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Iconic McCall Bike Tour

From the scenic shoreline of Payette Lake to exploring the rich history of this small mountain town, you will be amazed at all McCall has to offer. Pedal to public art installations, lakefront parks, the hatchery where Chinook Salmon get their start, and even the tarmac that serves as home base for the area's smokejumpers. It's all here on the Iconic McCall tour!

Distance: 3.6 Miles (or 5.5 Miles with route extension)

Active Ride Time: 20-35 minutes

Let's Ride!

Start at the "Bearing Wall" at Art Roberts Park

327 E Lake Street

Start your journey in the company of five curious and casual bears. "The Bearing Wall" was the first piece of public art installed in McCall, and arguably the favorite. This signature sculpture is located at Art Roberts Park overlooking Payette Lake. Breathe in the fresh air, enjoy the view, and take a selfie with the bears before pedaling off to your next destination.

Ride to Legacy Park 0.1 miles (about 2 minutes)

1. Ride east on E Lake Street toward 2nd Street 2. As the road curves right, turn left to enter Legacy Park

Legacy Park Fountain

1100 E Lake Street

Legacy Park is the centerpiece of the McCall community. This spectacular green space is threaded with paths you can stroll or bike. In the summer, the park is buzzing with activity. Swim, play, or lounge at the beach area and grassy fields - and don't miss the signature fountain! A great stop for a picnic or a cone from Ice Cream Alley.

Ride to Centennial Park Mosaic Wall and Veterans Park 0.1 miles (about 2 minutes)

1. Ride southeast on N 3rd Street toward Lenora Street 2. After the intersection with Railroad Avenue, Centennial Park Mosaic Wall is on the left and Veterans Park is on the right

Centennial Park Mosaic Wall

N 3rd Street

Centennial Park and Centennial Plaza are landmarks established to commemorate the city's 100th birthday in 2011. The Mosaic Wall at Centennial Park is a combination of colorful tiles and smooth river stones that wind along the sidewalk in a beautiful display of public art.

Veteran's Park

Across the street, at Community Park, you'll find the Veteran's Memorial. Follow the pathway to the memorial where McCall's service members and military veterans are honored.

Ride to Central Idaho Historical Museum 0.7 miles (about 6 minutes)

1. Ride west on Lenora Street toward E 2nd Street 2. Turn left onto 1st Street 3. Turn right onto Park Street 4. Turn left onto N Mission Street 5. Turn right onto Forest Street 6. Turn right onto State Street 7. Central Idaho Historical Museum will be on the right

Central Idaho Historical Museum

1001 State Street

The Central Idaho Historical Museum includes eight buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum features exhibits on local and regional themes. A bronze statue representing the Civilian Conservation Corps entitled "The Worker" is also located here. The Museum lawn is also a great place to see some of McCall's most famous residents...a herd of mule deer!

Ride to Rotary Park 0.6 miles (about 5 minutes)

1. Ride south on State Street toward Hewitt Street 2. Turn right onto Forest Street 3. Turn right onto Mather Road 4. Cross W Lake Street to arrive at Rotary Park

Rotary Park - Legend of Sharlie

335 W Lake Street

Ride to the water's edge and enjoy the view at Rotary Park. You can take a dip in the lake, picnic under the pines, or frolic on the playground equipment that includes a replica of McCall's famous lake monster, Sharlie , for the kids to climb on.

Ride to McCall Hatchery 0.4 miles (about 3 minutes)

1. Ride south on Mather Road toward Forest Street 2. At the fork stay to the right to enter the McCall Hatchery

McCall Hatchery

300 Mather Road

The McCall Hatchery was established in 1979 as a solution to offset the drop in fish population after the Lower Snake River dams were constructed. Chinook Salmon are bred at the hatchery, which includes an incubation area, "rearing room," outdoor raceways and a collection basin. Come take a tour to learn more about Chinook Salmon and this unique facility!

