One Chicago loses another cast member, and they break their silence about their unexpected Chicago Fire season 12 exit. Ensemble procedural shows on network TV are used to having a revolving roster of actors, but Dick Wolf’s One Chicago has particularly been at the end of many departures in the last couple of years, with Chicago Fire losing Sylvie Brett after her marriage to Matt Casey. Not long after that, Firehouse 51 once again bids goodbye to another member, although this time, their exit is more intriguing.
As he previously confirmed, Rome Flynn is ending his stint as Derrick Gibson in Chicago Fire season 12. He didn’t give any context for his exit, but in a new interview with Variety, the actor offers more details about the matter, including a hint that it wasn’t his decision to wrap up his time as Firehouse 51’s newest recruit. Read his full quote below:
Just like all the fans, I was sad to see Gibson leave. He was a character I very much enjoyed playing. I had a wonderful experience during my time on ‘Chicago Fire’ and have great respect for the cast and crew and hope to team up with Dick Wolf again when the time is right.
Why Flynn’s Exit As Gibson In Chicago Fire Season 12 Is So Surprising
Flynn’s Gibson Has Only Appeared In Six Chicago Fire Season 12 Episodes.
It was Stella Kidd who saw the potential in Gibson after Firehouse 51 had to work on a scene with them coincidentally. Since she was on the lookout for Gallo’s replacement, she brought him in to fill the vacant spot. As with almost every newcomer to Chief Boden’s squad, Gibson struggled, but thanks to Sam Carver, who knew what it felt like to join a tight-knit team, it seemed like he was starting to get comfortable with his role in Firehouse 51. So, it was shocking when he revealed his plans to leave so that he could deal with personal issues.
Gibson and Carver were the perfect Chicago Fire Kelly Severide and Casey replacements. Despite his character’s struggles to assimilate, Flynn had great chemistry with the ensemble. The actor was great in the role and Gibson was interesting enough to join the diverse roster. Considering Flynn’s insinuation that it wasn’t his decision to exit One Chicago, it’s curious why he was let go in the middle of the season. At the very least, Chicago Fire season 12 could have kept Gibson until the end of the shortened year, which is fast approaching.
Now, Chicago Fire is forcing Firehouse 51 to once again function undermanned. They may be planning on bringing in someone new to replace Gibson, but at this point in the year, it may be better to save it for next season. As for the possibility of Flynn returning to One Chicago, the way his character exited leaves the door open for a comeback, but historically, the chances of him reclaiming his series regular spot are very low.
Will There Be More Cast Departures In Chicago Fire Season 12?
Firehouse 51 May Be Looking At More Exits.
As Chicago Fire enters the latter half of its shortened year, questions about whether there will be more cast departures hang in the air. The show has already lost three characters — two of them, Brett and Gallo, were long-term members of Firehouse 51. In the bigger One Chicago universe, Chicago PD is about to lose Tracy Spiridakos’ Hailey Upton — further hindering Hank Voight’s already slimmed-down team. At the very least, Chief Boden is still able to work as a unit despite being clearly undermanned. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that the year will end with this current roster.
Rumors have been swirling that Taylor Kinney will end his stint as Kelly Severide in Chicago Fire. This started when he took a leave of absence in the middle of season 11 and didn’t return until the season 12 premiere.
Rumors have been swirling that Taylor Kinney will end his stint as Kelly Severide in Chicago Fire. This started when he took a leave of absence in the middle of season 11 and didn’t return until the season 12 premiere. Even then, he has seemingly taken a step back from his role as the face of the show. Chicago Fire’s storytelling may also be setting up Joe Mińoso’s departure as Joe Cruz. After becoming Squad’s interim lieutenant during Severide’s OFI trip, Cruz is looking to move up the CFD ladder, and he can’t do that in Firehouse 51.
Chicago Fire Season 12 May Already Have The Perfect Replacement For Gibson
Firehouse 51 Doesn’t Have To Look Far For Gibson’s Replacement.
While it remains unclear why exactly NBC and Wolf Entertainment pulled the plug on Flynn’s Gibson, Chicago Fire may not have to look far for his replacement. Before moving to Firehouse 51, he was working with Kylie Estevez — one of the very first products of Stella Kidd’s Girls On Fire program. Kylie could have easily joined Firehouse 51 when she decided to join CFD. However, she has been adamant about wanting to carve her own path without the help from Chief Boden’s people, who love her.
With Gibson gone and Kidd’s team still missing a piece, this may be the right time to convince Kylie to come back as a firefighter at Firehouse 51. The character has been beloved, and it would be a great way to feature a homegrown member instead of bringing in another floater or someone from a different house. It’s also the quickest way to replace Gibson without Chicago Fire having to go through the same hoopla.
