NJRadioGuy

More like milking a cash cow.

It's time. I enjoyed this show earlier on but it got tedious after the whole Mike goes to prison thing. After he and Markle left (she got the better exit package, of course) it was more play-by-numbers than anything else. Thanks for the fun but it's time to move on.

This one didn't work for me on the whole, only because we're two hours away from the conclusion of the season and nowhere near where we need to be in terms of book-to-screen. The last two episodes were too much filler, and now we'll have to be at a full gallop toward the end. Something I wanted to bring up regarding Bree (and Sophie). I like both the character as she appears in the series and the actor herself, but with that said, Sophie's very much a lightweight. I bring this up because I just finished Season 4 of Shetland, and the young woman playing Cassie (Erin Armstrong), the daughter of the lead character, was utterly mesmerizing in the role. She's able to convey a flood of emotions without uttering a single word in one powerful scene. I never once got the feeling that Sophie could pull that off, unfortunately.

Just finished Season 4 tonight and it was every bit as compelling, powerful, and twisty as I'd expected and hoped for. First-rate performances by everybody, but Stephen Walters playing Malone was an absolute tour de force. Same actor that owned the role of Angus in the first two seasons of Outlander. My only wish is that there were more than six episodes per season. But at least we know for sure there will be a Season 5 next year! Cass and Duncan (and their respective actors, Erin Armstrong and Mark Bonnar) are positively brilliant this season as well. One more thought concerning one person, continued from Season 3 that maybe I should put in spoiler space, although it's not central to the new season's plot.

Just binged the final three episodes. I don't think I'm capable of feeling anything again after that. Never have two TV deaths been that devastating to me. Not even a certain wedding scene or the Ultimate Excedrin Headache™ in Game of Thrones got me like those two. As for the fate of the show, what I'm hoping is they're given a fourth season and told it will be their last, but could it work? The premise is excellent but I think the narrative has almost run its course. I don't know the show could survive a hard reset, either with new characters or old characters being reintroduced from scratch. Only way I'm thinking is everything goes back to some critical point from S3, at which the timeline diverges, and Protocol Omega never gets called into play.

Loved, loved LOVED this episode. Especially the Marine and his daughter. And yes, every one of the pieces of music used was on point, too. I didn't see the twist coming because I was thinking "Bailey" and the whole Capra influence. Am I a bad person for wishing that when the EMT found the missing body part in the restaurant, she should have cheerily said "Jenna...boop. Got you nose?" I was just about to post about the Eva Air airplane as well. When I saw that I was thinking it was going to be even further mis-directed than MKE. But why didn't his cellphone show up on Maddie's E911 map display? That call would have ended much quicker, and more believably, since bringing back a guy who's been in asystole for that long doesn't usually end up well. Chock it up to a Christmas miracle, I guess. The story line of Maddie's ex will indeed be difficult to watch, and I fear will play out over too many weeks, but after the last few episodes of this show I think the writers have the chops to get it right. I hope they do, at least. It's a story that definitely needs to be told. I could even see the writers killing Maddie to drive the real issue home to viewers. 100% correct. Yippie-ki-yay....

I enjoyed it, despite its many anvils and standard network-TV dramatic tropes. The formula never changes in these kinds of stories, but tonight I'll forgive it because if it gets just one person interested enough to become a member of the fire service or get into EMS work it will have been a rousing success. I personally don't care about your plumbing or your personal life. I care that whoever answers the call will be able to pull my fat ass out of the fire (literally) or cardiovert me and do compressions if I'm in V-fib after one too many barbecue suppers. I sincerely hope tonight's episode will persuade some young people to head down to their local volunteer fire departments or rescue squads, or put in their applications to paid departments. We old-timers can thank Johnny and Roy for at least two generations of paramedics and firefighters (and edited to add Sam Lanier's cool, calm voice spawned a couple of generations of dispatchers, too). Here's hoping Hen's story and all the other ones we're seeing on the various shows keeps up the tradition.

