Sheriff Country Series Premiere Review: A Start That Works

Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0

4

We’ve had to wait a little longer than we’d like for Sheriff Country, but after watching the series premiere, I think that’s a good thing.

The Sheriff Country series premiere had two goals: to integrate it with Fire Country while standing on its own, and to introduce new characters and dynamics effectively.

And I will say that it did both well.

Sure, there are some cliche elements to the story, but right now, the series isn’t getting bogged down by them.

Throughout the Sheriff Country series premiere, we see Mickey struggle with the job she landed after a death.

If it wasn’t for the death, she’d still be a deputy, and that was a job that she liked, but she took on the role of interim sheriff when asked, and now it’s time for the election.

She needs help with her campaign on the financial front, so she turns to a guy named Punch, the head of a rotary club who has made financial donations in the past.

However, he is the first to ask Mickey the question that she needs to answer repeatedly.

Does she even want to be sheriff?

Because it certainly doesn’t seem like it.

It’s a question she faces at various stages of the episode, whether from one of her own deputies, Boone, or herself.

On top of that, it looks like some people are starting to sabotage her by not telling her about a string of break-ins that are happening in Punch’s neighborhood, and to be honest, it’s not that surprising to find out that Boone is the one Punch is putting forward to run against Mickey.

It takes the case for Mickey to realize what she wants, which was a surprise given that the Sheriff Country trailer didn’t hint at it.

The way she puts it is perfect for her backstory.

She wants to be the Sheriff of Edgewater — the town that she once knew but has lost its way.

Boone Is Already the Most Annoying Character

Out of all the characters, it’s Boone that I can see myself having a problem with on Sheriff Country.

He seems like a nice guy at first, but a lot is going on underneath, and I’m not convinced that he didn’t tell Mickey about the break-ins just because she had a lot going on.

This was an apparent attempt to sabotage her.

He knew that Punch would be angry about the inaction regarding break-ins in his neighborhood, and that blame would be placed on Mickey, who may or may not have even wanted the sheriff position.

It was a calculated decision, especially after it was revealed that Punch was putting him forward and that he was confident he would secure the interim sheriff position.

Now that Matt Lauria is part of the series regular cast, I’m sure he’s going to stick around despite handing Mickey his resignation at the end of the episode, but I wish he weren’t.

As Mickey realized that Boone couldn’t work under her, she just accepted his resignation, and it should be left at that.

Of course, Skye’s situation is sure to change everything in Sheriff Country season 1 episode 2, as he and Cassidy are there when she goes to the police station.

I’m Here for Mickey’s Dad on Sheriff Country

I wasn’t sure if I needed the estranged dad-estranged daughter storyline in Sheriff Country, but I’m glad we’ve got it.

This isn’t as tropey as I expected just yet; instead, this first episode reintroduces Wes Fox from Fire Country as a canny, supportive man in the lives of his daughter and granddaughter.

As Skye complained about her mom not trusting her, Wes gave her a chance —and she (unsurprisingly) failed.

However, he didn’t get mad, knowing that Skye had learned her lesson and now needs to prove her trustworthiness through her actions.

She’s going to need her grandfather by her side as the episodes come, considering the ending to the episode, and I did chuckle at how he focused on going back for the knife to cover things up for her.

That was never going to work, and I appreciate the writers showing Mickey as a smart sheriff who knows she needs to trust the process to help her daughter, especially now that she’s proven she wants to be sheriff.

I am here for more of Wes Fox, though.

This is a man living with regret but also trying to move forward, and he could become a great role model if the writers continue on this path with him.

The overall case of the week was a weak part of the episode, but it was necessary.

It helped tie everything together, especially in understanding why someone was breaking into kitchens and stealing snacks.

Sheriff Country opens with a child neglect and endangerment case, and it doesn’t take the entire episode to figure out.

The one thing that I will say about it is that it gives Mickey a chance to show how good she is with the people in the town, whether they’re friends or strangers.

She can connect to people on a human level and understands how their minds work.

We see how she connects with the young boy caught stealing and then with the girl behind the walls.

There’s a change when she’s dealing with the dad, but she doesn’t go all guns blazing.

This is a woman who understands how to de-escalate, and if people had listened to her, that cliff rescue wouldn’t have been needed.

I don’t think the show focused enough on the boy and the life he’s been living.

Everything was focused on getting the parents, but I hope to see more of the young boy and his stepsister, as he was clearly taking it upon himself to get her food because of the neglect.

While the case itself was a weak part, it served its purpose: providing a chance to see who Mickey, Boone, and Cassidy are as cops and as people, offering some strong introductions for a pilot episode.

Now, do we need the Cassidy-Travis relationship arc?

I’m in two minds about that right now, but I’m going to reserve judgment until I see how it actually plays out in Sheriff Country.

What are your thoughts on the series premiere, TV Fanatics? Do you think the series feels like an extension of Fire Country, or more like something else?

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