doing all the heavy lifting, I think they might start treating each other better. I feel like this will be a good thing since we don't get many male friendships in an environment as macho as this, where both characters are badasses.

Their fighting over some girl was tiring.

What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline from the episode, and why?

Jasmine: Kevin Alejandro is such a fantastic actor, and he has this way of stealing a scene and reeling me in. I loved his conversation with Gabby about stability.

Dale: The scene I liked most was the one at the firehouse when Gabby and Jake showed how far they'd come since their breakup. Despite their ages, they were really mature about the whole thing, with Gabby urging Jake to ask out Cara.

They were correct when they told Eve that it was time for her to develop a relationship.

Denis: When Jake and Bode made up and hugged. It felt like such a pivotal moment in the show.

Anything else, good or bad, you would like to point out about the episode?

Jasmine: Eve definitely deserves more screen time than she gets because when she has it, it's fantastic. I loved the focus on her. 

Dale: I enjoyed how Manny reached out to Gabby following her tense earlier phone call with him when she told him not to contact her until he got his act together.

Sure, he's got a long way to go, and his work schedule isn't going to lend itself to his working a program. But at least they've made a connection again.

Denis: They focused on Eve for more than one second, so that's good.

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Denis Kimathi was 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 X.