S09.E10: One Crazy Shift

[jewel21]

A series of suspicious fires sends 51 on a search for the cause. Casey continues down a troubling path. Mouch is looking to make his long-awaited dream come true.

Airdate: 03/31/2021

[dovegrey]

I’m SO TIRED of hearing about Kidd and the lieutenant’s exam. It’s just about all she talks about. Kidd, at this point, either you’ve got this or you don’t. She’s so reliant on others’ opinions and external motivations that I can’t buy her as a self-assured, solid officer.

The Baggs locker thing was kind of funny. There were a few other funny lines and line deliveries, too, which is very unusual.  “This is a WORKPLACE. You’re interrupting my nap!” Hahahahahaha. “That’ll just make things more awkward.”/“But only for you!” and “This is going to be a disaster.” 😄 Even Kidd’s line about making out with Severide, getting giddy with Brett, and then getting all serious again was good comedic timing. That was kind of refreshing; keep this writer and director.

Good thing that second laundromat didn’t need a roof vent or an aerial ladder or anything. Hopefully all of 81’s compartments got locked up (never know when those K12 saw thieves from last year will come back), and hopefully Casey called in a backup ladder truck. (…how did 81 get back to the house…?)

How Casey was with Kidd about hitting a Midwest Pothole and even with Mouch about the audition is the Casey I miss. They need to show more of that side of him again and less of him bitterly ripping on people.

Heh, I think Brett chose Casey to be her perfect partner, no compromises. In all seriousness, I don’t necessarily buy that Brett is so well-known and in-demand that PIC Violet would voluntarily take a pay cut and demotion to work with her; it’s very Mary Sue. It almost reads more like Violet wasn't doing so hot at 20.

Gallo is a good kid. It’d be nice to see more of him; I think he could take on a leadership role in a few years (after the show is over).

I’m pleasantly surprised and relieved that Gallo and Violet’s relationship has evolved past trying to outdo each other all the time. That was super annoying last year.

Kinda figured Casey would end up at Med, since Redhead Halstead was in the opening credits, so that was a letdown. Casey, dude, you KNEW the answer; don’t look surprised. Do the right thing and take some leave.

[mxc90]

Why was this episode titled "One Crazy Shift"? This shift was tame compared to what we've seen in previous episodes. Only thing crazy was the tape couldn't hold up the pictures. Get a refund Stella.

I think Stella missed Severide's  hint of where's his 18x24 portrait.

Pipes and Drums is Mouch's supposed "dream", yet he has his equipment collecting dust in the locker, didn't bother learn to read music (proud to tell the judges this) and hasn't been seen practicing in 9 seasons. I am happy he didn't get the position.

For 5 years, Cruz thought there was a fight fighter in 51 name "Baggs"!???!!!! Embarrassing. Way to know your co-workers Joe! I hope he remembers he has a child on the way.

Was someone supposed to be assigned to stay with the disabled truck blocking the street?

Shouldn't 81 be towed to a garage for repairs instead of back to 51 and a replacement be sent?

Herrmann should be honored to give what little he could to assist Detectives Severide and Casey.

The people at OFI must have noticed 51 responded to these laundromat fires and said don't bother send an investigator, they will do our jobs (let's get lunch) . 

Marcy's got an education on to never question or give a half ass solution to Severide. Without hesitation she tries to blame her supplier.

She got Severide so pissed, he instructed Captain Casey to go back with Squad, he cover for him so Severide can make calls with her. Marcy has awakened a beast!

Later we see Severide (gifted with the speed of a cheetah) escape the on coming flames. 

When Boden has to slam the phone, you know his day has been interrupted and his anger was unleashed on the drivers for not answering their phones.

Sylvie makes people better? Casey really needs to get that head checked! Notice he never mentioned Dawson. He knows she was already perfect without any aid from Sylvie..

We got two Gallos this episode. One that's a frightened wimp around Violet and then there's the one that's concerned about Casey, gets chewed out by him, has the courage to speak up to him and take care of the groceries without being told.

Was there any doubt Violet was going to be the replacement for Mackey? 

