S09.E12: Natural Born Firefighter

[jewel21]

Quote

While Mouch makes an incredible save, all eyes are on a mystery man who helped save his neighbor. Casey worries about his future at the CFD.

Airdate: 04/21/2021

[dovegrey]

Herrmann goes on vacation for a few shifts, and Brett’s Boyfriend Grainger is taken off his rig to cover for Herrmann’s rig. Casey goes to light duty for medical reasons for a few shifts, and Batt Chief Boden covers for Truck 81 instead of bringing in a floater officer and then also sends Truck into incident scenes down a person. C’mon, writers; try a little.

It was nice to see Mouch get some hero action and recognition. Good for him.

I liked Herrmann’s storyline with Mason. Did not like Kidd’s initial judgmental rant about Mason or the CFD policy, when she’s a recovering addict (something with needles and track marks) who got a spot at the academy. Small favors and small graces, Stella; coulda been you in prison.

It was nice to see Boden interact with firefighters other than Casey, Severide, and Kidd. The truck conversation/bickering was fun, and Boden was loving it; it reminded me of when Boden and Mills got comfortable. Kinda loved Capp here, too (has he EVER run that fast?). I don’t at all see Boden writing a nasty note because someone parked in front of the firehouse; if that got to his superiors or to the media, it would be bad news for him. But I LOVED the sister telling Boden off - yep, that’s how that goes. 

Kinda loved Severide giving Casey shit about shutting down and out. Kinda loved Casey showing some vulnerability there, too; this "Casey family secrets" thing has come up twice now this season, and I wonder if that's building into something for him. Anyway, Severide runs so hot and cold with people that it’s hard to tell which version of him anyone’s going to get, but I tend to like him much better when he’s this version.

Kinda stupid Brett was stringing Grainger along, when she’s CLEARLY emotionally all-in with Casey (i.e., “we” and “us”). Good for Grainger for breaking up with her, though I think he was getting bored. 

I loved how cool and supportive Brett was at the beginning of the episode, in contrast to all the times Gabby made Casey’s stuff all about her feelings, but…then Brett threw the “Matt Casey, you’ll do what I’ll say, or else!” tantrum and all but stomped her feet like a child. I so much want to pull for Casey and Brett getting together, but things like that make it hard. I'm over Brett interrupting people (well, Casey), shutting him down when he's trying to talk things out, and then stomping away. Act like an adult.

No surprise that Casey’s absolutely fine. I figured that when Brett got involved last episode. IMO, they wasted Casey’s “time bomb” head injury from season 2 with a snoozer of a story arc, but I guess time will tell what the pay off will be. And, it was nice to see actual emotion from Casey again; Jesse Spencer did good work at the end when Casey nearly broke down. Safe to say Casey's not leaving with Gabby anytime soon. 

[mxc90]

If Casey is going to be assigned to stay in house, can the man at least get a head start cleaning the restrooms, buying groceries, cook and make coffee (so the chief doesn't get angry)! All he's done there was walk around holding paper, lament or stare out the window.

A bit of a letdown Casey's head story just goes away that fast with all that build up (maybe it's a red herring and Jesse's really leaving??!!). We better not see this storyline or mention his head injury ever again. After all that, they get good news and their first decison was to go to Molly's. Why? It should have been back to her apartment and for the new "sour" couple to get this over with on the sheets!!!!

The doctor needed to quickly deliver his line "It's always nice to give good news", smirk and exit so we can get smacked in the head with a drawn out scene of will Casey/Sylvie kiss or not kiss.

It's the audience that needed a MRI after this. Not Casey.

Wonder if the nurse made Casey nervous just to mess with him. 

Sylvie told Casey "Or else!!!!". What was she going to do? Knock him over the head?!!?

Bye Grainger! You lasted longer than I thought! Next time, stay in line for the omelets and eat. Let Sylvie take a hike ski! 

Boden told Mouch he takes "first seat" but when they arrived at the store, Boden defers to Kidd to size out the situation. Was that suppose to be Mouch's job?

I really though Mouch was going to get shrapnel to back and die a hero saving the girl but I should know better by now: he's not going any where.

Nosy Violet has to blurt out all the texts Sylvie missed. That would annoy me. She just got there! They aren't close friends for her to do that?

