Fans of Chicago Fire know that one of the main characters and the heart of Firehouse 51 was Brian “Otis” Zvonecek (Yuri Sardarov).
Even though fans really mourn him, Sardarov’s departure and passing were purposefully included in the plot for a specific reason.
His persona, Brian “Otis” Zvonecek, was well-liked by viewers for his ability to lighten up some of the show’s most tragic scenes.
Unfortunately, though, Sardarov departed the show following Otis’s death in the Season 8 premiere due to a fire in a mattress manufacturer. Nevertheless, the authors believed his passing was necessary to keep viewers interested in the show’s plots.
READ ALSO: Tony Angelo’s Journey: From Hot Rod Garage to Pennsylvania
Yuri Sardarov left Chicago Fire for what reason?
The decision to suspend Yuri Sardarov from the program was ultimately made because the showrunners wanted to ensure that viewers understood that the cases Firehouse 51 works on daily have genuine stakes, some of which can result in character deaths.
To demonstrate this, they decided to murder Otis, a legendary figure, rather than someone more established like Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri), a newcomer to the show in Season 8.
“When we decided it was going to be Otis, there was some talk about, ‘Do we make it Ritter?'” stated Haas. “However, it didn’t seem quite as serious.
Since he was such a fresh character, the viewers would have assumed, “Oh, we were doing it purposely from the beginning,” because there wouldn’t have been the same circumstance or result. Instead, there wouldn’t have been the same stakes as there would have been if it involved a key cast member.”
“From a personal standpoint, it’s really difficult as a showrunner to tell an actor, ‘Hey, this is what we’re thinking,’ when you not only know them as a great actor but also as a good person and friend,” he stated.
“But I called Yuri and told him what we were going to do, and I’ve never had a call as professional and as gracious, and I think, in the back of my head, that I know why, which is that he’s a writer himself, and he understands that you, as a writer, have to surprise the audience and give them something that they weren’t expecting.”
READ ALSO: Alberti Popaj’s QVC Journey: The Foot Fracture
References