We thought that we had taken our losses on April 16. That was the day Deadline confirmed that Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) and Sam Carver (Jake Lockett) would not be coming back for another season of Chicago Fire. The more we have learned about the show's future, however, the more we've come to realize more characters are at risk. Especially come the season finale.
The details surrounding the final episode of season 13 have been scarce, but TV Line let the cat out of the bag when it revealed the three storylines that would drive the episode. Two of them focus on the show's power couple, Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) but the third focuses on Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) and his decision to take the chief exam.
A decision that could lead to another major cast exit.
The synopsis suggests a change of leadership at 51
In a vacuum, no big deal. But in a season that has put Herrmann at odds with the current Firehouse 51 Chief, Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney), this is huge. Pascal knows that his predecessor, Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker), wanted Herrmann for the job, and there's been constant tension between him and Herrmann as a result. Especially when Pascal's wife died, and his professional conduct was falling by the wayside.
Herrmann's ambition has been on a seesaw for much of season 13, we the fact that he has decided to step up and take the chief's exam suggests one of two things. Either the character has decided to move on from Firehouse 51 and take a gig somewhere else, or he wants to push out Pascal and feels he has what it takes to do so.
Deadline has already noted that more Chicago Fire exits are possible in the near future. The show has been renewed for another season, but NBC wants to cut costs wherever possible, and writing people off the show seems to be the easiest way to do so. It's why Ritter and Carver are on their way out, and it leads us to believe that Pascal will be shown the door before the start of season 14.
One Chicago is looking to cut down on cast costs
To delve even further behind the scenes, One Chicago has begun encouraging main cast members to set up permanent residence in the Windy City, with the implication being that those who don't will not be getting as much screen time as those who do.
David Eigenberg has lived on the North Side of Chicago for over a decade. Dermot Mulroney, who joined the cast in 2024, lives in Los Angeles per NBC. We're not saying Mulroney's Chief is doomed to be kicked off the show, but we are saying things aren't looking great as we enter the last few episodes of the season.