Ride to Downtown McCall 1.6 miles (about 12 minutes)

1. Ride southwest toward Mather Road 2. Turn right onto Mather Road 3. Turn right to stay on Mather Road 4. Turn right onto N Mission Street 5. Turn left onto Stibnite Street E 6. Turn left onto the North Valley Rail Trail 7. Turn right onto Park Street 8. Turn left onto N 3rd Street

ROUTE EXTENSION: McCall Hatchery to Smokejumper Base 2 miles (about 15 minutes)

1. Ride southwest toward Mather Road 2. Turn right onto Mather Road 3. Turn right to stay on Mather Road 4. Turn right onto N Mission Street 5. Turn left onto Stibnite Street E 6. Turn left onto the North Valley Rail Trail 7. Turn right onto Archer Avenue 8. Turn left onto Mission Street 9. Smokejumper Base will be on the left

McCall Smokejumper Base

605 Mission Street

On a roll and feel like pedaling some more? Make your way down to the McCall Smokejumper Base. The Smokejumper Base in McCall was established in 1943 as a station for "smokejumpers". Smokejumpers are specialized firefighters who parachute into forest fire sites. The current facility was built in 1988 and is home to the Smokejumpers who protect forests throughout the Western US and Alaska, including the seven national forests surrounding McCall

About Visit McCall

Welcome to McCall, Idaho where small town charm and big adventure await! #visitmccall

Safety Info

You should consult your physician before starting any exercise program. Bicycling is an activity with risk of personal injury. My City Bikes and its affiliates are not responsible in any capacity for harm or injury that may occur as a result of bicycling. You are solely responsible for your safety while biking.

Great Basin Smokejumpers

Smokejumpers are unique because of the way they reach the fireline: they parachute from an airplane 3,000 feet above the ground. When wildfires ignite in remote and isolated locations, smokejumpers are able to reach them fast – because they can parachute to wildfires when there are no roads or trails nearby – and get to work long before anyone could hike or drive to the fire.

Smokejumping is a physically and mentally demanding line of work that requires a broad knowledge of firefighting. Smokejumpers are also heavily involved in prescribed fire management and hazardous fuels reduction efforts.

Smokejumpers are experienced wildland firefighters with expertise in initial-attack firefighting and working with a variety of aircraft.

First-time “rookie” smokejumpers go through an intense training regimen that covers aircraft and parachuting. They also become experts in many other tasks, including tree climbing, aerially delivered cargo, tree cutting, parachute equipment manufacturing and prescribed burning.

To learn more about the parachute, take a look at this Story Map about  t he history and design of the Ram-Air parachute for the BLM Smokejumpers.

BLM Great Basin Smokejumpers

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• Producer's Guide
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How smokejumpers prepare for wildfire season

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Boise’s elite smokejumpers serve as a first line of wildfire response

From rigging their own parachutes to learning to sew gear, smokejumpers in idaho are preparing for this year’s fire season , by: clark corbin - may 19, 2023 4:30 am.

The Great Basin Smokejumpers based at Boise’s National Interagency Fire Center parachute in to remote places to reach wildfires quickly. (Courtesy of National Interagency Fire Center Bureau of Land Management

When dispatch calls in a new wildfire, Cole Siemion and the other Great Basin Smokejumpers are trained to suit up and be ready to board a plane in two minutes.

Smokejumpers are highly trained wildland firefighters who parachute from airplanes 3,000 feet off the ground to reach the fires. 

Their goals are safety and speed, and the work is difficult and dangerous. 

What makes smokejumpers unique and specialized is the way they reach fires. Parachuting to wildfires allows them to reach some of the most remote and rugged terrain that may be located miles from any road or trail. 

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“Our primary mission is an aggressive, initial attack,” Siemion told the Idaho Capital Sun in an interview. “The vast majority of the time, the expectation is that we will be suppressing the fire until it is out. That might mean working all night. It might mean working until four in the morning, getting a few hours of sleep and starting again the next day.”

