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Is one of Chicago Fire‘s OGs preparing to say goodbye to Chi-Town — and the show?!
In Wednesday’s episode, Casey (played by longtime cast member Jesse Spencer) traveled to Oregon to check in on Griffin and Ben Darden, and what he found when he arrived was not pretty. The boys’ house was a mess, and their aunt had actually left a month ago, so Griffin was holding down the fort by himself. Ben, meanwhile, was staying out late and possibly using drugs.
Casey, at first, attempted to teach Griffin some easy recipes, but he soon realized that it was going to take a lot more than chicken parm to make this situation better. Even his “heroic” egg-in-a-hole couldn’t get Ben to open up. When Casey later announced that he was meeting with the boys’ social worker and Ben’s guidance counselor, Griffin begged him not to say anything about their aunt being gone so they wouldn’t be sent to a foster home. Casey insisted that he just wanted to talk about how he could be of help.
But when the social worker and guidance counselor revealed to Casey that they already knew about the MIA aunt, meaning Griffin and Ben were going to be sent to separate foster homes, Casey announced that he wanted to take them back to Chicago as their guardian. The two women, however, told him that it was a bad idea to remove the boys from their friends and school. Plus, their mother probably wouldn’t allow it, seeing as how the correctional facility is a short drive from their current location.
A dejected Casey went to leave Ben a goodbye note and spotted his firefighter badge, as well as a photo of the firehouse crew with Andy Darden, in Ben’s room. When he came back to Chicago, Casey took a long look at a sleeping Brett, then confessed to Herrmann that he might need to make a big change.
“We’ve always said any firefighter’s child is every firefighter’s child,” Casey said. “Herrmann, I think I have to move to Oregon, take care of those boys.”
“I gotta be honest, it breaks my heart to hear you say that, because it means you leaving 51, but… it’s what Andy would have wanted,” Herrmann replied. Gulp!
Elsewhere in the episode:
* Ritter and Eric realized the passion is no longer there between them and broke up, knowing it was the right thing to do.
* Paramedic chief Hawkins was so impressed by Brett during a ride-along that he convinced the department to fund her paramedicine program for six months. Brett, in turn, asked Mouch to partner up with her.
Fire fans, what do you think the future holds for Casey? Hit the comments!
I. Have had enough of this season with long time characters leaving series.
I would be completely shocked if Casey leaves for good. I think either the aunt will end up coming back or Casey will bring the boys back to Chicago.
If it’s true that Ben is on drugs I don’t understand the storyline at all. Why would it be better for him to stay there? And then to have the social workers say but they have friends here and they’re drug addicted mom is just in prison 25 miles away? I think the entire storyline is out of kilter because the station 51 has stressed what a family they are and how supportive they can be. Then showing Ben having pictures of that I would believe he’d find more support in Chicago in a true healthy family environment
Right. Mom is in prison. How does she get a say in the best placement for the kids? I mean if social services had to send them to a relative in another state would she get to prevent that?
Because they are her children.
My friend whose daughter is in jail lost guardianship of her granddaughter to her crack addicted father even though those went against her daughter’s wishes. So tell me again the mother gets the choice. That baby did not even know her father!
This is spot on. I was thinking the same. I think the only logical step is to bring them to Chicago and then have Matt & Sylvia suddenly be thrown outta the honeymoon phase and struggle through that, come what may.
Mom was drunk and killed her best friend if I remember right. She was not on drugs.
The storyline barely makes sense if Casey is being written off the show, and even then it’s a stretch.Bringing the boys back to Chicago is the only thing in that story arc that is believable. A lot of dried seem to be losing lead actors this year. As that happens, many of the series lose me. I’m tired of flimsy plot lines driven by actors leaving a series for a “new challenge “ or whatever….
* A lot of series
Can Brett leave instead? Why is her character so clingy? FOR THE LOVE OF GAWD, DON’T MAKE CASEY LEAVE!!
As opposed to Stella, who nearly quit her “dream” to be an officer because Kelly wouldn’t give her a tour of Squad. At least Sylvie isn’t relying on Matt to get her program going.
Casey and Severide are the main reason to watch this show. It is my favorite show but if Casey or Severide I will stop watching. Hopefully it’s all just a hook
I agree
I’m really hoping this is just some dramatic fake out that gets resolved since it’s the 200th episode, and he doesn’t get written off the show.
Literally every single “next episode promo” for Chicago Fire is a dramatic fake out and subtle twist that gets resolved in the first twenty minutes. Every. Single. One. They’ve perfected the art form. Seems only natural that they’d bring the same drama into the last three minutes of the 199th episode and get everyone talking online about next week.
I hope Matt does not leave. Casey and Severide are the biggest reasons I watch Chicago Fire. It would be a huge loss if either of them ever left the show.
If Casey leaves I’m done!
Me too if Casey leave I will watch that show again
Really hoping this is a misdirect. I’m not sure I’d watch the show anymore if Casey left. Particularly since they just spent the whole last season putting Casey and Brett together.
