Jared Padalecki could reprise his role as Camden Casey again — but it might not be on his own Fire Country spinoff.
After Padalecki’s arc as Camden Casey was wrapped up, showrunner Tia Napolitano weighed in on his future with the show, telling TV Insider on Saturday, December 14, “We won’t see him this season, but the door’s definitely not closed.”
She added: “He was just a delight of a human, just a wonderful person and a wonderful actor. And that character was so fun. I thought he really brought something special to the show.”
Padalecki, 42, was a guest star during the first half of season three as Bode (Max Thieriot) attempted to pass fire camp after his release. Camden didn’t make it easy on Bode and his time on the show ended with the seasoned firefighter admitting he was still mourning the loss of his younger brother. Camden ultimately headed back to Southern California to be closer to the beach — and to face some unfinished business.
Before Padalecki made his highly-anticipated appearance, multiple outlets reported that the brief arc could set up for a spinoff. Fire Country, which premiered in 2022, has already expanded with a series centered around Sharon’s (Diane Farr) stepsister Mickey (Morena Baccarin). CBS greenlit Sheriff Country earlier this year, but the new drama isn’t expected to premiere until the 2025-2026 season.
Thieriot, 36, recently hinted at Padalecki’s future in the Fire Country franchise.
“Who knows where this character goes down the road? That’s all kind of just TBD [To Be Decided]. But in the meantime, we just wanted to create a really exciting and fun character arc for him on this show,” Thieriot exclusively told Us Weekly in October. “We also wanted to introduce him as somebody who’s a part of this world but feels different than our world. Somebody who comes from a different part of the state — a different part of California — and somebody who has a totally different vibe.”
Thieriot teased that Camden would “open up the world” for viewers, adding “Not every firefighter is from small country towns, but they can be from all over.” Thieriot, who is a creator and star on the show, also explained how the idea to bring Padalecki on the show came into fruition.
“Jared and I have been friends for a long time and have always just been friends in a personal way. We never had the opportunity to work together,” he noted. “So this was a big thing where he and I were just really excited to be able to finally get to work together. We really do have a lot of fun and our families have a great time together.”
Thieriot added: “When I knew that Jared was a little bit of a free agent for five minutes, I was like, ‘All right, now’s the time. Let’s do something.’ For us, it was also just finding an impactful way to introduce him into the show. I know Jared’s a great actor and he has such a presence on screen.”
Fire Country season 3 returns on CBS Friday, January 31, at 9 p.m. ET.
