Apple TV+ has been on a veritable media blitz this year, delivering numerous television programs that have reached massive viral success. The latest show to release on the streamer is Smoke, which premiered on June 27. Fans who have seen initial trailers already know that the series centers on Taron Egerton’s Dave Gudsen, a firefighter suspected of committing a series of arson fires, resulting in death, injury and untold property destruction.
If the show seems to be highly grounded in reality, that’s because Smoke follows a real true crime story about a former fire captain by the name of John Leonard Orr, who was convicted on numerous arson charges in the mid-1990s. To understand exactly how the series unpacks the arsonist’s life and legacy, and how it deviates from the real true story, be sure to read ahead. We’ll be outlining the nature of Orr’s crimes, the release schedule for Smoke and unpacking what series creator Dennis Lehane has said about the project.
What is ‘Smoke’ all about?
As displayed in the trailer, Smoke follows a man named Dave Gudsen, who serves as the captain of his firefighter squad in the Pacific Northwest. As the series unravels, Dave is confronted by Detective Michell Calderon (Jurnee Smollett), and questioned about his potential involvement with a series of local blazes. The suspense builds throughout the season, culminating in a face-off which threatens to dismantle Dave’s life, legacy and reputation. As Calderon continues her investigation, she speaks with Dave’s friends, coworkers and even his wife, slowly tugging at the strings of a seemingly unthinkable crime spree.
In truth, Dave Gudsen is not an actual person. He is a fictional character created for the series, though he is clearly modeled after convicted criminal John Leonard Orr. The narrative of Smoke differs from Orr’s actual life in a myriad of ways, not the least of which is by changing his name and identity, but it retains the broad strokes of details of his many crimes and eventual downfall. Like many Hollywood productions, Smoke takes narrative liberties designed to up the stakes and ratchet the tension, offering a shocking and cathartic experience at every turn. These changes include shifting the story from the 1980s and 1990s to the modern day to examine the criminal psyche from a contemporary lens.
Who was the real John Orr?
As stated, the real John Leonard Orr was a fire captain who served the Glendale, California fire department. Orr apparently had a deep fascination with the element, having studied fire science for years while working odd jobs throughout his young adulthood. He initially sought employment with his local police department, but ultimately became an arson investigator when he was deemed physically unfit for the force. Orr made a name for himself in 1984 when he correctly surmised that a blaze that destroyed a South Pasadena hardware store was caused by arson, not an electrical malfunction as others had suggested.
In truth, Orr arrived at this conclusion because he himself had set the fire using a series of polyurethane-soaked rags. Over the course of the following several years, Orr would commit a number of arsons all across Los Angeles County, claiming the lives of more than four innocent people. Though he was good at covering his tracks, Orr eventually caught the attention of Captain Marvin G. Casey of the Bakersfield Fire Department. This individual is likely the inspiration for the Calderon character in the Smoke series.
Casey continued keeping an eye on Orr throughout the late 80s and early 90s, and eventually uncovered a set of fingerprints left behind at the scene of one of Orr’s fires. Casey then launched a thorough investigation, aided by a team known as the Pillow Pyro Task Force, and matched the arsonist with the prints. Orr was ultimately arrested in December 1991 and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and 21 counts of arson.
Where is John Orr today?
In 1998, John Orr was convicted on all four counts of murder and all but one count of arson. Prosecutors recommended the death sentence for the former arson investigator, though the presiding judge ultimately sentenced Orr to four concurrent life sentences plus 21 years, without the possibility of parole. Today, John Orr resides in California State Prison, Centinela, where he is expected to remain until the end of his life. The prolific arsonist has written many tales and accounts of his life while incarcerated, shedding some light on his motivation and background.
To bring Orr’s criminal activity to life for Smoke, Taron Egerton is said to have had great difficulty. In a recent discussion with Time, the 35-year-old actor said of his character, “He’s the guy who has it all figured out and knows exactly what’s right and wrong and knows what’s for the best of everybody in there. I had to get under the skin of who he is and figure out what that very specific brand of morality is: What is OK for him and what’s not, and also does that code of ethics apply when nobody’s looking?” Series creator Dennis Lehane jested that Egerton was in “actor hell” during the production of the first two episodes, as he worked out the pathos of a man who dedicated his life to fire safety while secretly working to burn down an array of local businesses and residences with reckless abandon.
How did Orr’s story become popularized?
Though John Orr’s arson trial was big news for local firefighters, the story didn’t truly blow up until July 2021. At that time, former HBO executive Kary Antholis began producing and releasing Firebug, an immersive true crime podcast all about the crimes and criminal trial of Pasadena’s most infamous arsonist. Through exhaustive research, Antholis and his co-producer Marc Smerling compiled a myriad of taped discussions with Orr himself, as well as his personal associates, friends and former coworkers. These tapes create a comprehensive look into the man’s psyche and allow listeners to immerse themselves in a true crime story unlike any other. The podcast was a massive hit, and eventually led to the creation of Smoke for Apple TV+.
How many episodes of ‘Smoke’ are there?
Smoke will land on Apple TV+ with an explosive two-part premiere on June 27, before switching to a weekly release schedule. From there, one new episode will air each Friday until the season finale on Aug. 15. The show is expected to run for nine episodes in total, though there’s no telling exactly where the narrative will come to a close. Depending on what Lehane and his producers have planned for the show’s future, we could even see the story take a few significant departures from the real-life tale of John Orr. For now, we’ll simply have to wait and see as the episodes roll out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be a season two of Smoke?
According to series creator Dennis Lehane, Smoke is planned to be a multi-season show. While discussing the project with The Direct, the novelist confirmed that he has three seasons of material planned for the Apple TV+ outing, with “a very strong sense of how those three will end.“ Lehane also stated, however, that these three seasons are not guaranteed, and that the future of the series “depends on how many people show up and watch it.”
Is Smoke a movie or a TV show?
You’d never know it from the heightened production value and the star-studded cast, but Smoke is a nine-episode television series designed to run weekly from now until mid-August. The series’ trailer comes off as quite ambiguous on this front, however, leading many fans to question the time investment necessary to enjoy the full project.