I'm a little surprised Boden let Cruz get him angry over the parking spot that fast when it wasn't a problem to him.

Why can't Sister Betty get better parking closer to her apartment? She lives across the street. There has to be a handicap spot there.

The aid should buy a minivan to better move the sister around.

Deep down Sister Betty wanted to whack Boden with her wheelchair. Forget the Hail Marys this time.

Did Sister help her aid move the recliner when they parked? Those two moved/rolled fast to not have been seen all that time.

Kidd and Herrmann really thought Hill would change policy or give an exemption just at their request? At least Herrmann didn't start with "Godfather..........".

What was the point of Amber getting dramatic about her tennis career and Sylvie's concerned look? There was no follow up to this or was it just to be about Sylvie to think of Casey?

Anyway, maybe Kidd can get Amber a job at CFD. She has great connections with the Deputy Commisioner.

Edited April 22, 2021 by mxc90

[FnkyChkn34]

1 hour ago, dovegrey said:

Herrmann goes on vacation for a few shifts, and Brett’s Boyfriend Grainger is taken off his rig to cover for Herrmann’s rig. Casey goes to light duty for medical reasons for a few shifts, and Batt Chief Boden covers for Truck 81 instead of bringing in a floater officer and then also sends Truck into incident scenes down a person. C’mon, writers; try a little.

Sorry, but... huh?  This already happened awhile ago, didn't it?  I apologize, but I don't understand your comment.

 

Of course we have to draw out the tension between Casey and Brett... but at least Grainger saved himself.  

What if the guy doesn't want to move to St. Paul?  I guess that was a way to still help him and let him land on his feet, but also never have to bring the character back as recurring.

Was this a whole episode without an investigation??  Wow, something different.  (Let's not count the parking space stakeout or Casey's medical tests as an investigation, please. LOL 😉 )

I don't even remember the previews for next week - must have really captured my attention! 😂

Edited April 22, 2021 by FnkyChkn34

[dovegrey]

56 minutes ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Sorry, but... huh?  This already happened awhile ago, didn't it?  I apologize, but I don't understand your comment.

I don't even remember the previews for next week - must have really captured my attention! 😂

Haha. The inconsistency in how absences are handled is frustrating. When Herrmann was out a few episodes ago, a big deal was made about Grainger floating in to cover the absence...which was the writers manufacturing drama for the sake of drama. He was the first floater in a good two or three seasons called in to make sure a rig was fully staffed, and of course it was Brett’s boyfriend. Now, a few episodes later (this episode), Casey is out for as long as Herrmann had been out but no replacement officer or floater was called in to cover Casey. Boden personally “covered” but ultimately left Truck understaffed with three firefighters. It doesn’t make any sense, either applying real world practices or in-show continuity, and it glaringly highlights how inconsistently and superficially the show tends to be written. Stuff only happens if it makes more drama. 

[Dowel Jones]

At the beginning I thought it was really going to be Boden's truck and he was stringing the house along the whole time.

I'm surprised they didn't dispatch Squad to a working structure fire.  I can understand Boden asking Kidd for a size up on the fire, as he's giving her fireground experience for the lieutenant's exam.  What I don't get is, if he's on Truck, who's in charge of the fire?  Obviously, he was still giving orders, but now Truck is running around without direct supervision.

I like Hermann's comment to Ritter/Gatto about using a corner of Molly's.  "And drink beer, right?"  Always the businessman.

Come on, Violet.  Reading the messages off of someone else's phone?  Really?

For sale:  Ski gear, never used.  Time share also available.

[FnkyChkn34]

7 hours ago, dovegrey said:

Haha. The inconsistency in how absences are handled is frustrating. When Herrmann was out a few episodes ago, a big deal was made about Grainger floating in to cover the absence...which was the writers manufacturing drama for the sake of drama. He was the first floater in a good two or three seasons called in to make sure a rig was fully staffed, and of course it was Brett’s boyfriend. Now, a few episodes later (this episode), Casey is out for as long as Herrmann had been out but no replacement officer or floater was called in to cover Casey. Boden personally “covered” but ultimately left Truck understaffed with three firefighters. It doesn’t make any sense, either applying real world practices or in-show continuity, and it glaringly highlights how inconsistently and superficially the show tends to be written. Stuff only happens if it makes more drama. 

Ah yes, thanks for the clarification!  And I totally agree with you.  

