Jesse Spencer has landed his first role after exiting Chicago Fire, and it couldn’t be any more different than Matt Casey. Casey was a fixture at Firehouse 51 for the first 11 seasons, where his PTSD-related challenges made him one of Chicago Fire’s best characters. He experienced the deaths of people close to him on top of overcoming a traumatic childhood and had two significant but ultimately heartbreaking relationships before he began dating Sylvie Brett, who he had a happy ending with before the two left for Oregon together.
After 10 seasons, Spencer elected not to return to the One Chicago franchise so that he could return to his native Australia, though he returned halfway through the next season so that Casey could reach his 200-episode milestone. Thus, in season 12, Casey and Brett got married before moving to Oregon together, where Casey is working at a different firehouse. Spencer’s first role after leaving Chicago Fire is on an Australian program that airs worldwide on the Disney+ platform. This gig is the opposite of Casey in many ways, thus representing the next step in Spencer’s career.
Jesse Spencer Plays Tony Bissett In Disney+’s Last Days of the Space Age
Tony Is The Father of Four In 1970s Australia
Spencer’s Tony Bissett is the patriarch of one of three families in 1979’s Western Australia who experience the crash of the American Skylab into their city just as it is getting ready to host the 1979 Miss Universe pageant in Last Days Of The Space Age. During these trying times, Bissett must keep his family safe, together, and out of trouble. Spencer works alongside other Australian actors, such as Radha Mitchell and Deborah Mailman, as he endeavors to hold onto his family and the life that he knew before the Skylab Crash.
Last Days Of The Space Age has one thing in common with Chicago Fire, however — they both center around crises that include fire. The new series, which has eight episodes, is based on real events that occurred in 1979 in Western Australia and focuses on how the crash affects the families living in the area. It also depicts what life was like for Australians at a time when cell phones, the Internet, and social media had not yet been invented, which presents different story opportunities and challenges than series set in the present.
How Tony Is Different From Firehouse 51’s Matt Casey
There Are Few Similarities Between The Two Characters
In Last Days Of The Space Age, Tony lives in Western Australia, which is culturally different from the Midwestern United States so that immediately sets him apart from Casey. Additionally, he is a father who is used to raising children and does so with a gruff demeanor. This is a far cry from the former Firehouse 51 leader, whose challenges stemmed from the unresolved trauma of a childhood spent with an abusive mother in middle America and whose life was dedicated to helping others even though his work resulted in additional trauma.
Tony is experiencing trauma of his own, however, as he is struggling to hold onto an era that is rapidly disappearing while dealing with a crisis in his hometown. However, this is mostly brought about by cultural and social factors such as striking workers, financial difficulties, and the effects of the Skylab crash. He is a man who is desperately hanging on to the life he knew as things change rapidly, giving him more in common with the iconic Archie Bunker than with Casey, who lives in modern times and is consistently fighting for a better future rather than dwelling on the past.
Why Last Days of the Space Age Is The Perfect Post-Chicago Fire Project For Spencer
The Actor Returned to Australia After Leaving The Long Running Series
Casey is one of the former One Chicago characters that could return to generate excitement. However, landing this new role in Last Days Of The Space Age is good news for Spencer. The actor left because he wanted to pursue other opportunities and take care of some matters pertaining to his family (via NBC Insider). Landing a role in an Australian production that will be seen worldwide allows Spencer to return to his native Australia without sacrificing future acting opportunities.
He [Spencer] deserves a strong role now that he is back in Australia.
Spencer gave ten full seasons to Chicago Fire before his exit, returning the next season as a guest star so that he could hit a 200-episode milestone before Casey and Brett left the series permanently. He deserves a strong role now that he is back in Australia. Playing Tony Bissett will also help audiences separate him from the iconic character he played so that he does not get stuck with only one type of role for the rest of his career.
