If the first two episodes are any indication, this will be an outstanding season of Chicago Fire. After two years, I feel like we know these characters so well, and we can now understand the pain they feel (and share it with them) when they lose one of their own. The ramifications of losing Shay will continue to affect Firehouse 51 throughout the season, and I wouldn’t be surprised if years from now, when the series ends, we look back and see Shay’s death as one of the defining moments of the show.
Severide is officially back and moving in in with Casey and Dawson. I think I am most excited to see these three interact. It was implied at the start of the series that Casey and Severide were once close friends, but the death of Andy Darden tore them apart. While I know I will miss Shay terribly, I do hope it brings these three close together.
Dawson goes to offer Welch and the rest of Truck 66 a peace offering, in the form of beer. Of course, Welch is a jerk (I’ve come to expect nothing more). But, for the first time, there is a hint of something more to the story. Welch basically tells Dawson she won’t be able to handle it, to which she replies, “I’ve worked at a firehouse a long time, bring it on.” You go, Dawson.
Casey insists on helping Dawson prepare for Welch’s hazing, in the form of a drill. When she races up to the top of a building, she finds a ring! Casey appears and before he can finish asking Dawson to marry him, she blurts out, “Yes!” I love this, but I’m nervous. Surely there will be a bump or two in the road.
“This morning when I woke up, my first thought was, I can’t wait to tell Shay.” And as if that didn’t tug on your heartstrings enough, Casey tells her Shay helped pick out the ring. Well shoot, tears. I didn’t expect to see you this week.
Severide has settled on denial and alcohol to deliver him from depression. He insists he’s fine, and of course he isn’t. It’s tough to see him deal with this loss, for many reasons. Out of all the characters, Severide has had the most growth since the first season. While he is clearly struggling with the loss of Shay, it’s wonderful to see how his personal growth has only increased his leadership on the job.
This week had several minor subplots that have the potential to become bigger, focal points this season.
When Mills goes to meet his paternal grandfather, he instead meets someone I’m assuming is probably a cousin. He is skeptical of Peter and doesn’t want to believe they are related. Peter talks to his mom, who tells him the Mills family wasn’t all that crazy about Peter’s dad, a white man, marrying a black woman.
Sylvie, the new paramedic, lives in a not-so-great part of town, and not only does she not mind it, she kind of likes it. She renovates houses and leaves massive amounts of money lying around. Totally normal. My bet is she is hiding from her ex, and her runaway bride story may not be the whole truth.
In the end, Dawson’s transfer to 105 doesn’t go through, and it’s clear it’s because of Welch. When Dawson confronts him, his face lets on that there is definitely more to the story than what we know. I bet we end up not hating Welch, I’m going to call that right now.
While on a call, the team rescues two victims trapped in a hole of sorts. Mills hangs upside down on a cable to retrieve them, and unexplainably ends up unconscious. The masks work fine, which leads us to believe it could be a medical issue. Perhaps a hereditary condition he will need to speak with his grandfather about…
“I will be here for you as a friend, but I will not be the girl sitting in a restaurant, waiting for you.”
“She was by best friend,” he says, as tears fill his eyes. And mine.