[FnkyChkn34]

7 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

I'm surprised they didn't dispatch Squad to a working structure fire.  I can understand Boden asking Kidd for a size up on the fire, as he's giving her fireground experience for the lieutenant's exam.  What I don't get is, if he's on Truck, who's in charge of the fire?  Obviously, he was still giving orders, but now Truck is running around without direct supervision.

I think my issue is that Boden goes to so many fires in the first place - so he's always already in charge.  He doesn't have to go to the fires, and when he doesn't, Casey is in charge.  So I guess in this episode, he was just a stand-in Casey and it was like a fire that Boden wouldn't have otherwise attended?  No matter what, Boden is in charge when Boden is there.  Truck wasn't really down a man, because Boden could have jumped in.  (Also agree about Squad - that was weird.)  

[dovegrey]

58 minutes ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

I think my issue is that Boden goes to so many fires in the first place - so he's always already in charge.  He doesn't have to go to the fires, and when he doesn't, Casey is in charge.  So I guess in this episode, he was just a stand-in Casey and it was like a fire that Boden wouldn't have otherwise attended?  No matter what, Boden is in charge when Boden is there.  Truck wasn't really down a man, because Boden could have jumped in.  (Also agree about Squad - that was weird.)  

Boden could have jumped in but wasn’t fully geared up with his SCBA, which would have wasted precious time. If Casey had been there, guaranteed Mouch would have had the aerial up and Casey/Gallo would have been buddied up in the fire. As it is, I couldn’t tell who helped Kidd with the ground ladder but it wasn’t anyone from the ladder company. This isn’t even getting into what would have happened if the roof had needed vented.  I think Truck was understaffed and Boden was not truly covering Truck at all - he was there as BC. They missed a real opportunity to bring in a random floater and have Kidd cover for Casey like Herrmann used to.

I wonder, though, if Boden kept Casey’s medical issue off the books and that’s why he “covered.” Not excusing that but it crossed my mind as a potential explanation. 

[cameron]

Think they are featuring Mouch too much lately.

[FnkyChkn34]

On 4/22/2021 at 10:08 AM, dovegrey said:

Boden could have jumped in but wasn’t fully geared up with his SCBA, which would have wasted precious time. If Casey had been there, guaranteed Mouch would have had the aerial up and Casey/Gallo would have been buddied up in the fire. As it is, I couldn’t tell who helped Kidd with the ground ladder but it wasn’t anyone from the ladder company. This isn’t even getting into what would have happened if the roof had needed vented.  I think Truck was understaffed and Boden was not truly covering Truck at all - he was there as BC. They missed a real opportunity to bring in a random floater and have Kidd cover for Casey like Herrmann used to.

I wonder, though, if Boden kept Casey’s medical issue off the books and that’s why he “covered.” Not excusing that but it crossed my mind as a potential explanation. 

This is a good point about Kidd, but I feel like Boden kind of half let her cover.  He asked her to assess the situation immediately and for what she'd do first, and then they did it.  She should have been able to make the call over the radio to everyone though, I agree.

Also a good thought about keeping Casey's issue off the books until they knew more.  That seems like it isn't best practices, but exactly something that these guys would do.

[Fostersmom]

Would Casey's MRI just have been him in the tube with some headphones, free to move his head all around? Maybe it's just the kind of MRIs I have to have to check my MS progression, but my head is always pinned down with a cage/brace that goes over the headphones so that I can't move my head, which would mess up the scans. Technically, I guess I get a series of 3, head, neck, and c-spine, with and without contrast, so they do the 3, pull me out, inject me with some contrast dye, and then run them again. Hell, I made the tech mad one time when I fell asleep in the tube, she said that it causes the body to relax and you don't hold your position well enough. Lady, not only is there music playing in the head phones and the MRI machine is it's own set of crazy loud sounds, so if you fall asleep in there, you are obviously exhausted and didn't just decide to nap. 

 

[NJRadioGuy]

On 4/22/2021 at 1:22 AM, Dowel Jones said:

At the beginning I thought it was really going to be Boden's truck and he was stringing the house along the whole time.

I'm surprised they didn't dispatch Squad to a working structure fire.  I can understand Boden asking Kidd for a size up on the fire, as he's giving her fireground experience for the lieutenant's exam.  What I don't get is, if he's on Truck, who's in charge of the fire?  Obviously, he was still giving orders, but now Truck is running around without direct supervision.

