David Eigenberg Opens Up About Emotional Departure of Chicago Fire Cast Member md11

Consisting of three incredibly popular shows, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D., the One Chicago universe is one of the most popular television franchises of this time. With Chicago Fire heading into Season 14, it is clear that the show and the franchise as a whole have been around for quite some time. This means several original stars have departed, and some have endured. Jesse Spencer’s Matthew ‘Matt’ Casey exited the NBC show after an announcement in October 2021. It was a game-changing move and a significant shift for the procedural drama, especially with Spencer being an original cast member who appeared in the very first episode of the show. His departure was one that the procedural had to deal with and adjust to over a considerable time.

Former co-star and another original cast member, David Eigenberg, who plays Christopher Hermann, reflected on how the departure was handled. Offering up emotional details in an interview on the One Chicago Podcast, Eigenberg spoke about how, during the first season, the cast would use an empty water bottle as a way of passing the time. A tradition that persisted with Spencer’s departure in Season 10. Eigenberg’s detailed emotional account reads:

“We put out arms around each other, like three or four of us, and then we started kicking it and trying to get it through each other’s legs, and we call it water bottle ball or something. It’s stupid. We only play for about 30 seconds or a minute and a half. It goes through a couple times.

“We were all supposed to go out and give a group hug, and we all walked out there, and we put our arms around each other in a group hug, and then somebody dropped a water bottle in the middle of all of us, and we started kicking it around. We loved it, and it was like little tears and stuff like that. It didn’t belong in the show.”

‘One Chicago’ Is Built To Last

Eigenberg’s comments detail just how close-knit the One Chicago family is, a feature that has undoubtedly contributed immensely to the franchise’s success. Spencer is one of several notable exits in the franchise, with his character, Matt Casey, moving to Oregon. Spencer has since returned as a guest star on the procedural, as the show continues to bring back familiar faces. Come the new season, another arm of the One Chicago family in Chicago P.D., will be witnessing a beloved character’s return. Season 13 will feature the return of Detective Jay Halstead.

One Chicago universe returns to NBC on Wednesday, October 1, with Season 14 of Chicago Fire set for a 9 PM ET kickoff. It is set to be another season where changes will be monumental, particularly in the wake of the exit of Jake Lockett as Sam Carver and Daniel Kyri as Darren Ritter, who returns for a limited time only in Season 14. But as Eigenberg explains, these departures and how they are handled are already built into the procedural.