“Walk a certain way”: Sheriff Country star Morena Baccarin on building her character through the details, even the duty belt

Sheriff Country, the new CBS procedural drama spinoff from the Fire Country series, hit the screens on October 17, 2025, with Morena Baccarin as Sheriff Mickey Fox leading the cast.

The narrative mainly revolves around Mickey Fox, the interim sheriff in Edgewater, California, a small rural town, as she tries to cope with the simultaneous demands of law enforcement, family drama, and an election to determine whether she will secure the permanent position.

Baccarin returns in the role of not only a multifaceted and masterful sheriff who prioritizes the town's law and order but also a woman deeply involved in personal matters, such as her ex-con father and her daughter, whose life is at risk due to drug addiction.

The first episode of the series was captivating as it plunged viewers directly into high-stakes situations, including a major murder mystery involving Mickey’s daughter as a potential suspect, thus setting a very tense and thrilling tone for the whole drama.

Morena Baccarin on building her character in Sheriff Country

Morena Baccarin talked about her role in Sheriff Country in an interview with USA TODAY. She referred to the Fire Country appearances as a “trial run” for the spinoff, which helped discover how to construct the world of Sheriff Mickey.

Baccarin made a joke regarding the discomfort and weight of the sheriff’s duty belt, containing a gun, handcuffs, baton, and radio, saying:

"All of it easily takes 15 pounds off the belt. Still, the way that belt sits makes you move differently and walk a certain way. It's a big-time character component."

She went on to say:

“Luckily, we had time to improve and make a belt that's not so heavy. Because wearing that belt for 12-hour days, five days a week, will really mess up your back.”

Moreover, Morena Baccarin has given a very detailed account of her character, Sheriff Mickey Fox, in an interview with Parade, noting the mixture of strength and frailty in the character.

“She thinks that if everybody does the right thing and is honest and upfront — she obviously doesn’t believe her daughter was involved in the murder — that if everybody just does the right thing, that she will be exonerated and everything will be fine. Obviously, things get complicated, because otherwise we wouldn’t have a show. And that thinking gets tested.”

Additionally, Baccarin revealed that Mickey has numerous blind spots and is very black-and-white in her moral judgment, which produces dramatic tension in a society that is frequently much grayer. She went on to say that this belief system of hers collides with her father, Wes, who is more cynical and has a pragmatic approach to life, thus making character conflicts more captivating.

Baccarin said that if it were her daughter in that situation, she would respond differently, probably seeking to break the law to save her child, contrasting with Mickey, who chooses to face the situation head-on through the system.

What is Sheriff Country about?

Sheriff Country takes place in Edgewater, California, a quaint town where Sheriff Mickey Fox (Morena Baccarin) is the central figure. The series narrates the story of Mickey as she steps into her new role at a moment when the community is politically and socially tense. Edgewater has a problem with local crimes, political debates, and even scandals among some of the residents, all of which become Mickey’s test of her leadership.

The central storyline starts with a murder probe when a local, identified as Brandon, is found dead. His murder quickly turns into a huge case for Mickey and her people. During the first episode of the series, it is shown that Mickey’s daughter, Skye, has been injured at the crime scene, which opens up questions regarding her possible involvement.

This provides a huge personal conflict for Mickey, who is torn between being a sheriff doing her responsibilities and being a concerned mother. The inquiry brings to highlight the issues of loyalty, justice, and trust in the community, exposing the challenges of keeping peace and order in a town that is divided.

Simultaneously, Sheriff Country demonstrates the fraught relations between Mickey and her ex-con father, Wes, who is trying to redevelop his life and the trust that he had lost with his daughter. Their complicated bond adds another emotional dimension to Mickey’s character.

Throughout the series, the process and the difficulties of policing in small towns are brought forward as personal relationships, community tensions, and political pressures constantly shape how justice is sought.

The following episode of Sheriff Country is going to drop on Friday, October 24, 2025, as per the announced schedule. A day after its premiere on October 17 at 9 p.m. ET, the show will be scheduled for its regular time on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET.

The second episode will continue depicting the story of Sheriff Mickey Fox, along with the hurdles that she has to confront in town during her rough days.

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Also Read: Sheriff Country release schedule: A complete streaming guide to the Fire Country spin-off

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