There are 65 members of the Great Basin Smokejumpers — or Boise Smokejumpers — based at the National Interagency Fire Center located near the Boise Airport who are training and preparing to spend the late spring, summer and fall fighting wildfires across the West and up into Alaska. 

Due to a snowy spring, meteorologists said the fire season isn’t especially active right now in Idaho and the West, but officials are expecting wildfire risks to increase as temperatures rise. When that happens, Siemion and smokejumpers will often be the first responders to many fires they jump into.

The Boise Smokejumpers are part of the Bureau of Land Management, and their base is located at the National Interagency Fire Center, or NIFC. Between the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, there are nine smokejumper base locations across the United States. Three of the smokejumper bases are in Idaho (one in Boise, one in McCall and another in Grangeville), while the other bases are in Montana, California, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. 

What is a smokejumper?

Smokejumping is not an entry-level firefighting position, and smokejumper candidates must have previous fire experience, experience using chainsaws and hand tools and be able to pass a rigorous physical training test, according to the McCall Smokejumpers website.

Smokejumper candidates must also pass a multi-week training program where they spend time in the field and in classrooms. The training includes mock airplane exits and jumps, leadership skills, parachute landing techniques, tree climbing, navigation exercises, work with tools and chainsaws and practice parachute jumps. 

Like many smokejumpers, Siemion gained experience as a member of a hotshot crew. According to the Department of Interior’s wildland fire jobs website , a hotshot crew is a mobile, specialized firefighting crew that works on the ground in rugged terrain on active and difficult areas of wildfires.

Siemion has worked as a smokejumper since 2015, when he started as a rookie with the McCall Smokejumpers. 

Before that, he had never jumped out of an airplane before. 

“Of course I was nervous standing in the door of an aircraft, but I’m still nervous even today having jumped for seven years,” Siemion said. 

“The training is designed in such a way to ingrain safe habits, and I think our track record shows that the training works. Of course, jumping is thrilling. It’s fun. It’s exciting. But it’s also based on good, safe habits, and I always fall back on that.”

To date, Siemion has parachuted into wildfires 55 times and made 191 jumps altogether, including practice jumps. 

Even as an experienced smokejumper, Siemion said the training is extensive and continuous. Each year, returning smokejumpers complete refresher training that includes suiting up, equipment checks, jump spot selection, landing procedures and malfunction procedures. 

Great Basin Smokejumpers rig their own parachutes, and must demonstrate their skills packing chutes over and over again before jumping for real. They also track and document who rigged each chute, including the date and location. As of Thursday, Siemion has rigged 184 parachutes.

“The expectation is once we rig a chute, we have to have a system of accountability for who rigged that chute and maintain the documentation,” Siemion said. 

Along with learning to pack parachutes and jump out of airplanes, Great Basin Smokejumpers also learn to sew so they can make, modify, repair and customize their gear. Outside of the active fire season, smokejumpers may be found in the loft at their base working with a sewing machine to make their own jump jackets, pants and gear bags. They also customize their own parachute helmets by combining a ski helmet with a wire cage face mask. Smokejumpers who obtain a Federal Aviation Administration qualification also learn to repair and patch their own parachutes, in case one is damaged out in the field. 

Some fire personnel specialize in manufacturing gear and obtaining a FAA senior rigger qualification, which Siemion is working to obtain now. He said all Great Basin Smokejumpers develop some level of skill at sewing and repairing gear.

“We know best what our needs are, and we are always trying to make improvements,” Siemion said. “We might not be the fastest sewers in the world. But if we want to make adjustments, maybe that is finding a more comfortable jump jacket with better padding or lighter materials. With some proficiency at sewing, we are able to adjust much more quickly and nimbly than if we only relied on contracts with outside vendors.”

What happens when smokejumpers are called out for a fire?

