Calling all Supernatural fans. Rachel Miner made a return to acting in Chicago Fire Season 8, Episode 17 and it was everything we needed.
Most Supernatural fans will know why Rachel Miner stepped away from acting. Suffering from MS, she had to put herself first. But Chicago Fire did a great thing by writing in a role for her return to acting.
Okay, so I’m not 100% sure the role was written for Rachel specifically, but it felt like it was. The storyline was of a disabled woman who was trying to arm crawl up the stairs to save her son from a house fire. Like all the great moms, she was willing to put her life in danger to save her scared mom. Because of her disability, it raised a question about her inability to care for her son properly.
Don’t worry; Captain Matt Casey found a way to prove that not being able to get up the stairs for her son wasn’t neglect. Abled-bodied men were unable to lift a forklift, proving that everyone has their limits and that doesn’t make them neglectful or unable to parent a child.
But what was so special about this episode was that it was Rachel Miner’s return to acting. She’s not been on the screen since Supernatural Season 8 when Meg was killed off, a sacrifice to help the Winchesters and Castiel. And she has certainly been missed, but we all understood that there was little anyone could do. Rachel needed to step back for her health.
Chicago Fire found a way to bring her back on the screen and support her. And what a powerful performance it was. While the story was a reminder that disabled parents can most definitely look after their children, it was also that reminder that disabled actors and actresses can most definitely work if the TV shows and movies are willing to give them a chance.
This was a storyline that was fully supportive of Rachel’s disability. It was a storyline that gave us a chance to see how much of an amazing actress Rachel is. She doesn’t need to flirt with an angel to show off her skills. We saw a woman with so much love for her son but fear that her son was going to be taken off her.
I get that sometimes disabled roles need to be played by able-bodied actors. Lincoln Rhyme used flashbacks from before the disability, which meant the lead actor had to be able to walk. However, this isn’t always the case. We need more representation on the screen, and that’s something Chicago Fire offered while bringing us Rachel Miner on the screen again.
