‘County Rescue’ stars reveal how season 2 raises stakes for EMT heroes
When “County Rescue” first premiered, it marked a milestone as the first original series on Great American Pure Family. Now, as season two arrives on Great American Family, the stakes are even higher for the EMTs at the center of the feel-good drama, stars Kristin Wollett and Brett Varvel have revealed.
Season two of “County Rescue,” a drama about the challenges EMTs and paramedics face on both their personal and professional journeys, picks up where season one left off, with protagonist Dani (Julia Reilly) continuing to grapple with what she believes is God’s calling on her life.
“Viewers are going to expect a continuation of her story, her struggle with this calling that she’s felt from the Lord,” Varvel, who plays Andy in the series, told The Christian Post.
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“There’s romance going on in and around her life. And then every single character this season is going to come into contact with that struggle of their own ideology, their own faith, and how it’s going to impact their current circumstances of life. You’re going to expect a lot from Andy and Ashley this season, which is exciting.”
For Wollett’s character, Ashley, character development also deepens in season two. As in season one, the show’s faith-based elements also play a central role in each character’s life.
“She’s faced with a decision that is just difficult for her. She’s not completely sure where the Lord wants her to go, where the Lord wants her to be. So you’ll see her wrestle a lot through that — trying to not only please Andy and her friends at the station and be true and loyal to her job, but also to be true to the path that God wants her to walk,” Wollett shared.
Andy, a natural leader within the EMT team, faces his own emotional crossroads, Varvel said.
“In season one, Andy is very present, very much trying to be a unifier within the EMS team. He sees those people as his family,” he said. “One of the things that changes for him in season two is that he’s always been the person that’s there for everybody else. But now, he’s confronted with things that he has to struggle within his own life.”
Varvel teased that Andy’s journey this season forces him to put aside his own desires and truly serve others. “There’s a breaking point, without giving spoilers away, where he has to really be vulnerable for the first time in a long time,” he shared. “It was a journey that I loved going on with him, because I could draw so much from my own personal life, things that I’ve gone through in the last few years, and put it into the character. I think it will be a big blessing for audiences — to learn from, to be inspired by, and to relate to.”
The stars revealed that one of the most rewarding aspects of working on “County Rescue,” which is shot at real EMS stations, has been developing a deeper appreciation for first responders.
And since its premiere, “County Rescue” has resonated deeply with viewers, especially those in emergency services, Wollett said, revealing several EMT workers have reached out to her, thanking her for shining a light on their work.
“I have such a deeper appreciation for them,” Wollett said. “I think a lot of times when we think about EMTs or first responders, we imagine them in their actual jobs, right? But then you don’t think about what it looks like for them when they go home that night. Like, what do they actually do? Who do they turn to? Who do they talk to?”
“Gratitude is the biggest word that comes to my mind,” Varvel added. “We were blessed to work both season one and season two at live EMS stations. We were in their working environment every single day. You come to set, they’re still on shift, and they seem to have this calmness about them when they were just waiting at the station. And then the moment that siren hits — boy, they turn into a different person.”
“You see that they have to process what they experience out in the field and how that relates to their own personal life,” he said. “It’s a heavy weight to bear, and I can’t help but be grateful for these people who go through that willingly for us. It’s a great picture of our Savior, who took upon Himself the sin of the world and humbled Himself to serve rather than to be served.”
As the first original series for Great American Pure Flix, “County Rescue” remains one of the platform’s most popular shows. The series features an ensemble cast that includes: Riley Hough, Percy Bell, Kristin Wollett, Stacey Patino, Tim Ross, Keller Fornes, Angel Luis and Curtia Torbert. Last season also guest-starred artist Colton Dixon.
While the first season had five episodes, the second season will have six episodes and picks up where the first season left off.
Varvel stressed that although the show is entertaining, it’s not “meaningless.” It’s a story of faith, perseverance and the quiet heroism of those who serve others, both on the job and at home.
We’re not just tickling people’s ears. We’re providing hope and inspiration to audiences. That goes deeper than anything we can do in the craft itself,” he said.
“My hope for audiences is that they would come into contact with the God of the universe, and that they would see that God has a plan for each and every single one of us,” he added.
Shawn Boskie, producer and CEO of Canyon Productions, previously told CP that the series aims to honor the everyday heroes of emergency response while exploring themes of faith, resilience and the personal sacrifices made in service to others.
“Viewers will see more of the camaraderie and how the characters support each other through tough situations,” Boskie told CP. “They really care about each other. We want to showcase the daily challenges of EMT work while also presenting stories that resonate with people who have ever felt uncertain about their purpose.”
Boskie, whose company features other faith-based projects, including “Unlikely Angel,” “Heaven Sent” and “Angelic Christmas,” explained that “County Rescue” differs from other emergency-responder dramas by focusing on interpersonal dynamics rather than action alone.
“We’re not just about the high-stakes calls,” he said. “We’re interested in how these characters navigate faith, ethics, and friendship in a job that can be both rewarding and heartbreaking. [...] Our goal is to honor EMT workers. We didn't want to make this a cartoon, but at the same time, we don't have the same gritty, mainstream sorts of emergencies that you might see on network shows, it's really more focused on the team.”
“We really try to put God in the story, but He's not just a reference […] we see Him working through some of the situations that a couple of the characters that are faith-oriented would realistically face,” he added.
“County Rescue” is part of Great American Family’s new program event, “Faith & Family Sundays,” 30 consecutive Sunday nights of new episodes of Original Series.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