When the Great Basin Smokejumpers are called out for a fire from Boise’s National Interagency Fire Center, they could be heading anywhere in the West or up to Alaska. 

Eight smokejumpers load into a plane and assess the fire from the air once they get close. If the fire is small, a minimum of two smokejumpers will parachute in. If the fire is larger, they might send all eight. 

Working with a spotter, the smokejumpers select a landing zone and jump from the plane wearing the jump jacket and pants they may have sewn themselves and the helmet they customized. They carry a pack with personal gear, including water, food, a radio and a fire shelter. 

Once the smokejumpers land safely, the crew on the plane will drop them cargo, which may include fire packs designed to sustain two firefighters for 48 hours, hand tools, sleeping bags, more water or chainsaws.

After working all day and night to fight a fire, the work isn’t done when a fire is out or smokejumpers hand off a larger spreading fire to a larger team. 

Smokejumpers then must pack out up to 130 pounds of gear and hike out to a road, trail or helicopter landing spot to get picked up. Sometimes, that means a one mile hike. Other times, packing out could entail an eight mile hike off trail through rugged mountains to reach the closest suitable spot to land a helicopter.

For Siemion, it’s becoming a career. 

He enjoys the different experiences that each fire offers, and he enjoys working with the other smokejumpers.

“Being a public servant working to protect people’s property and our shared natural resources is something I get satisfaction with,” Siemien said. “Most of all, it’s a pleasure working with a group of such highly motivated, hardworking, smart problem solvers. That is what it comes down to and it is what the Boise Smokejumpers is all about, as is the larger wildland fire community as well.”

What is the outlook for this year’s fire season?

Due to a snowy spring and record snowpack across parts of Idaho and the West, there isn’t a lot of large fire activity in the United States now, said Nick Nauslar, a predictive services meteorologist at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise.

“Right now we are expecting a slower or even a delayed start to the fire season in parts of the Southwest, the mountains, Utah and Nevada and throughout a good part of California,” Nauslar said in a telephone interview. “However, a heat wave or two can quickly change things, as we’ve seen before.” 

While the snowpack and melting snow provide moisture on the ground that may lead to a delayed start to the fire season, that moisture is also helping fuels such as grasses and shrubs grow, which will increase the risk for rangeland wildfires, particularly at middle elevations, as those fuels dry out Nauslar said. As a result, Nauslar said Idaho and parts of the West could start seeing grass fires in the next month or so. 

Nauslar and other meteorologists and officials will continue to monitor fire risk and activity as temperatures increase and the risk levels change.

“One thing to caution people on is that just because we could have a delayed start to the fire season doesn’t mean there won’t be any fires,” Nauslar said. “If those big fires happen in your backyard or near you, it can have big effects on you even though on a broader scale it may not be a ‘bigger’ fire season. No matter the year, we always get fires and almost always get big fires across the West at some point.”

Could you pass the minimum physical requirements to be a smokejumper?

According to the McCall Smokejumpers website, the minimum physical requirements a smoke jumper candidate must meet on the first day of training are:

• Seven pullups
• Twenty-five push-ups
• Forty-five sit-ups
• A 1.5 mile run in under 11 minutes (that’s a 7:20 per mile pace)

In smokejumper training, smokejumper candidates are also required to demonstrate packing out 110 pounds of gear over a distance of three miles in 90 minutes or less, according to the McCall Smokejumpers. 

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Clark Corbin

Idaho Capital Sun senior reporter Clark Corbin has more than a decade of experience covering Idaho government and politics. He has covered every Idaho legislative session since 2011 gavel-to-gavel. Prior to joining the Idaho Capital Sun he reported for the Idaho Falls Post Register and Idaho Education News. His reporting in Idaho has helped uncover a multimillion-dollar investment scam and exposed inaccurate data that school districts submitted to the state.

Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom , the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

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McCall 75th Year Reunion

Contact: andrew harris | posted: oct 26, 2017, date & location.