Old shows are expensive and don't deliver the numbers of newer shows (i.e. they generate less revenue). CF is an expensive show to begin with, its numbers are well below its first two seasons, so NBC's choice becomes kill the show entirely or pare it back and get costs under control. I don't know when the main cast's contracts are up for renewal, but after 7 seasons I'd wager this is the final year for many of them (their contracts, not necessarily their characters). But I can see a few more cast changes happening if they're renewed for an 8th season. New actors cost less than veterans, and in an ensemble show we can learn to love new characters. Personally I think the One Chicago night is a good thing. I generally like the universe they playin, despite it's often poor writing.

Frankly I'd prefer a chief or boss who's a serious hardass, and who isn't afraid to push people to (and beyond) their limits, especially in training, because when the bells go off you gotta act on instinct and trust your training. Nice guy or jerk, I don't care, just so long as that person knows the job and can shove that knowledge into a young skull full of mush. I can't learn all that well from a touchie-feelie instructor whose head is buried up his butt in a book. In anything I do I always go straight for the old SOB who's seen and done it all. I figure if I learn half of what he's forgotten I'll beat out the whippersnappers.

FDNY has signal 5-5-5-5 but yeah. Gets me every damned time. But the one that hits home the hardest is an End Of Watch/final response radio message. I think I heard a TV show do that once as well. Yeah. Right in the damned feels. If Benny was that beloved in the department then he would have had an awful lot of guys from his command at the funeral and his colleagues as well as bosses. Where the hell was Grissom? If Benny's plea before he snuffed it was moving enough to sway Grissom, you'd think he'd have been there with bells on. Don't get the hesitation with Brett. Just tell the officer investigating the accident what you observed and that's that. He or she will dig around. No Big Wrenching Decision needed; it's done all the time. And it's not as if the penalties for texting-while-driving are life altering either. Yes, the BadThing happened (the accident). She'll get a ticket, pay the fine and (hopefully) be remorseful and never do it again. A quick Google search shows a cellphone ticket in IL is $75, but can be upgraded to a misdemeanor or felony if an accident that involves injury or death ensues. So probably at worst she'd get a slap on the wrist.

He's not a pencil pusher at HQ. He's the chief of the department, and even in this crazy show-world, he'd be the highest ranking officer on the fireground—which we saw at the high-rise job. He sure is in charge of evaluating her, etc. When (not if) that relationship goes pear-shaped he has absolute authority to give her the worst shifts and assignments, put her career on an unpleasant path, and ultimately it could be his job to fire her. Or worse still, on another big job, put her in a position where she could die in the line of duty. And of course, even if the relationship doesn't go bad, there are so very many Horrible Things that could result from the chief hooking up with a subordinate like that, especially one who's afraid of fire. What happened to the writing on this steaming hot mess of a show between last season and this? Last year had its problems, but this is Fire Department High School ferheavensakes. There's exactly zero willing suspension of disbelief. I'm loathe to drop a show centered around the FD, but this may be the first. The last 3 episodes I zapped through in 20 minutes.

In a dramatic piece for TV, etc, that's definitely an issue. In real life, they simply follow the evidence. It's not the job of the (real) police to go to the ends of the earth to exonerate a suspect. If something happens to turn up in the normal course of an investigation then fine. But otherwise, their job is to investigate, charge, and testify to the facts of the investigation at trial. It would be up to the defense attorney to find that video surveillance from the park and (hopefully) any other evidence to clear his name. I think most of us wish that if we were ever in an interrogation room, falsely accused of a crime, that the PD would jump through hoops to make sure they didn't lay a charge against an innocent person, but that's not how it works, for better or ill. Now I'm not talking about fabricating evidence or beating a forced confession out of someone, or holding them in a torture cage in the garage here, just normal investigatory work.

