Chicago Fire viewers are not happy about the departure of two main characters, calling the news “horrible”.
The popular NBC show, which was created by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, has become increasingly known for abruptly writing out certain characters since it started in 2012.
NBC has struck again – should the series return this September for its 14th run, it will reportedly no longer feature Daniel Kyri and Jake Lockett.
While Chicago Fire is yet to be officially renewed, it’s been claimed that Kyri and Lockett’s characters, Darren Ritter and Sam Carver, won’t be a part of new episodes should the procedural continue.
According to Deadline, the decision is designed to save costs at NBC – and could be the first of a number of cast departures.
“As actor deals are getting renegotiated and renewal talks between NBC and producing studio Universal Television on the five Wolf Entertainment series for the network continue, there could be more exits across all five shows,” the outlet states. The Independent has contacted NBC for comment.
Kyri first appeared on the series in season seven, with Lockett joining in season 11. News of their reported exits from the show have been met with widespread frustration among the fandom.
“THIS SUCKS. I hate that these number one shows can’t meet rising costs and peoples jobs suffer as a result,” one viewer wrote, with another saying “the show should just end with all the good characters leaving”.
An additional fan called it “horrible news” and chimed in on X/Tiwtter: “WHAT!!?! I can’t believe this!!”. Another stated: “OK so I don’t have a fave anymore, which means I don’t need to watch.”
Others highlighted the fact that Carver’s departure would mean the character of Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith) will lose a love interest.
“I don’t understand Chicago Fire writing out Carver after spending so much time setting up Violet/Carver. It doesn’t make sense to me,” one fan complained.
In 2015, Russian Doll actor Charlie Barnett was written out of the show and, in 2022, he described it as a “blessing in disguise”.
Barnett, who played Peter Mills, acknowledged that he was “really sad at the time”, but admitted that he reflects on the situation differently now.
“[The show] was a behemoth that I never really saw coming. I was thankful to be a part of it,” Barnett told Digital Spy. “I really was sad to be let go. It broke me for quite a long time.”
He added: “It was a blessing in disguise, and they all told me that. You never really see that in life, in general. You never see the bad moments becoming the good. It wouldn’t be. It wouldn’t be what it was, I think, if you did recognise it for what it is in the moment. So I’m thankful.”
How to Watch the Law & Order Crossover Event After It Aired (April 2025)
The Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit crossover event delivered two hours of gripping drama as the squads teamed up to take down a dangerous predator. If you missed the action-packed episode, have no fear. You can still catch up with Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and the dynamite detectives on their latest case.
“Play with Fire Part 1 and Part 2” captivated with a two-hour storyline that delved into a serial killer targeting undocumented women. The case became intensely personal after the 27th Precinct deduced that the Jane Doe that kickstarted the case was actually Maria Recinos, the little girl Benson rescued from sex traffickers in SVU‘s iconic episode “911.”
Maria healed from her trauma, eventually becoming an NYPD detective to help others — like Benson helped her. Benson had become Maria’s mentor and found solace in one of her special victims making the most of their challenges, so Maria’s murder ripped the rug from under Benson.
Once the squads realized Maria was killed trying to find an elusive predator that had evaded Lt. Jessica Brady (Maura Tierney) for a decade, a frenzied Benson set out to close the case once and for all. The SVU Captain was utterly heartbroken, leading to a white-knuckled investigation where she and the trusted 2-7 fought tooth and nail to avenge Maria and the other victims. Oh, and did we mention that Law & Order: Organized Crime‘s Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) showed up for backup?
RELATED: Everyone Who Appeared in the Law & Order Crossover Event & Where They Stand
While the crossover event aired live on April 17, Law & Order fans can still catch up on the latest case.
Where can you stream the OC, SVU and Law & Order crossover episodeS after they aired on TV?
Stream the latest Law & Order and SVU crossover episode on Peacock, NBC streaming service. New episodes of Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order: Organized Crime are available to watch on Peacock.
After Stabler’s brief appearance in the April 17 crossover episode, viewers jumped right into the Season 5 premiere of Law & Order: OC, which saw Stabler in peril during a high-stakes case. After Stabler landed in the hospital, Benson flocked to his side. Benson and Stabler always have each other’s back! New episodes of Season 5 of Law & Order: OC drop on Thursdays on Peacock.
“I love my job,” Hargitay told NBC Insider. “I love going to work every day. I love the community that I’m in. I love my cast, my crew, and I love the intimacy of it all and the fact that we work in a culture that says, ‘Let’s do the work, let’s have a fun time, and best idea wins.’ It is such a team. It is such an incredible team, and we rely so much on each other. We’re a unit. It’s so sacred to me.”
