Last night’s Chicago Fire was what we would call a pile of frustrating angst in which most of the characters were being idiots and refusing to communicate effectively. With the exception of Chief Boden and our baby Gallo, who were awesome.
To be clear, I am not complaining about the angst per se – we all knew that was coming and we were ready for it. My complaint is about how it’s being handled.
Funny What Things Remind Us felt like a series of predictable unfortunate events, culminating with Casey making a dumb decision and Stella moving out to stay with Brett while Severide is being an idiot.
I swear, I just wanted to shake some sense into all of them.
Miscommunication, thy name is Stellaride
I know this is TV and we need drama, but this situation has passed the point of being utterly ridiculous. I get why Severide decided this was the way to go because he’s a dumb, loyal puppy, but there’s no way he could have not seen this coming. He is not that much of an idiot.
I understand he is just trying to protect Stella, but in doing so, he might end up losing her. This situation would be easily fixed if he just talked to her.
I know, what a bizarre concept.
Ever since he found out that people were talking behind her back that the only reason she was even on the lieutenant track was because of him, he took it upon himself to distance himself from her. Out of the blue. With no explanations.
Of course Stella has questions. Of course she’s going to be upset. When she told Brett last night, “I was worried at first. Now I’m just pissed off”, I felt that. Because we’re all there with you, girl.
So in his effort to distance himself even more and avoid any interactions related to the lieutenant exam, Severide volunteers to go with Chief Boden on Red X duty to check on condemned buildings in their district — a task that anyone would have run away from, but idiot puppy needs to avoid his girlfriend, so there he goes.
That storyline was actually great because they run into a man with apparent dementia, who didn’t even know who he was, and only kept repeating a number.
It turns out that he used to be a Lieutenant in the Police Force and the number he kept repeating was his badge number, which reminded Boden of his old man. Did we know that Boden’s father used to be a cop? I definitely didn’t remember that.
But Severide stuck with him all day, helping him figure out who the man was, and then trying to locate his family. Chief Boden, being the smart guy that he is, picked up on Severide’s unusual selflessness to go on a boring task, and then insistence in staying to see it through. While he knows Severide is a good guy who would help people no matter what, Boden knew something was up.
When he tells Severide that he knows there’s something going on, and that he needs to go home and fix it, it seems that our boy Kelly finally gets it. But by then, it’s too late. Because Stella has had enough of his ridiculous silent treatment and decided to stay with Brett while Severide gets his head out of his ass.
Can you tell I’m frustrated with this idiot? Because I am.
The Brettsey of it all
Look, we knew it was going to be rough waters ahead. We were more than ready for the angst. And honestly, I don’t even mind them seeing other people for a little while if that makes them realize they’re being dumb puppies and that they belong together.
It’s the how we get there that is very frustrating. Because last night’s Chicago Fire felt like a predictable fanfic on the Brettsey department. It felt like they took all the angsty tropes and decided to check them all in a single episode.
Longing, sad looks? Check.
Both parties trying to distance themselves to give the other some space? Check.
New love interests for both parties? Check.
Jealousy? Check.
Miscommunication? Check, check, check.
All of that. In the span of 42 minutes. Let that sink in for a moment.
And they both met their new love interest in the same call? And then those same love interests inquire about the relationship status of the other party to them? And then both of them just point them in the direction of their loved one? Isn’t that a little too on the nose?
Come on, you guys. You can do better than that.
So now Casey is probably going to go on a date with what’s her name, just because he saw Brett talking to Lieutenant Grainger at Molly’s. And then Sylvie, who probably wasn’t really entertaining the idea of actually finding someone this soon, will see Casey with what’s her name, and decide to go out with Grainger.
After all, if he’s moving on from this thing between them so quickly, then so can she, right?
And you know what? I don’t even blame her for her attitude towards Casey. I’ve seen some mixed reactions in my timeline about this, but put yourself in Sylvie’s shoes. Our girl is super in love with someone she thinks she can’t have. Of course the obvious solution is to distance herself and keep him at arm’s length. And then she sees him flirting with a random woman he met during a call?
Girl, you go get some with Lieutenant Hottie. You deserve it.
I am firmly Team Brett on this. If Casey really meant that Brett is all he can think about, then our good Captain needs to prove it. And Sylvie can’t and shouldn’t be waiting around forever for him to make up his mind and use his words to tell her in no uncertain terms how he feels. So in the meantime, she is more than entitled to see other people.
That being said, we know this is not the end, and these two idiots will end up together by the end of the season. Like I said, they’re checking all the angsty romance trope boxes. Let’s just hope it’s leading us to a happy ending.
Other highlights of Chicago Fire
- Blake Gallo remains the most precious puppy of them all, and should be protected at all costs. I love, love, love where his relationship with Mackey is going, and I can’t wait to see them develop into something more.
- Mouch is the funniest and grumpiest member of Firehouse 51. The whole prank war thing was hilarious and a welcome reprieve from all the shippy angst.
- I love that Stella and Sylvie are sticking together and supporting each other while their respective idiots are being idiots. Yay for female friendship done right!
- Again, have they forgotten we’re in a pandemic? Why are people not wearing masks? They were in the hospital with no masks on. What’s her name went to the firehouse with no mask on. Casey lowered his mask in the middle of a crash scene to talk to the victim in very close proximity. WEAR A MASK, PEOPLE.
Chicago Fire airs on Wednesdays at 9/8C on NBC.