‘Chicago Fire’: Jocelyn Hudon Teases ‘Suspenseful’ Midseason Premiere Following Cliffhanger (Exclusive)

Chicago Fire fans are holding their breath after the midseason finale ended on a major cliffhanger, and star Jocelyn Hudon spoke to PopCulture.com about what to expect.

The Nov. 12 episode, “Pierce the Vein,” ended with Severide (Taylor Kinney) and Van Meter (Tim Hopper) following up on a school fire at the principal’s apartment building.

It’s discovered that he was the target, and after putting more pieces together, the two visit him so they can all talk. In the episode’s final seconds, the trio can be seen talking through a window, while someone ignites a fire in the building’s stairwell, and a hooded figure exiting onto the street soon after. On top of that, the CFD is going through even more budget cuts, with Engine 51 being pulled out indefinitely due to funds being reallocated in order to avoid a teacher’s strike.

Chicago Fire won’t be returning until Wednesday, Jan. 7, so fans still have to wait several weeks. However, Hudon, who plays paramedic Lyla “Lizzy” Novak, told PopCulture that when the series picks back up, “there’s just a lot of suspense.” She continued, “It’s very suspenseful, and it’s gonna be a little bit of a roller coaster for the audience, I believe.”

It’s hard to predict what will happen on both fronts, but it sounds like fans will be on the edge of their seats in 2026. It’s also clear that whatever happens, it will have an impact on Firehouse 51. If anything, the second half of Season 14 should be entertaining and nerve-wracking, and Hudon shared that fans can also expect “more fires.” She said, “There’s action, there’s fire, heights. Just some very interesting firehouse dynamics.”

Additionally, Hudon shared what’s coming up for Novak in 2026, admitting there’s “some great love interests for Novak this season, and I personally still don’t know where it’s gonna go, but I am excited.” She continued, “Every new script I get, I tear into it. I’m like, ‘What is gonna happen with this?’ Because it is very exciting. And I’ve been loving what’s happening in my love interest world.”

Fans will just have to wait and see what happens when Chicago Fire returns with new episodes on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day on Peacock, where all episodes are currently available.