Too many procedural problems in this one for me, and ironically, the one thing that tipped the scales in the story (Haley in the box with the initial suspect) was the part that actually rang true; she conducted a great interview and got the desired result. Retired cop and I were chatting about this today after breakfast and what she did in there was bang-on the right way to elicit a confession if the suspect hasn't lawyered up. Find his weakness, play to it and take your time. If he's weak, scared, or confused, he'll break. But the problem is that once he got I.D.'d in the lineup, and after failing to budge with what it turned out to be his real story, they would have easily had enough evidence to charge him, pass him along to the State's Attorney's office and move on to the next case. They wouldn't have even bothered with a real lineup...it's not done like that any more anyways. Show a 6-pack, circle the suspect you identify, sign it and that's it. That's enough to get an arrest warrant. That they found the Honda with the shot out back window would almost certainly be enough to secure a conviction, and they probably wouldn't have thought twice about the entire case. Tell the Alderman we got the guy, the evidence is solid, and walk away. The point is, there was no need to break him in questioning. Contrary to what many people think, a confession here would have been nothing more than icing on the cake. IRL, you gather the evidence, get a positive ID, bring the guy in and confront him. Give him a chance to "explain his side" and fill in details, maybe provide motive, tell you where the weapon is, and so on. If he keeps BSing, and you have enough other evidence, walk out and charge him, and that's it.

This episode didn't suck. The telenovella plotline was silly, of course, but a fun little B-plot (or C-plot). I think the showrunner had to bring in Naomi as Gabby 2.0 for the same reasons they foisted Dawson on us, only maybe with an actor who polls better with audiences. And if that's the case, they got it back-asswards. I loved Ms. Raymund. She owned that part and sold it well. I just detested the character and her testicle lockbox for DoorMatt™. Why does Casey even need a love interest anyway? At least for a season or two. I don't hate Naomi, I'm just getting bad vibes about where her character is going. But that said, I'd rather see a romantic interest for him from outside the fire service. Speaking of Casey and the fire service, he did a good job explaining that he actually knows why, when, and how to vent a roof. So I expect to see 81 up on the shingles with a K12 and chain-saws next time there's a working house fire, m'kay? Wish they hadn't killed off Severide's dad and retired Orlovsky in the same episode. Two grown-ups off the show at once, one replaced by a younger, hotter guy. Since this isn't a telenovella, and their audience is primarily skewing older (and I'm an old fart), I like older character actors in supporting roles. I was just as pissed when they offed Olinsky on P.D. last season.

The problem Granny would face would be a flashover. As was explained, if you give fire a breath of oxygen, the smoke and combustible gasses will essentially cause a controllable, survivable fire to become an unsurvivable inferno in less than ten seconds. Since they had water, though, I don't see why they didn't use the door and lead with the hand line, fogging the ceiling to cool it down, with another member of the crew stationed at the door to keep it as close to closed as possible (with the hose still inside). Also the roof was already compromised so the risk of a flashover would have already be minimized. The danger is always when some yahoo opens a door without having water at the ready, and that wasn't the case this time. All in all, a good job, and congrats to the actors for making it look good. I really did like the idea of a small hole, pop the line through and hit it that way. And yeah, Casey would be in a multiverse of hurt for allowing himself to be quoted.

From an old friend of mine who was on the Toronto Police Force a lifetime ago, that scenario is precisely in their training. Armed perp in a basement. He said every single trainee who goes through the simulation "dies" in a paintball-splattered uniform if they go in alone or with a partner. There is (or at the time, was) one and only one correct response. Radio in for the ETF (Emergency Task Force, aka SWAT, aka the Extra-Tough F---ers). I would also add that in close quarters, a shotgun blast is deafening so Nolan would have been disoriented, out of his element, and very definitely prey in that scenario. Your mileage may vary. Mine certainly does :) As for the show, I like it. I like procedurals (granted my background is more on the FD side of the ledger). If you're going to focus on a rookie patrolman and have any credibility in that regard then you've really got to show the routine calls, booking, traffic sumonses, etc. There's still plenty of good storytelling to be had there and I hope they go there. From the pilot, where the training officer goes "Bang. I've been shot, where are we?" I first saw it when I was a teenager watching Adam-12, only to find out from friends it's absolutely a very real-life training exercise. And speaking of Adam-12, this is honestly the first cop show I've seen in ages that comes close, albeit adrenaline'd up for the modern era. I hope they can keep it both fun and serious, and not fall into cliché hell. What I'm concerned with is what happens if the show is a runaway success audience-wise and it gets a second, third, and fourth season. He won't be a rookie by that point. Maybe this should have been conceived and marketed as a limited-run one-off series. Follow Nolan's journey from bank floor victim, through the academy, his time as a rookie patrolman, and finally his promotion to Detective. As for the relationship with a co-worker, that's poison, plain and simple. Forget the age difference, dating a fellow service member (PD, FD, etc) who's in your platoon, your watch, etc, is a recipe for Bad Things To Happen, especially if the relationship goes sideways later on, or one of the partners ends up as the other's subordinate after a promotion. I get it, fun TV drama and all, but it's a Bad Thing in my book. And if they're going to insist on it happening, I'm all for him dating the Captain. I like her.

