Jared Padalecki lands back on broadcast with a Fire Country season 3 stint that could become a spin-off

It looks like Jared Padalecki isn't done with broadcast TV just yet. We'll be seeing him again on the small screen this television season despite Walker's cancellation. TVLine reports the actor will have a three episode guest arc in Fire Country season 3. It's an exciting time for the CBS franchise as the show has now reached the point where Bode's out of prison and figuring out his next steps. Based on the character details released for Padalecki's character, it seems he's going to be a part of that journey and perhaps stick around in the show's universe.

Padalecki is set to play Camden, a “SoCal firefighter and maverick with a surfer swagger who is a force to be reckoned with and immediately recognizes Bode’s raw talent.” Camden's recognition of Bode's abilities as a firefighter is rather important. Season 2 ended with Bode feeling lost because of pushback from the Cal Fire union over employing previously incarcerated people. He had his heart set on claiming his family legacy and that might not be a possibility.

The finale showed Bode asking his uncle Luke for help combatting this issue. Luke is currently the Division Chief in Charge, though Bode's mother Sharon is gunning for her job back and already warned her brother-in-law that she's coming for it. We'll have to see if that winds up messing with Luke's ability to assist his nephew but having a seasoned firefighter in his corner that's not directly related to him could be quite beneficial as Bode makes his case to join Cal Fire. That's where Camden may come in.

Reportedly, Padalecki has been cast in a guest role but CBS is looking for ways to continue to expand the Fire Country franchise. In the 2025-2026 television season, the Morena Baccarin-led Sheriff Country is scheduled to make its debut. She plays Deputy Sheriff Mickey Fox, Sharon's stepsister who we met in season 2 when an inmate at Three Rock Fire Camp escaped. The series, like the flagship, will be set in Edgewater. Padalecki's role opens the door to a possible spin-off that takes place elsewhere.

According to Deadline, sources have stressed that the idea of a series led by Padalecki is still in its infancy. It may not even happen. But, if it does, we can likely bet that it'll be different from its predecessors. The actor was quite clear about his position regarding leading yet another broadcast TV program after spending decades on television as a lead.

"If a job on a TV show comes up, like I’ve talked to Kripke about The Boys stuff, like, “Yeah, I’ll come play with you for a month. Yeah, I’ll come play with you for two months, for six weeks, or whatever,” or, “Yeah, I’ll come pop in a week out of every month for the next three months."

Popping up is what he's about to do on Fire Country and is right in line with the vision he had for his career post-Walker cancellation. Padalecki has said that the shelf life of network TV--seasons can go on for years and years--and the increasing practice of filming in Vancouver has led him to reflect deeply on the industry, his place in it, and how his career may affect his ability to spend time with and be there for his family.

But there are conditions that could see him return to being a lead TV actor: If "it was in Austin, and I was the executive producer that could be involved in knowing the show and making sure the cast and crew all did it in as efficient a way as possible."

Padalecki seems to have a great relationship with CBS Studios. It's quite possible that if the right story is there and they're open to having a Fire Country spin-off set in Austin we could see something like Texas Fire Country on our screens in the near future, perhaps on streaming. The NCIS franchise has a Paramount+ original in production with NCIS: Tony & Ziva, so it's not out of the question for Fire Country to follow its example. This would allow for a shorter production window as well since streaming shows typically range from 8-10 episodes.

We'll keep you posted as more news comes in. Stay tuned to Hidden Remote and follow us on X!