https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loOSP_D3qx0
Tonight at 10p on NBC, Chicago Fire leads off a two night event to find the arsonist who set the fire that killed Shay. Tomorrow at the same time Chicago PD concludes the investigation.
Both shows are shot in the city they are named for and the actors don’t take her for granted. Recently at the NBC TCA Winter Press Days some of the stars talked about their co-star, The Windy City.
Jesse Spencer said, “There’s so many new places that we go to. We’re all over the city. Having only been there for three years, we’re still getting to learn it.” Then he added, “We shoot in a lot of abandoned buildings. It’s not a very glamorous job, really. I’ve realized that. We’re sort of sitting in gutters for a lot of the day.” Having said that he added, “But they’re part and parcel of the show. We could never do the show anywhere else.” He explained that what you see on your TV screens is what it is because of Chi-Town herself. He made sure to acknowledge her and her people by saying, “That’s the other character in the piece. And the firemen and the police, they all inform everything we do and make it what it is.”
Eamonn Walker wanted to add, “I would turn around and say that sometimes we have seen more of Chicago than most Chicagoans because of the amount of locations that we shoot. We show the full side of Chicago.” Then he ended his thought with, “Chicago is a major character and you are getting to know Chicago through these two shows.”
Not only are we watching two compelling drama that highlight the tough jobs of firemen and policemen, we are also learning more about one of the biggest cities in the country and getting to appreciate her beauty. Even better than a lot of the people who have called her home for all of their lives.
Chicago Fire not only takes place in Chicago, it is also filmed there. Because of that, the city and their fire department are a big part of this hot drama. I spoke with Jesse Spencer at the NBC TCA Winter Press Day and he talked about that and the deep respect he has for them.
Ever since the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, the fire department there has not only become an integral part of Chicago, but also for the rest of the world. He told us that several of the firefighting instruments that the firemen use today have come out of that city. The Chicago FD is a big part of firefighters’ history and now the show is being welcomed in as part of their history.
The actors trained with them as part of their preparation for their roles on Chicago Fire. It didn’t stop with just the training for them because the firefighters are also on the set all the time. They use real firemen on the set and in scenes, and he said that some of them had an issue about the filming process. He explained when they are risking their lives to fight a fire; they do it for a few hours, go back to the station and get out of the gear. They are not used to wearing the 65lbs., yes 65 pounds, of gear for half a day. In a way, the firefighters have learned how tedious it is to work on a Hollywood production just like the actors have learned how tough, hard and rewarding a fireman’s job is on daily basis.
So what happens when they are done filming for the day? Do they go their separate ways? When I asked if he interacts with the brave men when the cameras stop rolling, he said, “We hang out. They have become our friends. We go to Blackhawks games and football games. They had a hockey game, and we went to that. It’s great.” Then he added, “They have welcomed us in. Which we are extremely grateful for that because you don’t know how they are going to react to the show that is portraying them and how it is going to be.” He ended his answer by saying, “They love the show. It is a win/win.”
Chicago Fire is a realistic portrayal of the city’s fire department and it something that Jesse Spencer takes very seriously. Because they have welcomed in the inspiration of their show into their lives, the fire department has done the same with them. How many other shows can say that? Even he couldn’t think of an answer to that question.
So watch how both of them play a role in each other’s jobs every Tuesday at 10p on NBC.
Stabler and Benson were reunited and it’s nice to see Chris Meloni and Mariska Hargitay looking as close as ever. Can you believe it has been almost 4 years since he left Law & Order: SVU? The show that airs on NBC tonight at 9p is still good, but it is not as good without him.
Before Milena Govech was running from the cops on Finding Carter, she was an ADA on Law & Order. She looks the same now as she did whens she was 30 in that 2007 episode.
Before people were snitching on Charlie Day in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, he was a snitch on Law & Order. He looks the same now as he did when he was 24 in that 2001 episode.
