Chicago Fire finally revealed why Firehouse 51 will lose two fan-favorite firefighters ahead of its emotional season finale. The hit One Chicago series from NBC is confirmed to say goodbye to multiple series regulars following its 22-episode run in Season 13, namely Jake Lockett's Sam Carver and Daniel Kyri's Daniel Ritter.
The pair's confirmed exit shocked many, considering both characters are well-loved by the cast and fans. While character exits have been the norm for shows like Chicago Fire, a report claimed that Carver and Ritter had to leave due to budgetary cuts across NBC and the entire TV industry.
In Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 20, the episode introduced the arrival of an efficiency expert, Ambrose Sterling (Rushi Kota), to audit and assess the operational efficiencies of Firehouse 51, leading to a surprising revelation about the current state of the Chicago Fire Department (CFD).
While Firehouse 51 passed Sterling's assessment, he told Lieutenant Mouch (Christian Stolte) and Captain Herrmann (David Eigenberg) some troubling news about the CFD, revealing that they are going to be "announcing big cuts soon," which includes layoffs and forced retirements.
The first ones to go, apparently, are the probationary and older firefighters, and he also mentioned that "these cuts are inevitable:"
"The CFD is going to be announcing big cuts soon, including layoffs and forced retirements. Probationary and older firefighters are going to be the first to go. This isn’t bad news. With all your years on the job, the buyout could be pretty sweet. These cuts are inevitable. That’s the future of the CFD."
Although the episode appears to hint that the first ones out the door may be Herrmann and Mouch, the confirmed reports of Carver and Ritter's exits say otherwise, and the new installment already hints as to why.
At the beginning of the episode, Herrmann mentioned that Carver is still a part-time firefighter of 51, mainly due to his earlier exit from the team in Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 14, after dealing with his alcoholism issues.
This could explain why Carver could be on the chopping block at the end of the season.
The latest episode also hinted at Ritter's potential career change, especially after he expressed concerns about the arrival of the efficiency expert who doesn't know how firefighters do their jobs.
To potentially avoid further cuts in Firehouse 51, Ritter could voluntarily tender his resignation and pursue another career as an efficiency analyst or any other job at the main CFD headquarters to help his friends move forward with the inevitable cuts.
Still, the announced exits of Carver and Ritter don't necessarily mean they are the only ones who will be leaving, with the Chicago Fire Season 13 finale surprising everyone about another potential departure.
The series follows the ups and downs of the lives of firefighters and paramedics at Firehouse 51. Chicago Fire also features a strong cast of actors led by Taylor Kinney, Miranda Rae Mayo, Hanako Greensmith, Christian Stolte, David Eigenberg, Jocelyn Hudon, Joe Minoso, and Delmot Mulroney.
Chicago Fire has already been renewed by NBC for Season 14.
Will Chicago Fire's Season 13 Finale Reveal More Character Exits?
Aside from Carver and Ritter, the inevitable cuts mandated by the Chicago Fire Department are definitely bad news for Firehouse 51.
Given that Herrmann and Mouch are both the elder statesmen of 51, they are potentially the targets for the cuts. However, Chicago Fire Season 13 spent a good chunk of its runtime showcasing major career moves for both characters, considering the pair passed the Captain and Lieutenant exams with flying colors this season.
It would be a waste if Herrmann and Mouch left after Season 13, so it is reasonable to assume that they will stay in Season 14 and beyond. After all, they have been a mainstay of Chicago Fire since Season 1.
Some would assume that Michael Bradway's Jack Damon (Kelly Severide's half-brother) could be on the chopping block, but the fact that he has been promoted to be a regular firefighter of Firehouse 51 diminishes his exit chances.
One way for Chicago Fire to surprise fans is Chief Pascal's potential exit. Following the death of his wife, Monica, in Season 13, Episode 15, he has shown signs of being unstable during calls, meaning that the tragedy could've taken a toll on him, which could lead to his departure in the finale.
