‘Chicago Fire’ Romance Drama: Will Casey Reach Out to Dawson?
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 9, Episode 8 of Chicago Fire, “Escape Route.”]
The hits just keep on coming for the potential romance between firefighter Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) and paramedic Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer). She’s moving on to a firefighter from another house, Lieutenant Greg Grainger (Jon-Michael Ecker) — and encouraging Captain Casey to reach out to his ex-wife, Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund, last seen on-screen in Season 8 after leaving as a series regular two years earlier).
See, Brett isn’t letting go of her contention that Casey’s still in love with his ex and they can’t ignore that to be together. It is, after all, why she didn’t let anything really begin between the two of them after they finally kissed at the beginning of this season. “There is no regardless of Gabby,” she argued when he insisted his feelings for her are real and separate from his for his ex (and her best friend).
And in “Escape Route,” as Casey gave Grainger — filling in at Firehouse 51 for a vacationing Lieutenant Chris Herrmann (David Eigenberg) — a hard time after realizing Brett’s moving on, the paramedic finally had enough.
She didn’t think his attitude had anything to do with Grainger or her: “It has to do with the fact that you’re still in love with Dawson. I called you out, and you haven’t done anything about it. Maybe you should reach out and resolve that so you can go back to being the Matt Casey everyone looks up to around here and not this.”
But is Casey still in love with Dawson? They did reconnect when his ex-wife briefly returned to Chicago last season, and showrunner Derek Haas thinks Brett’s right that he may not be entirely aware of his feelings.
(Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC)
“It’s the kind of thing you can try to brush aside but we the audience watched it — for six years and then again in December 2019 — and so I think she’s well within her bounds to call him out on that and maybe he isn’t being completely honest with himself,” Haas told TV Insider.
He wouldn’t, however, even hint at how Casey would handle Dawson potentially returning to Chicago, as Brett wondered earlier this season. “The fact that Casey hesitated [when she asked] is meaningful, but let’s just see if that happens,” Haas said.
But where is this all heading? Should we expect Dawson to show up again and her mere presence will force Casey to choose or at least face his feelings head-on? Right now she’s not in Chicago and nothing has suggested that will change — in a permanent way — soon. We don’t see a long-distance relationship happening either.
(Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC)
And Chicago Fire has been teasing out the will they/won’t they slow burn between Casey and Brett for a couple seasons now. Is it going to culminate in them deciding not to be together for good? Is this just another obstacle — Casey did have his own new love interest this season, albeit very briefly — in their way to eventually getting together? Might Casey heed Brett’s advice and reach out to Dawson and the conversation that results pushes him to fight for the paramedic?
Whatever happens, here’s what we know for sure (besides the fact that Grainger probably won’t be around for long): Sparks are going to (continue to) fly and it’s going to be messy.
Chicago Fire, Wednesdays, 9/8c, NBC
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G
Do not bring back Matt's ex.
We got tired if their constant drama. Brett needs to have someone who's mature n confident in themselves.
24 7
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I love that Casey and Brett are falling in love they belong together that's a lot of chemistry there he has leftover feelings for dawson n some kind of loyalty but he's hung up on Brett and she's hung up on him
19 5
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I vote for Casey and Brett to make it together!
21 7
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No! Don't bring that toxic character back! We always fast-forward her wanna be hero scenes. I couldn't wait for her to leave. She is horrible and ruins the whole show. The show was all about her and it was annoying because shes not a good representation of an independent woman. Stella and Cindy are but Gabby is not. She's a horrible girlfriend and wife and she's just all around toxic, selfcentered with a hero complex.
23 9
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So OVER Gabby Dawson!! Leave her where she is....gone!
19 6
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Please kick Matt to the curb, Sylvie!
The new guy is sizzling hot and he’s got no baggage. Casey is always gonna be dreaming Dawson. Let him have her and you look forward, not at someone’s left overs!
14 7
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R
Brett IS the leftovers of what Dawson left behind, which is the only reason Casey would be interested in her, her connection to Dawson.
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O
Please do not bring back Dawson. The show is so much better without her. Casey & Brett are right for each other & I want to see them together. I love Casey & Brett together.
