With eight seasons and nearly 200 episodes of television, Chicago Fire has remained a mainstay for NBC. Alas, the same cannot be said for more than a few of its prominent cast members. As the One Chicago spin-off continues going strong on its broadcast station, several main players on the show have left or been written off in some fashion or another. Ultimately, each departure is different than the other, so let’s take this time to explore the various reasons why certain actors on the popular dramatic television series have either opted to leave or found themselves taken off.
Naturally, given the fact that we’re talking about actors leaving the hit NBC show, you can expect some heavy spoilers for Chicago Fire henceforth.
Teri Reeves (Dr. Hallie Thomas)
While Teri Reeves served as one of the series regulars during the first season of Chicago Fire, it wasn’t meant to last. Playing a physician, Dr. Hallie Thomas was in a relationship with Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer). Ultimately, towards the final episodes of this freshman season, Dr. Hallie Thomas was killed after being struck in the back of the head. It was revealed that the belated character was murdered. While there isn’t a clear reason given as to why Teri Reeves was written off Chicago Fire, the character decision was seemingly made in the hit show’s early days, and that it didn’t have to do with Reeves or her performance. Rather, in order to build the dramatic stakes in this first season, Dr. Thomas’ death added emotional heft.
Lauren German (Leslie Elizabeth Shay)
As Leslie Shay, a paramedic in Ambulance 61 at Firehouse 51, Lauren German was a main player during Chicago Fire’s first and second seasons. However, towards the end of season two, Leslie Shay was killed by a man who stalked her. The character made a few appearances in Season 3 in the form of flashbacks, but the character’s journey ultimately came to an untimely end in the show’s early seasons. In a 2014 interview with TV Line, executive producer Matt Olmstead explained that they wanted to kill of a character that would have a big dramatic and emotional impact, and they felt that, as difficult as it was, it would be Leslie Shay’s death that cut the deepest. Olmstead claimed Shay’s exit “affected the most people” overall.
Peter Mills – Chicago Fire
Charlie Barnett (Peter Mills)
During the first three seasons of Chicago Fire, Charlie Barnett’s Peter Mills served as a series regular. However, as the third season was winding to a close, the show-runners decided that it was time for Peter Mills to go his own way. The character decided to leave the team and move closer to his family in order to avoid living in his late father’s shadow. Ultimately, in an effort to introduce fresh blood to the firefighter series, executive producer Matt Olmstead explained to TV Guide that it was time to let some characters go, in order to prevent the series from becoming a “clown car” filled with too many characters. In the end, it was a difficult decision, but it was also one Olmstead believes was right. Once again, the choice to let Peter Mills walk away from the show doesn’t appear to be related to Charlie Barnett or his performance. Rather, the show-runners wanted to give the guy an out.
Dora Madison – Chicago Fire
Dora Madison Burge (Jessica “Chili” Chilton)
After serving as a guest star during the show’s third season, Dora Madison was promoted to series regular in Season 4. In the role of Jessica “Chili” Chi
