'Fire Country' Season 3 Episode 10 Recap: This Is What We Call Growth

Editor's note: The below recap contains spoilers for Fire Country Season 3 Episode 10.Everyone on Fire Country has been out of their minds at some point this season, whether it's Sharon (Diane Farr) risking her career to protect Manny, Bode (Max Thieriot) almost getting kicked out of the cadet program for a number of reckless deeds, Manny (Kevin Alejandro) walking off the job at Three Rock to rescue Gabriela (Stephanie Arcila), or Gabi doing literally anything up until her rock bottom in the last episode. It's been a long time of really infuriating decisions and reckless behavior from the entire crew, so it feels like a miracle that virtually everyone acts like real adults this week.

The boys earn the A storyline by taking Walter (Jeff Fahey) on a fishing trip to test out his memory. The excursion mends some fences between Vince (Billy Burke) and his brother, Luke (Michael Trucco), but it also illuminates that Walter's memory issues can't be brushed off as sloppy calendar keeping or a few beers too many. Meanwhile, Sharon, Audrey (Levin Rambin), and Gabs hunker down at the station. Gabs has been suspended but is conveniently around when a newborn is dropped off at the station, wrapped in a blanket with only a sticky note with his name written on it. The arrival of the baby stirs up a lot of feelings for both Gabs and Audrey, but it makes for a great teaching moment for Sharon. We'll go ahead and tell you that the baby made it through as well. It's a happy ending for a relatively low-key episode, but it was the reset that Fire Country needed. Someone will probably be back to doing something stupid next week, so we need to enjoy this while we can.

A Leone Fishing Trip Has Mixed Results in 'Fire Country' Season 3 Episode 10

Sharon heads up the "We should take Walter to a doctor" campaign after her father-in-law shows up at the station a week late for Bode's cadet graduation. However, Vince is less convinced that anything is seriously wrong with his dad, despite the fact the man recently set their house on fire. So when Bode poses the idea of taking Walter on a fishing trip just like "the old days," Vince is happy enough to agree. They bring along Luke and Jake (Jordan Calloway) for fun too.

Everything is going great until Walter announces that Luke has a new job that will require him to move. I don't know how many times these people need to learn not to tell Walter anything you don't want the rest of the family to know. He's been spilling secrets for at least two seasons now. Vince flips out, since Luke hasn't discussed it with him first — because Luke's move means Vince will have to be in charge of Walter. Luke righteously argues that it's time for him to have his own life and that this is the first opportunity he's had since Shannon took her job back. The fighting upsets Walter, and Bode makes everyone go to bed so they can calm down.

Of course, a boys' trip wouldn't be a boys' trip on Fire Country if there wasn't an emergency, as Walter wanders off in the middle of the night. Luckily, Bode catches him and follows him on the walk where they discover a man who has been stuck in his crashed car for days. They all band together to pull a Leone "Swiss Army Job" — using the tools on hand to free the man from the car and get him some help. It's a great salve for Vince and Luke's brotherly wounds, but it's also an eye-opening experience for Bode. He realizes that Sharon is right; something is very off with Walter. His dad and uncle just refuse to see it.

Abandoned Babies Call for Trauma Bonding in 'Fire Country' Season 3 Episode 10

Meanwhile, it's an uneventful night at the station until a newborn is dropped off in the "baby box," as Station 42 is a safe house for new moms who want to give up their babies within the first 72 hours of them being born. Sharon, Audrey, and Gabs find themselves taking care of an infant named Calvin until the Department for Children and Family Services can arrive and find him a new home. Audrey is shaken that such a thing could be possible and immediately questions what kind of parents would be able to abandon their child like that. Meanwhile, Gabs and Sharon are just excited to have a newborn around to spoil. It's all peachy until the baby's mother shows up and demands her baby back. She'd been overwhelmed after giving birth and made a mistake, but she can't live with letting him go.

Both Audrey and Gabs have strong opinions about what to do next. Audrey, who was abandoned by her own mother when she was a young child, doesn't want to give the baby back because she's sure his mom will just give him up again. Gabs thinks the mother should be given a second chance, because where would she and Manny be if there weren't second chances? Sharon takes both of them to task and says that neither their personal experiences nor opinions matter when there's a procedure in place for this exact situation. Neither Gabs nor Audrey bothers to check it before making the issue personal. The mother is given a bracelet that matches the baby's, which is her key to getting him back. He has to be turned over to DCFS because the process has already been started, but she'll be able to get him back in 24 hours if she shows up with the bracelet.

Everyone Is Acting Like an Adult in 'Fire Country' — What's the Catch?

There's so much emotional maturity in this episode, it's actually scary. Outside of Vince being in denial about his dad being sick – and I don't believe in blaming Vince for anything – everyone is on top of their game. Jake goes on the fishing trip determined to tell Bode that he and Gabs slept together and wants to own his screw-up. He finally drops the truth bomb when they get back to the station after their middle-of-the-night rescue, and Bode doesn't lash out. He does admit that it's hard to hear but adds that Jake is family and this doesn't change that. I almost cried with relief. Jake is once again the adult, and Bode doesn't make the situation messier for no reason. This is what we call growth!

Bode also steps up and immediately tells Sharon that she's right about Walter. He's tried to convince Vince, but Vince won't hear it. So the two of them decide to take Walter to the doctor and figure out what's actually going on, and then they'll tell Vince and Luke. The brothers also have their moment of growth, getting a beer together after the rescue, where Vince apologies for jumping down Luke's throat about the job. He agrees that it's Luke's turn to pursue an opportunity. Vince can step up and look after Walter, though he doesn't know yet exactly what kind of undertaking that will be. Meanwhile, Audrey and Gabs have their own bonding moment after baby Calvin is turned over. Gabs is fully aware that Audrey and Bode have started a flirtation, and she's cool with it. She still offers to teach Audrey how to swim so she'd be prepared if they ever have to do a water rescue. Gabs really meant it when she said she was turning over a new leaf, and you love to see it.

Finally, Manny has some drama at Three Rock when a fellow inmate is making prison booze and drinking on the job. Eve (Jules Latimer) finds the contraband and threatens to write everyone up if no one comes forward. Manny refuses to snitch even though a new write-up would mean him going back to prison. Instead, he gives a rousing speech about everyone at Three Rock trying to be better people, and it's enough for the actual culprit to come forward. Eve congratulates Manny for returning to his previous, sage self, and Manny says this version of him is going to be even better. All of this growth and mature decision-making means that something catastrophic is going to happen soon, so let's enjoy this moment together while we can.

Fire Country continues on Fridays at 9 PM ET on CBS. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Paramount+.