When Brett Dalton joined the cast of Chicago Fire in November, it seemed like the former Agents of SHIELD star had found his new home. After that show was canceled by ABC (although it now airs on Disney+), fans were hoping to see the actor on TV again, and they got their wish when the actor signed on to play firefighter Jason Pelham. Except that didn’t last long.
Brett Dalton was introduced to the One Chicago universe in Season 10, Episode 7, “Whom Shall I Fear?” two episodes after Jesse Spencer left his role as Matthew Casey. That made it seem like his character, Pelham, would be Casey’s replacement, especially when Pelham became a permanent member of Firehouse 51. Yet just eight episodes after his debut, the character is being cut.
Jason Pelham was a veteran firefighter brought in as a temporary replacement at Firehouse 51 after Matthew Casey left Chicago and moved to Oregon to help Andy Darden’s children. Pelham immediately showed that he was capable at his job, but was also quickly shocked at age 51 when the team discovered that he had been floating between different fire stations for a long time. They assumed that his inability to find a full-time assignment must mean that he had some major problem or a secret that he was hiding.
It was somewhat of a surprise when Brett Dalton left Chicago Fire, as Pelham’s becoming a member of Firehouse 51 seemed like an indicator that the actor would become a series regular. The show has generally featured actors as recurring cast members before promoting them to series regulars; that’s what happened to Hanako Greensmith (who plays paramedic Violet Mikami) and Daniel Kyri (who plays firefighter Darren Ritter), to name just two. Especially given that Dalton is such a household name thanks to the popularity of Agents of SHIELD, it seemed unlikely that he would be hired just for a brief appearance.
However, the other idea that came up after Jesse Spencer’s departure was that Stella Kidd would become Casey’s replacement, as the Chicago Fire had also spent several seasons investing in the idea of her becoming a lieutenant. In Pelham’s final scene, he tells Stella that he is going to the other firehouse so she can stay at 51, confirming that Stella will be taking over for Casey.
Miranda Rae Mayo, who plays Stella, was absent for part of season 10 working on another project, so it seems that Brett Dalton was chosen to cover her and Jesse Spencer’s absence, and after Mayo returned, her character He was removed. No official statement was given after the last episode of her aired, but it is hoped that the actor can state some lines with her reasons.
