One Chicago: Biggest takeaways from Feb. 17th’s Fire, PD and Med episodes

Chicago Fire: Did Ritter’s backstory make you get emotional?

One Chicago viewers learned more about Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) in this week’s Chicago Fire. He called upon a friend to cater lunch for Firehouse 51, only for him to reveal later that said friend had once disappeared from his life and ended up on the streets after being abandoned by his mom.

It worked out, though, because the friend found a youth center that took him in—and as an adult, he still volunteered at that same youth center, and was able to extend a helping hand to Vanessa, the homeless woman Ritter had bonded with during “Dead of Winter.”

Chicago Fire season 9 is Ritter’s first as a main character, though he’s been around for years now, and we’re finally starting to learn more about him. This was a really touching story, and it allowed Daniel Kyri to give one of his most emotional and affecting performances. Here’s to hoping that we continue to get more of Ritter in future episodes (and seasons). He’s a really underrated character who sometimes doesn’t get as much screen time as he should.

Plus, Kyri’s deadpan delivery when Ritter explained to Blake Gallo (Alberto Rosende) how little he cared about Gallo’s self-created relationship problems was spot-on comedy. Gallo and Ritter are the One Chicago franchise’s next great double act.