Fire Country’s “Get Some, Be Safe” is an excellent hour for various reasons, but how it sets up Bode and Gabriela’s relationship is pretty close to perfect. It’s been a while since we watched a glorious friends-to-lovers blossom on our screens, and everything we’ve been getting with the two of them has been a pleasure to watch thus far.
There’s an understanding between the two of them that, first and foremost, stems from the detail that they’re innately kind. Both of them are people who are willing to meet others halfway even when that’s not the same treatment they receive.
Trust matters tremendously in love, and the two of them are not only building it through their phone calls, but they’re giving each other the space to be vulnerable. In many romances, phone calls establish an intimacy that’s difficult to come back from. It reminds me a lot of a similar scene in Pitch between Mike and Ginny because it gives them the comfort of knowing that someone on the other end is willing to listen to them, no matter what.
It’s an equal friendship that’s building so naturally that it’s a marvel to watch. And even if Bode hadn’t dreamt of her, we’d still be fully aware of how much he’s drawn her because it’s easy to be vulnerable and brave concurrently with her. We see that directly in his decision to ask if he could call her again, giving her the opportunity to say no—back away if need be. But, she makes it clear that it’s something she also wants, inadvertently revealing that their conversations are a place where she doesn’t have to try too hard or put on an act.
There’s also something to be said about Gabriela’s transparency in vocalizing that she didn’t ignore Bode’s call, but Jake picked up her phone, essentially promising that she wouldn’t do that. The declaration that she’d answer if he called ensures that they’ll have a safe place to speak in confidence in the future—a safe place to meet, but simultaneously a place to always laugh together. Normally, I don’t condone ships that start like this, but there’s such a toxic imbalance between Jake and Gabriela that it’s impossible not to root against them. At the same time, the fact that nothing is happening here but honest conversations is where the beauty lies.
Because, unlike Gabriela and Jake, she and Bode are fortifying boundaries through their transparency while simultaneously building a friendship. There’s nothing between them that’s explicitly romantic other than the undeniable tethers that bind them to their fathers’ shadows, along with the detail that they’re both searching for a place to belong with a second chance on a different path. However different those second chances might be, eventually finding love falls right down the middle, and it’s entirely because they both have good intentions.
Bode and Gabriela also have the markings of a romance that relies on silent conversations telling an even bigger story—every look says something honest, kind, and worthwhile. The time spent together isn’t something either of them is taking lightly; instead, they’re cherishing the comfort unveiled in their meetings. They’re the inexplicable joy they find themselves surrounded by, even after a challenging day. They’re both learning from each other and giving back something else to hold onto.
Finally, even as they establish boundaries about staying behind certain lines, how the two find laughter with each other tells us everything we need to know about the detail that they’re better together. They’re freer despite the barriers in front of them, showcasing that they could be the kind of couple where even the challenging perils will be much easier to deal with when they’re together.
Fire Country’s “Get Some, Be Safe” is now streaming on Paramount Plus.