We’ve gotten crossover between Season 4 of Fire Country and Season 1 of Sheriff Country, but that was expected. What wasn’t expected was the SEAL Team reunion between Max Thieriot and Alona Tal on the fire show. That crossover of sorts made the fans and me very happy, so I asked the showrunner for the story behind how it happened. It turns out that the Bode actor had a lot to do with it, and he already knows the next SEAL Team alum he wants on his current CBS hit.
Fire Country’s Showrunner Told Me The Story Behind How They Cast Alona Tal
In the final two episodes of Fire Country that aired in 2025, Alona Tal’s character Chloe and her son, Tyle (Conor Sherry), were introduced, and it became clear that they’d be important in Bode’s life. In the mid-season finale, Bode and Tyler were stuck in a fire too, meaning when the show returns on the 2026 TV schedule, their story will start back up at a very tense point.
So, considering the big role Chloe could play moving forward, I asked showrunner Tia Napolitano about how they cast the SEAL Team alum as Bode’s potential new love interest. In response, she said:
We really loved the idea of Chloe, and while we were searching for her, Max, like a light bulb went, ‘Oh my God. What about Alona?’ And the stars aligned, and we're so lucky to have her. She feels so different than anyone that Bode’s been with. She feels really fresh, but of course, familiar for our SEAL Team fans. And we, I mean, I just jumped at the chance.
Well, that’s incredible. I love that this was Max Thieriot’s idea. He and Tal were both on SEAL Team (which you can stream alongside Fire Country with a Paramount+ subscription) for a long time, and played a couple on the show. They were fan-favorites, so seeing them back on screen together has been wonderful.
When I asked Napolitano about how Tal reacted to her casting and working with the Bode actor again, she used the same word to describe it, saying:
Oh, wonderful. And then after her first day of shooting, you know, she and I connected, and she said, ‘It's just like riding a bike, acting with Max again.’
Their chemistry is pretty effortless, and seeing as Audrey and Gabriela are gone, I’m looking forward to watching how this new relationship progresses. I’m also excited to see if this opens any doors for more SEAL Team reunions on Fire Country, and after asking the show’s boss about that, I’m feeling optimistic about the potential.
The SEAL Team Cast Member Max Thieriot Wants To Get On Fire Country Next
After our discussion about Alona Tal joining the cast of Fire Country, I asked Tia Napolitano if there were any other SEAL Team stars they’d like to cast. Immediately, she told me that Thieriot has someone in mind, and I think fans will love this idea. She said:
I know Max is really interested in A.J. Buckley coming around, and I don't know, [we'll have] anybody.
A.J. Buckley starred in 114 episodes of SEAL Team, where he played Sonny Quinn. He and Max Thieriot’s character, Clay Spencer, were really tight on the military drama, and the death of Clay hit Sonny extra hard. So, considering all that, it’d be a dream to see these two actors reunite on Fire Country.
Clearly, the door is open for something like that, as the showrunner said, she’d be down for “anybody” from SEAL Team to join Fire Country. Plus, this series has a history of getting great guest stars (I’m looking at you, Jared Padalecki and Shawn Hatosy), so I don’t think it’s far-fetched to hope that Alona Tal will stay, and maybe someday we’ll get to see A.J. Buckley too.
