"Permanent Damage" was a great episode of Chicago Fire in a vacuum. Yes, it would have been nice to see Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), especially since one of the storylines directly referenced her, but everything else was wonderful, from the core conflict to the side developments between the 51 team.
Here's the thing, though: context made "Permanent Damage" tough to sit through. We know that Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) and Sam Carver (Jake Lockett) will be leaving the show before the start of season 14, and yet, the show is behaving as though they will be around for years to come. It was an odd choice, and one that led to an emotional disconnect throughout the episode.
Sparks flew when Carver and Violet reunite
Carver got to reunite with Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith), which was wonderful to see, but then we had to sit and watch as these two hugged, share intense moments together during their look into a mysterious medic, and articulate how much they mean to one another. If you didn't know any better, you'd swear the show was setting up a new chapter for Carver and Violet, and that they were poised to get back together after a bumpy season.
None of that is going to happen, though. Carver only has a few more episodes before his character is written off the show. The same goes for Ritter, who not only got. surprising amount of screen time but made a decision that will seemingly have long term repercussions on the show. Lizzie Novak (Jocelyn Hudon) spends most of "Permanent Damage" looking for a new place to live. She asks around, before deciding to corner Ritter and ask whether he would consider becoming roommates.
Ritter inexplicably becomes roommates with Novak
Ritter is initially hesitant, but Novak wins him over, and by the end of the episode, the two are holding a dinner for a recently recovered Jack Damon (Michael Bradway). Well, Novak is, at least. She did not give Ritter a heads up that she was going to be having company, which is something most viewers on social media noted as a huge no no, but the point stands.
Why in the world would Chicago Fire decided to have Novak move in with Ritter if the latter only has a few more episodes left? She's going to have the same living problem when Ritter leaves (however he chooses to do so), so why not pair the medic off with another character? It's a confounding choice, and one that's frustrating because it shows us what a version of season 14 would look like if both Carver and Ritter stuck around.
Chicago Fire returns Wednesday, May 7 on NBC.