Here at TV Fanatic, we are huge fans of Monica Raymonde.
We’ve seen her in “Lie to Me,” “Chicago Fire” and “High City.” She has made a career out of playing complex characters, and all of her roles are unique.
While we’d love for her to come over for Chicago Fire’s encore, she’s reuniting with Dick Wolf on the super-producer’s first scripted streaming series, On Call.
The eight-episode series airs in its entirety on Prime Video on Thursday, January 9, and we’re happy to report that it perfectly capitalizes on Wolf’s transition from broadcast to streaming.
On Call is both powerful and gripping, and we’re still trying to make sense of all the twists and turns.
Still, the inciting incident involving Monica’s character, Maria Delgado, shines through the season like a halo effect.
Monica didn’t attend the show’s press tour ahead of the premiere, leading us to believe there’s something wrong with her character.
This was proven true when Maria was shot and killed just minutes into the show’s premiere, proving once again that we should never be associated with any character in the Dick Wolfverse.
Monica Raymund’s standby role was short
Understandably, viewers would have questions about the decision to kill off a player who seemed like a heavy hitter to those watching the show blindly. Looking back, however, it was a fascinating way to show viewers that On Call would be taking big risks.
We’re used to these risks in shows like “Chicago Fire,” “FBI,” and “Law & Order: SVU.”
But since these shows tend to save these types of developments for the final minutes of an episode to keep viewers waiting longer for answers, it highlights why bringing Dick Wolf into the streaming world is a good idea.
Although Monica had a brief role in On Call, her character’s death set off a chain of events that led to Tracy Harmon, played by Troian Bellisario. ‘s other characters are in trouble.
By the end of the season, everyone is changed by Maria’s death, as her murder leaves the force reflecting on the deadly dangers they face every day.
Monica Raymond should return to ‘Chicago Fire’
Having Monica as a series regular would be great, but what other TV veteran can say they’ve suffered one of the most shocking deaths in the first minute of a show on television?
If anything, Monica’s appearance shows that Monica still has a soft spot for Dick Wolf’s universe and could theoretically return to Chicago Fire or even lead a new spinoff drama.
Gabriella Dawson is a wonderful character, and there’s a lot to be gained from revisiting the state of her life after some time away.
By the time she burst onto the screen in Chicago Fire Season 1, Dawson had already charted a very different course around the world than how we thought of her.
As for On Call, the series is destined to have a bright future on Prime Video.
A shorter runtime than a typical TV series allows it to trim unnecessary scenes and focus on what matters: the characters.
A series like this wouldn’t be possible without a solid focus on characterization, and we’d love to see more seasons because there’s still so much story to tell by the time the seasons end.
What did you think of Monica Raymonde’s brief but sweet appearance in “On Call”?
Do you think this is a waste of a great actress, or do you think it successfully highlights why this show is must-see television?
Hit the comments and share your thoughts with us! We only exist because you exist.
See you below!
Watch online on call
