Throughout its 12-season run, Chicago Fire has seen cast members come and go, with some lasting a lot longer than others. Among the ensemble cast, many of their characters have had different jobs and different positions as they move up the ranks at the CFD. However, Taylor Kinney’s Kelly Severide has been a lieutenant since the beginning of the NBC drama, but there’s a reason for that.
When Casey was promoted to captain in Season 6, many began questioning when Severide would be getting the same fate. In addition, before his exit, Eamonn Walker’s Chief Wallace Boden even suggested Herrmann for promotion to take over for him. Severide’s own wife, Stella Kidd, was also promoted to lieutenant a few seasons back. While one would think that Severide’s lack of promotion is concerning, showrunner Andrea Newman explained to TVLine why a promotion is the last thing on his mind:
He’s got his focus on the thing he is obsessed with, which is arson and OFI, in addition to squad, which he loves. There’s a lot of politics the higher you go up in rank, and Severide has no interest in that. He’s a get-your-hands-dirty kind of guy. So arson is still very much on the forefront of his mind, the possibilities of moving to OFI are at the forefront of his mind, and all of that comes up. He’s dealing with all of that this season.
In Chicago Fire, arson investigation has very much been on Severide’s mind in recent seasons, and he’s been doing a lot more with it. When Kinney abruptly left the series in Season 11 due to personal reasons, the series explained that Severide was away at an arson training program that he couldn’t pass up. Every once in a while, even when he returned, he’d still leave for a case. It seems like that is not stopping, especially if he’s eyeing a switch to OFI in the near future.
If and when Severide eventually moves over to OFI, it’s possible he will be able to move up the ranks there, but there’s no guarantee it will happen. At the very least, he already has his hands quite full at 51, even as a lieutenant. While it would be nice to see Captain Kelly Severide in the future, it sounds like there will still be plenty more to look forward to with him in the upcoming season.
It might be a good thing that Severide won’t be getting a promotion any time soon, because OFI is not the only thing he will be focusing on come Season 13. The Season 12 finale dropped a Severide bombshell, revealing that his late dad, Benny, had another secret child, 51’s newest recruit, Damon. Severide has a lot on his plate, so it’s not surprising to hear that getting promoted is not a priority.
The One Chicago shows are preparing for their returns, and fans will want to tune in when it premieres on the 2024 TV schedule on Wednesday, September 25 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC to see what happens with Severide on Chicago Fire.
