According to a report by Deadline, two major stars are poised to leave the show. Though they have been with the series from the very beginning, Billy Burke (Fire Battalion Chief Vince Leone) and Stephanie Arcila (Gabriela Perez) will be ending their tenures with Fire Country. Executive producer and co-creator Joan Rater explains that the exits will come "out of us wanting to be exciting storytellers." The creators hope to see Arcila return as a guest star in the future, as fellow co-creator and executive producer Tony Phelan stated that "the Bode-Gabriela story does not end here."
Our Take On Fire Country's Exits
Losing Vince And Gabriela Will Change The Show Forever
Gabriela and Vince are important characters in this show, so their loss will have a massive impact. Gabriela has been Bode's love interest since early in the series, even calling off her wedding with Diego (Rafael de la Fuente) due to her feelings for Bode. This storyline has been ongoing since season 1, but Arcila's exit means that it may not receive an effective conclusion. The creators promised to provide a suitable conclusion to the arc, and Arcila emphasized that she would "never say never" about a potential return. Still, she would likely only appear as a guest.
Vince's exit will also be a significant change for the series, and his ending could be much more definitive. The season 3 ending saw him attempting to save Walter (Jeff Fahey), only to be trapped inside a burning building. With Burke leaving the show, Vince likely dies in the fire. Bode, who was injured during the rescue mission, will likely be forced to deal with that horrifying realization. With Gabriela and Vince both gone, he will have lost two major pieces of his support system ahead of season 4.
Our Take On Gabriela And Vince's Exits
This Could Spark Exciting New Narrative Avenues
Losing Gabriela and Vince will undoubtedly be a massive shift for this show. Bode has faced losses before, but few have had as much impact as losing both his primary love interest and his father. There is no way to know exactly where the story will take these characters, but season 4 will likely focus on Bode's grief as he reckons about their exits. As long as Bode remains a principal member of Fire Country's cast, the show should remain entertaining, but the loss of such important stars means that there will be a significant adjustment period in season 4.
