Airing its first episodes in 2012, NBC’s “Chicago Fire” was produced by Dick Wolf, the television legend behind the “Law & Order” franchise. Centered on a group of firefighters and paramedics in the Windy City, the show proved a massive hit for the network and eventually spawned its own universe of shows, with spin-offs “Chicago P.D.,” “Chicago Med,” and the short-lived “Chicago Justice.” Together, the three constitute what is known as the “One Chicago” franchise.
At the heart of “Chicago Fire” are the group of dedicated, life-saving heroes of Firehouse 51 led by Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker) and firefighters that include Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer), Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), and Christopher Hermann (David Eigenberg). The groups also work with the paramedics of Ambulance 61: Gabriela Dawson (Monica Raymund), Leslie Shay (Lauren German), and Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer), among others. A fresh take on the under-represented firefighter genre, “Chicago Fire” boasts some big action set pieces, mixing them with fiery romantic drama and tender, heartfelt stories of friendship, love, loyalty, and loss.
One of the best procedurals on television, the series has built a diehard fanbase over the last decade-plus and is famous for its nearly annual crossovers with other shows. From Season 1 to today, it’s delivered high-quality drama that stacks up with any show on the dial. With more than 200 episodes in its run and 11 total seasons so far, it’s time to answer the alarm and rank every season from worst to best.
11. Season 11
The 11th — and at the time most recent — season of “Chicago Fire” is at the bottom of our list, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad by any stretch. In fact, it still ranks as fresh on Rotten Tomatoes’ user rankings, which only serves to underscore just how good the series is as a whole. The season continues multiple ongoing storylines, first and foremost being the relationship between Severide and Kidd, who were married in the Season 10 finale. But it also continues the story of Casey’s return to Chicago, where he must decide whether to reignite his relationship with Brett — even if he’s uncertain about what the future holds for them.
In a tragic twist, we also learn that Hermann’s wife Cindy has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Throughout the season, as her condition deteriorates, Hermann finds it harder and harder to handle. Meanwhile, Cruz is dealing with the pressure of being a new father, and Carver finds himself in trouble with the law.
“Completely Shattered” is one of the season’s best episodes, and it sees the squad battling an inferno that consumes a movie theater, while Severide assists in a police investigation. The season finale, “Red Waterfall” has Casey surprising everyone by popping the question to Brett, but the episode ends before we find out her answer. That’s not the only plot left dangling, as Mouch is mortally wounded after answering a call and bleeding out in his hospital bed, with his fate remaining unknown.
10. Season 1
Perhaps surprisingly, “Chicago Fire” didn’t come out of the gate with a stellar start, and its first season wasn’t the show at its best. But there’s plenty the show does right, particularly in introducing a strong cast of characters, each of whom is dealing with their own struggles, both on the job and personally. Season 1 deals with a few ongoing storylines, beginning in the wake of the death of firefighter Andy Darden. As the squad at Firehouse 51 deals with the loss, Casey faces off with Darden’s widow Heather, who blames him for her husband’s untimely death.
Casey is also dealing with an ongoing shoulder injury that starts out as a minor problem before causing real issues, but that’s the least of his worries: his fiancee Hallie isn’t sure she wants to have children, and that decision could make or break their relationship. Meanwhile, his working relationship with fellow firefighter Gabriela Dawson complicates things on the job and off. The best episode in the show’s debut year remains “A Coffin That Small,” which forces the crew to deal with the death of a child that they fail to prevent while responding to an apartment fire.
Though it was a slow burn in Season 1, “Chicago Fire” found its footing by the season finale, “A Hell of a Ride.” That ending installment sees the squad responding to a call from the county prison and getting trapped inside after the facility loses power, and the inmates begin rioting.
9. Season 7
Season 7 of “Chicago Fire” shook up the status quo a bit, welcoming new cast member Annie Ilonzeh to the series. She shows up as paramedic Emily Foster, who joins the ambulance team in the series premiere, “A Closer Eye.” That story also introduces Steven Boyer as Assistant Deputy Commissioner Jerry Gorsch, who serves as a foil to the firehouse as incoming Commissioner Grissom (Gary Cole) wants to change the culture at the firehouse.
The season gets a crossover in early, with its second episode “Going to War” beginning a three-part story that winds through “Chicago Med” and “Chicago P.D.,” opening with a massive apartment complex fire that traps one of the city’s finest inside with his aging father. The second crossover, “What I Saw,” midway through the season, involves another apartment complex. But this time it’s struck by a series of robberies that sends P.D. officers to the firehouse looking for help in ferreting out the suspect who they fear may be a fellow firefighter.
Foster faces her own trouble in her debut season, and once we slowly learn about her complicated past, she faces a dangerous stalker after going on a date with a handsome doctor. An ongoing arson case culminates in the dramatic season-ender, “I’m Not Leaving You,” which ends with a fire at a mattress factory that endangers the squad and forces the audience to wait until Season 8 to find out who lives and who dies.
8. Season 8
Resuming the factory fire story, Season 8 opens with the spectacular “Sacred Ground.” It sees the situation quickly escalate from panic to disaster — with countless lives at stake — and not everyone makes it, with the series losing a main cast member in the chaos. But after the painful loss of one of their own, Casey faces serious questions as blame for the disaster falls solely at his feet following a departmental inquiry.
The season may say goodbye to one series regular, but it quickly brings in a new one, too. The new face is Alberto Rosende, who joins the series as Blake Gallo, a new squaddie who some worry may be a bit too reckless on the job. More than just exhibiting risky behavior, though, Gallo doesn’t follow orders and quickly finds himself at odds with Casey and others for his adversarial attitude, until secrets from his past come to light.
Later, in part one of a two-part story that is concluded over on “Chicago P.D.,” the episode “Off the Grid” sees the squad helping to find the missing sister of a former patrol officer. “A Chicago Welcome” brings a new truck to the firehouse, and in the season finale, “51’s Original Bell,” an accident at a local factory imperils Capp’s career, and Severide is determined to find out how it could have happened. At the same time, Foster wonders if her future is really at Firehouse 51, or if she should go back to med school.
Read more: Ranking Every Season Of Chicago Fire From Worst To Best (Top 4 – 7)
