Chicago Fire - Off The Grid - Review: 'They're Just Kids'

This episode of Chicago Fire served up a crossover with former PD officer Sean Roman who was on a mission to find his missing teenage sister. Elsewhere, Brett came face-to-face with her birthmother and things are sure to get complicated. Let's discuss!

Hot Batch

For crossovers to be enjoyable, they have to work narratively and not seem like a gratuitous ploy to bring a long-departed cast member back into the fold. Sean Roman had his time in the sun on PD, but was Fire the best place to reintroduce him? I am not convinced. Sure, Roman and Brett had a dalliance way back when, but his presence as a catalyst that took up a bulk of this episode just didn't do it for me because he wasn't an established member of this show's cast.

The storyline was built on a shaky foundation and it was explained away that Roman approached fire first because their response to the opiate overdoses gave him a decent lead to find his wayward sister Sara. Sure, it made loose sense that he wouldn't go to his buddies at the 21st precinct because he thought she possibly could have been dealing the deadly pills, but again, Roman was a character that Fire shouldn't be put in this position for. Yes, I know there is solidarity in the world of first responders, but turning Severide into a mini-detective again because he felt a kinship with Roman due to them both having a little sister was a reach. Additionally, I get that Roman was desperate, but he put several careers and lives in danger by in his own words, 'lying his ass off'.... not a good look. If there is a part that was compelling to this storyline, it was that it shined a light on the opiate crisis that is currently running rampant across the US. The rest just felt like Hail Mary to fit in one more crossover before the season is over. Let me know what you felt about Roman being front and center below!

Helps to Have a Buddy

Brett's birthmother situation came to a head in a very surprising way. It was heartbreaking when she nervously made her way to the address she was given the episode before, only to have the door slammed in her face. When her bio mom showed up at 51 by episode's end it was with loaded emotions given what had happened a few scenes earlier. This whole situation doesn't feel like Brett is getting a bonus family because of how shady the lead up to the birth mom's appearance has been. To cap it off, the mysterious woman is pregnant at 46 and me thinks they need something from Brett because there could be a complication with the baby. Time will tell if that is the case, but why has she just reached out now? And why the cloak and dagger theatrics to finally meet if she didn't need something? One thing I know is that Brett has Casey in her corner and that is another perplexing part of this storyline.

The Casey and Brett of it all is starting to get extremely puzzling. The longing look that Casey gave Brett when he was heading into that dealer's house with Severide was clearly intentional. He also was her travel buddy on Brett's failed journey to meet her bio mom. Had the Dawsey reunion not gone the way it did, I would be predicting that Brett and Casey are going test the relationship waters by season's end. But, Casey fell back into bed with Dawson with ease, and Brett told him to go to the dinner! Now we see him supporting her, and yes, male friends can support their female friends but this doesn't feel like that. You don't do a storyline where Casey is the main one supporting Brett unless you want the audience to pick up on subtle hints. Stella or Foster could have EASILY gone with Brett, but they purposely put Casey in that position. Then we saw Casey take a long look at mystery bio mom on his way out to truck 51, and he KNEW. This is one of the most frustrating things to sit through because I honestly can't tell where they want us to plant our shipper flags. Thoughts on this fire fans? I know you have them!

Odds and Ends

* If you didn't catch the PD conclusion and are curious.... The 21st found Sara's frozen body with signs of struggle at a remote cabin. A devastated Roman set out for clandestine revenge that resulted in murder which Burgess and then Voight put together throughout the episode. Thinking his goose was cooked, Roman gave the eulogy at his sister's funeral and then fully expected to be put in cuffs. In typical Voight fashion, he took care of his own and brushed it under the rug and it seems Roman is back to sunny San Diego once again.

* No Ritter and Gallo this ep.... boooooo.

* Foster being in a mood about Mercury Retrograde is the most Foster thing ever!

* This is the first time in a long time that I can remember fire using songs with lyrics. It happened when Casey and Brett were on the road and then when Roman and Sev confronted the scum bag to get information.

* It was great to see Donna again and to give her a good story to go along with it.

* Chicago Fire isn't going anywhere as it was just renewed for 3 MORE SEASONS! Happy dance.

That is it for me. Tune in tonight for a new episode of Chicago Fire and drop a comment below with thoughts on this one.