Deputy Commissioner Gloria Hill really didn't know who was behind the wheel of 81, had to make a special trip to 51 and startled to know it was Stella Kidd ...... a woman???!!!! If there was video circulating, she can easily see Kidd come out of the driver's seat or ask someone in her office to grab the driver's file before going there. Maybe Hill should get her eyes checked if she thought Kidd was a man from the video. The scene was so forced and cringe! Also, Boden should have been in the scene if a high ranking official arrives to complement a fire fighter.

Introducing Hill makes previous episodes look bad for when Stella was starting her "Girls on Fire" program and this deputy commissioner was never mentioned or contacted by Stella for assistance in starting the program after now we are told she's her idol/inspiration.

Edited April 1, 2021 by mxc90

[Dowel Jones]

Chief Boden on the nozzle.  Good deal.  Of course, it wouldn't have turned out so well had Severide been caught by the fire flash, what with the fact he didn't have a hard hat, or a face shroud, or a breathing apparatus.

[t7686]

I love how this was considered a “crazy” shift when over on 911-Alamo they literally had lava. Lol I’ve been in and out the last few seasons with this show, why is Casey so... boring and lonely now? Nice nod to the head injury from season 2 but not sure where it’s going, are they going to blame his pissy mood on that a la Grey’s Anatomy? I like him with Slyvie and don’t get why he seems to be holding out for the actress who played his ex wife to come back, it’s unfair to Jesse Spencer. Somewhat funny episode, I agree with the poster up thread about that but also a little boring - not that I need lava, that was ridiculous - but I miss when the show was more character driven and less just plot. Casey’s sister last episode reminded me of his complicated and interesting background. I miss that stuff. 

Edited April 1, 2021 by t7686
Added more info

[dovegrey]

1 hour ago, t7686 said:

I love how this was considered a “crazy” shift when over on 911-Alamo they literally had lava. Lol I’ve been in and out the last few seasons with this show, why is Casey so... boring and lonely now? Nice nod to the head injury from season 2 but not sure where it’s going, are they going to blame his pissy mood on that a la Grey’s Anatomy? I like him with Slyvie and don’t get why he seems to be holding out for the actress who played his ex wife to come back, it’s unfair to Jesse Spencer. Somewhat funny episode, I agree with the poster up thread about that but also a little boring - not that I need lava, that was ridiculous - but I miss when the show was more character driven and less just plot. Casey’s sister last episode reminded me of his complicated and interesting background. I miss that stuff. 

He’s been pissy since season 6 and lonely, flatlined, and boring since season 7. This is the most interesting and lively he’s been in a while. I miss that stuff and his original characterization, too. It’s painful.

I’m disappointed that the Brettsey-Dawsey thing has been drawn out for the entire season, and I think that could be a sign that Jesse Spencer is still up in the air for season 10 (they’re filming only a week or two before the episode airs). Five episodes to go.

[iMonrey]

Quote

Kinda figured Casey would end up at Med, since Redhead Halstead was in the opening credits, so that was a letdown. Casey, dude, you KNEW the answer; don’t look surprised. Do the right thing and take some leave.

That was such a stupid scene. "Um, I have this friend, who's a firefighter, he had a head injury once . . . what do you think it means??" I'm giving the doc the benefit of the doubt in assuming he was just playing along so Casey could save face. 

[dovegrey]

17 hours ago, mxc90 said:

For 5 years, Cruz thought there was a fight fighter in 51 name "Baggs"!???!!!! Embarrassing. Way to know your co-workers Joe! I hope he remembers he has a child on the way.

I think it was implied that Baggs was on another shift at 51, not on second shift with Cruz. So, not necessarily coworkers and not necessarily someone Cruz would question having never met. Back in season 7, Otis didn't realize a firefighter from another shift at 51 had transferred houses something like 6 months earlier. I can buy this one given how the show has established second shift's prior interactions with first and third shifts. (This show is really, really bad about remembering the other shifts exist, so it's weird when they mention it.)

I questioned the locker shortage that lead to the conversation about Baggs. They started out with 7 FFs on Truck and 5 on Squad and have gradually whittled down to 4 FFs on those rigs; so, 51 across all three shifts has downsized at least 12 FF spots since 2012 but the locker room hasn't appeared to have changed. They should have more lockers than they need.

