The 15 Best Firefighter Shows of All Time Ranked

Firefighter shows have always been popular on television and several series have enjoyed success with both audiences and critics over the years. As one of the Big Three emergency services, along with medical personnel and police, firefighters have always impressed the American public. Those big red fire trucks speeding out of richly decorated stations with armored citizens ready to save the lives of those in danger are a naturally propulsive scene. It’s not hard to understand why so many children are fascinated by firefighters.

Unlike cop shows, which often have to deal with complicated issues of policing in America, firefighting shows can simply focus on the issues at hand. People who choose to do such dangerous work for little recognition and even less pay are inherently compelling and worth exploring, whether from a comedic, dramatic perspective, or a combination of both. The best firefighter shows, therefore, often end up feeling a bit like Westerns.with stalwart men and women committed to protecting the innocent from the harsh and indifferent dangers of the world.

15

First Responders (2022-2023)

A series of South Korean emergency services

First responders is a South Korean TV show that follows the joint efforts of the police and firefighters in Taewon. Son Ho-jun co-stars as Bong Do-jin, a firefighter who is also a fire investigator and often worries about how his fires start, trying to contain them at the source. It’s an exciting series and The push and pull between the police and the fire department leads to excellent dramatic tension that runs through the series.

14

Code Red (1981-1982)

A family drama set in a fire station

Code Red It may have only lasted one season, but that season was filled with a realistic Los Angeles-based story that never sacrificed authenticity for drama, developing its tension from real-world settings that never felt contrived. The series followed Lorne Greene as battalion fire chief Joe Rorchek, a veteran firefighter who was supposed to turn the station over to one of his sons. Code Red combined the family drama of a show like Blue Blood with action from a host of firefighters for an engaging mix.

13

The Smoke (2014)

A London fire chief deals with his past

The British series, The smokewas canceled after one season, but still introduced audiences to an eclectic group of firefighters fighting fires in London. White Watch, as the team is known, is led by Kev Allison (Jamie Bamber), a fatherly but traumatized firefighter whose past bad experience during a fire has left him constantly on alert. Betrayal and scars from the past fill The smoke and even with the intense drama, the show remains a watchable and relatable series about a family struggling to come together.

12

Fire Force (2019-present)

Anime’s take on the firefighter genre

Based on the 2015 Japanese manga series, Fire Force follows a group of young pyrokinetic firefighters tasked with fighting pyrokinetic monsters that have set the world on fire. Tokyo is the last bastion of security and the Fire Force is determined to protect Earth’s surviving humans. Similar in style to Bleach, Fire Force and a beautiful animated series that turns firefighters into superheroes and fires into living monsters, which may not be so far from reality for anyone who has experienced destructive events.

11

Burning of London (1986-2002)

A funny but serious look at prejudice through the lens of firefighters

The British series, The fire of Londonbegan with a two-hour TV movie pilot before settling into 14 seasons of dramatic firefighting action by emergency crews at London’s fictional Blackwall fire station. The series specifically follows the “Blue Watch”, who operate during the most dangerous shift of the day. Although it often functions as a black comedy The fire of London has never been afraid to confront serious issues such as prejudice and sexism in the work directed at Blue Watch’s multicultural team.

10

Station 19 (2018-2024)

A spin-off of Grey’s Anatomy

THE Grey’s Anatomy spin off, Station 19is also set in Seattle and follows the folks operating at Seattle Fire Station 19. Like its parent show, Station 19 is as concerned with its characters’ private lives as it is with their professional lives. Firefighters have dealt with everything from small fires to large fires that threaten their own homes. Station 19 It struggled to find an identity at first, but eventually found its own niche thanks to its explosive action and unique and charming cast of characters.

9

Rescue 8 (1958-1960)

The Blueprint Firefighter series

One of the longest-running firefighter-themed TV shows, Rescue 8 follows fire department number 8 of the LACFD (Los Angeles County Fire Department). One of 26 rescue units, Rescue Squad 8 is led by veteran rescuer Wes Cameron (Jim Davis). The series only lasted 2 seasons, but almost every firefighter show released afterward owes a debt of gratitude to the original series for laying the groundwork for what audiences would expect from action-packed firefighter TV shows.

