Before the thirteenth season of Chicago Fire premiered, showrunner Andrea Newman promised “a Ritter-heavy” season.
This is a welcome promise, given how much he has sidelined that character for several years.
Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 1, “A Monster In the Field,” covers all the bases by giving all the characters some focus in the opening hour, which is not quite commonly seen.
The firehouse is under a new chief; Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) and Dwayne Morris (Samuel B. Jackson) are still dating, and Dwayne is integrated into the story.
It is a positive sign of what will come because some of Ritter’s ex-boyfriends were not shown or appeared for a very short time.
After Novak (Jocelyn Huddon) and Violet (Hanako Greensmith) respond to an emergency, something doesn’t quite add up when a child claims that their father tried to kill the entire family.
They enlist Dwayne to help with the investigation.
Trouble In Paradise for Ritter and Dwayne?
When Dwayne shares his updates on the investigation, it doesn’t pass without some awkwardness because he effectively says there is no evidence to support Novak and Violet’s claims.
That is not good.
Dwayne’s demeanor is not the most inviting because … cop.
Ritter has to sit there and listen to him lay it thick on his coworkers, and Violet is also his friend.
Characters on Chicago Fire don’t know how to separate the personal from the professional, which makes for some good drama, but it can also lead to the death of some couples.
While the episode did not confirm Ritter’s feelings toward this, they might be facing some trouble.
Newman told TV Line that viewers will see more of Dwayne in the season, saying,
“This is a big, Ritter-heavy season. Ritter has a lot of changes coming his way. He definitely still has this boyfriend in his life, and the boyfriend’s going to cross over into the Chicago Fire world a little more this year in fun and exciting ways, surprising ways.”
It is imperative that Chicago Fire does this couple justice and does not fall into traps like the one Chicago P.D. fell into last season.
With a conflict set up (or at least, teased) it should be interesting to see how Ritter and Dwayne’s relationship develops.
Ritter will also be on edge like everyone else with the new firehouse chief, and Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) does seem like your regular chief.
Do you think Ritter felt some type of way on account of Dwayne’s behavior?
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