How should Chicago Fire season 7 address the Dawson dilemma?

Entering Chicago Fire season 7, it’s pretty clear that there is going to be a huge change among the core cast. Monica Raymund, who played Gabby Dawson for the first six seasons, is not coming back. With that in mind, the producers are left with an enormous dilemma as to how to fill that void. We shudder at the word “replacement” since that is not entirely what it is. Yet, at the same time it’s hard for Brett to be a paramedic without a partner, and it’s also hard for Casey’s life to be even remotely the same.

With these two things in mind, let’s discuss some of what the producers should be looking at during this hiatus.

Filling the void at work – Obviously, producers will either need to shift someone else over to paramedic or find another person to come in for that role. What we would do here is take a little bit of time and try out a few different options. It’s good to test things out from the vantage point of seeing what works for you either behind the scenes or what works for viewers watching the show. The last thing that you should want is locking yourself into an option that does not entirely end up working. Plus, we know it’s going to be hard for anyone who comes into the show since there’s such an attachment among viewers towards Dawson.

Filling the void for Casey – For now, we do think that Casey still needs to mention Dawson since she is a massive part of his life. The status of their marriage doesn’t have to be addressed every five minutes, but it also cannot be ignored. The problem that does come with keeping them together, though, is that if Chicago Fire lasts a few more seasons, it’s going to be hard to maintain Casey’s story if his wife is never there. No matter what the producers decide here, please don’t give Casey another love interest any time soon — even if Casey and Dawson’s marriage comes to a close. It’s just too soon and you aren’t doing the new character any favors.

What do you think Chicago Fire should do to best take on this situation? Be sure to share right now in the attached comments!

Meanwhile, be sure to also like CarterMatt on Facebook to secure some other insight when it comes to the NBC series. (Photo: NBC.)