• Date: Jun 22, 2018 - Jun 24, 2018
• Location: McCall, Idaho
• Andrew Harris
• email: [email protected]

Greetings! It is time to start thinking about the 75th Year region 4 Smokejumper Reunion. The McCall Smokejumpers are looking forward to hosting and catching up with everyone. The dates will be ​​June 22, 23 and 24, 2018 in McCall Idaho. A registration form can be obtained from Andrew Harris (208-871-9931), McCall Smokejumpers, 605 S Mission St, McCall, ID, 83638 We are doing our best to spread the word, but we may have missed a few folks here and there. Help us do this by contacting anyone who needs to know. We are very excited about this event and hope that you can attend! Andrew Harris- McCall 2010 75th Reunion JIC 75th Reunion Teaser Video mccallsmokejumpers.org mccall smokejumpers facebook page Utube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4co8nVZHIB0 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FRIDAY JUNE 22RD 0800-1700: ARRIVE/CHECK IN AT SMOKEJUMPER BASE OPEN HOUSE 605 S MISSION STREET MCCALL ID 83638 1200: DEMONSTRATION JUMP @ SMOKEJUMPER BASE 1700: MEET AND GREET @ BROKEN HORN BREWERY 201 S MISSION ST, JUST NORTH OF SMOKEJUMPER BASE. SATURDAY JUNE 23rd 0900: BOARD THE SCENIC PAYETTE LAKE CRUISE BOAT @ YACHT CLUB 0930-1130: SCENIC PAYETTE LAKE CRUISE AND BRUNCH BRUNCH PROVIDED BY AMY’S WHOLE FOOD CREATIONS, FULL BAR FOR PURCHASE ON BOAT, 2 HOUR SCENIC LAKE CRUISE 1330: GOLF SCRAMBLE AT MCCALL PUBLIC GOLF COURSE 925 FAIRWAY DR MCCALL ID 83638, SHOTGUN START 1600-2100: EVENING PROGRAM AT NORTH FORK LODGE DINNER SERVED @1800 SUNDAY JUNE 24TH 1000-1100: BRUNCH AT SHORE LODGE, LOWER PAVILION 1100-1200: MEMORIAL CEREMONY AT SHORE LODGE, LOWER PAVILION

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In Pictures: The smokejumpers of McCall, Idaho

• Deep Read ( 2 Min. )
• By Alfredo Sosa Staff photographer

July 19, 2023 | McCall, Idaho

Smokejumpers are a special breed of firefighter. In addition to being physically fit, they must learn how to read the weather and jump safely out of planes into scorching wildfires. 

On a recent morning at McCall Smokejumper Base in Idaho, the team gathers for the daily weather report. This is not your typical TV news fare. With charts and graphs, the report goes in-depth on wind speed, humidity, pressure, conditions on the ground, and an array of other data. 

Why We Wrote This

It takes courage, training, and teamwork to make it as a smokejumper. Rookies become adept at reading the weather, rigging gear, and landing softly.

Then the smokejumpers pile into two planes to practice their skills parachuting into a meadow. Each team has a spotter who determines the release point from the plane. Later, when the crews are back on the ground, the jumps will be rated for accuracy and, more importantly, soft landings. No fire jumper wants to be injured on the drop into a conflagration. 

Smokejumpers have to be ready at a moment’s notice for dangerous assignments in far-flung locations. For newbies, the training is rigorous and taxing. 

When asked why rookies are pushed so hard, operations foreman Brent Sawyer smiles and says, “We just want to make sure they want to be here.”

As a new morning starts, the McCall Smokejumper Base in Idaho is already in full swing. Rookies are being put through the wringer, doing pushups and pullups to the tune of trainers shouting, “What do you want to be?” When I ask operations foreman Brent Sawyer why rookies are pushed so hard, he smiles and says, “We just want to make sure they want to be here.” 

