Supernatural star Jared Padalecki is joining CBS drama Fire Country in its third season, with a three-episode arc which could lead to bigger things.
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According to Deadline, Padalecki will play Camden, "a SoCal firefighter and maverick with a surfer swagger who is a force to be reckoned with and immediately recognises Bode’s raw talent".
The publication reported that while Padalecki's initial deal is strictly in a recurring capacity, there is a possibility that it could lead to a new spin-off centred around his character.
If this were to come to fruition, it wouldn't be the first spin-off from Fire Country - there is already one which has been greenlit and is upcoming, called Sheriff Country, which will star Morena Baccarin.
Jared Padalecki. Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic
In June 2023, CBS president and CEO George Cheeks said the broadcaster was "focused on mass-appeal franchises", and made clear this was their intention with Fire Country.
He said: "This season’s number one show was Fire Country, which completely lends itself to building out a whole new universe…
"It became very clear that not only was the show special, it really felt like this could be a great example of us building together a franchise from scratch."
Fire Country was created by Max Thieriot, Tony Phelan and Joan Rater, and stars Thieriot as Bode Donovan, a young convict who, in order to shorten his prison sentence, volunteers for the California Conservation Camp Programme, assisting the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Its first season premiered in 2022.
Padalecki is best known for playing Sam Winchester in Supernatural, as well as for his roles on Gilmore Girls and, more recently, Walker, in which he played the main role.
He may also be seen in the final season of The Boys, with that series's showrunner Eric Kripke teasing a potential reunion between Padalecki and his Supernatural co-star Jensen Ackles.
Fire Country season 1 is available to stream on Sky Witness and NOW.Find Sky deals here.
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
