‘Chicago Fire’ May Be Losing Two Fan-Favorites After Season 13

Firehouse 51 is down two members. Deadline reports that Daniel Kyri and Jake Lockett will not return to the Dick Wolf procedural after Season 13. Their exits come despite expectations that Chicago Fire will be renewed for Season 14, albeit with significant budget cuts. As has happened in the past several seasons, broadcast dramas have tried to trim their budgets. Some shows have reduced the number of episodes produced, while others have reduced the episode count for series regulars. As a result, some cast members opt to exit. Kyri and Lockett have been on the show for seven and three seasons, respectively. Still, given their increasing duties as several veteran cast members have departed lately, their salary renegotiations likely influenced the decision. Stalled negotiations on their deals might have informed this choice, as NBC weighs all factors before renewing the show. More exits in the One Chicago universe are expected as is the case in the larger Dick Wolf universe.

Kyri joined Chicago Fire in Season 7, playing the loveable Darren Ritter. He was billed as a recurring guest star before getting promoted to series regular after two seasons. Ritter has been on an upward trajectory in his career in the CFD, beating numerous odds to secure his spot alongside Stella Kidd’s (Miranda Rae Mayo) team. Lockett joined the show in Season 11 as Sam Carver. Carver won viewers over quickly with his complicated background, but with a heart of gold. Carver can take the shirt off his back to cover someone who needs covering. He carries a lot of demons from his childhood, but he’s been working towards improving. Carver has been missing from the firehouse since he went to rehab, but is expected to return soon. With the exits announced this early, there might be ample time to write appropriate endings for both characters.

Budget Cuts Continue To Decimate Broadcast

Image via NBC

As streaming rises and broadcast’s audience share continues to shrink, networks are looking at ways to minimize spending. Some measures that have been instituted of late include the production of fewer episodes or having series regulars appear in fewer episodes. You might have noticed the latter in the FBIs and One Chicago, where characters are missing from entire episodes. Other measures have included pay cuts for series regulars, moving production to cheaper locations, or cancelling expensive shows. Departures are not uncommon as contract negotiations fail to bear tangible results.

Chicago Fire Season 13 continues on NBC on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates, including the renewal of Season 14.