At the same time, the operations desk gathers the rest of the smokejumpers for the morning weather report. This is not your typical TV news fare. With charts and graphs, the report goes in-depth on wind speed, humidity, pressure, conditions on the ground, and an array of other data that I can’t follow. As the smokejumpers listen, I almost see a spark of hope in their eyes for the opportunity to jump a fire. If I were to describe the typical smokejumper, I would say he or she is a combination of a special ops soldier, a tailor, and a ski bum.

This morning, smokejumpers pile into two planes to practice their skills by jumping into the meadow below, where the landing spot is marked with a small flag. Each team has a spotter who determines the release point from the plane. Later, when the crews are back on the ground, the jumps will be rated for accuracy and, more importantly, soft landings. No fire jumper wants to be injured on the drop into a conflagration. 

Back at the base, there is no idle moment. All the parachutes that have been deployed must be meticulously inspected for rips and defects, and every single line must be checked individually. From this point, the chute goes either to the repair shop or to be rigged. The art of rigging, which demands full-body action and intricate folding, is a combination of sumo wrestling and origami-making. This goes on for hours.

At the end of a long day, the sun starts to hide behind the snowcapped mountains. 

I drive off the base and see a small group of runners on the side of the road. One of them sings out, “What do you want to be?” and the rest reply, “Smokejumpers!”

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JOHN SNEDDEN BOI 73-76

My introduction to Leo was in 1974 at the Boise base. During my four jump seasons, 1973-76, Leo and I jumped several fires together. He was quiet, competent and packed more intellect in his brain than he wanted others to notice. He chose his words carefully, worked hard and did not complain.

This history project has really been underway by Leo Cromwell for over 50 years. Fortunately for everyone, Leo is both patient and tenacious to have compiled so much history on his own time. He taught school for most of the year, but his passion in the summers was directed at the history and statistics of R4 smokejumping. This eclectic combination – a passion for attention to detail coupled with a quest for adventure and tenacity – was not an unusual smokejumper attribute. It seems that jumpers often possess a baffling and seemingly unrelated combination of passions and interests when one drills down into their life. The danger, smoke, heat/cold, excitement, adrenaline squirts, drudgery, discomfort, magical sites, aircraft of all shapes and yes, c-rations were only part of the collective jumper reality. The real glue of smokejumping was that these men were your friends, and you were willing to earn this privilege and their respect because you knew you could absolutely count on them. This to me was the common thread in their character. Joining this team was all about attitude. No one needed to define it, verbally explain it, or expand on this attitude. It was, and remains with jumpers, and helps preserve the camaraderie. Thank you, Leo, for allowing me to help you with this project.

LEO CROMWELL

How ‘Who’s Who in Region 4 Smokejumping’ Happened

Although I was a history major at the University of Idaho in Moscow, my dream of being a historian was replaced by a teaching career in mathematics. So I believe my interest in creating the ‘Who’s Who’ began in 1974 after too long of an absence from smokejumping (Idaho City 1966-67, and one year in Fairbanks 1968) when I had been hired at the Boise base by Lowell Hanson (MSO ’58), the new Smokejumper Foreman.

It all started when Lowell asked if I was interested in keeping the jump records for the Boise base, and going back into the Idaho City records and putting them together for historical and current needs. I jumped at the chance, even though our only source of recording was an old typewriter brought to Boise from the unwanted closure of the beloved Idaho City base. For the rest of the Boise Days, 1970-79, I spent recording the current jumps out of Boise and gathering names and events of the Idaho City days from Smokejumper Foreman James “Smokey” Stover.

When the Boise base closed at the end of the 1979 season, I was one of 10 out of 28 Boise jumpers who made the move to McCall. I remained a squad leader, but spent my next few years working at the Payette Dispatch and later as a loadmaster. In the mid-’80s, I was moved to the Operations Desk to work for Operations Chief Dan Felt (MYL ’77). Squad leaders were to rotate base assignments every two years, but I believe that because of my computer skills I finished out my Smokejumping career working in Smokejumper Operations. My position in Operations provided a renewed opportunity to create and maintain a program that would continue the work I started in Boise of preserving smokejumper records.

