‘Chicago Fire’ Shocker! EP Derek Haas on Why Otis Was Killed Off
Spoiler Alert
[WARNING: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Chicago Fire Season 8 Premiere, “Sacred Ground.”]
R.I. P. Firefighter Brian “Otis” Zvonecek (Yuriy Sardarov).
In the Season 8 premiere of Chicago Fire, one of the show’s most lovable original characters tragically expired due to burns sustained in last season’s finale mattress factory fire.
Once I wiped away my tears, I accosted Chicago Fire executive producer Derek Haas about the choice to kill off Otis.
Well, even though it was hinted that someone would die, Otis’s death was shocking! When and why did you decide to kill Otis off?
Derek Haas: We finished last season not knowing what we were going to do. How were we going to handle the mattress fire? We had pulled the football too many times when a person was in danger, then was saved. The audience has to be reminded that these calls are dangerous and sometimes people don’t make it. We thought, what if we killed off Otis and he dies heroically? We realized there was so much emotional landscape we could cover.
Yuriy Sardarov as Brian “Otis” Zvonecek (Photo by: Elizabeth Morris)
How did Yuri find out?
I first talked to [franchise creator] Dick Wolf and ultimately got the go-ahead and then I called Yuri, whom I’ve known since before the show. I had cast him in a movie that wrote and produced [The Double] when he was still in college, and I’ve basically watched him grow up on the show. He was gracious and professional. He has a mind that understands creative choices and he agreed to come back and do the season’s first episode.
Why Otis?
There were other candidates including Ritter (Daniel Kyri), but he had only been around this last season. For it to be a real surprise, you need it to be a core cast member. We thought that Yuri affects everyone in the house as well as fans. I had seen a memorial at an LA firehouse, and I thought that’s something we’ve never done before. I was thinking how could he be remembered, so I had the memorial as the ending in my mind and worked backward from that.
How important were the incredibly emotional bookend scenes with Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) revealing his deep pain at losing his best friend?
Joe Minoso is an incredible actor with such an expressive face, equally adept at doing comedy, drama, romance, suspense, and action. I knew he would exceed anything I had in my head. I knew we were going to have a killer scene when he first realizes in the back of the ambulance, when they open up the turnout coat and Cruz realizes that this isn’t something you’re going to be able to get over. I knew we could play that out in one shot cutting back and forth between Otis’ body and Cruz’s face with that realization. I knew I’d end with the memorial service and Boden (Eamonn Walker) revealing Otis’ last words.
What was the reasoning behind Brian’s last words — which were to Joe — in the Russian that Brian grew up with. Obviously, Joe couldn’t understand them.
I have to give credit to Arthur Forney, the head of post for Wolf Films. He read my first draft and said, “What if Otis says something in Russian and we find out later what he says?” I knew it was a great idea so I was like, “Yes!”
Yuri Sardarov as Brian “Otis” Zvonecek, Joe Minoso as Joe Cruz (Adrian Burrows/NBC)
What was the reaction of the actors during that memorial scene and the final goodbye to Otis?
I think they drew upon the fact that they’re mourning a colleague as much as in real life. But my intention was not to surprise any cast member, so everyone knew well ahead of time. Plus, this wasn’t Yuri’s last day of shooting.
What was his last scene?
The Russian last words. But if I’m lucky and I can get Yuri to to agree, I don’t think this will be the last time we see him. You’re the first person I told that to!
I’m not the only one, I’m sure, to say I will miss the actor and character.
Out of everyone I’m not worried about him. He’s nothing but upward from here. If anything that will let him stretch; he does theater and he’s a good writer. It will be fun to say he started on Chicago Fire.
You didn’t forget about some other storylines, including the one with Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer). She left Chicago with Kyle Sheffield (Teddy Sears), the former department chaplain who wants to marry her, but she seems to be dying of boredom in Indiana.
Yeah, that’s not resolved yet. I wanted to follow through with her agreeing to marry Kyle. With my own sinister nature, I get to bring back Hope (Eloise Mumford)!
Brett’s friend turned enemy. That snake in the grass.
I love that character!
Kara Killmer as Sylvie Brett, Teddy Sears as Kyle Sheffield (Adrian Burrows/NBC)
That could drive Brett back to Chicago quick. That doesn’t bode well for the very handsome and kind pastor, so could there be a possibility for Lt. Casey (Jesse Spencer) and Brett to really get together. That’s where they had been heading, no?
The fans made a lot out of something that didn’t happen so I will leave all options on the table at this point.
And then there’s the new possible candidate in the next episode.
We’re happy and excited that we got Alberto Rosende to play Blake Gallo. The name of the episode is “A Real Shot in the Arm” and the idea is that we needed fresh energy. So here’s the raw talent that would described as junior Casey/junior Severide (Taylor Kinney). But not everyone’s onboard with bringing this guy over. We’ll find out more information about him as the season goes on.
Chicago Fire, Wednesdays, 9/8c, NBC
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As a lifelong Chicagoan, and a real-true fan of Chicago Fire and Chicago Pd, I cannot fathom how , or why , in the abstract medium of TV today, any writer or producer on Dick Wolf’s creative team could possibly think that the killing off of OTIS on Chicago Fire, and Olinsky on Chicago PD could or can in ANY WAY help ratings, or bring more realism to these shows! All you have to do to see that First Responders have a VERY delicate lifespan, is to watch the national TV news shows on every night!!! To those creative geniuses- I say this is TOTAL BS!! By killing off Otis, you have deprived us of seeing where he and Lily could have progressed in their lives!! If you want us, as the viewing audience, to stay invested in your shows, don’t kill off a truly beloved character- let him grow within the show’s story lines!! If you were to take any polling re: the removal of these 2 beloved characters, the general consensus would most likely be- you are idiots!!!!
