Chicago Fire is a highly successful series in the One Chicago franchise. Although the series isn’t over, there are already some iconic episodes.
Chicago Fire debuted in 2012 and has remained one of the best action procedural series on television. The series serves as the original series for Dick Wolf’s One Chicago franchise that later spawned off to include television series such as Chicago Med and Chicago PD. The franchise and its contained series have gone on to become network staples on NBC.
Chicago Fire was recently renewed for its 13th season. With such a storied history on television, there are several episodes noted for their top-notch quality. These 10 episodes show the true nuance of this series and prove why it is so successful as it enters its 13th season in the coming months.
10.”Carry Me” Displays the Loyalty of the Series Leads
“Carry Me” is one of the most emotionally charged episodes of Chicago Fire. The Season 5 episode sees both main characters, Lieutenants Casey and Severide, demonstrate leadership in the course of their duties and their personal lives as well. Casey helps to support a struggling firefighter who is taking the blame for a devastating event. Meanwhile, Severide helps a loved one through a devastating health battle.
Centering an episode around emotional crises instead of taking the usual route of high-intensity rescue sequences is a carefully planned move. In a series where the action can be the primary focus, it can become hollow if there are no emotional consequences. This episode provides depth to the series and gives emotional context to the adrenaline-forward series.
9.”Telling Her Goodbye” Sees the Firefighters Trapped in Their Own House
“Telling Her Goodbye” sees Firehouse 51 become the victim of a hostage situation when their firehouse is overrun by gang members who trap them inside the firehouse and wreak havoc. The firefighters must resolve the situation with minimal harm to themselves. Meanwhile, Severide hides in the firehouse and tries to resolve the situation and save his comrades while maintaining the element of surprise.
“Telling Her Goodbye” puts the members of Firehouse 51 in unfamiliar territory. The threats they are trained to face are environmental, not human. Having the firefighters in unfamiliar territory makes them rely on instinct instead of their trained skills, which makes for engrossing television.
8.”The Last One For Mom” Has the Firefighters Scrambling
Practically every character in “The Last One For Mom” is dealing with a tense situation that is testing their emotional fortitude. Severide is looking after the son of a murdered detective he was assisting, which puts the firefighter in somewhat unfamiliar territory. Meanwhile, Casey is accused of taking a bribe in the political position he holds.
Other plotlines depicting personal struggles include Otis dealing with a health crisis and Cruz struggling emotionally as the result of a rescue call. Inserting these challenging plotlines that test the character’s inner strength outside of firefighting or medical emergencies provides depth to the series. When characters are tested in this unfamiliar fashion, the qualities that make them great shine through.
7.”I am the Apocalypse” Unites All the Chicago Series
“I am the Apocalypse” is the first glimpse into the Chicago franchise that fans know and love today. The episode features characters from Chicago PD and also serves as the backdoor pilot for Chicago Med. The firefighters and police of Chicago responded to a suspected biological attack at Chicago Med that results in trapped firefighters, doctors, and victims who must keep themselves alive and uncover what pathogen the attacker released. The episode is rife with action and shocking peril that reminds viewers that even their heroes can become the ones who need saving.
“I am the Apocalypse” brings the best action of Chicago Fire and the best mystery elements of Chicago PD together to set the stage for Chicago Med. Displaying the best elements of itself in a new environment proves the series can take on new forms and still be the same great series fans know and love. The emotional tension, paired with the harrowing situation, makes for a raw episode that is unforgettable not only in this series but also in this franchise.
6.”I’m Not Leaving You” Ends With a Bang
“I’m Not Leaving You” centers around several personal changes the primary characters are going through. The series does an excellent job of keeping the personal lives of the firefighters and paramedics as fast-paced as the rescue themselves. Even if the stakes may not be as high, the pacing of the episode does not suffer as a result of the more personal focus.
