Chicago Fire will return for Season 14 without Darren Ritter.
A report by Deadline reveals that Daniel Kyri will not return to the Dick Wolf procedural for Season 14.
Kyri’s departure ends his seven-year run on the show he joined in Season 7.
Additionally, Jake Lockett will also not return for Season 14.
These exits are attributed to budget cuts in the NBC series as broadcast television struggles to keep shows on the air without making some changes.
Kyri was upgraded to series regular in Season 9, and it is reported that his contract was due for renegotiation.
Given his long tenure on the show, it was expected that he would be offered a raise, but NBC may not have been willing to give it.
‘Chicago Fire’ Loses Its Sole Gay Character
At this point, it’s no secret that the show treated Ritter as wallpaper.
Despite Kyri being billed as a series regular, his character didn’t have significant arcs, and most of his life played out off-screen.
New characters would join the show and get better development than Ritter.
For a show that is not known for its robust gay representation, it always felt like Ritter was used as a token to pass the diversity quota mandated in many corporations.
In another show that treated its character as awfully as Chicago Fire did Darren, it would be cause for celebration to see the character leave.
However, it’s concerning because this might be the last gay character in the show, or possibly one played by a gay actor.
Of late, the show has been trying to give him a storyline outside of work by introducing a love interest.
Ritter began dating Officer Dwayne Monroe (Samuel B. Jackson), and while their relationship seemed to be going well, they broke up.
Dwayne proposed that they move in together since he was interested in getting married, but Ritter was not there yet. Consequently, Dwayne ended their relationship.
Chicago Fire has not yet been renewed for Season 14, but since it is one of the network’s most consistent performers, that renewal is almost guaranteed.
Season 13 continues and marks the return of longtime cast member Eamonn Walker, who left in Season 12.
“Deputy Commissioner Boden returns to Firehouse 51 to investigate a disastrous firefight and the surrounding mystery that left one of their own in peril,” reads the synopsis for Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 18, “Post Mortem.”
There are only a few episodes left in the season, so maybe Chicago Fire will treat Ritter better this time and give him a decent ending.
Chicago Fire airs on NBC on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.