The latest news about a future CBS series led by Jared Padalecki can mean something very unfavorable for the Fire Country spinoff about Camden Casey. Padalecki’s SoCal firefighter first appeared in Fire Country season 3, episode 5, as Bode’s phase 3 captain and the last obstacle between Bode and his incredibly yearned for firefighting career. Padalecki’s Camden Casey had a 3-episode arc in Fire Country, clashing with various Edgewater residents but teaching something invaluable to Bode, leading him to find his way to fight fires. Camden’s stay in Edgewater highlighted an entirely different approach to firefighting compared to the Leone’s.

Padalecki’s appearance in Fire Country season 3 set up Camden Casey as a fascinating character in his own right, one dedicated to the job and those around him, as his choice to confront Diego’s friends who wanted to pick a fight with Bode showed. Casey’s history underlined the similarities between him and Bode, especially in the tragedy of having a younger sibling die on their watch, but it also showed the potential Camden could have if an entirely new series explored his story. A possible Fire Country Casey-focused spinoff could nonetheless greatly be impacted by CBS’s latest Jared Padalecki update.

Jared Padalecki Nabs A New Medical Procedural For CBS

Padalecki & Anna Fricke Will Collaborate On The Medical Drama

A medical drama having Jared Padalecki as its lead is reportedly in the works at CBS (via TV Line), with the star teaming up with Walker showrunner Anna Fricke for the show. The medical procedural would be set in rural Texas and would follow two doctors, one practicing a “unique style of improvisational medicine” played by Padalecki and his mentee, a young doctor running from her past. The unnamed medical procedural would see them operating a mobile clinic, taking care of the patients across the state who don’t have as much access to medical facilities because of where they live.

Why Padalecki's New CBS Show Makes It Almost Impossible To Do Camden's Fire Country Spinoff

The Timing Will Make It Hard For Surfside To Air Following The Same TV Scheduling

Padalecki and Fricke’s new venture can make it incredibly difficult for Camden’s Fire Country spinoff to see the light of day anytime soon. Given CBS’s involvement in the Padalecki-led medical drama, a full season of more than 20 episodes could be ordered if the series is popular, greatly reducing the time Padalecki could devote to Fire Country’s SoCal spinoff. While not much is known about Padalecki and Fricke’s medical drama, it can interest varied audiences because of its unlikely premise, following patients in a vast rural area instead of urban areas, where medical dramas are more often than not set.

[Padalecki and Fricke’s] new collaboration in the form of the CBS medical drama can thus easily repeat Walker’s success, taking Padalecki’s focus even more and possibly moving it away from the Fire Country spinoff.

Camden’s Fire Country spinoff being in the early stages of development makes it unlikely for the series to be ready for audiences anytime soon, giving much more space for the medical drama. Padalecki and Fricke teaming up for Walker led them to reasonable success, as their series returned to the screens three more times before it was canceled. Their new collaboration in the form of the CBS medical drama can thus easily repeat Walker’s success, taking Padalecki’s focus even more and possibly moving it away from the Fire Country spinoff, especially with it being so far away from releasing.

How Camden's Fire Country Spinoff Can Still Happen Despite Padalecki's New Show

Surfside Could Happen Later Or Go Straight To Streamer

The announcement of Padalecki’s new medical procedural hints at the series coming to our screens relatively soon, something that was always unlikely to happen for the Fire Country spinoff dubbed Surfside. Indeed, even if they were as quick to develop Fire Country: Surfside as they had been for Mickey’s Sheriff Country, the new Fire Country spinoff had to give precedence to Sheriff Country, debuting in the TV season of 2025-2026. This makes it at least two years away, even more if Padalecki and Fricke’s medical drama ends up being successful, but it doesn’t cancel the possibility of Fire Country: Surfside.

Padalecki’s CBS Studios deal involves the potential for him to develop and produce series projects for networks or streaming, making it possible for Surfside to go straight to streamer.

The news of Padalecki’s medical drama doesn’t mean we won’t see him as Camden Casey in his own TV show after Fire Country season 3. Fire Country: Surfside could happen many years down the road, after possible future appearances for Casey in Fire Country in case, making it not clash with the new medical procedural. Alternatively, Surfside could be produced by CBS Studios to go straight to the streaming service instead of being part of network programming, leaving Padalecki the time to work both on Surfside and the medical drama, as they wouldn’t overlap, letting the Fire Country universe soar.

Fire Country season 3 returns to CBS at 9pm on Friday, January 31, 2025.

Source: TV Line