I'd consider it no different than a 1+1 response. He's the ranking officer so he's doing double duty. Obviously IRL that incident would be a full box assignment or higher once the HAZMAT aspect became known, but for TV cost cutting I'll handwave it. 

[dovegrey]

I don’t mind the secondary main characters getting some screentime and storylines. Herrmann, Cruz, and Mouch have been with the show since season 1 and usually get far less screentime/storylines than newbies Gallo and Ritter, while Kidd is basically treated as if she’s fourth-billed at this point (she’s not). Of the three originals, I don’t understand why Cruz just had more to do on Chicago Med, leading some weird bizarro version of Squad 3, than he’s had to do on Fire all season, but whatever. 

What I don’t like/understand is the mix of storylines that the characters have in single episodes. This show is like going to dinner at a nice restaurant and being served an entree of spaghetti, tacos, spinach dip, and curry…it doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t go together, and it’s weird, even if each type of food on its own is okay. I mean, Casey’s on the cusp of losing his career/staring down the barrel of lifelong post-traumatic epilepsy, while Herrmann and Kidd are advocating for felons, Ritter/Gallo/Mouch are hunting for some legendary veteran firefighter to inspire rookies, and Boden’s worked up over a public parking space being used. What? It’s like none of these people know each other or live in the same reality, just like when Casey nearly got his head blown off and everyone was worried about Otis making a hockey goal. I don't know if I'm watching a drama or a sitcom.

Some of these storylines could be written to thematically support each other - like, the firefighter who saved an infant that Mouch was trying to find? Yeah, there’s a firefighter who’s out on medical leave because he ran through a couple walls of fire to save an infant, had a ceiling collapse on him, dragged himself out, handed the infant over, and instantly collapsed and nearly died, then came back to work for seven years before having more problems…and he’s THEIR CAPTAIN. But no connection, none, was drawn there, even for a moment. It’s all so separate and doesn’t make sense in the same episode, but it COULD if the writers would/could make an effort to synthesize themes, write a cohesive episode where 2-3 storylines work in tandem, and make connections for dramatic impact.

I rewatched the episode last night and only have two extra thoughts: (1) Casey was rubbing his left arm and wincing during the Molly’s scene with Severide, which was a nice foreshadowing to his Random Left Shoulder Injury that his questionable doctor diagnosed without any medical assessment of that shoulder and after hypothesizing that a left-sided brain injury caused left-side weakness (!?) (jaded speculation: the doctor is wrong, Casey’s not okay, and Casey goes down during a call in the finale); and (2) a much cooler show would have capitalized on Brett’s terrible playlist, actually played a non-Taylor Swift song during the MRI and some scenes from the other storylines, and set a tone/vibe.

This got long.

[Sake614]

8 hours ago, Fostersmom said:

Would Casey's MRI just have been him in the tube with some headphones, free to move his head all around? Maybe it's just the kind of MRIs I have to have to check my MS progression, but my head is always pinned down with a cage/brace that goes over the headphones so that I can't move my head, which would mess up the scans. Technically, I guess I get a series of 3, head, neck, and c-spine, with and without contrast, so they do the 3, pull me out, inject me with some contrast dye, and then run them again. Hell, I made the tech mad one time when I fell asleep in the tube, she said that it causes the body to relax and you don't hold your position well enough. Lady, not only is there music playing in the head phones and the MRI machine is it's own set of crazy loud sounds, so if you fall asleep in there, you are obviously exhausted and didn't just decide to nap. 

 

He was getting a brain scan so his head would absolutely be immobilized. I guess they just didn’t want to obscure his face for the camera lol!

[Guildford]

I was waiting for the Nun to be seen running across the road full tilt the next morning as they left shift....I'm actually shocked they didn't go there. It seems to be the level this show is pitched at lately.

[Sake614]

2 hours ago, Guildford said:

I was waiting for the Nun to be seen running across the road full tilt the next morning as they left shift....I'm actually shocked they didn't go there. It seems to be the level this show is pitched at lately.

Especially since she had No trouble climbing into the back of that pickup truck.

[FnkyChkn34]

On 4/25/2021 at 9:09 AM, Sake614 said:

Especially since she had No trouble climbing into the back of that pickup truck.