There were many tours at the McCall Smokejumper Base in summer, and I always thought it was a shame that an old smokejumper would arrive for a tour of our base with his kids and grandkids and no one at the base was able to recognize this man who spent the most exciting years of his life Smokejumping. I started compiling records of the McCall Days from 1943 to present, and would give the old jumpers their records that included jumps and who they jumped with during those great years. Wayne Webb (MYL ’46) became my greatest fan and on his return to McCall each spring, he would be at the base to find out how many years I had completed over the winter months. Wayne invited me down to Boise to meet with the Leaping Legends. This was a group of old jumpers who meet every other month and talk about the old jumper days. I remember Glen “Ace” Nielsen (MYL ’46), checking out my record of him in his jumping years 1946-48 and comparing it to his journal. As a result, I was invited to join their elite group as he found both records were identical.

Around the early 1990s, my hopes of putting the records together suffered a server blow when I tried to bring the Idaho City and Boise records to McCall. I was told that all of these records were held for three years and then destroyed. I realized that only my recordings from the ’70s would be the main source of history for the Idaho City and Boise days.

By the 1998 Region 4 Reunion, I was committed to the task of preserving this part of Smokejumper history and produced the first “Who’s Who in Region 4 Smokejumping 1943-’97.” For many old smokejumpers, this was their book that reminded them of their past and the most exciting job one could have ever had.

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‘the equalizer’ on cbs confirmed to return for season five.

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Queen Latifah is confirmed to return for a fifth season on the reboot of crime drama "The Equalizer" ... [+] on CBS.

CBS, as expected, has announced a fifth season renewal for the reboot of crime drama The Equalizer . Debuting on February 7, 2021, The Equalizer features Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, a single mother in New York City with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn, acting as a guardian angel and a defender for those who cannot defend themselves while pursuing her own redemption.

“ The Equalizer , led by the incomparable Queen Latifah, has all the best elements of a powerful drama,” said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment in a statement. “The series is stacked with suspense, heroism, high stakes and formidable characters our audience roots for. We look forward to another dynamic season.”

Airing out of the veteran newsmagazine 60 Minutes in the Sunday 8 p.m., ET hour, The Equalizer , season to-date, ranks seventh overall in all of primetime with an average 8.27 million viewers (according to Nielsen Media Research). Assuming 60 Minutes , The Equalizer and freshman Tracker , the most-watched show in primetime, will remain where they are next season, CBS will be looking for a new (or another returning) series to fill the Sunday 10 p.m. hour.

The pickup of The Equalizer leaves only one CBS primetime series, NCIS: Hawai’i , waiting word on its fate. Last week, the Eye network canceled dramas CSI: Vegas and So Help Me Todd, which in the case of the legal dramedy as resulted in an active campaign by the fans to get a reprieve. For more on So Help Me Todd , click here .

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‘Unsung Hero’ Review: The Family That Prays Together, Plays Together in Uplifting Faith-Based Biopic

A father uproots his family, moving them halfway around the world to avoid professional and personal ruin in this heartening weepie.

By Courtney Howard

Courtney Howard

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David Smallbone (Joel Smallbone) is at the top of his game in early 1991. He’s got a great support system at work as one of Australia’s top Christian artist concert promoters, luring in such performers as the heavy metal hair band Stryper. His home life is also thriving, thanks to the efforts of his dedicated, loving wife Helen ( Daisy Betts ) and their burgeoning brood: Rebecca (Kirrilee Berger), Daniel (Paul Luke Bonenfant), Ben (Tenz McCall), Joel (Diesel La Torraca), Luke (JJ Pantano) and Josh (Angus K. Caldwell). His hard work has given them life’s luxuries, like fancy cars, a sprawling mansion and private schools for his kids. Yet their mettle is about to be tested.