8

9-1-1: Lone Star (2020-present)

Firefighters working in Austin, Texas

A spin-off for 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star stars Rob Lowe as Captain Owen Strand, a New York City firefighter diagnosed with lung cancer due to his work at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001. After rebuilding his department in New York, he and his son, T.K. (Ronen Rubenstein), move to Austin, Texas, to start a new life and fix up an average firehouse. The firefighters in Lone Star Don’t just fight fires, as tornadoes, ice storms and more threaten the citizens Owen and his son are charged with protecting. It’s non-stop action, but with a lot of depth in the cast.

7

Land of Fire (2022 to present)

Prisoners are rehabilitated by fighting forest fires

Most TV shows about firefighters present emergency personnel as heroes from the beginning, but Land of Fire tries to show how the dangers and responsibilities of work can turn people into heroes. The series stars Max Thieriot as Bode Leon, an inmate who volunteers with the California Conservation Field Program to reduce his prison sentence. This program is specifically for incarcerated people and Bode is assigned to his old hometown, which means he has to deal with the dangers of the job and deal with the harm he has caused to those closest to him.

6

Emergency! (1972-1977)

The original standard for TV shows about firefighters

If Rescue 8 created the model for TV shows about firefighters, Emergency! improved them and revealed how successful a series based on a fire department could be. The show stars Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe as two paramedics and firefighters working in Los Angeles. Together, the duo forms Squadron 51 and works to help those in need in the metropolitan region. The series had a very authentic bent, with many plots across the six seasons taken from real stories of fires and medical emergencies, making the setting feel like a real place.

5

9-1-1 (2018-present)

Ryan Murphy’s Take on Emergency Response Stories

One of Ryan Murphy’s most successful shows, 9-1-1 follows the personal and professional lives of first responders living in Los Angeles. The police department, medical services, and fire department all receive equal time throughout the series and frequently interact with each other to make defenses and prevent crimes. The cast includes some standout performances from the likes of Jennifer Love Hewitt, Peter Krause and Kenneth Choi. It may not be the most realistic TV show about firefighters, but Murphy’s electric, exciting style makes for a thrilling watch.

4

Third Watch (1999-2005)

An emergency personnel show in New York

Third Watch follows a cast made up of members of the NYPD, EMS and FDNY, all working together in the same room from 3pm to 11pm, a period known as “third watch”. Located on the fictional corner of King Boulevard and Arthur Street, the police station is known as “Camelot” and several action-packed crimes, fires and emergencies occur there. The show’s third season premiered shortly after 9/11 and had an episode featuring real emergency responders talking about the day, a touching tribute to the city in which the show was filmed.

3

Tacoma FD (2019-2023)

Comedy and firefighting gathering in Tacoma, Washington

Comedy and firefighting don’t always go hand in hand, but the mix of styles works incredibly effectively in Tacoma FD. The series, which debuted in 2019 and ran for four seasons, is set in the Tacoma, Washington, fire department. Because Tacoma is one of the rainiest cities in America, there is little need for the department to do its actual work. Instead, they end up messing around and having to deal with the boring administrative work of running a fire department. With Tacoma FDWith a stellar cast and realistic workplace comedy details, the show is an excellent marriage of firefighting and laughs.

2

Chicago Fire (2012-present)

Dick Wolf’s foray into firefighting

The first entry into One Chicago Dick Wolf franchise, Chicago Fire explores the lives of firefighters, rescue workers, and paramedics who work for the Chicago Fire Department. The firefighter show par excellence, Chicago Fireis packed with action set pieces alongside compelling personal drama that makes each episode unmissable. The drama is heightened, as in most of Wolf’s productions, but it is more appropriate than ever in Chicago Firea series that lives and dies by the high risks that firefighters face every day.

1

Rescue Me (2004-2011)

Dennis Leary’s intimate look at what it means to be a firefighter

Denis Leary’s comedy drama save me is unlike any previous firefighter program. Starring as New York firefighter Tommy Gavin Leary’s character struggles to deal with his fractured family and disheartened co-workers after 9/11. and all the other problems that firefighters and their families face. Firefighting is secondary in save mechoosing to focus on the self-loathing and self-righteous Tommy, who is unwilling to deal with his PTSD. That firefighter show is a fascinating, moving, and often hilarious look at the people who make their living fighting fires.