Chicago Fire season 8 character preview: Stella Kidd

What should happen

Stellaride fans are no doubt overjoyed that Chicago Fire season 8 will begin with the two of them officially back together, and honestly every Chicago Fire fan should have a little bit of appreciation for that, because it means Stella can move on to other things.

So much of Stella’s screen time, for multiple seasons now, has revolved around Severide. Even in the periods where they weren’t a couple, the writers have been playing up the romantic tension and writing storylines for them together. When he was with Anna Turner (Charlotte Sullivan) back in season 5, Stella was around as the “supportive friend.” And even when they were off again, she was still casting longing glances at Kelly and clearly not over him.

Now that they’re re-coupled, and hopefully will stay that way after all of the back and forth that they’ve been through, the focus ought to shift to Stella Kidd the firefighter. Season 7 made a point of showcasing how capable Stella is in the field, both with her sharp instincts and her sheer force of will. The writers want One Chicago viewers to know how kick-butt she is, so why not emphasize that and less of her relationship?

In addition, Stella could use a new friend, and we don’t mean the “girl talk” scenes that Fire threw out over the season. She lost Tyler in an incredibly awkward subplot, and while she’s friendly with all the guys at Firehouse 51, we don’t usually get to see her develop more of a bond with anyone other than Kelly.

How about more scenes between her and Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer), or she could get to know Darren Ritter (recurring guest star Daniel Kyri) better, especially since she’s already gotten to befriend his dog Tuesday?