Chicago Fire Fans Have a Surprising Reaction to Taylor Kinney's Return: ‘Seems Like a Double-Edge Sword'
The most anticipated comeback in the history of Chicago Fire saw quite a different reaction from what we expected: some fans are not sure about Severide’s return.
Summary:
- Taylor Kinney took an indefinite leave of absence from Chicago Fire midway through Season 11.
- According to Variety, the actor is set to return in Season 12, either full-time or for a cameo.
- Despite the general excitement with the news, some fans have issues with Kinney’s return.
Chicago Fire has always had a handful of compelling characters, but it’s hard to argue with the fact that Kelly Severide is the most popular of them all. Since Season 1, Severide has been the highlight of the show for most viewers, and we have all been rooting for him: on cases, in conflicts, in his personal life… Everywhere, really.
Unfortunately, Kelly Severide has consistently been off our screens since February, and no one knew if or when he would return. But here’s the good news: he’s back!
Even though some fans seem to be less excited about it than we expected.
Why Did Taylor Kinney Leave Chicago Fire?
After having portrayed Kelly Severide in Chicago Fire for years, Taylor Kinney suddenly took a so-called “leave of absence” during the filming of Season 11. His last appearance on the show was in Episode 14 where his character was written off: Severide went away to join a professional arson investigation training program.
The reasons for Kinney’s leave were never disclosed other than that he had to take care of some personal matters. Based on his months-long absence and complete lack of news, many fans were worried that the actor would not return to Chicago Fire at all. Some people saw the signs of that in the latest episodes of the show, too.
When Will Taylor Kinney Return to Chicago Fire?
According to Variety, the Kelly Severide actor is set to come back to the show in Season 12. Details of his return are yet unknown: we can’t be sure whether Kinney is rejoining the show full-time or making several cameo appearances. Despite that, it’s confirmed that Kelly Severide will be back on screen in the early episodes of S12.
How Did Fans React to Taylor Kinney’s Comeback News?
Seeing how Kelly Severide has always been the most popular character of Chicago Fire, most fans are beyond excited to welcome Taylor Kinney back. Especially after numerous speculations about him leaving the show for good, the news about the actor’s return was largely well-received with fans celebrating it on the subreddit.
But however anticipated Kinney’s comeback was, some fans treat it with a certain degree of skepticism. They worry about Severide’s new storylines on the show.
“So, with Severide coming back from a top-notch arson training program, are we going to get more episodes with Severide playing fire detective? Because a lot of people in Season 11 did not like or were fed up with the fire detective episodes. And if there are no fire detective episodes, then what was the point of having Severide go to that top-notch arson program? Seems like a double-edged sword where the writers have to come up with the perfect balance,” Ok-Coconut1074 wrote.
Other fans share their sentiment or generally claim to receive the news about Kinney’s return “with a grain of salt” until it’s further confirmed. This is understandable seeing how by far, only one major source has shared this news, and no official confirmation from the One Chicago creators has been issued.
Source: Variety