As a dedicated fan of the One Chicago universe, I must say that the fall finale of Chicago Fire left me with mixed emotions. On one hand, it was great to see the familiar faces and storylines that we’ve grown to love over the years. On the other hand, the absence of Kelly Severide (played by Taylor Kinney) was noticeable, but not entirely unexpected given the series’ history of cast members taking a break from filming.
The TV series “Chicago Fire” concluded its fall season finale in 2024, with the plotline reminiscent of Season 1 for Joe Cruz. However, something significant was absent – Taylor Kinney, who plays Kelly Severide, was conspicuously missing. Given his extended absence during the latter part of Season 11, it’s natural to fret about another storyline that might separate Severide from Firehouse 51 for an extended period. Yet, there’s no need for concern due to a piece of news from 2023.
How Chicago Fire Explained Severide’s Absence
The autumn finale was filled with various storylines, from the heavy, such as Cruz dealing with his past, to the more playful, like Ritter pondering living with his boyfriend. Unlike previous seasons where Severide’s absence was attributed to an ongoing fire inspection training program, this time it was shown differently in Chicago Fire.
In the final episode of Season 13, aired in 2024 (available with a Peacock subscription), Cruz stated, “Severide’s involved in some fire inspection issue in Michigan.” I’m not entirely sure what constitutes a “boondoggle” within the One Chicago universe, but it doesn’t seem overly problematic. Later in the episode, Stella provided an update on her husband’s situation in Michigan when Violet inquired about his wellbeing.
Good, but he’s decided to come back a little early. Which, of course, I’m happy about.
Instead of prolonging his departure without informing Stella like he did in Season 11, it seems wiser and more beneficial for the Stellaride storyline if Severide were to return early next time. The fall finale hinted that his absence would be brief, and based on the winter premiere promotions airing in 2025, it’s clear he’ll make a comeback at the start of the new year. Furthermore, there’s no indication that his absence at the end of 2024 will lead to another repeat of past events, as it appears to be an innocent reason unrelated to any foreshadowing.
Why Chicago Fire Cast Members (Including Taylor Kinney) Have Missed Episodes
To understand why I’m not concerned that Severide might skip a significant episode, let’s rewind to April 2023, before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes started. Back then, Deadline announced that the renewals for NBC’s six shows – Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order: Organized Crime – brought a shift in the cast’s roles: they would continue as series regulars, but they’d appear less frequently to minimize production costs for the entire season without affecting their per-episode pay.
Before it was announced that “Organized Crime” Season 5 would air on Peacock rather than NBC alongside “SVU”, I assumed this shift might mean fewer appearances of our favorite characters in the upcoming seasons for both One Chicago and Law & Order, but nothing more drastic. However, it doesn’t seem like the strategy has evolved from the 2023-2024 TV season to the current 2024-2025 season, and other “Fire” cast members have already missed episodes.
It seems like Taylor Kinney might have taken a break from Chicago Fire, but it’s worth mentioning that David Eigenberg explained to TopMob that his absence was due to an injury (snapping the Achilles tendon). Therefore, it could be more likely that budget constraints rather than the storyline were responsible for Kinney missing an episode. Furthermore, given the many events happening in that particular episode, I don’t believe Severide’s absence in Michigan made much of a difference.
If you’re yearning for Severide, don’t worry! You can catch up on all his earlier appearances in Chicago Fire by streaming it on Peacock until the One Chicago shows resume in 2025. The entire trio will be back on NBC starting January 8, 2025. The night kicks off with Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago PD at 10 p.m. ET.
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2024-11-28 04:07