Chicago Fire: 5 Things We Want to See in Season 12 (and 1 Thing We DON’T)

Following a Chicago Fire season finale that was full of both joyous and worrisome developments, we have a bevy of wishes for Season 12 that we hope come true (whenever the NBC drama returns from its summer/strike hiatus).

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There’s plenty to be concerned about as the show looks ahead, especially with Mouch possibly at death’s door after a rescue call that left him wounded by shrapnel and bleeding out in a hospital bed. (Star David Eigenberg, aka Herrmann, also has some strong feelings about that cliffhanger.)

Plus, there’s the question of what will happen with Severide and Stella’s marriage now that she knows that his participation in an out-of-state arson investigation training program has led to a special gig with the ATF. Last we saw, Stella was heading off to bring her hubby back to the Windy City, but her mission is dependent upon whether or not Taylor Kinney returns to the series — the actor has been on a leave of absence since January — so we’re mostly excluding him from our wish list. (But we do miss you, Severide!)

On the bright side, Casey popped the question to on-and-off girlfriend Brett, who has yet to give her answer — not that that’s stopping us from sharing our desires about how that storyline should unfold.

We’re also in the mood for romance when it comes to a trio of other characters, and we’d like to make a special request for the return of a #OneChicago tradition.

What do we hope to see happen in Season 12? Read on for our 5 WANTS, and the 1 thing we DO NOT WANT.

WANT: Resolution for Casey and Brett

It was admirable of the show to try to keep the couple’s romance alive when Jesse Spencer exited the series just as the pair had finally gotten together. However, with Casey off-screen in Portland, the long-distance “Brettsey” relationship eventually ended in heartache. But rather than moving on after the breakup, old feelings have been stirred back up every time Spencer has reprised his role, leading to a rollercoaster of emotions and uncertainty that has toyed with not only Brett’s heart, but that of viewers, too. So whether or not Brett accepts Casey’s proposal, we hope that her answer finally gives the paramedic (and us) closure on that relationship. It’s time to commit, one way or another!

WANT: A juicy love story for Ritter

The firefighter is way overdue for a big romantic storyline that’s not mostly off-screen and barely mentioned. In addition to boosting the show’s LGBTQ representation, seeing Ritter in a real relationship (maybe with a rival firefighter?) would give his portrayer Daniel Kyri a chance to shine and reveal new sides of his underappreciated character.

WANT: More returning characters

One of the perks of being on for 11+ seasons: Chicago Fire has a deep bench of history and characters to pull from. The show’s creative team has always been good about honoring its past by feature returning players both big (Gabby Dawson) and small (that sneaky Emma). And we’d like to see even more familiar faces make an appearance, with one in particular at the top of our wish list: Charlie Barnett’s Peter Mills, who hasn’t been seen since he left the Windy City at the end of Season 3.

WANT: A big crossover event

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to the #OneChicago franchise’s three-way events, although Fire and spinoffs Med and P.D. have managed smaller crossover cameos over the last couple years. But as the situation continues to, hopefully, improve, a return to the tradition would be a fun (and highly promotable) way to kick off the new seasons.

WANT: A Violet/Carver romance

After a season of heartache following the death of her boyfriend, Evan Hawkins, we have this to say to Violet: go get some, girl! It was a relief to watch Violet start to come out of the dark as Season 11 concluded and show some interest in Carver, even if it was only a physical attraction. As just a casual fling or even a more serious relationship, this twosome has the promise of being fun and flirty, not to mention hot. Added bonus: It would distract Carver from pining over Stella and possibly making an ill-conceived move on the lieutenant should her hubby Severide continue to be MIA in Season 12.

DON’T WANT: Any more deaths!

It was only a couple years ago that the firehouse lost Otis, and then this past season, the show blindsided everyone with the tragic demise of Violet’s beau, Evan. The latter death cast a dark cloud over the 51 crew, from which Violet is finally just emerging (see: the above slide). So we’re not sure we could take another heartbreaking loss next season, especially not one as huge as Mouch dying, which would devastate his wife Trudy and his best friend Herrmann. That said, we’d like to see the firefighter survive — with consequences! Perhaps the scare forces Mouch to reevaluate his life and take a desk job at CFD or possibly retire?

Want scoop on Chicago Fire, or for any other TV show ? Email your question to InsideLine@tvline.com, and it may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!

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