‘Chicago Fire’ Season 12 Trailer Welcomes Back a Fan-Favorite
The three popular NBC shows, dubbed One Chicago, will return with all-new seasons on Wednesday, January 17, 2024. Coming first are the skilled doctors at the Chicago Med, with its ninth season airing at 8 p.m. ET/CT. The intelligence unit of Chicago P.D.’s District 21, on the other hand, takes the 10 p.m. ET/CT time slot. Of course, the firefighters and other rescue teams at Chicago Firehouse 51 will be gracing our television screens once again when Chicago Fire returns for Season 12 on NBC. Although news of some cast members leaving saddened most fans of the series, fan-favorite Kelly Severide will be returning for the upcoming season. With a little over a month left until the Season 12 premiere, the newly released trailer teases the highly anticipated return of Taylor Kinney’s beloved Chicago Fire character.
Kinney, who has starred in Chicago Fire since its debut in 2012, left the NBC procedural midway through its 11th season. Although his sudden leave of absence is only temporary, Kelly Severide’s last appearance during the 14th episode of Season 11 — titled “Run Like Hell” — left viewers wondering whether he’d follow the paths of some actors who ultimately left the One Chicago franchise for good. And given that the franchise has a history of cast members exiting, Kinney’s absence throughout Season 11’s subsequent episodes felt more permanent than temporary. It wasn’t until October that Variety first reported that Kelly Severide was, in fact, coming back to the firehouse, which naturally delighted longtime fans of the procedural drama.
How Was Kelly Severide Written Out During Season 11?
Considered one of Chicago Fire’s fan favorites, Kinney’s Kelly Severide was best known for his committed relationship with Miranda Rae Mayo’s Stella Kidd. The two, who got married in Season 10, had been one of the show’s focal stories until the writers had to change the script to fit the character’s absence. The show then revealed during Episode 15, titled “Damage Control,” that Kelly Severide had to leave town to attend an arson investigation in Alabama, which was an opportunity he couldn’t decline.
Other Cast Members Will Be Exiting ‘Chicago Fire’ Soon
While Kinney’s impending return marks an exciting 12th season for Chicago Fire, two other fan-favorite characters will be saying goodbye to their beloved roles. Kara Kilmer, who has played paramedic Sylvie Brett since Season 3, will exit during the first half of Season 12. Moreover, Alberto Rosende will bid farewell to his paramedic Blake Gallo role in the upcoming Season 12 premiere.
