CHICAGO FIRE Post-Mortem: Derek Haas and Andrea Newman on the Explosive Cliffhanger

December 7, 2022 by Marisa Roffman

CHICAGO FIRE — “Nemesis” Episode 1109 — Pictured: (l-r) Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide, Anthony Ferraris as Tony, Randy Flagler as Capp — (Photo by: Adrian S Burrows Sr/NBC)

[Warning: This post contains spoilers for the Wednesday, December 7 episode of CHICAGO FIRE, “Nemesis.”]

CHICAGO FIRE ended 2022 with a bang, literally, as Stella (Miranda Rae Mayo) was among those in a building when a grenade went off at the end of the Wednesday, December 7 episode, “Nemesis.”

“We’re gonna pick up one second later,” CHICAGO FIRE co-showrunner Derek Haas tells Give Me My Remote of the show’s January 4 return. “We’re gonna come right back on that. We left Severide outside, pacing like a caged lion, trying to get out and get to help his people—and especially his wife, who’s in there. And so we’re gonna pick up right with him, and he’s gonna go into the fog of war and what he finds there is going to be upsetting.”

While Haas and fellow co-showrunner Andrea Newman were mum about how bad things might get, they did tease the episode would allow for a mini-crossover…with a twist.

“It’s funny, because we do have a MED character that we haven’t seen on our show very often [who] is going to be in that episode—but not in the way that you think,” Haas teases.

CHICAGO FIRE — “The Magnificent City of Chicago” Episode 1022 — Pictured: (l-r) Joe Minoso as Joe Cruz, Carlos Santiago Sanchez as Javi — (Photo by: Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC)

Prior to things going up in flames, things were going better for Firehouse 51, as they gathered to watch Javi (Carlos S. Sanchez) officially get adopted by Cruz (Joe Minoso) and Chloe (Kristen Gutoskie).

“It was great, because obviously Cruz and Chloe were dealing with a baby and had a lot going on,” Newman says. “So it wasn’t the easiest answer to the problem of the Javi situation. But they just fell in love with this kid, and we saw it on screen; it was so obvious. And Javi is just one of our favorite characters now, because he’s such a good kid, and he and Cruz have such a special relationship. So it became clear that they were destined to be a family. And that family extends past just the four of them, the Cruz family—it extends to 51. So all of them being a part of that [ceremony] was always in the cards.”

Newman, who witnessed a similar adoption ceremony in real-life, acknowledges, “it’s just the most moving thing when the gavel sounds and they say, you are now a family, essentially. And so we wanted that. We wanted to see that on screen and see the impact that had on the Cruz family and on the 51 family.”

CHICAGO FIRE — “Completely Shattered” Episode 1103 — Pictured: Hanako Greensmith as Violet Mikami — (Photo by: Adrian S Burrows Sr/NBC)

It was a well-earned win for the squad who suffered a major loss earlier this season with Hawkins’ (Jimmy Nicholas) death. And for Violet (Hanako Greensmith), who has been grieving, salt was poured in the wound when Emma (Caitlin Carver) showed up—now a part of IAD—and threatened Carver’s (Jake Lockett) job. (He was ultimately able to remain with 51, but Emma spun a tale about her own time at the firehouse.)

Looking to 2023, “Violet will have Hawkins with her in many ways, always, going forward, but she’s also coming more out of the darker part of that into light,” Newman previews. “And I think she’s gonna have a lot of fun, especially messing with other people’s love life.”

“There’s just a lot of fun dating stuff coming up,” she continues. “It’s just fun to see Brett out there again, and to see Gallo and his misadventures.”

For Gallo, he’ll next get tangled up in a modern-day missed connection mishap.

“A young lady puts out a TikTok, and she’s like, ‘I met this really cute firefighter during a call, and all I saw on his helmet was 51,'” Haas previews.” And of course Gallo now gets involved. It’s really funny.”

2023 will also be a notable year for FIRE, as Haas will be leaving the series when season 11 concludes.

“It’s not until May; I’ve still got a lot of time here,” Haas says. “But, man, it’s really…I don’t even want to say bittersweet—it’s bitter, because I’m just gonna miss this cast and crew and staff so much. [Executive producer/writer Michael] Gilvary is not on these calls, but Andrea and Gilvary have been like my brother and sister for 11 years…although we’re gonna still be on the text exchange, no matter what.”

“But as far as writing the show goes, we’re really a team here and have always been,” he continues. “And so you just get into the writers’ room and you start breaking those episodes. I’m not thinking, ‘Oh, man, this is gonna be my last one, so let’s do XYZ.’ It’s more what’s happening in our stories and what’s going to make the most exciting end to season 11 on to [a potential] season 12.”

CHICAGO FIRE, Wednesdays, 9/8c, NBC

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