Chicago Fire season 7 character preview: Christopher Herrmann

Where we left off

Christopher Herrmann’s last Chicago Fire season was pretty much like all of his other Chicago Fire seasons. Herrmann is to Firehouse 51 what Trudy Platt (Amy Morton) is to the 21st District on Chicago PD: the cynical, but secretly big-hearted, veteran who’s there to be a proverbial parent and slap the wrists of those upstart kids when necessary.

Herrmann did last season what Herrmann does every season. He was around to provide another pair of hands on callouts, wielded his blunt approach and sarcastic wit where necessary to keep other people in line, and demonstrated that he has a soft spot on occasion.

Pus, he gained Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) as a tenant after she moved out of Kelly Severide’s (Taylor Kinney) loft and into the Herrmann residence.

At least last season, Chicago Fire didn’t try to kill Herrmann, but it did do the next worst thing: kill someone close to him. The end of the season saw him spending time with Lieutenant Colannino (Andy John Kalkounos) after Colannino caused a ruckus at their kids’ basketball game. What felt like a beautiful friendship ended when the other man died in a fire.

Making matters worse, Colannino perished while looking for Herrmann—not knowing that he had already gotten out safely. That knowledge wore heavily on Herrmann, who spent the rest of the season struggling with survivor’s guilt.