“I’m Not Leaving You” includes a storyline that follows Stella Kidd and Kelly Severide investigating one of his late father’s unsolved arson cases. This private investigation is more than just a whodunnit; it is an emotional odyssey for Severide as he wrestles with the death of his father and their complex relationship. Closure has to wait, as the episode ends with a devastating cliffhanger that leaves the lives of Firehouse 51 hanging in the balance.
5.”Deathtrap” Cuts Deep For the Characters and Viewers
“Deathtrap” is one of the most emotional episodes not only in Chicago Fire but in the Chicago franchise overall. The episode follows a mass-casualty fire at a warehouse party that results in millions of deaths, including the daughter of Chicago PD’s Detective Olinksy. When the circumstances of the fire are revealed to be arson, the members of the Chicago franchise unite to bring justice to those lost.
“Deathtrap” takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster. The display of the damage caused by this fire is haunting, and the physical and emotional devastation cuts deep. The emotions evoked by this episode is a testament to the powerful storytelling of the series and explains easily how the series has entered double-digit seasons.
4.”Real Never Waits” is an Intense and Fast-Paced Episode
“Real Never Waits” juggles multiple emotional storylines without losing steam. The episode’s storylines range from professional advancements, like Dawson passing her firefighters exam, to romantic ones like Boden’s wedding. The episode’s high volume of storylines may be too much for any other series to handle, but “Real Never Waits” is a success.
“Real Never Waits” touches on the fast-paced life the protagonists lead. With no guarantee that they may survive the next shift, they must seize every moment to live their lives. The plot points range from positive to negative and every emotion in between and included with a dramatic cliffhanger, with Boden watching on as his firefighters disappear into a blaze, their status unknown.
3.”A Dark Day” Throws the City Into Chaos
“A Dark Day” is a crossover episode with Chicago PD and throws the first responders into the fray after a devastating explosion. The explosion at the start of a CPD and CFD charity event endangers the lives of police officers, firefighters, and everyday citizens. The attack on the Chicago Fire Department and the Chicago Police Department traps Gabby Dawson in rubble, and her team must free her while assisting other injured parties at the event site.
“A Dark Day” flips the natural order of the series and places the first responders in the crosshairs. Now, they are tasked with saving their own people as well as the citizens nearby, all while the Chicago Police Officers work to uncover the identity of the bomber. “A Dark Day” manages to depict the best of both series by placing the characters equally in and out of their own elements.
2.”My Miracle” Sees the Firefighters Struggle to Survive
The Season 5 finale, “My Miracle,” sees the members of Firehouse 51 struggling professionally and personally. Chief among these struggles are Cruz facing a suspension for conduct on the job and Casey struggling to help pass a legal bill to help first responders. Additionally, struggles occur personally between members of the firehouse. With so many challenges hampering the firefighters, the odds are not looking good for all of them to emerge victorious from their struggles.
At the end of the episode, Mouch has a heart attack while the firefighters are trapped inside the blaze of a warehouse fire. The episode ends with the lives of the firefighters hanging in the balance. “My Miracle” goes above and beyond to humanize the firefighters and show that they are not immune to the hands of fate.
1. “Sacred Ground” Proves Heroes Live Forever
The Season 8 premiere episode “Sacred Ground” is one of the most heart-wrenching episodes of the series. The episode picks up after the cliffhanger in the season 7 finale and reveals that Brian ‘Otis’ Zvonecek sacrificed himself to save his team in the building fire. He makes it to the hospital but later passes away with his best friend, Joe Cruz, by his side to hear his final words.
The episode is more than just an emotional send-off for a beloved character. After his passing, many characters raise questions about what happens to them if they die on the job and if their memory will last as time goes on. The episode culminates in a beautiful speech and memorial dedication by Captain Boden, who instructs them on how to make Otis’ remember a permanent part of Firehouse 51. This beautiful rumination on loss and memory in relation to a first responder job cuts to the core of what Chicago Fire is about.
