There's a new sheriff in town! Well, at least they'll be new to us. See the team behind Fire Country is currently casting for a female sheriff. The actress will guest star for an episodic run in the show's second season with the possibility for her to become a series regular or get her own show depending on the reception of the character.
My first thought upon hearing this news was that they're going to need to cast a known actress in the role. Someone who people will go running to the TV for even if they've never seen a single second of Bode Donovan's story, and who's capable of shouldering a series if they're given the go ahead for a spin-off. We may not know the premise of the potential sheriff spin-off just yet but as Fire Country fans we do know that its franchise will be about family, togetherness, and helping people. The sheriff will likely be someone who can make a way where there isn't one and protect the town. The actress chosen for the role will need to be someone who can convey this in their performance.
With that criteria in mind, three ladies jumped to the forefront of my thoughts immediately. Here's who I'd pick!
Angie Harmon
Harmon is no stranger to procedurals. She's best known for her role as ADA Abbie Carmichael in the Law & Order franchise and as Det. Jane Rizzoli in Rizzoli & Isles. Whether the sheriff on Fire Country will be new to Edgewater or a town staple, the audience is going to need to be able to hook into her character immediately. Harmon is a television vet who has an authoritative presence on screen and can balance that with both warmth and humor. Not to mention if you've seen her in Lifetime's Buried in Barstow, you know she's got the chops for action sequences that'll thrill and have you yelling at the TV because it's that darn good.
Simone Missick
It's possible that Missick could be busy filming the Apple TV+ series Government Cheese by the time things get rolling on Fire Country for the sheriff but if she's not, she's an excellent pick! Marvel fans know the actress as Misty Knight from Marvel's Netflixverse which has since made the hop to Disney+ but CBS viewers are familiar with Missick as the lead of All Rise, Judge Lola Carmichael. Missick is compelling on screen and tough as nails. She's a great choice for the sheriff not just because she's played a detective before but also because she'd be able to give us a layered performance.
Lucy Liu
I've wanted to see Lucy Liu in a primetime role as the sole lead in a TV drama since her days as Joan Watson on Elementary. While the actress isn't known for playing a cop, though she did play Officer Jessica Tang on Southland season 4 and Det. Mosedale on Girls, she would be a big get for Fire Country and a major draw. Thanks to her time as Watson, Liu is familiar with the rigors of working through a mystery on a procedural. The sheriff is sure to have a big heart in the show and a quick mind so whether the potential spin-off leans more crime drama than light, mystery fare, Liu is more than capable of keeping us invested in the character's story and the cases they're involved in.