Chicago Fire’s Sam Carver (Jake Lockett) has had one of the most compelling character arcs in the series so far. From the time he was introduced in Chicago Fire Season 11, he has solidified himself as a part of Firehouse 51. It has been charming to watch him establish himself within this team and develop a chosen family among his colleagues. The fact that Lockett was promoted to a series regular for Season 13 was welcome news since it signaled the fact that Carver was going to get even more stories and chances to prove what an excellent character he is.
Unfortunately, since the beginning of Chicago Fire Season 13, Carver has had to endure drama for no reason, particularly when it comes to his romantic relationships. This is unfair, since Carver has always had a lot to offer. Carver was a more appealing character when he was more reserved about sharing anything related to his personal life. This allowed his colleagues to get to know him organically. At this moment, however, Carver is in a place of uncertainty. In order for him to get back on his game, he needs to reconnect with his roots as the season goes forward.
What Makes Carver Unique?
Since his introduction, one thing that made Carver such an interesting character was his relationship with Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) since they were rivals at the fire academy. Whether Carver would fit into Firehouse 51, let alone integrate into the team, was a question that enhanced his character dynamic. His unique and sometimes brash attitude to cases also made him a compelling character to follow. As of late, this uniqueness has been toned down by the fact that Chicago Fire has only portrayed Carver within romantic relationships. There is a chance for the series to move past this to recapture the character’s distinctiveness.
Additionally, Carver has come quite a long way since he was first introduced. He has had to confront his traumatic past, particularly that he had an abusive father. This history and the fact that he has always been a private person could have provided a good foundation for some interesting stories about this character. Further, Carver has established a compelling relationship with Violet (Hanako Greensmith), which has had both exciting and frustrating moments. This will-they-won’t-they relationship has developed into one of the most interesting storylines in the latest seasons of Chicago Fire.
Since Chicago Fire has recently experienced turnover, characters like Carver are important. Having him off his game so early in the season is a troubling choice that could have negative implications for the foreseeable future. The fact that Carver continues to be deeply self-focused makes him a less effective member of the team. This selfishness and self-destructive behavior is completely unlike Carver and has seemingly come as a result of his most recent relationship. It is clear that Carver’s re-connection with an old flame caused much of this unnecessary drama.
Relationship Drama
Carver’s relationship with Tori (Holly Hinchliffe) was toxic from the start, and he’s been struggling since the beginning of Season 13. This relationship, in particular, makes Carver the worst version of himself. Carver is playing a dangerous game, being so distracted in a job that requires intense focus. His colleagues have continued to note the fact that he’s going through something personal. The stress he was under after reconnecting with Tori evidently became too much for Carver to handle.
While Carver’s relationships have been critical to his character development, there was no meaningful reason to keep him tied to Tori. This relationship served little other purpose other than to drive a wedge between Carver and Violet. Chicago Fire is not served by a firefighter who is so unfocused at work that he may as well not be there at all. Hopefully, now that this relationship is over, at least for the moment, Carver will be able to give his job his full attention.
Chicago Fire needs to get back to basics when it comes to Carver, since this character has already demonstrated how much there is to explore with him. Whether Carver and Violet end up together, Carver needs to get his act together sooner rather than later. Ultimately, the longer Carver remains at this crossroads without a reason, the more difficult it is to invest in him as a character. Chicago Fire introduced a talented firefighter who was slowly but surely embraced by Firehouse 51. It is time the series returned to that version of Sam Carver.
Chicago Fire is available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.
