Nashville brought the heat last Tuesday (September 24) when CBS treated fans to a one-night-only celebration for Sheriff Country, the highly anticipated new drama that expands the Fire Country universe. Hosted at the historic Woolworth Theater by musician Nick Howard, the event blurred the lines between country concert and TV premiere, delivering everything from an exclusive pilot screening to a sneak peek of Fire Country season four.
The event was stacked with talent, as Sheriff Country’s Matt Lauria, Fire Country’s Kevin Alejandro, CBS’ The Road’s Adam Sanders, Cassidy Daniels, Jenny Tolman, Jon Wood, plus Survivor alums Julie Alley and Sam Phalen were all in attendance. Maren Morris also sent in a heartfelt video message to fans in attendance, who were able to hear her new song “Beat The Devil” straight from the trailer. But the surprises didn’t stop there, as the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department showed up to salute the real-life heroes who inspire the franchise.
When we asked Lauria how his character fits into the world of Sheriff Country, he didn’t hold back.
“You get the feeling that Edgewater County is the kind of place that some people might find themselves in to kind of get lost and maybe shake off some other place they’ve been,” Lauria told Celeb Secrets at the event. “As the season unravels, you begin to learn more about some secrets — what my character is hoping to maybe escape. And what makes it really interesting is it’s just such good fodder for drama and tension because it’s such a small town. You’re knocking on a door and it’s somebody you grew up with or maybe even dated. It just complicates everything.”
Of course, we had to know what will surprise Fire Country fans the most about stepping into the new world of Sheriff Country, and Lauria’s answer set the tone for what’s ahead.
“The dark façade of Edgewater,” he teased. “There’s a really interesting confluence of things — marijuana growing, hotel chains moving in, pharmaceutical interests, people debating whether or not to go legal or stay outlaws. And in that pocket of the country, there’s real outlaw culture. We’re talking people on dirt bikes with bandanas on, shotguns strapped to their back. So we try to capture that side of the town.”
Fire Country favorite Kevin Alejandro couldn’t be more excited about the expansion.
“What excites me about this world is the fact that we get to introduce another corner of it,” Alejandro shared. “We have people who save the day in Fire Country — putting out fires, saving lives — and then we get the sheriff’s department, who step into the line of literal death for their community. I just love the world Max [Thieriot] and the team created. It’s loosely based on real stories from Northern California, which makes it even more powerful.”
Launching Sheriff Country in Music City wasn’t just symbolic — it was intentional. “I think it’s a beautiful thing that we have the greatest teammate being country music,” Alejandro told us. “Our show is musically driven, and music moves me as an individual. It carries our show in a way that makes the vast majority relate to it.”
Fans soaked up every second, from CBS swag and Nashville-style cocktails to snapping pics on the iconic Comfy Blue Sofa. The night wrapped with an intimate Q&A featuring Lauria and Alejandro, moderated by Cody Alan of CMT and SiriusXM, giving fans insider details on both series.
By the end of the night, the verdict was clear: Sheriff Country is about to become your next TV obsession, and CBS’ “Smoke Show Fridays” lineup is officially the must-watch event of fall. Don’t forget to catch the season four premiere of Fire Country on Friday, October 17 at 8 PM ET/PT; Sheriff Country at 9PM ET/PT; and The Road on Sunday, October 19 @ 9PM ET/PT.
For more on both Sheriff Country and Fire Country, make sure to watch our full interview with Matt and Kevin below…
Interview quotes have been edited and condensed for clarity.
