As Chicago Fire Season 13 concluded, we learned that two excellent characters, Daniel Kyri’s Darren Ritter and Jake Lockett’s Sam Carver, would not be involved in Chicago Fire Season 14.
Well, they wouldn’t be series regulars, at least, and the Chicago Fire Season 13 finale certainly set up Carver’s exit.
What it didn’t do was set up Ritter’s exit. However, during the summer of 2025, we received some good news that Ritter would appear in at least one episode for a farewell episode.
Ritter Shows Growth
The Chicago Fire Season 14 premiere has set up Ritter’s storyline, and one of the best things about it is the growth that we see.
Throughout Season 13, Ritter debated whether or not he was ready to move in with his boyfriend, Dwayne, and it eventually led to their breakup.
Well, at some point after that, Dwayne moved to New York and joined the NYPD, and Ritter shared with Violet and Novak that they started talking more.
The two were getting close again, but then Dwayne suddenly seemed to ghost Ritter, and rather than wonder why Dwayne would do that, Ritter got worried.
It’s clear that Ritter has grown considerably as a character over the course of a season.
At first, he worried about moving in with Dwayne and losing a lot that he loved about being single, and while those fears are absolutely valid, they were annoying for us and for Dwayne.
Ritter was self-sabotaging.
If he created some reason for the relationship to end, then he wouldn’t have to do it himself, or he wouldn’t have to get his heart broken if the relationship ended for another reason.
Only he didn’t want that, and the premiere proves that.
Novak Proves Ritter’s Growth
While that growth may seem to have come out of nowhere, it’s easy to infer how it could have happened over the course of the month between Season 13 and Season 14.
Novak moved in with Ritter, leading to a change in the dynamic at his place, and he began to see that living with someone doesn’t have to mean losing all personal space or autonomy.
Sure, having a roommate is different from having a live-in boyfriend, but it clearly offered Ritter a new view on what it means to have someone in your space, especially when that someone is Novak!
Ritter Rushed to Dwayne’s Side
Toward the end of the Chicago Fire Season 14 premiere, Ritter got some scary news from Trudy Platt via Mouch, learning that Dwayne had been shot and was in the hospital.
There was a turn of events for the two characters, as we saw Dwayne at the hospital once when Ritter was seriously injured on the job.
Now we get to see Ritter doing that for Dwayne, and Dwayne’s smile when he saw that Ritter was there told us everything.
This was what Dwayne hoped would happen, and Ritter did not disappoint.
Be still, my heart!
Ritter Is Sure to Move to New York
With all this, Chicago Fire has set up the perfect exit storyline for Ritter, as he is sure to choose his relationship and move to New York.
Maybe this is a good thing for his career, anyway, considering all the budget cuts that are happening in Chicago Fire.
New York is going to need firefighters, as well!
What it really means is that Ritter has grown from the single guy who wasn’t even sure firefighting was for him to a man who is ready to be in a serious relationship and live with his boyfriend.
It’s rare that Chicago Fire offers us such happy endings.
Thus, Chicago Fire Delivers an Exit Arc That Shows Growth
In fact, the last one I remember is Brett and Casey, and that would have likely ended in disaster had Kara Kilmer not also decided to leave the series.
We just have to see how many characters get throwaway lines to explain their absences, as Carver and Damon were getting that treatment in the premiere.
Giving Ritter an exit that showed growth was the best way to handle something that wasn’t Kyri’s or even the show’s choice.
It all came down from the network and (oh, the irony) budget cuts that were needed, and Chicago Fire turned something negative into an opportunity that could allow the character to go out with grace and love.
Now I just hope Chicago Fire doesn’t make me eat my words and do a bait and switch on that exit arc!
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The post Chicago Fire Is Setting Up Ritter’s Exit Storyline (and I Like It) appeared first on TV Fanatic.