55 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

That was such a stupid scene. "Um, I have this friend, who's a firefighter, he had a head injury once . . . what do you think it means??" I'm giving the doc the benefit of the doubt in assuming he was just playing along so Casey could save face. 

Yeah. It was dumb. Casey didn’t need to ask the question; he looked especially dumb. He did an emergency tracheotomy with a Windex bottle tube in season 5 and then did a better emergency intubation than Manning last season on Med. He’s CLEARLY had advanced medical training, with some indication in season 2 that he picked up shifts as a Paramedic-in-Charge. But we’re supposed to believe this is all new to him as a CFD captain, and, aw shucks, he just didn’t understand that head injuries are like a big deal or something, until an incompetent doctor from Med told him so? 🙄 

The whole thing has gotten dumb. At least in season 2, Casey seemed cognitively unable to think clearly; for instance, when he told Severide that he was losing chunks of time, it seemed like he was barely lucid. This episode, he seemed cognitively intact and able to think through the situation; I don’t buy that it’s in-character for him to chickenshit around, put his crew at risk, and lie about SCBA issues. But he’s doing it. I’d buy it more if we saw him struggling with the decision to get help or wait it out, or breaking down in private because he KNOWS he’s screwed and has no one to talk to about it…but it doesn't seem to be that. Really, I don't think the writers know where the storyline is going yet.

[MaryHedwig]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

That was such a stupid scene. "Um, I have this friend, who's a firefighter, he had a head injury once . . . what do you think it means??" I'm giving the doc the benefit of the doubt in assuming he was just playing along so Casey could save face. 

Me too! But I wouldn't have blamed him if he had sent Casey a bill afterwards.

[MaryHedwig]

3 hours ago, dovegrey said:

I’m disappointed that the Brettsey-Dawsey thing has been drawn out for the entire season, and I think that could be a sign that Jesse Spencer is still up in the air for season 10 (they’re filming only a week or two before the episode airs). Five episodes to go.

If Casey does leave, it would not surprised me if  Boden stepped down and took over his job. Boden sure had fun holding that hose again.

[CoyoteBlue]

3 hours ago, MaryHedwig said:

If Casey does leave, it would not surprised me if  Boden stepped down and took over his job. Boden sure had fun holding that hose again.

Boden old-manning his way through that made me wonder if someone's going to have a heart attack and free up the upper management at 51. We've been grumbling about 'too many lieutenants' for a while - they need to put Captain Casey in charge of the house to make room for Lt. Stella?

Edited April 2, 2021 by CoyoteBlue

[mxc90]

1 hour ago, dovegrey said:

I think it was implied that Baggs was on another shift at 51, not on second shift with Cruz. So, not necessarily coworkers and not necessarily someone Cruz would question having never met. Back in season 7, Otis didn't realize a firefighter from another shift at 51 had transferred houses something like 6 months earlier. I can buy this one given how the show has established second shift's prior interactions with first and third shifts. (This show is really, really bad about remembering the other shifts exist, so it's weird when they mention it.)

I questioned the locker shortage that lead to the conversation about Baggs. They started out with 7 FFs on Truck and 5 on Squad and have gradually whittled down to 4 FFs on those rigs; so, 51 across all three shifts has downsized at least 12 FF spots since 2012 but the locker room hasn't appeared to have changed. They should have more lockers than they need.

Yes. I didn't think Baggs was a part of Cruz' shift. I can understand if Gallo or Ritter were mislead, but Cruz has been in this house for a long time. Assuming Jaffe and Dinardo (who Cruz name dropped) are from another shift, he seems to know these other FFs and is a big nosy body to know everyone's assigned locker. Just seemed odd for him to know of "Baggs" and not be somewhat curious a little time after Mouch started the ruse 5 years ago: why he hasn't bumped into him there (or at Molly's) or see his name on any duty sheet or any other lists/reports in the station aside from the locker.

Maybe Mouch went to great lengths to add layers/cover stories to his deception. He should be in the next Mission Impossible. 

At least Otis met in person the firefighter who transferred.

The writers went for a good joke but they opened up a lot of questions in the process. 

