Fans have been anticipating Taylor Kinney’s return to Chicago Fire, but his comeback will cause a stir for his character, Kelly Severide, and his TV wife, Stella Kidd.
“There’s a whole new dynamic between them,” showrunner Andrea Newman told TVLine on Thursday, January 11, of the pair’s season 12 connection. “It’s kind of obvious within, like, one second of the show starting.”
Newman teased, “They still can’t keep their hands off each other. You can tell they’re still in love, but there’s this new edge to their relationship.”
Chicago Fire experienced a few changes during season 11, which aired in 2023, after Kinney, 42, took a leave of absence in January 2023. Us Weekly confirmed at the time the actor was dealing with a personal matter.
The casting shakeup resulted in Kinney’s character leaving Chicago to help with an ATF investigation. During his absence, Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) grew tired of not seeing him, and during the season 11 finale, she vowed to go to Alabama and bring him home.
Newman revealed that season 12 will pick up six months later when Severide is helping with an arson case for OFI back in Chicago that will “trigger all this tension that’s been sitting between Kidd and Severide.”
The new investigation will bring “a lot to the fore, and we’ll get to explore what they’re going through and what the issues are coming off him taking off for ATF last season,” Newman explained.
Severide’s return to Firehouse 51 will also cause drama within Squad 3, which he left in the hands of Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso).
“Kidd isn’t the only one who’s affected by Severide taking off for as long as he did. Cruz was affected, too,” Newman said, hinting that Cruz isn’t ready to step down as the temporary lieutenant.
Severide’s comeback will “bring some new change and tension that will have to be worked out for Cruz and Severide to keep working together,” Newman added.
Us confirmed in October 2023 that Kinney would be back for the start of season 12, but his future on the show — and likelihood of being a regular again — was up in the air. Newman, however, teased that Kinney’s presence on the show will be robust.
“Severide is definitely front and center this season, that’s what I’ll say,” Newman told TVLine.
Season 12 of Chicago Fire premieres on NBC Wednesday, January 17, at 9 p.m. ET.