Dear ghods, I could feel my brain cells dying off one by one tonight. Everybody phoned this one in, writers and cast alike. Look, I get it. This isn't a Critic's Choice Drama Presentation. Fine. But at least make the characters be deserving and work hard for their Happily Ever After. The Paris thing should have been a last-minute reveal when all seemed hopeless for them both. The ruby thing was probably the dumbest plot contrivance ever aired on TV. The festival-of-the-week thing was ridiculous, and the never-mentioned-before-and-will-never-be-heard-from-again wishing well can just implode into whatever dimension from which it was spawned and take everybody with it. Cayenne pepper sprinkled on the ugliest pumpkin pie in the universe? Dear ghods. That unicorn would be $#!++ing out glitter non-stop for a month. Why not just leave the secret ingredient a secret? As for Not-Mayor Martha, that's a plotline that can't be rescued until TheBigWedding™ happens; The Tinsdales move into the Radfords' house when Sam and Nick move next door. Meaning Martha can ingratiatiate herself into the Happy Couple's lives even more now. Maybe then, in a twist of plot-fate, we find out Cassie really is a witch. Martha barges in just as Cassie's about bend Sam over the double-secret Great Pumpkin of Middling Middletonian Mediocraty (which only grows in the Grey House back yard), and she turns Martha into a toad. Seriously, Hallmark, can you please hire writers who can rub two red brain cells together and come up with a cogent plot for Season 5? OK, we get it. Twoo Wuv. Awwww. Now how 'bout some substance to go along with all that gooey treacle? And some continuity, perhaps?

So...demote him, transfer him to an unfamiliar piece of apparatus (the union would just love that) doing a job he probably hasn't done for a decade or more. Yeah, that'll make him hate Boden and the house for plot purposes.

Unlikely. They'd be assigned by HQ, although perhaps if a commanding officer really wants (or doesn't want) someone that will play into the assignment. Departments have training divisions and if you're qualified you get assigned to a company. You may or may not have a say where you go. Guys often want to go to houses that will see a lot of fire action, or maybe close to home if they have young children, etc, and that plays in to who works where. Not really unlike other de-centralized public employers like police departments, public works, railways, etc. You then spend your time honing your craft. You drill regularly, do inspections, learn your gear inside and out, practice approved new techniques, etc, so when it's time to roll you act on instinct and it's all second nature. That's why a member of a ladder company becoming boss on an engine overnight is just Not Right. I get it, for dramatic reasons it makes sense but it's one of those things that make the willing suspension of disbelief increasingly more difficult.

I remember the one from Detroit. There were a few in NYC that were bad, too. It happens occasionally. It's why I could never be an intake operator. And don't forger about language barrier issues either! It also happens on the road. One EMS crew in NYC ducked a child in distress call for something like 20 minutes. Kid died. Never did find out what ultimately happened to those two in the bus, but I hope it involved some quality BubbaTime.

