Chicago Fire - Purgatory - Review

We open with a montage of our beloved men and women of 51 beginning their assignments at new, various locations. I will not stand for this. Not even one minute into this, and I’m furious. Seriously, I almost wanted to turn off the TV. I couldn’t handle it. But, I stuck it out (obviously) and thank goodness I did. In fact, this ended up being one of my favorite episodes of the season.

“How about 51? Anything happen there the last few years?”

Otis is placed at Morningside, where he previously spent a shift or two (don’t remember how many) a few seasons back when he briefly transferred out of 51. The guys at Morningside treat Otis (or Brian, as he’s known there) like 51 treats Severide—and he loves it. Out of all this new placements, this was by far the most lighthearted. Otis launches into a retelling of memorable moments over the past few seasons, but claims to be the “hero” in every telling—even stories he wasn’t part of. He told Casey’s story about being stuck in the warehouse with the father and daughter, and Severide’s encounter with Travis Brenner. He’s eventually caught in his lies, but it was funny to watch!

“He’s just one of these guys who thinks breaking people down is the way to build them up. Scratch that, he skips the building part.”

Stella and Sylvie are placed at Firehouse 27, Stella’s former house. The vibe in the house is chilly, to say the least, and Captain Tipton is an ice cold bully. He verbally assaults the candidate, Missy, and nearly drives her to quit. This poor girl just happened to get a bad assignment with 27, and might throw her career away because of it. Couldn’t she put in for a transfer? Or report the Captain’s behavior? Surely there are a few steps to take before quitting. But after Missy’s rescue of Captain Tipton at the hotel fire, she changes her mind. “That feeling I got rescuing him? Nothing he says or doesn’t say is going to stop me from chasing that again.” You go, girl.

“I’m not going out in a house like that!”

Herrmann and Mouch are sent to “Purgatory”, a firehouse that doesn’t see much action and seems to be the place for firefighters closer to the end of their careers than the start. The move even has Herrmann off his speech-making game! I need a Herrmann who can deliver epic, tear-jerking speeches.

“Your men and women were remarkable. Every one of them.”

Back at 51, Severide, Casey, Gabby, and Boden are left with not only a house full of new men, but “floaters”. These men are firefighters who can’t seem to land a permanent house, and after one call with them, it’s pretty clear why. Yikes. Can you imagine these guys going on the high-stakes calls 51 gets? Gabby is also partnered with Chout, who has made several scattered appearances over the years. As Gabby puts it, he’s like “a unicorn, mixed with a rainbow, mixed with a dolphin, drunk on Redbull and Mountain Dew.” I appreciate this show’s repeated use of guest stars—it makes it feel more realistic. That said, Chout is about as annoying as they come. Sure, he’s super sweet. But he’s too much. He’s probably one of those peppy morning people who wakes up at dawn’s crack, ready to go—sans coffee, probably.

Anyway, the new 51 crew leaves a lot to be desired, and a man nearly loses his life because of it. If ever there was an episode to reinforce what a family 51 is, this was it. Not even ten minutes in, everything felt wrong! Boden sees it too, obviously, and does everything in his power to change it. His attempt to go around Anderson backfires when Anderson himself makes an appearance. This guy gets worse every time you see him! This vendetta is out of control and you have to wonder how a guy like that ended up in the high-ranking position he did. As attempt after attempt fails to reunite the 51 family, Boden’s irritability increases. It certainly doesn’t help that he has everyone breathing down his neck to make the change happen. I appreciated the frustration Boden showed—as incredible as he is, he’s only human and can only do so much.

Near the end of the hour, a hotel fire requires multiple firehouses on scene, and you probably guessed it, all of the 51 family is there. Boden masterfully directs the entire call, and even heads into the building himself. This call made my heart ache! It’s clear 51 is a cut above the rest, and they work better together. That saying, “You never know what you’ve got until it’s gone” is certainly true—and though the 51 family hasn’t been gone long, I know I’ll never take it for granted again.

After the call, the man Boden saved turns up at the firehouse to say thanks. As luck would have it, he happens to be the Deputy Mayor. Huzzah! He offers to give Boden a medal for his work, but Boden asks for his firehouse back instead. Take that, Anderson! Anderson lost this one (obviously), but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him again. In fact, I expect it. Won’t he learn? You don’t go up against Boden and win.

In other news, Severide realizes the magic of the 51 family as well. In the closing moments of the hour, he calls Anna to tell her he’s staying in Chicago.


What did you think of the episode? Might Missy transfer to 51? What, if anything, happens next for Severide and Anna? Share your thoughts below!