While characters and cast members might come and go on Chicago Fire, one aspect of the series has remained the same since its premiere in 2012: NBC has consistently renewed the fan-favorite firefighter procedural.
As one of the network's top original scripted dramas, the series from executive producer Dick Wolf has led the charge for the One Chicago franchise, and if its up to series star Joe Miñoso, Chicago Fire's fire won't be put out for many more years to come.
Currently in its fourteenth season, talks have been ongoing behind the scenes for a Chicago Fire season 15 renewal, and all signs undoubtedly point to NBC giving fans exactly what they want as soon as all of the numbers are crunched and deals are sorted.
The network has already started handing out renewals, including comedies St. Denis Medical and Happy's Place. In an interview with TV Insider, Miñoso expressed his desire to return in season 15 and continue into Grey's territory.
When asked by TV Insider about the Joe Cruz actor's hopes for Chicago Fire season 15, he one-upped the line of inquiry and shared that he hopes the series continues well past season 15 and returns for season 20 and confirms he will be sticking around:
"I wouldn’t mind a 20th! Fifteen gets us halfway there. I have no interest in leaving. There’s always ways to tell new stories, and I think that we’ve built a world where we get to do this week in and week out."
For any other show, hoping to reach 20 seasons would seem like an impossible task, but if there's one show on the air right now with an actual path to hitting milestones that have only been achieved by the likes of Law & Order and Grey's Anatomy, two of its contemporaries that are still going strong, it's definitely Chicago Fire.
On top of the bright future Miñoso hopes for and is surely ahead, it's exciting to hear that a cast member who has been with the show since its very first season remains committed to the series and their character for the long haul. Firehouse 51 has seen a lot of great people leave, and it's comforting to know that should NBC stay put in Chicago, so will a few familiar faces.
Miñoso spoke to the enduring quality of the series that has kept fans coming back all these years: "I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting so many fans who are wonderful about speaking out about how much they love Chicago Fire, and it’s like the one thing that they watch every week with their family. What an honor to have with those people who choose to spend what precious time they have and even more so to do it with their families. We’re the ones getting the reward."
Chicago Fire has proven that no matter how long characters have been with the show, there are always fresh stories to tell. Whether at the firehouse, at home, or with each other, this team continues to be one of the most exciting sources of entertainment on the small screen.
As for Cruz, Fire without question has five or more seasons worth of story to explore. Miñoso explained Cruz hasn't moved up in rank and become lieutenant to stay with his 51 family, though these are still aspects of Cruz's character that could be mined in the future. Fingers crossed that Miñoso's big hopes for Chicago Fire's future come true and we'll be watching season 20 in a few years!