After David fails to sell out an Amy Grant concert due in part to a devastating nationwide recession, he loses all their savings. His backup plan to bring Eddie DeGarmo (Jonathan Jackson) over from the States also vanishes overnight. With no other career options, and with another baby on the way, he comes up with a risky proposal: move the family to the U.S. in hopes of representing an artist friend of his in Nashville. Their journey is fraught with obstacles, from a stressful customs detention to the psychological toll of David’s struggles as a provider. While the Smallbones suck up their pride to courageously face dire situations, they’re only human and there’s always a breaking point — one they must work together to mend.

The film works best when trafficking in poignant subtleties that provide a cumulative tear-shedding experience rather than the overt schmaltz which occasionally appears. Lovely grace notes are peppered throughout, from some much-needed tension-release humor (not to be confused with the requisite Vegemite and “Crocodile Dundee” jokes) to the heart-in-throat moment that reveals how Rebecca St. James chose her stage name. (Take that, “Solo: A Star Wars Story”!) Eagle-eyed audiences will find fun spotting a few family members making cameo appearances.

Katherine Tucker’s production design reflects the Smallbones’ evolution — as their familial bonds flourish, their environments change for the better. Cinematographer Johnny Derango discreetly shifts lighting cues in concert with narrative overtones. The frequent golden hour glow represents the presence of David’s perpetually perky father (Terry O’Quinn) even when he’s not on screen, culminating in the genuinely emotional finale’s intersection of a trio of character arcs.

All the siblings offer contributions to their familial sustenance, yet a handful aren’t as fleshed out as they should be given their survival was a psychologically taxing team effort — especially for the younger members thrust into adulthood prematurely. The focus is not only on the parents’ problems, but also on their teenage daughter’s struggle with confidence as a performer and songwriter. And of course, young Luke and Joel, who later in life went on to form the duo For King + Country (and who also provide the heartfelt closing credits ballad), get significant attention, delivering a couple of funny, self-aware bits. However, Ben, Daniel and Josh are relegated to characters defined by their jobs and not by their personalities. They’re left aching for greater incorporation within this testimony.

A finer point could’ve been made about the two sides of the charity coin — the family’s Christmas is saved through the kindness of others, but David feels like a charity case when their wealthy neighbors Jed (Lucas Black) and Kay (Candace Cameron Bure) help out with hefty medical bills. Still, the filmmakers espouse reassuring commentary on achieving the American Dream. More films should acknowledge that throwing money at a problem isn’t always the solution. To glean the amount of meaningful insight as Smallbone clearly demonstrates with this feature, placing himself in his father’s shoes to fully understand a psyche in the throes of turmoil, is quite the dynamic feat. That’s especially important for a faith-based audience who need to see that flaws in our design are what make us human.

Reviewed online, April 23, 2024. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 112 MIN.

• Production: A Lionsgate release of a Kingdom Story Company, Candy Rock Entertainment production of a For King + Country Film. Producers: Joshua Walsh, Luke Smallbone, Justin Tolley, Joel Smallbone. Executive producers: Candace Cameron Bure, Andrew Erwin, Tony Young, Kevin Downes, Jon Erwin, Mike Curb, Brian Mitchell, Bill Reeves, Jeffery Brooks, Gerald Webb, Ford Englerth.
• Crew: Directors, writers: Joel Smallbone, Richard L. Ramsey. Camera: Johnny Derango. Editor: Parker Adams. Music: Brent McCorkle.
• With: Joel Smallbone, Daisy Betts, Kirrilee Berger, Jonathan Jackson, Lucas Black, Candace Cameron Bure, Terry O’Quinn, Paul Luke Bonenfant, Diesel La Torraca, JJ Pantano, Tenz McCall, Angus K. Caldwell.

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