Fire Country and 9 More TV Shows About Firefighters And Police For Real Thrill Seekers

Firefighters and policemen are real-life superheroes that no one wants to meet. Yet interest in their work and lives never wanes: brave men and women with their dramas, experiences and losses find an echo of empathy in people's hearts.

These 10 shows show their work from different angles, and not always dramatically.

1. Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire tells about, would you believe it, the Chicago Fire Department. After the death of firefighter Andrew, there is a rift within the team: Lieutenant Matthew Casey, and the chief of the elite rescue squad, Lieutenant Kelly Severide, blame each other for the incident.

The show’s creators Michael Brandt and Derek Haas have been writing together since the 1990s. The show they created is not just an ordinary story about rescuers, but a critically and commercially acclaimed drama that has lasted 11 seasons and has been renewed for a 12th season in the spring of 2023.

2. The Smoke

The story centers on the thrilling, adrenaline-filled adventures of a team of London firefighters. Leading the team is Kev, who was betrayed and left for dead in the worst fire of his career. However, Kev survived and, despite his injuries, decided to return to work. He is supported by his friend Trish, confident colleague Mal, fearless Ziggy and mysterious newcomer Dennis.

Dennis is played by Taron Egerton, the future star of Kingsman, Rocketman and Tetris. Egerton signed on to the series shortly before landing a breakthrough role in the action film and was right – The Smoke was warmly received by critics and viewers.

3. 9-1-1

The show is about Los Angeles police officers, paramedics and firefighters who face the most frightening and heartbreaking situations. But dangerous work isn't everything, and real-life superheroes must balance saving people with solving problems in their own lives.

The show’s main star is the Queen of Wakanda, Angela Bassett. 9-1-1 is a decent drama that sometimes veers into melodrama, with dynamic action and exciting scenes.

4. Fire Country

Bode Donovan is a young inmate with a troubled past. Hoping to redeem himself and reduce his sentence, he volunteers for a special program for criminals who help the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The new project, which began in 2022, was recently renewed for a second season. It is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer himself, which means that viewers are guaranteed some impressive action.

5. Tacoma FD

The show is set in the rainiest city in the US. The local firefighters, led by Chief Terry McConky and Captain Eddie Penisi, dream of burning buildings, but the weather gives them no chance. So the bored firefighters must find other ways to entertain themselves.

Not all shows about firefighters have a dramatic component; some are comedies – Tacoma FD is one of them. The sitcom started in 2019 and is now in its fourth season.

6. Bloods

Maleek is a gruff British paramedic. He believes he can handle any challenge on his own and has no need for a partner. However, his bosses assign him the cheerful and eccentric Wendy, who is recently divorced and hoping to start a new life in London.

Bloods received three BAFTA nominations, but sadly the show met an untimely end when it was canceled by Sky just days after a third season was announced. In the end, there are only 16 25-minute episodes, but thanks for that.

7. Rescue Me

In the 9/11 tragedy, firefighter Tommy lost many of his friends, including Jimmy. Three years later, his life is a mess: he struggles with alcoholism and spies on his ex-wife. At some point, he starts seeing dead people, including Jimmy. All of this threatens to rob Tommy of his most valuable asset: his place in the ranks of the New York Fire Department.

A kind of House M. D. from the world of firefighters, the show reminds us that there are no exclusively bad people, there are only points of view.

8. Sirens

Johnny, Hank and Brian are a trio of paramedics who work on a private ambulance in Chicago. During their shifts, they are determined professionals, ready at a moment's notice to save the victim of a car accident or a wounded gangster. But in life, they are very different. Johnny is often overconfident, Hank suffers from narcissism, and Brian is too naive.

Sirens ran for two years on the USA channel before it was canceled. It wasn’t a masterpiece of a show, but the misadventures of its characters looked quite good and the cast was quite charismatic.

9. London’s Burning

The main characters are members of the London Fire Brigade Blue Watch. A variety of people gather under one roof, united by the desire to help others. Each episode of the show accurately depicts the work of the firefighters in an emergency situation, be it a large fire, a traffic accident or a cat stuck in a tree.

Since 1988, the British have spent their Sunday evenings in the company of Blue Watch. After 14 seasons, however, the show was given a well-deserved retirement in 2002.

10. Station 19

Andy Herrera spent much of her childhood at Seattle's Fire Station 19, led by her father, Captain Pruitt Herrera. He helped his daughter become an excellent firefighter. Her opposite is another of her father's students, Lieutenant Jack Gibson, who throws himself into the worst hell without any fear.

After the first Grey's Anatomy spin-off, Private Practice, Station 19, also directed by Shonda Rhimes, was launched in 2018. The second spinoff has been living longer: Private Practice ended after six seasons, and Station 19 was renewed for its seventh.