Nope, I think Hermann played it right from the beginning. Go in assuming your men are skilled, then get progressively tougher as needed to get the team functional. I betcha if his new guys were grade-A ballbusters (i.e. like pretty much every fire company everywhere) but the Best Engine Company In Chicago we'd have seen a very different Hermann. A veteran with his experience would have a million ways to "get back" for a prank. But the bugles in the urinal crossed a line hard. Engine companies play with water for a living and there are many ways to prank with it, and I was really expecting something like that. You watch a guy like that closely, for sure, but since he's still a Candidate, that goes with the territory to begin with. He wouldn't be the first probie to freeze up and he sure won't be the last. It's one thing to be in burn rooms with straw. Quite another when the SHTF. He needs good mentors, plain and simple. And if after a few months it becomes obvious he's not cut out for the job, well that'll be a different narrative. The guy from 111 would have been a better choice since he was already a Lieutenant of an Engine company, and I still maintain in the world of our show, dramatically-speaking, I think he would have been a good addition to the cast. Good looking guy, nicely skilled, and a hook to this season's early villain.

I'm curious what they're using to create the fire for filming. I don't think it's CGI, and it doesn't use the usual gas jets that we've seen before, where you can see the blue at the base of the yellow. Obviously they're not using anything that can't be instantly shut off, so I'm guessing that real water application might damage their equipment. Or an errant stream would hit the mics, camera gear, lighting gear/wiring, etc. Still would be nice to see it done right on camera, though. I'd like to see overhauls in progress, too. I don't think I've ever seen anybody going in with pike poles and pulling down ceilings or walls. No smoke extractors either, but understandable for TV, obviously. Nor do I think we've actually seen Truck venting a roof.

No, I guess he never fit in to the story after his last appearance and he may have either passed away or not be available or healthy enough for filming. IIRC, the real station 51 had two dogs on the show as well. Boot and Henry. I loved Boot. Hope Tuesday gets to be part of the cast. Gorgeous pup!

No, what I meant by "not as extreme as portrayed here" was Gloria's actions, not the calls received!

Wait. Isn't Boden the bestest chief who ever chiefed? Yet he allowed Barnes to stay in his house for how long? And the beloved and never-seen-before retiring LT from 51 put up with these layabouts and never went to Boden or did anything about his crew? Maybe HQ is on to something about Wallace's judgement after all. The more I think about this, the more I think they should have cast Boden as T81's captain rather than as a battalion chief, and just not have a chief in the house. Keep Casey as a LT, and Severide still as LT on Squad, with another character as Squad captain. If you don't know why you fill up the booster tank before going back in service what the hell use are you in the first place. But at least they were right in grabbing the crosslay handline and using tank water. But why on earth would a small job like that need a 5" intake? I doubt they'd have used more than 1000 gallons in total with that single line that 51 brought in. Couldn't tell if it was an inch-and-three-quarters or a 2.5, but it looked like the former. And some time in the weight room wouldn't be a bad thing either. I don't see any of those humps lugging 50 feet of hose up twenty flights of stairs in full gear without a paramedic following behind with 2 amps of epi at the ready and charged paddles. Just sayin'. One thing just came back to me. When they were breaching the door on the fire call, I think it was Casey and Kidd on irons. They actually did it right. "Strike." And no Slamigan! Kudos to the actors for learning the tools. Sigh. Please, please no. But at least she won't have Matt's testicles in her turnouts, so thank heaven for small miracles. Well, sort of. Not the best nozzle work in the world. And Hermann needs to get on his Engineer to watch his water pressure. Second fire in a row where that stream looked weak. There's a pill for that, guys. But yeah, about time we see E51 getting into the mix. I like the Candidate but I sense trouble. Is her Petermills-II, maybe? Can he even un-resign just like that? And of course, Mouch and Hermann are now able to make personnel decisions for the CFD. Hope he pans out, maybe saves Mouch's hide on a job during sweeps week? Jealous Severide is a piece of work. TV Trope #6: No female can have a close male friend (and ditto the other way around). Because there will always be hanky-panky. Thankfully a Gorsch-free episode but we all know that won't last. Otherwise I liked tonight's show, and PD as well. Decent writing for the most part and strong character development. Med was a trainwreck, though. Edited to add: More props to the props department. From the same team that brought you broiled mom with a side of baby two weeks ago we bring you Grenade Guy. That was the most gruesome thing I've ever seen on a mainstream network show. Well done (so to speak). How he actually survived those injuries is beyond me, although he apparently did.