S03.E22: Category 5

[WendyCR72]

At Sgt. Voight's urging, a determined Lt. Casey agrees to go undercover in an effort to provide proof of Jack Nesbitt's shady dealings. Meanwhile, Otis and Severide continue to disagree about the integrity of Scott Rice, causing tensions to flare between members of truck and squad. Meanwhile, Herrmann helps out a fellow member of the firehouse.

[betsyboo]

When did Otis become such a dick?

[Crs97]

Otis is being a jerk, but no one is handling the situation well. If one of your employees tells you he thinks a guy is a danger to the house and cites two examples, do you really just tell him to shut up? Or do you acknowledge his concern and tell him you are monitoring the situation and to let the process work? And are we gonna have another situation in which Kelly gets mad at Casey without knowing all the facts? Why is he such a good, loyal friend to everyone except Casey?

Speaking of Casey, great plan of the PD to convince a civilian to go undercover in a very dangerous situation with a "we'll just wing it" plan. Those always turn out well. I assume it finishes up on Chicago PD?

Groomzilla made me chuckle.

I think I like the new girl. Cindy is the most supportive wife who ever lived.

[Airmac]

It's just my speculation, but I think that Nesbitt specifically chosen Casey to mislead the police. But Casey will understand that and then someway find out the truth, probably Katia will help him in that.

[TVForever]

It's just my speculation, but I think that Nesbitt specifically chosen Casey to mislead the police. But Casey will understand that and then someway find out the truth, probably Katia will help him in that.

 

I don't see things ending well for Katia.

[Airmac]

I don't see things ending well for Katia.

That's for sure, I think so as well. And probably Casey would blame himself for that.

[Fostersmom]

Chilli was kinda creeping me out with Hermann. Dude has 89 kids and a wife, you telling him he's your new daddy figure isn't going to help anyone. 

 

I'm kinda glad to see Otis stand up for what he believes. He's been the Goat for too long and the joke of the house too many time. I didn't like that Boden acted like he was doing this just to get a leg up. I've never seen anything that would make me think Otis was working an angle like that. 

[Xantar]

There is no indication that Otis is working an angle or doing anything other than standing up for himself. However, he is still being an idiot and a douche. First of all, the way he's going about this is the exact wrong way to convince anyone else to see things his way. Secondly, he caused a scene at Chili's fundraising event with apparently no consideration that the woman is trying to start a business here. While we as the viewers know that Otis is probably right, Boden was nonetheless right to dress Otis down for his behavior.

 

As for Chili, she's won me over. In her first episode, I thought her megawatt smile was over the top. Nobody grins like that all the time. But it looks like there's a little sadness behind the facade, and I'm ok that characterization.

 

(They still should have kept Peter Mills, though).

[BindsTheTuna]

I know I'm in the minority, but I cannot STAND Hermann. Is he simple? I mean, come on. He's the kind of person who would send money to a Nigerian prince, and poor Chili is depending on him to market her idea? 

[Dowel Jones]

The fall victim was the worst, or a close second, rescue yet on this show.  They banged him around so much on the way up it was pitiful.  Maybe it was meant that way to show that the crew should have waited for the better trained squad. 

 

Everybody, get over this squad table this, and truck that.  Somebody needs to look up the definition of professionalism.

 

How in the world do units leaving from the same firehouse arrive at a vehicle fire from three different directions?

 

I think that Casey will get himself into mucho trouble, and it will be up to Gabby to go undercover as a pole dancer to save him.  Shoot me.

[iMonrey]

So, the network's gambit seems to be: if you watch Chicago Fire, you will watch Chicago PD because . . . you love Chicago? I don't get it. Police procedurals and fire fighting procedurals are two very different things. This crap with Casey going undercover for the police does not belong on Chicago Fire. What in the everlasting fuck does this have to do with fire fighting? Oh, I get it it - Casey is so damn noble, he just has to be part of this because, human trafficking, those poor girls, oh no! Give me a break. That's what the police are for. Don't give me this crap that Casey's the only person in the whole world that can infiltrate this crime ring. 

