Tom Ellis’ Perfect FBI: CIA Partner Could Make Up for Chicago Fire’s Most Tragic Death
Dick Wolf’s shows may be airing on different networks, but CBS’s upcoming FBI spinoff, CIA, could salvage one of the most tragic losses in NBC’s Chicago Fire by casting the right partner for Tom Ellis’s titular character. Even better, it could create a worthy opportunity for a former Chicago Fire cast member who hasn’t worked in a while.
Talk of redemption often points to how the CIA could salvage the canceled FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International. The CIA’s announcement after losing two beloved spinoffs was somewhat controversial, although casting Ellis eased concerns. But with two actors leaving after the Chicago Fire season 13 finale, it’s a reminder that one of the series’ former cast members is perfect for the CIA.
Lauren German Is the Perfect FBI Partner: Tom Ellis’ CIA
Most Lucifer fans may feel a little familiar with Tom Ellis’s character Hart Hoxton, who is initially portrayed as a rule-breaking agent who plays by his own rules. Meanwhile, Hart’s partner is said to be a more strict FBI agent who plays by the rules. In other words, Hoxton’s partner is Lucifer Morningstar’s Chloe Dekker.
This would obviously make Lauren German’s CIA partner perfect. She and Ellis have perfected their chemistry over the years together on Lucifer, but it’s the early seasons of Lucifer that most closely resemble the relationship they’re supposed to have in the CIA. There’s room for romance to blossom, but the real draw is how they manage their professional relationship.
While Lucifer finds working by the law boring, while Dekker finds Morningstar’s lawless approach annoying, over time they begin to appreciate each other enough to recognize the need for each other’s strengths. Since Hoxton and his partner are likely to follow a similar trajectory within the CIA, it makes sense to cast a couple who have been through that phase before.
German’s return to the Dick Wolf universe could make up for Shay’s death in the Chicago Fire
Lauren German’s Leslie Shay brought a lot of lightheartedness to the first two seasons of Chicago Fire. Like her current firefighter partner Lizzie Novak, Shay takes very little seriously outside of her job as a paramedic. But her light was extinguished when shrapnel from an explosion struck her in the head and killed her in the season 2 finale.
While Leslie Shay’s death in the Chicago Fire fire may have been tragic, her infectious sense of humor and warm friendship with Severide allowed her to make the most of life. German bringing those qualities to Ellis’ CIA partner would bring Shay back to life somewhat, with the added benefit of distinguishing her off-duty persona from Chloe Dekker.
Why Shay’s Death Is Still Chicago Fire’s Most Heartbreaking Loss
Rebecca Jones’ suicide just a few episodes before Leslie Shay’s fatal injury was certainly tragic, but at least there was an emotional backstory leading up to it. Shay died without warning in an explosion set by an arsonist who had already served justice on another show, leaving any Chicago Fire fans who hadn’t followed these crossover events without closure.
Worse still is the loss of one of Chicago Fire’s most beloved characters. Shay is the fun-loving type who would probably be happy to know that her killer looks exactly like Prison Break’s coolest villain. Without her, Severide has fallen into a downward spiral, becoming an unreliable alcoholic who uses a grieving woman to mask his own pain.
Future replacements Sylvie Brett and Lizzie Novak certainly bring a presence to 51, the former of whom especially filled the void in Gabby and Kelly’s lives after losing Shay. But Leslie Shay has proven irreplaceable since her death on Chicago Fire. If the CIA can bring some of her spark back to the screen, it can’t come too soon.
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