[dovegrey]

20 minutes ago, CoyoteBlue said:

Boden old-manning his way through that made me wonder if someone's going to have a heart attack and free up the upper management at 51. We've been grumbling about 'too many lieutenants' for a while - they need to put Captain Casey in charge of the house to make room for Lt. Stella?

Total speculation: If Jesse Spencer stays, I think Herrmann is going to die, and Kidd will take over Engine. I think Cruz's wife will go into labor, Cruz will leave shift, 51 will catch a bad call, and Herrmann will die as Cruz's kid is born. Herrmann and Cruz have been unusually chummy and besties all of sudden, and Herrmann has been weirdly nostalgic/warm/wistful since the silly elevator episode. There are many possible avenues being laid, IMO.  (A tiny little thought I had was that this episode laid the initial ground work for Casey taking over Squad if Severide leaves. Kinney's contract is up, too.)

Although I think it's time for Boden to go and for a shakeup at 51 - and it pains me to say this - I don't know that Casey has it in him to be the BC of 51. Severide flat-out gave Casey orders in this episode, and Casey did as told. To bust that dynamic and actually be BC, Casey would ultimately lose all of his friendships as the price of command (Boden warned him about that back in season 6, when Severide couldn't handle taking orders from Casey), and it would be outrageous for Casey to be in a relationship with Brett as her BC. If Boden left and the CFD consolidated Battalion 25 into another battalion with 51 no longer having an in-house BC...that could be cool, but it wouldn't open a spot for Kidd. (FWIW, Casey is technically already in charge of Firehouse 51. Boden oversteps as Batt Chief and micromanages Firehouse 51 instead of managing his battalion of firehouses.)

[cameron]

The only good thing about Mouch is that he is married to Trudy.

[AnnA]

20 hours ago, CoyoteBlue said:

Boden old-manning his way through that made me wonder if someone's going to have a heart attack and free up the upper management at 51. We've been grumbling about 'too many lieutenants' for a while - they need to put Captain Casey in charge of the house to make room for Lt. Stella?

Truthfully, I wouldn't mind if Stella was transferred to another firehouse when she makes Lt.   She's hasn't done anything to make me dislike her but I was never able to warm up to her character like I did with Sylvie.  I'm glad Violet is back too.  She's a good fit.

[WinJet0819]

Chicago Fire Anatomy seems to be jumping the shark every week now.

Now we have the Super Hermann and Super Boden to add to Super Severide and Super Casey when it comes to investigating a strange pattern of fires. Once again, ding ding ding, not their jobs. No firehouse investigates fires. They put them out and do overhaul and move on. If they feel it's something suspicious, they report their findings to OFI, and they will be the ones to do the legwork. If the show runners want to keep having strange fires investigated, then create a new spinoff called Chicago OFI. And now, these strange fire investigations are happening more often, which is getting annoying. Put a cap on maybe 2 suspicious fires a season.

The Casey situation is just plain maddening. You have a head injury. You didn't need Will to tell you an answer you already know. You work dangerous job in which you are responsible for the lives of other people, and you're not 100% physically fit to do the job. Nobody gets helped by you trying to tough this out. Good on Gallo for calling out Casey, using his own words against him. You don't tell them what you're dealing with, you rob them of their accountability to be able to help you. For once, can the writers have Casey make the realistic smart choice, like most real-life firefighters, and get his head looked at? This seems to be another case of the writers forcing drama in place of authenticity. Drama for the sake of drama to drag this storyline out.

I really miss the days when drama portrayed was about real-life issues. Like Cruz not saving that drug-dealer, and then struggling with the guilt to the point of almost giving up his career. Mills having dealing with a hazing incident. Otis having a podcast to show the real lives of firefighters. Stuff like that. Now, we get Mouch being the comedy relief on this show. I'm not saying the show shouldn't have some humor, but to devote significant screen time Mouch acting like an idiot at training, and now wanting to join the Bags & Pipes is a little much. Med & PD take a more a serious tone.