Right?  Odd choice to drive to pick up a wheelchair-bound nun...  Also, how have they never noticed that a nun lives across the street?

[iMonrey]

Quote

Herrmann goes on vacation for a few shifts, and Brett’s Boyfriend Grainger is taken off his rig to cover for Herrmann’s rig. Casey goes to light duty for medical reasons for a few shifts, and Batt Chief Boden covers for Truck 81 instead of bringing in a floater officer and then also sends Truck into incident scenes down a person. C’mon, writers; try a little.

I don't remember the circumstances, but is it possible they had advance notice of Herrmann's vacation so they could fill that spot with a floater, whereas Casey's sudden leave had to be covered on the spot? If he was going to be out long-term maybe they would have found a replacement for him too (other than Boden).

One thing that really bugged me was when they got to that first fire, Boden calls Stella over and asks her to assess the situation. Um, what the actual eff was that about? Seemingly, just to remind us how brilliant Stella is. Because there's no need for this to be a teaching moment for her, nor is there time for this kind of idiocy when a building is burning and people are still inside. 

I'm really trying not to hate Stella but she's now in the same position that Gabriela was in, ever the brilliant hero and savior and it's really tiresome. I don't need this show shoving Stella down my throat every five minutes reminding me how wonderful she is.

[AnnA]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I don't remember the circumstances, but is it possible they had advance notice of Herrmann's vacation so they could fill that spot with a floater, whereas Casey's sudden leave had to be covered on the spot? If he was going to be out long-term maybe they would have found a replacement for him too (other than Boden).

One thing that really bugged me was when they got to that first fire, Boden calls Stella over and asks her to assess the situation. Um, what the actual eff was that about? Seemingly, just to remind us how brilliant Stella is. Because there's no need for this to be a teaching moment for her, nor is there time for this kind of idiocy when a building is burning and people are still inside. 

I'm really trying not to hate Stella but she's now in the same position that Gabriela was in, ever the brilliant hero and savior and it's really tiresome. I don't need this show shoving Stella down my throat every five minutes reminding me how wonderful she is.

Thank you!   I don't like Stellla at all and think the Stellaride combo is a joke.   I have a hard time understanding what he might see in her.  I don't think she's anything special.   

 

Edited April 26, 2021 by AnnA

[MssdDrms]

3 hours ago, AnnA said:

Thank you!   I don't like Stellla at all and think the Stellaride combo is a joke.   I have a hard time understanding what he might see in her.  I don't think she's anything special.   

 

I try to like Stella, but I think , too, they are building her up like they did Dawson.  so far, though, she’s not in every scene and the heroine of every save.

I do like Brett with Casey.  They get along well and she seems to have respect for him.  Unlike Dawson who seemed to treat him as an afterthought.  They argued more than anything else.  Makes no sense to me why the writers of this show is trying to convince us now that they were such a great couple.  Smh...

[AnnA]

16 minutes ago, MssdDrms said:

I try to like Stella, but I think , too, they are building her up like they did Dawson.  so far, though, she’s not in every scene and the heroine of every save.

I do like Brett with Casey.  They get along well and she seems to have respect for him.  Unlike Dawson who seemed to treat him as an afterthought.  They argued more than anything else.  Makes no sense to me why the writers of this show is trying to convince us now that they were such a great couple.  Smh...

In a way I guess I'm lucky because I wasn't watching back when Dawson was on.  I only saw her briefly when she made an appearance on CPD.  I came late to the Chicago series but was able to catch up on CPD since they're always showing reruns.  

I do like Brett with Casey,  Unlike Stella, Brett is sweet, pretty and has a warm personality.  Stella is none of those things.

[dovegrey]

1 hour ago, MssdDrms said:

I try to like Stella, but I think , too, they are building her up like they did Dawson.  so far, though, she’s not in every scene and the heroine of every save.

I do like Brett with Casey.  They get along well and she seems to have respect for him.  Unlike Dawson who seemed to treat him as an afterthought.  They argued more than anything else.  Makes no sense to me why the writers of this show is trying to convince us now that they were such a great couple.  Smh...

