Chicago Fire Season 14 Is Making a Major Change to Its Main Cast

In its upcoming Season 14 this fall, Chicago Fire may feature fewer lead actors than before, as has been common practice across the One Chicago shows, barring some adjustments due to COVID-19 and writers’/actors’ strikes. Typically, each season consists of 22 episodes, but there have been deviations from this format in certain years. What fans have come to expect is that the main cast and characters are regularly featured in almost every episode throughout a given season, if not all of them.

Starting with Season 14, the number of episodes per season for Chicago Fire will drop from 22 to 21 (as seen in Season 13). It’s worth mentioning that many of the show’s primary actors may not appear in every episode. This change is being implemented as part of NBC’s efforts to reduce expenses overall.

Based on a report by Deadline, several leading actors across shows like Chicago Fire, One Chicago, and the Law & Order franchise will miss a few episodes in the forthcoming seasons. Notably, these absences won’t affect the same episodes for all actors, as this strategy aims to reduce production costs by decreasing the episodic guarantees for each actor.

Starting from the year 2023, Wolf Entertainment implemented a new approach for their series regulars. Instead of appearing in all 22 episodes of each season, they were informed that they would feature in 18 to 20 episodes. Unlike traditional methods where actors face per-episode salary reductions, this method kept their per-episode pay the same, but overall compensation was decreased.

In the upcoming season 14 of Chicago Fire, there will be a total of 21 episodes. Unlike previous seasons with 22 episodes, some of the main cast members might miss between two to four episodes. This means that most, if not all, principal actors should appear in 17-19 episodes this season. In comparison, series regulars typically missed only two episodes per season previously. Due to the reduced episode count and fewer appearances by main cast members, the season 14 regulars will have less screen time than before.

It’s noteworthy to add that according to a different report by Deadline, it was requested of Chicago Fire actors (along with regulars from other One Chicago series) to move to Illinois because the Chicago shows are filmed in that city. If the cast members fail to establish residency in Illinois, their appearances will be limited even more.

The show Chicago Fire bade farewell to two main cast members at the conclusion of Season 13 as a result of cost-trimming measures from NBC and the broader television industry. Consequently, these modifications in the following seasons are merely additional ways to save money. It is anticipated that Chicago Fire Season 14 will debut sometime during Fall 2025. Taylor McKinney (Kelly Severide), Miranda Rae Mayo (Stella Kidd), and Dermot Mulroney (Dom Pascal) have all been confirmed to rejoin the cast. Season 13 marked a significant milestone for the franchise with several notable events, including the departure of Chief Boden.

How Different Will Chicago Fire Season 14 Look?

As a devoted fan, I must confess that the news of Chicago Fire’s Season 14 might come as a surprise, given its familiarity seems unchanged compared to previous seasons. Remarkably, even with the reduction in appearances by our beloved series regulars, the show still maintains a striking resemblance to its past incarnations.

Just as Chicago Fire has consistently done in previous seasons, I anticipate Season 14 to delve into numerous storylines across its 21 episodes. Unlike past seasons, however, it seems that not all characters will be entwined in each and every plot thread this time around.

In the fourteenth season of the TV show “Chicago Fire,” it’s possible that for a span of around 2 to 3 episodes, some of the main cast members might not appear.

Later on, you might encounter another set of three episodes that don’t feature characters who were previously prominent in another arc.

In the end, the scriptwriters plan to compose scenes for the upcoming season in such a way that viewers won’t realize that the main characters are absent for several episodes.

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2025-06-12 15:04