It is nice that Violet is back. I don't know why she wasn't brought back full-time after last season once it was known that Foster was leaving. But as others have said, she was a PIC at Station 20, and now she's presumably going to take a pay cut to work under PIC Sylvie. And yes writers, I have noticed that you changed her last name from Lim last season, to Mikami now. Was she previously married, and finally decided to drop her married name?  And maybe Sylvie lifted up Foster, but everyone else? No. Gabby left to help in Central America, after two separate conflicts with Matt and Sylvie. And Mackey wasn't there long enough to show anything. And I guess we're going to assume the timeline of the show actually started in September since she had risen to a leadership position in 6 months?

On 3/31/2021 at 9:16 PM, dovegrey said:

I’m SO TIRED of hearing about Kidd and the lieutenant’s exam. It’s just about all she talks about. Kidd, at this point, either you’ve got this or you don’t. She’s so reliant on others’ opinions and external motivations that I can’t buy her as a self-assured, solid officer.

Definitely this. This is a woman who was willing pass up the lieutenant's exam simply because her lieutenant boyfriend was giving her the silent treatment.

[WinJet0819]

17 hours ago, AnnA said:

Truthfully, I wouldn't mind if Stella was transferred to another firehouse when she makes Lt.   She's hasn't done anything to make me dislike her but I was never able to warm up to her character like I did with Sylvie.  I'm glad Violet is back too.  She's a good fit.

Stella was a good character when she first came on to the show. She was the antithesis of Dawson. A female character who could actually just be one of the guys, and do her job. But now, she only seems to exist for the Severide relationship. Needs him to give her reassurance that she's good enough. Needs him to hold her in his officer quarters. She was a strong, independent female character, and now she's simply attached at the hip to Severide.

[dovegrey]

1 hour ago, WinJet0819 said:

Chicago Fire Anatomy seems to be jumping the shark every week now.

Now we have the Super Hermann and Super Boden to add to Super Severide and Super Casey when it comes to investigating a strange pattern of fires. Once again, ding ding ding, not their jobs. No firehouse investigates fires. They put them out and do overhaul and move on. If they feel it's something suspicious, they report their findings to OFI, and they will be the ones to do the legwork. If the show runners want to keep having strange fires investigated, then create a new spinoff called Chicago OFI. And now, these strange fire investigations are happening more often, which is getting annoying. Put a cap on maybe 2 suspicious fires a season.

Seriously, why haven’t they pulled the trigger and done this yet? I thought the Severide OFI story arc last year was gearing up to a backdoor pilot for Chicago OFI, but it went nowhere. (But, my God, a straight-up OFI show with these writers would be RIDICULOUS. Severide would be pursuing murder suspects and dismantling organized crime...)

I think the emphasis on investigations is because the nonstop fires and action scenes from the earlier seasons wore out and permanently injured most of the original cast. I can see these writers thinking nonstop investigations are a good way to give the illusion of firefighting. So, they could do a Law & Order format, where first half of the episode is Casey/Herrmann at 51 catching a weird call and the second half is Severide at OFI doing the investigating, with some TV-allowance overlap. There. 

In all seriousness, instead of investigations, I’d like to see bullshit calls, OD calls, minor car accidents, supporting PD (not Voight's people), etc. I miss the old vibe of the show, where 51 served the “rougher” part of Chicago and knew their neighborhood, instead of now always ending up downtown. (IDK, maybe the City of Chicago requested that??) A lot of natural humor could come out of routine firefighter calls, and it’d be interesting just to see the technical aspects of routine calls; Fire does a lot wrong, but I think they do fire and rescue better than ANY of the other shows.

Edited April 3, 2021 by dovegrey

[AnnA]

On 4/3/2021 at 11:28 AM, WinJet0819 said:

Stella was a good character when she first came on to the show. She was the antithesis of Dawson. A female character who could actually just be one of the guys, and do her job. But now, she only seems to exist for the Severide relationship. Needs him to give her reassurance that she's good enough. Needs him to hold her in his officer quarters. She was a strong, independent female character, and now she's simply attached at the hip to Severide.

Thanks for the explanation.  I wasn't watching back then.   My other issue is that I just can't see Severide and Stella as a couple.  I don't claim to be a matchmaker but if I was, I would never put those two together.

Edited April 11, 2021 by AnnA