‘Fire Country’: Max Thieriot Directs Billy Burke, Diane Farr & More (PHOTOS)

Max Thieriot is already the creator, star, and executive producer of CBS’ hit Fire Country. With the May 12 episode, he also becomes one of its directors, stepping behind the camera on one of his shows again. (He previously directed an episode of Bates Motel and two of SEAL Team.)

In the episode, station 42 and Three Rock crews are called to a backfire started by a private firefighting company to protect a high-end winery but instead threatens to grow out of control. It’s aptly titled “Backfire.” CBS has released photos showing the two crews on the scene as well as Thieriot directing and behind the scenes with the cast.

“For me, it’s all about keeping everybody happy,” Thieriot told TV Insider about directing in 2020 (then for SEAL Team). “My biggest thing is if you have a crew that wants to work hard for you and everybody’s having a good time, and they’re enjoying what they’re doing, everybody’s going to do a better job and really bring it, and so my biggest thing is just keeping that attitude on set. It starts from the director when you’re shooting something like a TV show. And so I like to keep it fun and let everybody know I’m passionate and feel free to speak up if they don’t like something I’m doing.”

We don’t know much else about what to expect from this Fire Country episode, but we wouldn’t be surprised if things get emotional (as they tend to) with Thieriot behind the camera. “I love the drama side of the show. I love the emotional scenes,” he told us in 2021 about the other SEAL Team episode he directed. Directing the action sequences of the then-CBS-turned-Paramount+ series should also come in handy with the firefighting scenes here.

Scroll down for a look at “Backfire.”

Fire Country, Fridays, 9/8c, CBS