8 4
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Please, don't bring Dawson back
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Not no but hell no do not bring her back. And enough with this off and on between Brett and Matt. Gabby has been gone long enough from this show. She decided to leave so long good bye.
6 3
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O
Yeah they ruined the show when they destroyed Matt Casey's character and turn him into this immature cry baby I think the show should be called Chicago fire high with all this stupid drama
4 1
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Please, DON'T bring Dawson back
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I agree with Lonestar. Let Brett be happy she deserves happiness. Everyone else has a love interest so let her have a relationship with the hot new firefighter.🤔💗💗
11 9
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Awhile back, someone in a Chicago Fire online group got angry at me and said I was "s*x shaming" Brett so hopefully I don't make anyone mad. However, I never thought it was cool for Brett to be with her close friend's (Dawson) ex husband. Not to mention she also dated the close Dawson 's brother. I like her with Grainger.
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That's because it's NOT cool. The only reason that Casey would even be with Brett is to hold onto DAWSON, since Brett is her so-called best friend.
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Don't bring back Dawson. She was really toxc . Did whatever she want without considering other people. her relation with Casey was a miserable one. She treated him so bad and left him without any reason. the same with Brett, she was her best friend and didn't contact her ever since she left. Let Brett and Casey be happy without Dawson interfering. Somebody tell Derek Haas that Gaby is gone, please.
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G
the problem is that she is in love with Casey ! So if she is going to be happy it will have to be with Casey.
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P
I think Bret and Casey should deff finally show there true feelings for each other because they both have strong feelings for one another. Wish it would happen soon.. then maybe bring back Casey’s ex and see what he chooses after he is with Bret for some time.. it would be a good twist.
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G
I like Derek because he does it. Casey lived a toxic and abusive platonic love. The guy didn't even have an opinion on the relationship. Time passed, and Sylvie never saw him relate again. You were right to ask. Casey already knows how he feels about her, now he needs to act. He never had to fight for women, he never really fell in love and he never felt jealous. Now when he meets the woman of his life, he looks like that. Who does not identify? Casey already forgot Dawson, only Derek has to forget. The woman ran around so many and flirted with Casey's fiance, wore Mills, slept with Cordova and didn't even have the decency to tell the guy she said she loved. I'm glad she has shame on her face and it leaked. Casey deserves someone who respects and values him: SYLVIE BRETT
2 2
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G
Wish they would bring Gabby back, loved her and Matt together. And that she has Matt child from when they hooked up! That would be an awesome story line...miss Gabby on there.
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B
Dating your best friend's Ex is disgusting.
1 3
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O
I've stopped watching Chicago fire because of the Casey and Brett. Brett should have her own love INTEREST. Put Casey with someone with Gabby's features and maybe fans will get behind it. I loved Gabby's character on the show. She was the reason why I watched CF.
10 12
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You know their are some fans that are over Casey and Dawson. So don't add all fans of Chicago Fire to your list.
15 2
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There are MORE fans that did like them, hence the drop in ratings.
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Where's the ratings dropped? They care more about is demos not ratings and they are 099 demo ratings. That's what counts in tv land with shows. Second if the ratings are down is because there's 5 million Casey and Brett fans waiting for them to get together and some of Casey and Brett fans are not watching either because of it. Some had already left and said they will, so that's the cause too. I doubt off liners could care less about either couple and just love the show. Their all not waiting around for Dawson to return. And last show has been renewed for three seasons so it doesn't matter either way.
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O
Let Brett and Casey should each have their love interest. Why would you get with your supposedly best friend ex any she is still amoung the living? Isn't there some type of friendship code to respect? Not to mention Brett was in love with Antonio, Gabby's brother.
1 4
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THEY SHOULD BRING DAWSON BACK SO CASEY CAN HAVE SOMEONE TO LOVE 🤨🤨😆
1 6
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P
Definitely not a fan of Brett and Casey. They need to bring Gabby and Casey back. Breakup after 6 seasons never made sense and Brett needs her own story. Love the chemistry with the new character filling in for Herman.
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Brett and Casey have ZERO chemistry together. I don't know what others are seeing but this ain't it!! It's like the writers want to force them together as a couple. Find Brett and Casey their own love interests and stop this ridiculous merry-go-round.
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