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I loved otis he was my favourite character
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dawson character is over played. she is practically in every scene and she is bad actress
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Never makes sense why they kill off or write out these beloved characters. First Shay, then Mills and now Otis. Oh and lets not forget Olinsky, Sean Roman, Nadia and now Antonio from our other favorite Chicago Series. I don't care what excuses they come up with their reasoning is stupid. 😡
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Thank god dawson is gone couldnt stand her
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Should have never killed him off.
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It certainly is. First they tell us ohhhhhh we have to get rid of them so we can do something different! (rememebr that malarkey?) or we'll lose viewers! Apparently someone explained to them that not everyone has a 2 second attention span and regards all characters in any story as throwaways, and they stopped being idiots on that one. Now here we go again. I would have loved the first female fire fighter to stick around, she was terrific. I understand that Gabriella Dawson had to be written out of the series because the actress wanted to leave, but dumping people just to dump them because they cannot figure out how to do a series properly is on them.
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"Brother, I will always be with you."
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I agree with OrangePaw who does this kill off a great character and why I love this show been watching since very first episode now I’m watching repeats on my tablet just to see Otis again I miss him so much. He is a man that a woman can easily love. His acting was super. I know this will never happen wish I’d get to meet him in person just to tell him what a great actor I think he is I just pray this is not the last I see of him. I hope to see him on another show in the near future. I pray for him that he is happy at another job on set and I pray for his health and safety I’m sure his former work family he’s still close with those guys and girls are great too. I love them all especially Otis. ❤️❤️
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I could not believe when they killed off Otis. He was one of my favorite characters on Chicago fire. I know it’s just a TV show but sometimes we just get so involved and it was really so sad that it made me cry so much. Especially when I saw Cruz crying at Otis bedside. It was too much to take in. And in Chicago PD I loved Olinsky and miss seeing him on the show. Why do you producers or the writers do that? I read yours reasons but I don’t agree because sometimes it keeps us from wanting to watch again because somebody else that we really care about on the shows might get knocked off. In Chicago med you took that dark-haired good looking doctor away from us also after that crazy woman doctor killed his father. I don’t even know if I’m gonna continue watching the Chicago stories.
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otis was so lovable. should not have killed him. and stella kidd is unbearable and brash and over bearing. do way with her character
love the rest of the characters and Boden is the best
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I cried for Otis and was glad when gabby left I wished they would have killed her off Instead. He was the comedy. Oh all the close calls I mean seriously Casey nearly dies every episode. They coulda let Mouch retire. They bring this little fraidycat candidate on.
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He had a lot of impact on the show and a lot of people could relate to his charter. Their were others that don’t have as much warm ness as his charter did on the series from the beginning. Too many changes going on on this show now. Not sure I will continue to watch, it’s at a stand point right now and the charters that are left are just boring. Need to step it up or loose a lot of fans.
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My comment is regarding the death of Ava on Chicago Med. Thanks for killing her off! I actually could not enjoy her because I couldn't hear or
understand anything she said! She is a horrible speaker and I cant imagine how she got into this business when you cannot possibly understand
her.
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I liked Shay. Dawson was okay up until about season 4, then she got overbearing and selfish. I got tired of her crusade against authority. I hope they don’t bring her back. The show is better without Gabby Dawson. Totally miss Otis, though.
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Why when a good show come on with cussing or trash on they want to kill someone off its it's not the same with Otis gone big mistake started watching Chicago fire when they started like Brett getting the ax really whats wrong with yall
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To kill of Otis is in my humble opinion a monumental mistake. I have been a fan of Chicago Fire since the very first episode and I consider Otis to have been one of a great team of actors that feed off of one another in a way that makes them more a family which is what makes this show so successful. Killing this character off is not what the millions of fans would have wanted at all and the producers should have been aware of that. I now ask myself who is next to be written out ?. I consider Chicago Fire to be one of the best programmes on TV because of the wonderful characters involved in the show. You have just killed off one of the most popular characters in the show just to shock the viewers.. Huge mistake.
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Can’t believe they killed Otis he was one of my favourites 🙁
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Herrman needs to go! He is so winey and annoying .
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I completely agree. I know I'm late to this conversation. But I'm new or to Chicago Fire. I hated Dawson, loved Otis and absolutely cannot stand Stella Kidd.
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I cant believe they wrote otis out of it. He was one of the best in it. I cried soooooo hard when he died and when boden revieled what otis said to cruz before he died. It was soooo heart breaking. 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
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Otis was awesome but his death did bring the harsh reality to the show which is what makes it such a great show. The choice of Stella with Severide though just is not a good fit at all. She is not an actress with the looks and acting ability to be in a leading role esp with Kelly's character.
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Will Chicago Fire ever include a shoutout to the Black Fire Brigade on any episode?
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My son is a Fire Chief in a small town. Former flight medic. He doesn't sit around watching football in his office. There is intelligent life outside major metropolitan areas. He's frequently busy saving tourists from Chicago, who crash their cars, ATVs, motorcycles, boats, in our resort town.
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What were Otis's last words?
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Otis was a rumor mongering dick who didn’t know how to mind his own business.
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should have been cruz,otis was a better character
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Killing off the lesbian was fine, should have killed off Dawson she she cant come back...time to kill off the blonde...she is a social worker...like the chick Doctor on Chicago Med. Should not have dropped the Olinsky character from PD.
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You can’t even spell lose. Please don’t comment
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