Shawn Hatosy Could Be What Saves Fire Country Season 4

Shawn Hatosy has been a steadily working character actor for years, but he’s really reached a new level in the past few seasons thanks to a few key roles. Despite his limited number of episodes, Hatosy’s combat vet and ER cowboy Dr. Jack Abbot became one of the breakout favorites of The Pitt‘s large ensemble cast, with his work even winning him the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series at this year’s Emmys.

Brett Richards is described as “a no-BS, blunt talking, ATV riding cowboy type with a renegade streak” who is “a hard stickler for the rules,” which is sure to rankle everyone at the regularly non-rule-abiding Station 42. However, his pushing the firefighters is for a reason:

“But there’s a method to Richard’s madness. Holding two masters degrees, Richards isn’t just an expert in fire behavior. Human behavior is his true expertise. As Bode, Sharon and the rest of 42 still reel from Vince’s death, Richards, no stranger to loss himself, is determined to break our fragile heroes all the way down in order to put them back together.”

There are few actors who can bring that balance of non-nonsense toughness and tragic backstory in a way that gives as layered and compelling a performance as Hatosy. He’s proven himself to be one of our finest character actors, the kind who makes every scene he’s in better, and he’s one of the few who can bring the same level of competent charisma that the show had with Billy Burke.

Fire Country Needs Serious Help After Killing Off Vince In The Season 3 Finale

 Courtesy Us Weekly

Season 3 also fell into the bad network television habit of forcing drama instead of letting it happen organically, with characters acting in ways that were completely out of character and irrational, and several instances of backsliding. Meanwhile, the show’s protagonist, Bode, has shown no meaningful character growth in three seasons. The decision to kill off Vince, one of the best and most consistent characters, seems more foolish than ever.

Fire Country season 4 absolutely has to evolve. Stephanie Arcila exiting Fire Country can help reset Bode and Gabriela’s story. But it’s Hatosy’s Brett Richards who could be the real force for change. His arc can hopefully do what the first three seasons have failed to do thus far: catalyze real character growth.

This is especially true of Bode, who has yet to evolve past his worst tendencies. The Fire Country season 4 teaser trailer has already indicated that Bode will regress in the wake of Vince’s death. If he wants to carry on his father’s legacy, then he must mature, and quickly. If Richards does nothing else than drag Bode kicking and screaming into being a true leader in Fire Country, it would be a major win.