Did Actors' Strike Just Give Chicago Fire Fans More Hope For The Main Star's Return?
There is something positive in all that chaos.
While the majority of viewers are saddened to see their favorite shows delayed due to the ongoing WGA and SAG AFTRA strikes, Chicago Fire fans are the ones keeping their cool. Not only do they fully understand why the strikes are happening, but they also feel that the delay could work in their favor.
Just like any other scripted series, Chicago Fire's production has been frozen until the strike is resolved. This means that season 12 of the show will not be released this fall. Instead, the premiere may be pushed back to either midseason or even further, to the fall of 2024.
Either way, the extra time opens up new possibilities. An opportunity for Taylor Kinney to clear up the reasons for his departure and announce his comeback on the show, for example. Although many viewers have begun to lose hope that the fan-favorite character will ever return, this forced hiatus may change things for the better.
What was supposed to be Taylor Kinney's temporary departure was announced in January of this year, and many fans didn't think much of it until they realized there was no news or updates on the actor's plans at all. Both the reasons for his departure and his forthcoming plans were discussed privately between the executive producers of Chicago Fire.
Viewers were left completely in the dark.
It's not unexpected for Kinney to keep his personal life separate from his work, as he's known for being extremely private. However, fans were worried that the show would move on and they would have to deal with Kelly Severide being out of the picture after a mysterious phone call.
Now, with additional time for the actor to work through his issues and for the production team to come up with more graceful ways to write off the character, Chicago Fire viewers can expect a well-executed finale, if not a full comeback.
If you want to see how the story of Taylor Kinney's departure unfolds, stay tuned for all the latest Chicago Fire news and behind-the-scenes updates. In the meantime, you can catch up on all the previous seasons of the show by streaming them on Peacock TV.