Max Thieriot broke his silence on how season 5 of Land of Fire they will vary following the showrunner shakeup, possible time jumps and more.
The season 4 finale, which aired on Friday, May 22, ended on an incredibly happy note with everyone celebrating at Jake’s (Jordan Calloway) wedding without last-minute deaths or dangerous emergencies in Edgewater.
“When we started the year, we weren’t sure if we wanted to leave some things up in the air or have a positive and happy ending,” Thieriot, 37, said to himself. Us Weekly. “We want to leave a place that feels like next season we’re going to see this new chapter and the lives of all these characters.”
Thieriot called it “the strongest decision of all.”
“You want to be left with something but this will also give us a chance to see these characters change and see them take the next steps in their lives. There is a real progression in them,” he said. “After losing Vince [played by Billy Burke] at the beginning of the year, marriage symbolizes a new beginning.”
He continued: “We want to start the next season with something new and bring in new characters and create new storylines for each character. It’s a fun and fresh way to end and gives us a great start to the next season.”
Looking ahead to season 5, Thieriot promised some surprises, saying, “You don’t want to miss too much, so I think we’re going to pick up soon after that. But we’re getting these people in that next phase of their lives and really building the stories of the season that are new chapters for each character.”
Keep scrolling as Thieriot breaks down that word drop, show machine changes and more:
Will There Be Time To Skip?
Thieriot noted that season 5 won’t be a “straightforward hit” but there won’t be a lot of wasted time, adding, “It’s a new season, new challenges, new faces — not that we’re out of people but just allowing the show to evolve and find new things.”
How Will the New Showrunner Change the Voice of the Show?
To follow Tia Napolitanoyou leave the show, Land of Fire preparing to enter Eric Guggenheim as the new producer for season 5.
“We have done many episodes and I have a lot of respect for Tia, what she has done with the show to get to this level. [is so important]. Eric is new to me, and new to most of us and he has his own ideas and is very collaborative,” said Thieriot. “Having new voices is fun, right? Because you get new ideas, new thoughts and a new perspective. It allows us to also go back and hear different perspectives on things. “
Thieriot promised “new possibilities” for the show.
“Eric brings a wealth of experience from all of his previous work and programs that he has been involved with. At the same time, he knows what the program is and respects what has been built,” he continued. “He’s not trying to completely change what the series is. He’s just bringing a new take and a new look and a new perspective. It helps explore new avenues for the characters.”
How Will the Show Continue to Honor Departed Characters?
“Obviously, Vince and Gabs are huge parts of the show and always will be. You don’t want those characters to just disappear,” he said of Billy Burke and Stephanie Arcila’s departure from the show. “They affect and will continue to affect the decisions made by other actors going forward.”
Thieriot specifically states that Gabriela will be named in the end.
“To be honest [keeping their memory alive without them around] it was more challenging than anyone expected as we head into season 4. They are two of the most important characters to portray and it changes the dynamic. It changes the way we see certain scenes,” he noted, “It creates its own set of challenges in the writing process. Throughout the season, we started to find out what that was. “
The actor also revealed the addition of new faces, adding, “Bringing in new actors will allow us to have new stories. It’s not just the same people we talk about everything to each other. What I’m looking forward to is seeing who we’re going to cast and how they’re going to impact not only our characters but also how they’re going to play in the series.”
What About Bode’s Love Life?
In addition to Gabriela, Bode said goodbye to his girlfriend Audrey (Leven Rambin) in season 4. Now the main character has found love with Chloe (Alona Tal), who will likely stick around for season 5.
“Their relationship is a more mature relationship in many ways than theirs,” said Thieriot. “His view of life and the life he was living now has matured in many ways. It was easy for him and kept him stable.”
Can Gabriela come back?
“We try to leave as many doors open as possible,” explains Thieriot. Just because they are still together doesn’t mean we won’t see her again.
When asked if a new medical series coming out of the works could be a way to bring Gabriela back, Thieriot teased, “We’re trying to finish those stories and the development process. What we’re cooking up is really fun and feels very, very Edgewater. But it’s also different from the TV medical drama scene.”
