Why Some Chicago Fire Fans Are Still Scratching Their Heads Over This Living Situation

As its name implies, "Chicago Fire" has no shortage of tense firefighter moments and dangerous situations. However, the firefighter drama is also fond of putting the emphasis on the "drama" part, and placing its vast cast of characters in an array of personal life problems and predicaments. Sometimes, these become so serious and life-altering that the character ends up leaving the "One Chicago" franchise altogether.

One of the many actors who have left "Chicago Fire" over the years is Annie Ilonzeh, whose Emily Foster appears in Season 7 and Season 8 of the show. The Ambulance 61 paramedic actually gets something of a happy departure, as she leaves Firehouse 51 behind to pursue further medical education. While this means that Foster left the show, it's clearly the beginning of a new, exciting offscreen chapter in the character's life. Unfortunately, some fans feel that her departure leaves some loose ends regarding Foster's living arrangements.   

"Chicago Fire" Season 8 Episode 12, "Then Nick Porter Happened," features a side plot about Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) and Sylvie Brett's (Kara Killmer) search for a new roommate. When the initial selection, the titular Nick Porter (Brian Howe), turns out to be an unwise choice, Brett and Cruz ultimately give the dearly departed Otis' (Yuri Sardarov) old room to Foster. However, fans on Reddit have noted that when Foster herself exits the show, the future of the living arrangement remains a bit of a mystery — especially since she's still alive and well, and studying fairly nearby at Northwestern University.

"I recall she takes the third room and then she leaves to return to med school but do they address who replaces her or if she stays living in the apartment?" u/CJaneNorman queried. Redditor @Dana07620 confirmed that the show doesn't actually devote time to solving this roommate situation. "No, they don't. She leaves for medical school and there's no mention if she's still living there or not," they wrote. 

Redditor u/everynameisused100 pointed out that the show does eventually show Brett in her own apartment, implying an offscreen change in the living arrangements. They also noted that the reason behind Foster's fairly sudden departure may be business-related. According to Deadline, actress Annie Ilonzeh signed with a new talent agency in 2020. Per Fansided, this may have led to a contract dispute that ended her "Chicago Fire" tenure before Season 9 came along. If this is what happened, Foster must've been removed from the show in a bit of a hurry, in which case it's entirely possible that diving into the intricacies of the character's living situation may not have been a top priority.