A big issue I have with Kidd is how the writers have attached her to Severide’s hip. I’ve said it since she did the leadership conference last season, but I wish the writers had put her with Casey or Herrmann for mentorship and had Kidd refuse help from Severide. Her professional ambitions have totally merged with her romantic ambitions, and that’s completely sullied both the character and her promotion storyline. There were a dozen other ways to build her up, other than this soppy "you've got this, Stella Kidd" platitudinal BS. I liked her character in seasons 4 and 5, then she started to slip in season 6, and then most of season 7 was her whining about ~Kelly~. It's never gotten better. (And I can't take Severide seriously; he was too much of a sleazy, up-himself creep for the first 4-5 years of the show.)

I'd love to know what happened behind the scenes for the hard switch to Casey/Brett this season. If they don't happen and/or this is all a build-up for Dawsey, I swear to god... 

[WinJet0819]

On 4/26/2021 at 8:58 PM, dovegrey said:

A big issue I have with Kidd is how the writers have attached her to Severide’s hip. I’ve said it since she did the leadership conference last season, but I wish the writers had put her with Casey or Herrmann for mentorship and had Kidd refuse help from Severide. Her professional ambitions have totally merged with her romantic ambitions, and that’s completely sullied both the character and her promotion storyline. There were a dozen other ways to build her up, other than this soppy "you've got this, Stella Kidd" platitudinal BS. I liked her character in seasons 4 and 5, then she started to slip in season 6, and then most of season 7 was her whining about ~Kelly~. It's never gotten better. (And I can't take Severide seriously; he was too much of a sleazy, up-himself creep for the first 4-5 years of the show.) 

In my opinion, Stella's storyline is an insult to female first responders. Remember, her character was going to actually pass on the Lieutenant's exam (big part of advancing her career) simply because Severide wasn't talking to her to pump her up. In a field that's dominated by men, she was going to throw away a career advancement opportunity because of a man. That is inexplicable and no woman in their right mind would do that. 

She can't think for herself anymore and needs constant reassurance from Kelly for everything. So much for having a strong, independent female character. She's basically become the Dawson of this show now. The only difference is that Dawson, as much as I loathe her, didn't pine for constant reassurance from Casey for everything she did. She made the call herself.

[WinJet0819]

Finally watched the episode of Chicago Fire Anatomy, and really could not wait for it to end.

The Brett-Casey stuff is cringeworthy, IMO. A huge chunk of the episode spent on their storyline. If the writers really wanted to be true to the essence of the show, I always thought they could have had Casey confide in Severide. He knows a thing or two about avoiding trying to tough out an injury because he didn't want to face the true diagnosis. But alas, the show needs to show more tension between Casey and Brett.

Bringing up Matt's head injury was a waste, as it was only used as a plot device to advance Matt and Sylvie's storyline. This show brings up all these random storylines, and then they pick the on injury that could possibly end Matt's career, and do nothing meaningful with it except to bring Sylvie closer.

Grainger got used up and spit out, (much like Jon Ecker's GF Laura James' character in SWAT). 

And as a poster mentioned earlier, what's with all this focus on Mouch all of a sudden? From playing the bagpipes, to acting like an idiot in training, to now being the one young firefighters look to. I like Mouch, but for him to be featured this much? Meh. The storylines can be, you know, spread around to the other supporting characters. And I do have to ask, how can Ritter see Mouch in action on the calls? With him being on Engine, he can't see how Mouch handles himself in a fire, as he's attached to Herman's team most of the time. Ritter has made previous mentions of seeing Mouch on calls, and it's never made any since how that would be possible.

The felon firefighter storyline was OK, probably the highlight of the episode. Though, again, who does Stella turn to for advice on helping Hermann? Severide. Can she do anything without needing Severide's support. Can she cook breakfast without him? Can she pick her clothes? I really can not take her seriously as a firefighter anymore.

And really, I must say this show has seemingly gotten boring. It's trying to keep a serious tone, but it's drifting closer and closer to what Station 19 is. The show keeps pushing relationship tension and the actual fires (unless it's an investigation) and the actual daily lives of firefighters are an afterthought. Each episode seems to follow a predictable pattern. A close-call fire or accident. Relationship drama. Some comedic relief. A feel good story. More drama and a accident that then relates to that drama for a character. Nothing to keep you on the edge of your toes. Nothing different. I never thought I would ever call a Dick Wolfe show predictable and boring, but here we are.