 

Plus, why on earth would he ever trust Voigt? Voigt tried to kill him! What on earth makes him think he's not trying to finish the job by deliberately setting him up? How dumb is Casey, anyway? I guess he never really recovered from that brain injury.

 

You know, I don't think I'll be back next season. The more intertwined these two shows become the less interested I get. If you don't watch both it feels like you're watching half a show, more often than not. A spin-off about another fire house would have made more sense, because if you want to watch a show about fire fighters, you're more likely to watch another one. A spin-off about cops doesn't interest me, there are already a glut of cop shows on TV and I'm not going to watch one where the main character was established as a murdering, lying dirty cop that they're trying to whitewash now.

[Pallada]

I hate to see Casey and Severide at odds again but I have to say Kelly acted like a total jerk this eppy. It was kinda mean of him to say that the truck guys just don't like being low men on the totem pole. I don't remember him complaining when Casey and his team rescued him from the last fire, when the floor collapsed under him. Was his buddy-the elite firefighter-Rice there for him? Oh, no! His mask conveniently malfunctioned...right...

[Calamity Jane]

That's for sure, I think so as well. And probably Casey would blame himself for that.

I believe there was at least one Katya on SVU that ended up badly.  I remember Olivia pronouncing her name like Caught-ya instead of Kah-tya, which is kind of a nitpick but bugged the daylights out of me.  Anyway, maybe in Dick-Wolf-iverse it's an accursed name.  Or just a standard, generic name everyone will recognize as Eastern European.  

 

And yes, Casey will probably do something that puts her in danger because we're sure headed that way.  He seems awfully naive at times, doesn't he?  

[Pallada]

Plus, why on earth would he ever trust Voigt? Voigt tried to kill him! What on earth makes him think he's not trying to finish the job by deliberately setting him up? How dumb is Casey, anyway? I guess he never really recovered from that brain injury.

Casey doesn't trust Voight and he didn't want to help his nemesis but super!Gabby obviously has the magic gift of persuasion. Besides, she asked soooo nicely! *rolls eyes*

[Happy Harpy]

I'm Team Otis. I wish he knew how to choose his moment. But everyone is beating him over the head with his mistake, while the insufferable other gets away with an attitude that is more dangerous so far, imo.

 

I don't know if they'll take something out of their hat to explain that NuGuy isn't a ducker, but he's a troublemaker and an arrogant prick anyway. Squad vs Truck all over again is on him, solely, as far as I'm concerned.

Boden is my favorite, but for once I disagree with his stance. No, he shouldn't take sides in disputes. But NuGuy is a factor of trouble, and purposefully pits one half of Boden's squad against the other in order to cover his lame own ass. I hope that Boden will realize the scope of the issue, and react approprietely. 

 

Although I don't mind the crossovers, I thought that another one so close would be overkill. But finally, it isn't really a crossover for me. Voight was originally a CF character,not a artificial plant created in order to promote a spinoff, and he's part of Casey's history. Casey is the main character of this plot in action-wise, screentime-wise, and character development-wise. As long as it stays the same, I won't have a problem with it.

On a side note, it's sad that I saw more of Antonio here than I do on CPD lately, where he's supposed to be second or third-billed.

I wasn't very keen on the trope-y "gets a job on the side, gets tangled in the mafia" plot, but finally I wonder if it won't happen to be the most interesting plot Casey had in ages (and I say that as one of the rare Gabby non-haters). If Katia doesn't bite the dust (and after last week's crossover, I hope she doesn't, moreover I like her so far) I think she and Casey might get together. If only because the baby drama that certainly won't fail to happen after the Dawson/Casey ONS will need fuel. 

 

I still really like Chili, I think she integrated well and fast, and I like the relationship she develops with Hermann. It makes complete sense to me that they can develop a fast friendship on that common ground. 

