Chicago Fire boss tells fans to prepare for 'rollercoaster' premiere

Chicago Fire fans have had the unenviable task of waiting months between seasons, but the actors and writers are going to make the wait worth it. Showrunner Andrea Newman recently discussed the upcoming season with Variety, and she promised fans that it will be a "rollercoaster" experience.

This makes sense, given that the season 11 finale left so many unresolved plot threads. It wasn't clear if we would ever see Severide (Taylor Kinney), if Mouch (Christian Stolte) would survive his injury, or if Brett (Kara Killmer) said yes to the marriage proposal from Casey (Jesse Spencer).

Chicago Fire season 12 will open 'with a bang'

Well, according to Newman, the premiere will deliver on the promises of all these plot threads and more. When asked, on a scale of 1 to 10, what fans should be expecting, the showrunner makes it clear that a level 10 episode is in store:

""I would prepare for level 10 out of 10. There’s a lot going on and it really jumps out with a bang, literally. It’s quite a rollercoaster ride. All of these actors who have been waiting to jump back in and just bring it with everything they have, they’ve been at the top of their game. It’s a great episode and lots of emotion.""

Related: A Chicago Fire timeline of Casey and Brett's romance

The enthusiasm of the cast has been evident in the One Chicago promotional material. A recent video compiling interviews with cast members saw them likening their return to the first day of school, and multiple teased the extraordinarily high amount of action that's in store.

Taylor Kinney is returning to the cast full-time

Newman also credited the enthusiasm of the cast to the return of Taylor Kinney. The actor was absent from the last few episodes of season 11, and he's been such a big part of Chicago Fire overall, that he inspired a lot of excitement for what the future of the show has in store:

""I think buzzy is the world I’d use! Plus, having Taylor back was a thrill for everybody, and he was as jazzed as can be. The energy levels were through the roof.""

There's been hints at the marital strife that Severide and Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) will have to endure in season 12, but Newman has confirmed that Severide is back in a full-time capacity, and will factor into nearly every prominent storyline throughout the season.

It wouldn't be the 51 without the veteran firefighter, so we are both relieved and thrilled!