Totally agree with you. I am hoping since the show runners spent all summer saying Brett and Casey would have bumps along the way, but fans would be satisfied as the season went on that this is just them executing that plan.
It sad to see him go since him and Brett finally got together will she go with
Agreed. If Casey leaves – I’m done they spend 1.5 seasons all about Brett and Casey and now he’s leaving!! Plus he and Severide are the main reason we watch the show. NO WAY.
You took the words outta mouth.
No more Casey? No more Severide? Then sadly, im gone.
That will really make me sad AND mad cuz it’s my fave show anywhere. Period
I understand the male magnetism that attracts us all to Chicago Fire. But I feel it’s necessary to remind all you that there are women out there that we should be just as excited for portraying strong, courageous, and capable women that are represented in this show as well, and give them the proper shout outs too!
It’s not necessary to remind us though, because that theoretical show wouldn’t make it to Season 2. Just Facts.
I will b disdappointed if casey leave..he’s one of the main characters..want b the same
Casey and Brett belong together but he won’t be in Oregon more than a week until she’s all over Lt.Haskins. Severide will do the same thing when his ex-wife returns while Stella is in Boston.
You that too huh? I’d prefer if Brett left…she’s too cutesy for me.
Same
Dick Wolf obviously has a good formula with the Chicago TV setup but removing key characters will slowly turn longtime viewers the wrong way, eventually choosing something different to watch. I guess its typical of Hollywood TV writers to destroy something that works for the “BAMM” effect. Would have loved to have seen the growth of a male/female relationship longer than 3 or 4 episodes but they have to blow it up. The Chief is virtually gone and now Casey, I think I am done with this show.
Are they really firing the actors? Because it seems a number of those have also chosen to leave, like, recently, Yaya DaCosta. Hourlong network TV is quite the grind, shooting 14 hour days, 9 months out of the year, and since COVID, quarantines restrict travel during time off. Jesse Spencer has been doing that for 16 years, if you consider he went from House to Chicago Fire in the same year. He got married just last year and, perhaps, he wants to dedicate more time to his family.
On all these threads, people don’t seem to understand or care that actors are humans who decide to leave jobs; cast departures are usually talked about as if the actors are Hollywood puppets who are less important than the pretend characters they play.
17 years. This would have been his 18th year straight doing a full-time primetime full-order series. Exhausting. :)
Yeah, it’s really “exhausting” getting a paycheck 🤭
Isn’t it? If you get paid for work, it suddenly can’t be tiring? There’s a reason IATSE is about to strike. People are working days so long, they are sleeping at the wheels and crashing cars. Not just crew. It happened to KJ Apa in Riverdale after a 17h shoot. Don’t you think, then, if he doesn’t want the paycheck anymore, can’t he quit? Or is he forced to work as long as you want to watch him?
And a big one after 17yrs probably wants more
LOL if you put 17 years into your industry/profession, do you not expect more money for your experience? Hope so, or you’re getting rolled. (Unless you’re 12 years old, which I assume many of you here actually are… in that case, go do your homework and stop worrying about what 40-year-olds are doing with their lives.)
He chose his job Like doctors nurses etc do We made/make actors be top ones in the shows So no when retired from warehouse or factory workers after 30 years You don’t hear thus information 17 yes if making a fortune boohoo
When factory workers quit their jobs or seek other employment, do you force them to stay?
Seriously, are you legitimately this entitled or just trolling? It’s a pretend character. Actors are humans. Humans leave jobs, whether they’re making minimum wage or six figures. Get over it.
Most people don’t have a choice as to whether they stay or go. Wanting a change doesn’t factor in for most of the working world as a reason to quit. Jesse Spencer is lucky to have been working for 16 years . Most people have to factor in family time for their jobs. Casey and Severide are the basis of this show and one would hope that between them Haas and Spencer know that and act accordingly.
I agree – removing long time beloved characters is how shows eventually lose their appeal.
The point is ok actors have a real life and can decide to leave but then that should have been worked out before they decided to create this more than one season long romance back and forth with Brett and Casey just to destroy it all. This is why people dont get invested in network prime time anymore. Dont build us up to destroy it all. If that was the case she could have made it work with the other fireman, I really liked also. I don’t want to lose Casey or Brett
To be fair, Dick Wolf has been doing series where his key characters are removed for over 30 years. With Law & Order, characters changed every 5 years or so. The fans b#$#tched and moaned but stuck around for 20 yrs. Same with the other spinoffs.
If casey leaves after he finally got with Brett I am done with chicago fire!
First you promote the chief – that doesn’t work. Casey and Brett finally get together. Now they might separate. Bring the boys to Chicago
They can have a healthy realthship with Casey .
I don’t want Casey to leave the show. He is a main character and losing him would really leave a vacuum in the show.
Move the kids to Chicago! They would be better off near their father’s brother firemen and with Casey as their guardian.
Casey is a main character. If he leaves I’m not watching anymore. I am sure there is a long lost cousin somewhere that could fill in until the mom gets out of jail. Or as someone said, move the kids to Chicago and have Casey as their guardian. All the build up between Casey and Brett was all for nought. Do you want people to stop watching the show?