Hey, when Severide take his head out of his own butt, maybe he can realize that Chili is pretty and nice and, you know,a positive person? Don't get me wrong, I love Severide, and I get how Shay's death affected him. But he needs to heal, he needs more levity, and he needs to be with a woman who isn't a boring drag or a lunatic. 

 

The Boden and Sylvie scene made me laugh. More little comedy moments between drama would be nice. 

Edited May 6, 2015 by Happy Harpy

[Fostersmom]

Plus, why on earth would he ever trust Voigt? Voigt tried to kill him! What on earth makes him think he's not trying to finish the job by deliberately setting him up? How dumb is Casey, anyway? I guess he never really recovered from that brain injury.

 

 

Sure he did, he hasn't bled out of his ear in ages now!

 

I know I'm in the minority, but I cannot STAND Hermann. Is he simple? I mean, come on. He's the kind of person who would send money to a Nigerian prince, and poor Chili is depending on him to market her idea? 

 

My aunt had 6 kids and my dad always swore she lost braincells after ever delivery. Maybe Hermann gets dimmer after each of his? Don't they have 8? I don't even like Chilli, but I've said from the get go someone needs to clue her in on his get rich quick schemes. Why would any of the fire house show up for her event known Hermannn was behind it? I think most of them still have some of that water he was selling a while back. 

Edited May 6, 2015 by Fostersmom

[iMonrey]

How do Voigt and Antonio even know this strip club guy trusts Casey so much? How do they even know Casey was working there? This seems to suggest they already have some guy on the inside giving them info about all of this. I mean, if this inside guy is so tight with the perp he knows this guy trusts Casey more than anyone else, why don't they just use that guy?!?! Honestly, this is so contrived it drives me nuts.

 

I don't mind Chili but the whole daddy-bonding thing with Herrmann was way too much way too soon. And Cindy must be as dumb as he is to agree to lend her money. They don't have two dimes to spare as far as I can tell and isn't their garage still filled with crates full of bottled water?

[Ohwell]

I cannot stand Herrmann's flat voice.  Every time I see him on the screen, it just takes me out of the show.

[Kel Varnsen]

The fall victim was the worst, or a close second, rescue yet on this show.  They banged him around so much on the way up it was pitiful.  Maybe it was meant that way to show that the crew should have waited for the better trained squad. 

 

Everybody, get over this squad table this, and truck that.  Somebody needs to look up the definition of professionalism.

 

How in the world do units leaving from the same firehouse arrive at a vehicle fire from three different directions

The whole Squad vs Truck rivalry would be more interesting i think if both crews didn't go on every damn call together . Why does the elite squad need to go on every call that 81 goes on? And why doesn't the squad ever go on calls that truck 81 doesn't go on? It makes it look like they basically have the same job.

[CoyoteBlue]

I know I'm in the minority, but I cannot STAND Hermann. Is he simple? I mean, come on. He's the kind of person who would send money to a Nigerian prince, and poor Chili is depending on him to market her idea? 

I hate this facet of Hermann. When he passed the Lieutenant exam (or Sergeant, whichever it was), he seemed to be getting out of the get-rich-quick business and becoming a little more of a leader. Other than that flaw, he's a steady, positive influence in the house. 

 

I also need to look up the actor's name because ten minutes ago, I stood next to him on a street corner waiting for the light to change and didn't want to greet him without at least knowing his name. :)

[iMonrey]

 

The whole Squad vs Truck rivalry would be more interesting i think if both crews didn't go on every damn call together . Why does the elite squad need to go on every call that 81 goes on? And why doesn't the squad ever go on calls that truck 81 doesn't go on? It makes it look like they basically have the same job.

 

That's probably fairly common though for stations that have a rescue squad and a fire truck. Most fires and accidents would require both teams. Not all cities have two separately designated crews like that though. We just have fire fighters here and they have a truck and a pumper. I think technically they'd do some of the same things a "rescue squad" would do but I can't really think of any exact equivalent of that we have.

