Full disclosure: I wasn’t crazy about this episode. There were great elements, as there always are, but it did not do much for me as a whole. I have some grievances to air…
Herrmann is back! It’s not all sunshine and daises—he’s not quite himself yet. And when Herrmann is a bit off, the house is a bit off. The house welcomes him home at first with nonchalance, but surprises him with a banner. He really is the heart of this show and without him, things just aren’t quite right.
The excitement surrounding Herrmann’s return is short lived, as tornado conditions threaten Chicago. The house responds to a tornado damage call in Herrmann’s area, and things aren’t looking good. I’ll be honest, I found the call a bit boring. The only part that really stood out was that poor woman looking for her husband, who was found dead by the house only minutes before.
A boy with a large piece of glass in his back couldn’t find his parents, who are stuck in their apartment. Casey takes Herrmann with him to search the apartment, now on fire, and it’s that search that really brings Herrmann back to work. Because Casey is wonderful, they make a stop at Herrmann’s house after. Thankfully, everyone is okay. Except for Annabelle, who should be punished for flushing her mother’s phone down the toilet and making her father worry. Kids.
“Herrmann, you’re the heart and soul of this house. Men here look up to you as much as any chief in the CFD. Never forget that. No kid, no knife, not even a tornado can take that away. None of us are the same when you’re not you, Herrmann.”
Elsewhere…
Cruz is still struggling with what Freddie did to Herrmann. He can’t seem to forgive himself and spends the entire episode in a bit of a rut. Surprisingly, I think the scene between Freddie and Cruz was the strongest. Freddie’s remorse and despair was unexpected. I hope that Cruz finds closure and is able to move on now.
We finally find out what has been bothering Chili. At the end of the episode, Chicago PD’s Antonio tells Gabby that Jellybean, Chili’s sister, was found dead. I can’t imagine what that must be like for her, especially because we know how close Chili was with her sister. But this absolutely does not excuse her behavior of the past few weeks. She should have taken time off, but instead lashed out at both the people closest to her (especially Jimmy) and jeopardized the lives she was responsible for. And it’s not even just the behavior and the mistakes on the job, it’s the complete lack of responsibility for them.
Sylvie finally tells Dawson about Chili’s erratic behavior, and Dawson encourages Sylvie to talk to Boden. With the latest mistake on the job, Sylvie is left with no choice. It seems that Boden is about to fire Chili, but he doesn’t know about her sister…yet. I have a feeling that finding out that bit of information will cause him to rethink his decision, unfortunately. I’m sorry for her loss, but she should absolutely be fired. No question about it. She almost killed someone, had no remorse, and then lied about what actually happened. And it’s sad, because I wouldn’t miss Chili. And she started out so strong!
After that verbal assult from Chili, I think it’s safe to say Jimmy is done with her. For the past few weeks, Sylvie and Jimmy have bonded a bit over Chili, and I wonder now if there’s a spark there. I don’t hate it, but I’m stubborn and am not ready to give up on my Severide/Sylvie dreams.
Otis is still hung up on Sylvie (why, writers? WHY?!?!) and enlists the help of Dawson to make a change. The scenes with Otis and Dawson were entertaining, and I love that she forced him to shave that awful mustache. He looks so much better without it! Perhaps that will help him with the ladies…just not Sylvie, please.
Speaking of Severide, surprise! We’re introduced to yet another woman who will inevitably become Severide’s warm body for 5-6 episodes. She’s a homeland security agent investigating a house in the neighborhood hit by the tornado, and needs Severide to kick in doors for her. Is it just me or was this a bit flimsy? She needs a firefighter to kick in a door? Come on. This is getting so old. I can’t even begin to convey how tired I am of these meaningless relationships for Severide. Why can’t he have a serious relationship? Severide’s character has so much potential and I feel like we are going in circles. There was great development for him after Shay’s death, but that was a year and a half ago. Please writers, give him some meaningful stuff.
What did you think of the episode? Will Cruz and Herrmann be able to move on? Will Chili lose her job? How do you feel about Severide’s storyline? Share your thoughts below!
About the Author - Meghan Reynolds
A Colorado native, Meghan was born a raised a Denver Broncos fan. Aside from football, she loves television and some might say watches too much of it. Some of her favorite shows of the past and present include Galavant, The Blacklist, The Office, Veronica Mars, The 100, and Gilmore Girls. She reviews Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Chicago Med for SpoilerTV.
Herrmann is back! It’s not all sunshine and daises—he’s not quite himself yet. And when Herrmann is a bit off, the house is a bit off. The house welcomes him home at first with nonchalance, but surprises him with a banner. He really is the heart of this show and without him, things just aren’t quite right.
