It’s nearly impossible to picture Chicago Fire without Kelly Severide swaggering through the firehouse or Chicago P.D. without Jay Halstead cracking cases with steely determination. Yet every iconic One Chicago character — from firefighters and detectives to doctors and nurses — started with a single line that set the tone for everything that followed.
Back in February 2021, NBC released a throwback YouTube video where One Chicago stars revisited their very first lines. The compilation not only sent fans spiraling into nostalgia but also revealed just how far these characters — and the actors who play them — have come since their early days.
Taylor Kinney: A Joke Before Tragedy
For Taylor Kinney, stepping into Kelly Severide’s boots in Chicago Fire’s pilot wasn’t just about playing a firefighter; it was about embodying cool confidence and loyalty. His very first line wasn’t a dramatic rescue or a life-or-death order — it was a playful jab aimed at his best friend, Andy Darden.
“Andy makes Squad the day I no longer am in charge,” Severide quipped, drawing laughs from his Firehouse 51 brothers.
But the light moment masked the tragedy about to unfold. Moments later, Darden would lose his life on a call, setting the stage for one of the most emotional arcs in the franchise’s history. Severide’s first words may have been casual, but they carried the weight of foreshadowing — introducing a character who would learn that leadership often comes at a heartbreaking cost.
Looking back in the 2021 special, Kinney couldn’t resist poking fun at himself. “Things hurt a little longer than they used to when that [line] was first uttered,” he joked, as clips of his Season 1 self — shirtless and full of rookie energy — flashed on screen.
Chicago P.D.: From Flirtation to Fierce Dedication
Over on Chicago P.D., Jesse Lee Soffer’s Jay Halstead had a very different kind of entrance. His first line? Not a tactical command, not a hard-hitting interrogation — but a flirtatious order at Molly’s Bar.
“Could I please send a couple of Long Island iced teas for the ladies in the corner?” he asked smoothly.
Soffer laughed at the throwback, admitting that Halstead’s introduction painted him as more of a player than the principled detective fans came to love. “So I guess at the beginning of the show, Jay Halstead was undercover and on the prowl,” he teased.
Meanwhile, Amy Morton’s Trudy Platt made her mark with dry wit right from the start. When a colleague cheerfully greeted her with a “good morning, sunshine,” Platt didn’t miss a beat.
“Funny,” she deadpanned, snatching paperwork from his hands. Morton later admitted the character has softened “just a bit” over the years — though fans know Trudy’s sarcasm will never truly fade.
And then came Patrick John Flueger’s explosive debut as Adam Ruzek. In his first scene, a police academy exercise, Ruzek shocked everyone — including Olinsky — by screaming at his partner, “You wanna kill yourself?! I’ll do it!” before disarming him in dramatic fashion. The unorthodox move landed him a spot in Intelligence — and remains one of Flueger’s favorite moments on the show.
Chicago Med: Medicine in Motion
Over at Chicago Med, first lines were less about levity and more about urgency. Brian Tee, as Dr. Ethan Choi, wasted no time showcasing his focus. His first moment? Requesting an X-ray in the middle of chaos. It was a simple but effective introduction to a doctor who would always put the mission — and his patients — above all else.
Why These First Lines Still Matter
Looking back, these seemingly small moments carried the seeds of everything that makes One Chicago what it is today: humor, grit, tragedy, resilience, and heart.
Taylor Kinney’s Severide might have started with a joke, but his character became a cornerstone of Chicago Fire, showing the weight of leadership in the face of devastating loss. Halstead may have entered with a flirt, but he evolved into one of P.D.’s most moral detectives. Platt was sarcastic from day one, and remains the precinct’s sharp-witted anchor. And the doctors of Med proved right away that their world would be a whirlwind of life-or-death choices.
More than a decade later, fans still connect to these characters because those first impressions have never been forgotten — they’ve only deepened with time.
What’s Next for One Chicago?
Luckily, fans don’t have to wait long to see what’s ahead. All three series return this fall with brand-new seasons:
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Chicago Fire Season 14
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Chicago P.D. Season 13
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Chicago Med Season 11
The premieres air Wednesday, October 1 on NBC, with next-day streaming on Peacock.
After all these years, one thing is clear: The first lines may have been short, but the legacies they launched are nothing short of legendary.