Someone needs to tell wolf removing charcters is not the answer. If jessie leaves I will stop watching.
Oh. No. CASEY CANT GO!! Like Forrest Gump says ” that’s all I’ve got to say about that”!!!
Not sure why you’ve decided to break up the shows leading characters. Then decide to introduce a new handsome character conveniently in the midst of Casey’s crisis.
Does anyone else think that there’s a storyline coming up that Matt could be Griffin’s father? They are quite similar
I miss Otis!
Same here! Losing him was too sad.
I miss Otis 2. Gone 2 soon.
Same, hasn’t been the same without him
I do too!
Ditto I miss Otis – that was a bad bad move. He was a good and interesting character. When actors start to drop – then just let the the show go already. It won’t be the same. Like Grey’s Anatomy – why is it still on. I loved that show but now I am over it already. All the beloved characters that made it interesting are gone. Why continue?
Because people who are not you still enjoy it?
Didn’t realize your preferences are all that matter.
I miss him too. I’m going to be really surprised if Cruz and Chloe don’t name their son Otis.
I absolutely could see Chloe and Cruz naming thier baby…..Brian 😉
Severide(Taylor Kinney) was supposed to be the one leaving the show this season. So what is this, a misdirect?
No one was “supposed” to leave. Casey’s actor’s contract was up after last year, just like the contract for Severide’s actor. When Casey’s season 9 head injury resolved without problems and he got together with Brett, the fans decided that Severide/Taylor Kinney must be written off. Instead, it looks like Jesse Spencer may have decided to stop working full-time on a #1 network primetime show for the first time in 17 years and graciously returned past his contract to do a 5-episode wrap-up. Good for him, if he is leaving or dropping down to recurring.
My guess: Casey does leave, Brett feels lonely and starts flirting with her new paramedic chief. Then Casey comes back and the rest of the season is spent on getting Casey and Brett together again. The writers mentioned there would be roadblocks. This is just one of them I hope. Would not be in favor of him leaving the show after building up his romance with Brett for years. That would be harsh. Considering it is the 200th ep next year I wouldn’t be surprised to see a character leave though.
Captain Casey can’t leave there has to be a way to adopt those kids, bring them back to the only family they know their firefighters family. Their dad would love that. Oh God I hope he doesn’t leave. 😭
I really hope he doesn’t leave for good. Casey and Severide’s friendship is a very big part of the show and with Boden not in the firehouse now they need to keep things going
I still want Dawson to come back . I think Brett would like any man and is not a good match for Casey. She is man crazy and not ready FOR A GOOD MARRIAGE.
I agree, I want Dawson and Casey to get back together. She could help him with the kids since she did in the past. They had great chemistry .
Seems like, if you blow on Brett’s neck she’s ready to say I do….smh.
I think it’s a bad idea for him to leave. Come up with another alternative.
He is a main character & a big part of the show I really hope he stays.
I hope he doesnt leave but it looks like he will be the hero his character usually portrays
Of all the actors who have left and taken their characters with them on Fire, this would be the one that makes the most sense. The Darden boys were on the show from day one, Matt has loved them from day one, he considered himself to be their father before they left, and he has wanted to be a father since season 1. It’s not Mills ending his career to run a restaurant after spending three years refusing to do just that. It’s not Chili suddenly becoming an alcoholic and being sent to rehab. It’s not Borelli getting his face melted off or Shay who probably never realized she was dead. It’s a hero write off into the PSW sunset, for a guy who has struggled to find purpose for at least three years. If he’s leaving, what an honor to the character and the actor to be written out like this. It could have been so much worse. (And if Jesse decided to leave, thanks for giving us five episodes. That’s pretty cool.) (Brettsey folks – look at Ross and Hathaway from ER.)
i have said this since 8×9, after the events unfolded, and the fact that derek lured monica back by pitching her the doug and carol story from ER. Things are going full circle for casey, started with the darden boys and will end with the darden boys. And i still haven’t ruled out gabby being part of this bc with Doug and Carol from ER, the ep started with her dating Luca, and not until the last 5 min did things turn when she realized Doug was the love of her life. Not in a million years did viewers see that coming.
I was thinking that Brett would end up moving there with him but after he’s already moved away. There’s a podcast where Haas apparently said that Monica Raymund told him off and has absolutely refused to come back for anything else. Also, if Matt can’t get the kids to Chicago, they’re surely not going to Puerto Rico. I see Dawsey more as Carter and Abby, with Carter being Gabby who randomly runs off to do mission work and expects the world to stop in Chicago. Abby = Casey, Luka = Brett.
I really hope that the boys end up coming back to Chicago with Casey! 51 can’t loose Casey, bedsides Casey and Brett’s relationship just started.
What if Gabby got pregnant when she last came to see Matt and she and the baby survived the pregnancy? Then she dies somehow and Matt finds out he is a dad.
Sorry to see Casey leave. I too agree that he should have asked the boys if they want to move back to Chicago. That makes more sense to me than him moving to Oregon, unless he’s leaving the show for good! That’s a different story!