While Chicago Fire Season 13 is still airing on the 2025 TV schedule and the show has yet to be renewed for Season 14, the long-running NBC drama is already making changes. More cast departures are on the way, as it was recently announced that both Jake Lockett and Daniel Kyri are exiting at the end of this season as firefighters Sam Carver and Darren Ritter, respectively. Now, Lockett is reflecting on his time with the series.
Fire wrapped filming for the season, meaning that for Lockett and Kyri, their time at Firehouse 51 has come to an end, at least for now. Lockett joined the show during Season 11 and was only upped to series regular for Season 13. Unfortunately, the show ultimately bumped him in what was an “effort to trim the budget,” as Deadline previously reported. The actor took to Instagram to express how much he’s going to miss being on the show:
While I don’t exactly know what the future looks like, I do know that it won’t be exactly what it was and I am going to miss the hell out of that. So much pride in this journey.
It’s always hard seeing a cast member on a show leave but, with Chicago Fire in particular, it’s even harder knowing how close the cast is. The compilation video Lockett shared alongside his message seems to show off that kinship. Depending on how the season ends for Carver, it’s possible the character could return at some point, and although Lockett's tenure on the show wasn't relatively all that long, I don't think fans will forget him. For the actor himself, is sounds like playing Carver seemed to be a highlight of his career:
It’s been an honor bringing Sam to life.
Chicago Fire has been somewhat brutal this season. There was a major loss early on, when Pascal’s wife was killed in a car crash. Additionally, viewers nearly said goodbye to a fan favorite when Jack became trapped in a house fire that led to Boden's return.
Meanwhile, this season has also centered on a storyline involving Carver's problem with his drinking, and he even took a bit of a break from 51 to get better. It’s hard to tell if that will play a part in his exit but, if fans know one thing about Chicago Fire, it’s that the show is unpredictable. Check out Jake Lockett's full post down below:
Chicago Fire has seen a revolving door of stars throughout its 13-season run, but that doesn’t mean it gets any easier each time a cast member leaves. Season 12 saw three main stars leave, with Alberto Rosende, Kara Killmer and Eamonn Walker departing. Now that two more are joining them at the end of this season, the series loses a bit more continuity cast-wise.
However the season ends, I'm hopeful Carver’s exit is written in a way that would allow Jake Lockett to return at some point. Should that not come to pass, at the very least, he deserves the departure of a hero. Fans will just have to see how it happens, as new episodes of Chicago Fire return on Wednesday, May 7 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
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