The newest Sheriff Country crossover on Fire Country featured some nods to Max Thieriot‘s days on Bates Motel, but did you catch every Easter egg?
During the Friday, April 4, episode, Thieriot’s character Bode found himself helping Sharon’s (Diane Farr) stepfather, Wes (W. Earl Brown), at his off-the-grid marijuana property. The story line felt very reminiscent of Dylan’s days guarding marijuana plants on Bates Motel, which was intentional on Thieriot’s part.
“I’m going to go one level deeper here. Mickey’s dad [on Sheriff Country] is who we bought the motel from [on Bates Motel]. W. Earl Brown is the one who owned the motel that Norma and Norman purchased and that set off the whole thing in the beginning. It’s crazy,” Thieriot, 36, exclusively told Us Weekly. “The big thing for us is the show is centered in northern California and it is a version of a humble town and marijuana is really the industry — and has been for a long time. So we’re back to it. We’re back to some of those Bates Motel ways again.”
There’s also the fact that Thieriot’s former costar Freddie Highmore is directing an upcoming episode of Fire Country.
‘Bates Motel’ Cast: Where Are They Now?
“He directed episode 18 [of season 3], which was really exciting for the two of us. Freddie and I are really like brothers in real life. Since we finished Bates Motel, I have been in Los Angeles and he was in Vancouver the whole time doing The Good Doctor. But we miss getting to work together,” Thieriot noted. “Although this was different, it was just fun to get to come together and work on something. Freddie directed when I was on Bates Motel as well but I hadn’t worked with him as a director since then.”
He continued: “Freddie is maybe the smartest person that I know. He is really talented and can do anything and everything. He approaches everything from a different way than most other people do — just because of how cerebral he is. But maybe one day he’ll appear on screen. I know the two of us really want to work together on camera again.”
Before becoming the star and executive producer on Fire Country, Thieriot was a fan favorite on Bates Motel. The A&E series, which ran from 2013 to 2017, worked as a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock‘s 1960 film Psycho, which introduced Norman Bates (Highmore) as a teenager making a move with his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga), but his deteriorating mental health causes complications.
Bates Motel expanded on the world of Psycho by introducing new characters such as Norman’s half-brother, Dylan, his best friend Emma (Olivia Cooke) and a love interest for Norma a.k.a Sheriff Alex Romero (Néstor Carbonell). Thieriot also appeared on SEAL Team before introducing Us to the world of Fire Country.
Everything to Know About Fire Country’s Spinoff ‘Sheriff Country’
“I’ve been really, really fortunate over the years to not only have worked with really incredible actors but also some really just straight up wonderful people,” Thieriot gushed. “I would love to be able to work with them again. There’s at least one or two people on the last two shows that I’ve done that I would love to get over here somehow in some capacity.”
For now, Thieriot is focused on Fire Country‘s success as its first spinoff, Sheriff Country, prepares for its fall premiere. Thieriot isn’t stopping there though, admitting to Us that he always has new ideas on his mind.
“I know there’s a limit to the amount of Country [shows] we can have. I think there’s also a certain point where it’s, like, quality over quantity,” he explained. “So the most important thing is that we’re always nurturing Fire Country — and now Sheriff Country — and making sure that they are getting all the attention that they should be getting so that the audience gets what they deserve. That’s to me the most important thing. But outside of the Fire Country universe, my wheels are always turning — sometimes too to a fault.”
Fire Country airs on CBS Fridays at 9 p.m. ET.