[Kel Varnsen]

That's probably fairly common though for stations that have a rescue squad and a fire truck. Most fires and accidents would require both teams. Not all cities have two separately designated crews like that though. We just have fire fighters here and they have a truck and a pumper. I think technically they'd do some of the same things a "rescue squad" would do but I can't really think of any exact equivalent of that we have.

But every fire house in Chicago doesn't have a Rescue squad  (wikipedia tells me there are 5 Rescue Squads in Chicago)? So shouldn't Squad 3 go on calls that Truck 81 doesn't have to go on (since a Squad would cover a bigger area). Which in turn should mean there are times when Truck 81 goes on a call, and Squad 3 can't be there to support them because they are on a more important rescue call somewhere else. I would imagine there would also be times when a call would be simple enough that it wouldn't warrant sending out the Squad, but that almost never happens.  

 

Then again we almost never see the engine crew which bugs me more than just about anything else. I mean how long did it take them to start putting out that vehicle fire?

[Watermelon]

That's another thing. They get rid of people in such a final way.  All they had to do to get rid of Mills but keep him in the back pocket is say that the only opening on Squad or  Truck was on a different shift, OR put him on Engine.

[Chas411]

If it turns out that Otis was right and Rice actually is a ducker then Kelly and Boden owe him a serious apology. I thought Severide, Casey and Boden sucked as leaders.

 

Casey was too preoccupied to get involved, Boden more or less told Otis to shut up (which is a fair point but considering Otis seemed to be sticking to his story and had Cruz backing him up should have warranted at least some suuport). Severide was the worst. He's a lieutenant and his entire reaction was just so immature and snotty.

 

I do think Otis could have handled it better and not been so openly rude to Rice but no matter how he approached it I think Severide would have had the same reaction of not wanting to hear it.

 

Then Rice basically dumping Severide as a friend because he asked for his word that his mask hadn't malfunctioned? Not even proof, just his word. C'mon. These are grown men and the acted like highschool girls.

 

What was Rice talking about when he was saying the sanctity of squad? Is squad a more superior position then truck?

[Watermelon]

 

 

What was Rice talking about when he was saying the sanctity of squad? Is squad a more superior position then truck?

I think so.  On the show Mills had to complete an extra class(or 2 or whatever) to move from truck to squad.

[Crs97]

With respect to the rivalry, I liked Casey's answer when asked why he didn't go for squad: when he goes into a fire and saves someone, they are just happy to see him and don't care about the distinction.

[Watermelon]

Otis is so annoying.  He DID go around gossiping about Rice before he even got there, then proceeded to watch over the guy like he was Rice's Lt.

Beyond that, there was no reason to involve Cruz. Tell your Lt, ask him to give Severide a heads up about then shut the hell up.

 

He's using Rice's supposed ducking to be an asshat to him, which completely undermines his position.

[Fostersmom]

Maybe I completely imagined this, or maybe the storyline got changed, but I swear I 

I saw a scene in one of the "next week" scenes weeks ago where Rice all but admitted he was a ducker because of his kid.

[politichick]

I think Rescue is a much more specialized area. Everyone is trained for squad but not everyone is able to perform some of the spectacular duties of rescue, although I believe after a several years on the job you pick up on some things. Plus, they don't know what they're going to find when they get to a fire/emergency and must be prepared for both. That said, they could have some calls where rescue goes off on their own to aid some other fire house.

[SonofaBiscuit]

I think that the whole storyline with the new Squad guy would have made more sense with PeterMills instead of Otis.  Since the guy took the last spot on Squad, if Mills accused him of ducking, it would have looked like he was just angry and making up lies to get the new guy kicked out of the fire house.  They would have had to leave out the story part where a spot magically opened up for Mills on Squad, but I think that this would have been my story route preference instead of turning Otis into a jerk.  I imagine that the new guy will be gone by the next episode, so really, what was the point of getting rid of Mills?!

 

I like Chili and her positivity, but I wonder whose love interest she is going to become.  Probably Kelly...I swear that every woman introduced on this show quickly becomes involved with one of the guys in the fire house.