Chicago Fire could ruin Kelly Severide as Taylor Kinney exits the series, the same Chicago PD did with Jay Halstead when Jesse Lee Soffer departed the police procedural. Ahead of Chicago PD season 10’s premiere, it was announced that its original cast member was leaving the show, albeit with no clear reason why. Ultimately, the show came up with a narrative that wrote out the character, but not without ruining Halstead — something that could also happen with Severide in Chicago Fire.
When news broke out that Kinney is leaving Chicago Fire for an extended leave, NBC didn’t reveal the reason why. However, it was clear from reports that this was an unexpected turn of events, forcing Wolf Entertainment to rewrite scripts for the rest of season 11. It’s still uncertain how Severide’s impending Chicago Fire absence will be explained, but it should be a cause of concern, especially seeing how Chicago PD wrote out Halstead.
Taylor Kinney’s Abrupt Chicago Fire Exit Could Make Kelly Severide Suffer
Given the nature of Kinney’s exit, it means that One Chicago will have to scramble to find a way to write Severide out of Chicago Fire. NBC knew ahead of time that Soffer was leaving Chicago PD season 10, and despite that, they were still unable to deliver a satisfying swan song for the character. It’s an understatement to say that Halstead’s Chicago PD exit was disappointing, but it’s made worse by the fact that the reason for his departure contradicts his whole arc. Given how unexpected Severide’s impending leave will be, it will be much more difficult for NBC to find a justified way for his exit.
The fact that Kinney’s leave will happen at a precarious juncture in Severide and Stella Kidd’s marriage make this so much more complicated. While Chicago Fire has done a great job emphasizing that the couple is fully committed to each other, Kidd’s latest near-death encounter has her pretty shaken up. She has been having nightmares and needs emotional support from her husband now more than ever. Unless something dire happens to Severide, him leaving Kidd on her own wouldn’t look good on him. It’s also going to be so out of character, making it difficult for NBC to actually justify his absence.
How Chicago Fire Can Write Out Severide Without Ruining Him
Unlike Halstead’s permanent Chicago PD exit, Severide’s Chicago Fire absence will be temporary, as it will only be an extended leave for the actor. Depending on how long Kinney will be gone, there’s no need for NBC to break up Severide and Kidd. Instead, they just need to come up with a situation where he really needs to be away for a while. Perhaps it may have to do with helping her mom, which is a believable reason, especially if executed properly. Otherwise, it could be about Severide having to take on a different job, perhaps at OFI, especially given his connections to that team.
One Chicago airs Wednesdays on NBC.
