Eric Guggenheim Joins 'Fire Country' as Showrunner for Season 5

The veteran TV writer and producer will take over the CBS drama after the current showrunner departs.

Mar. 5, 2026 at 9:36pm

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Eric Guggenheim, known for his work on shows like Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-0, has been tapped as the new showrunner for the upcoming fifth season of the CBS drama Fire Country. He will be replacing current showrunner Tia Napolitano, who is stepping down at the end of the current fourth season.

Why it matters

Fire Country has been a strong performer for CBS, helping to launch new spinoff series on the network's Friday night lineup. Guggenheim's appointment as showrunner signals the network's commitment to maintaining the show's success going forward.

The details

Guggenheim will executive produce Fire Country alongside the show's creator Max Thieriot, as well as Joan Rater, Tony Phelan, Bill Purple, and producers Jerry Bruckheimer and KristieAnne Reed. The series is produced by CBS Studios and distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

  • Fire Country was renewed for a fifth season in 2026-27.
  • Tia Napolitano will step down as showrunner at the end of the current fourth season.

The players

Eric Guggenheim

A veteran TV writer and producer who has worked on shows like Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-0. He will be taking over as showrunner for Fire Country's upcoming fifth season.

Tia Napolitano

The current showrunner of Fire Country, who is stepping down at the end of the show's fourth season.

Max Thieriot

The creator of Fire Country, who will continue to executive produce the series.

Joan Rater

An executive producer on Fire Country.

Tony Phelan

An executive producer on Fire Country.

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What’s next

Fire Country has been renewed for a fifth season, which will see Eric Guggenheim take over as showrunner.

The takeaway

The appointment of a veteran showrunner like Eric Guggenheim signals CBS's commitment to maintaining the success of Fire Country, which has become a key part of the network's Friday night lineup.