The small town of Edgewater just got a little bit bigger.
“Sheriff Country” premiered on Friday, jumping into the life of Edgewater sheriff Mickey Fox (played by Morena Baccarin, “Gotham”), the stepsister of “Fire Country” chief Sharon Leone. The CBS spinoff picks up as Mickey juggles her law enforcement duties with the challenges of mothering her daughter, Skye (Amanda Arcuri, “Degrassi: Next Class”), a recovering drug addict.
Amid responding to calls and trying to keep her daughter’s life in check, Mickey also is running a campaign. Turns out, she’s actually only interim sheriff, having stepped into the role after the previous sheriff died. The election is a month away, and some community members fear Mickey doesn’t have a clear vision for protecting the town’s citizens. But Mickey seems to prove herself after she leads a high-stakes rescue of two children nearly murdered by their parents.
Just when you think the sheriff’s life can’t get any more complex, it does! Here are a few other particulars: A fellow cop is sleeping with Mickey’s ex-husband Travis (Christopher Gorham, “Covert Affairs”); her father Wes (W. Earl Brown, “Deadwood”) is an ex-con who, until recently, has operated an illegal marijuana business; and she’s got a really dreamy work partner, Boone (Matt Lauria, “Kingdom”), who questions her every call and ultimately submits a letter of resignation because he can’t bear working beneath her.
But all of that proves to be the least of Mickey’s concerns. Things really start to heat up in this corner of Edgewater after Skye steals pills from her boyfriend, Branden. She calls her cousin Bode — hi, Bode! — to help her stay sober and resist the urge to relapse. The conversation finally pushes the girl to break up with her toxic beau.
Then, Branden is murdered. Skye runs to her mother’s house, covered in her ex-boyfriend’s blood. She says she went over to his place and found him dead on the ground. Though Skye failed to call the police and admits she moved the knife that appeared to have stabbed him, she maintains she didn’t kill him.
Mickey drives her daughter to the police station, where the most important investigation of her life is about to begin.
What did you think of that bloody “Sheriff Country” premiere? Is Skye telling the truth about what happened to Branden? Grade the premiere, then sound off in the comments!