[dovegrey]

13 hours ago, WinJet0819 said:

And really, I must say this show has seemingly gotten boring. It's trying to keep a serious tone, but it's drifting closer and closer to what Station 19 is. The show keeps pushing relationship tension and the actual fires (unless it's an investigation) and the actual daily lives of firefighters are an afterthought. Each episode seems to follow a predictable pattern. A close-call fire or accident. Relationship drama. Some comedic relief. A feel good story. More drama and a accident that then relates to that drama for a character. Nothing to keep you on the edge of your toes. Nothing different. I never thought I would ever call a Dick Wolfe show predictable and boring, but here we are.

All of this. The fact that the show lost six episodes out of the season and there is still so much filler and silly stuff is quite telling. The next two episodes sound like filler, fluffy BS, based on the press releases. These writers don’t appear to have any curiousity about the characters or interest in writing about firefighting, and this shortened season hits home how little substance the writers are able to bring to the table. Thank god it’s not a full season because it looks like these people cap out at three arguably decent episodes a year. 

[Josh371982]

On 4/26/2021 at 8:18 PM, MssdDrms said:

I try to like Stella, but I think , too, they are building her up like they did Dawson.  so far, though, she’s not in every scene and the heroine of every save.

I do like Brett with Casey.  They get along well and she seems to have respect for him.  Unlike Dawson who seemed to treat him as an afterthought.  They argued more than anything else.  Makes no sense to me why the writers of this show is trying to convince us now that they were such a great couple.  Smh...

Cause  Haas was in love with the Character of Saint Gabby much like Eid is in love with Upton over on PD

[SnarkySheep]

On 4/21/2021 at 11:20 PM, mxc90 said:

Deep down Sister Betty wanted to whack Boden with her wheelchair. Forget the Hail Marys this time.

I attended Catholic school from kindergarten through high school...trust me, the nuns ain't all that holy. She totally wanted revenge.

On 4/26/2021 at 9:58 PM, dovegrey said:

There were a dozen other ways to build her up, other than this soppy "you've got this, Stella Kidd" platitudinal BS.

IMO whenever Severide does this, he never really seems all that invested in the conversation...kinda like the stereotypical "Yes, dear, whatever you say" over a cup of coffee and a newspaper. I haven't been able to figure out whether this is intentional on the part of the character or if Taylor Kinney is starting to just phone it in.

[Guildford]

3 hours ago, SnarkySheep said:

I attended Catholic school from kindergarten through high school...trust me, the nuns ain't all that holy. She totally wanted revenge.

IMO whenever Severide does this, he never really seems all that invested in the conversation...kinda like the stereotypical "Yes, dear, whatever you say" over a cup of coffee and a newspaper. I haven't been able to figure out whether this is intentional on the part of the character or if Taylor Kinney is starting to just phone it in.

I'd say he's phoning it in....perhaps he can hang out with Jay over on PD who's phoning it in also now they've both devolved into being props for their women.

[dovegrey]

4 hours ago, SnarkySheep said:

I attended Catholic school from kindergarten through high school...trust me, the nuns ain't all that holy. She totally wanted revenge.

IMO whenever Severide does this, he never really seems all that invested in the conversation...kinda like the stereotypical "Yes, dear, whatever you say" over a cup of coffee and a newspaper. I haven't been able to figure out whether this is intentional on the part of the character or if Taylor Kinney is starting to just phone it in.

I see Taylor Kinney acting the way Taylor Kinney has always acted, although maybe a bit shaky with having to emote, converse, and laugh. That’s not Severide, and I imagine it must be hard to try to play your established character of eight years while reading lines and doing scenes that, at best, belong more to a character like Casey. Severide isn’t a sweet, supportive, mentor-type guy who’s aw-shucks always ready to drop everything, handhold, and console. Even with how he’s been with Casey, such as complaining that Casey didn’t confide personal problems and multiple times being will to dive into relationship talk, just isn’t in-character. To me, that’s why it rings false, superficial, and, with Stellaride, creepy (it very much reads as an abuser's love bombing to me, even though I wouldn't expect these writers to be going there).

He doesn’t need to be, and never was, and never will be Lt. Charming, but the writers are trying real hard to make him into that. All in all, I think Stellaride became the showrunner’s projection of Dawsey, and it just doesn't ring true.