S04.E09: Short And Fat

[WendyCR72]

Members of Firehouse 51 are less than thrilled when Captain Patterson steps in as replacement for Chief Boden while he deals with clearing his good name. When Severide learns of the potential whereabouts of Serena, Chicago P.D's Officer Atwater and Officer Ruzek head to Lake Carlyle to try and uncover additional clues on Boden's case. Meanwhile, Herrmann and Otis give Freddie a job that keeps him close by and Jimmy and Chili elicit more attention then either bargained for, causing some friction between them.

[Watermelon]

Atwater! 

 

They better not disappoint.

[Xantar]

So apparently Chili doesn't wear a bra under her shirt. I wonder if that leads to a few problems on the job.

Otis doesn't have a chance, and he has zero chemistry with Sylvie. Leave her alone.

I've completely forgotten what the deal was with Maddox that got this all started in the first place. But I have to say he seems to be a remarkably inept criminal mastermind considering how easily the Chicago PD found three of his hired goons all willing to testify against him.

[Watermelon]

Was it just me or did Gabby overreact times 2000?  Calm down, crazy.

 

I cannot believe Freddy's short and fat ass had the nerve to stab Hermann because he called him short and fat...own Cruz is going to feel guilty psychotic ass Freddy almost killed his friend, WHO WAS NICE ENOUGH TO PAY HIS ASS $8 TO KEEP HIM OUT OF TROUBLE.

 

Like what the hell, use your words and tell them that your mom dropped you on the head and affectionate insults make you stabby.  Don't actually stab your employer.  

[squidprincess]

The Casey-Patterson confrontation in the bunk room was interesting made me realize that I think the writers wasted Patterson a bit by focusing so much on the antagonism with Severide.  Severide had already lost his rank, and tended to shoot himself in the foot with his temper and attitude.  It just ended up frustrating to watch Severide lose over and over again.  But Casey vs. Patterson had a different dynamic: Casey was generally too calm/polite for Patterson to claim insubordination and when he did lose his temper, it was for a legitimate reason: Patterson didn't have the authority to dismiss someone outside of his direct command.  I get the impression from their other interactions that Patterson respects Casey more than he does Severide, so their conflicts seem more equal and about genuine differences of opinion regarding leadership, than a touchy newcomer feeling threatened by his demoted predecessor.  I wish they'd focused on that element more.

 

That dude taunting Dawson in the beginning was a bit ridiculous.  I wish she'd just laughed in his face when he insulted her appearance.  I know folks find her annoying sometimes, but I don't think anyone would deny that Monica Raymund is a beautiful woman.

 

Herrmann was dumb.  I'm not saying he deserved to be stabbed, but he knew Freddie had a hair trigger temper regarding insults and no kid that age takes that kind of comment well.  He ought to have backed off when the kid started bristling, instead he kept at him.

Edited December 9, 2015 by squidprincess

[CoyoteBlue]

Herrmann was dumb.  I'm not saying he deserved to be stabbed, but he knew Freddie had a hair trigger temper regarding insults and no kid that age takes that kind of comment well.  He ought to have backed off when the kid started bristling, instead he kept at him.

 

Like what the hell, use your words and tell them that your mom dropped you on the head and affectionate insults make you stabby.  Don't actually stab your employer.

 

Freddy told him a couple times to stop it, and it was obvious that it's a trigger for the unstable homeboy. Honestly, Hermann kinda earned that one.

 

Am I supposed to hate Chili now? Because I seriously do. That bullshit in the shower and giggling at getting her co-worker in trouble? I hope she dies in one of the fires or OD's or succumbs to whatever brain tumor is making her act like this.

[Crs97]

I liked Hermann's first exchange with Freddy: "I don't like people calling me a klutz." "Then that's extra incentive not to drop my glasses." Maybe that ended up going so well Hermann thought he could explain away this one, and frankly I thought he did a good job making sure Freddie understood the ribbing meant he was part of the family. Freddie and Gabby can host their own overreaction meetings any time now.

[statsgirl]

I'm just amazed at how these people can't be happy.  Dawson loses the baby, Severide gets demoted, Boden gets set up and when that's finally done, Hermann gets stabbed.

 

That said, I think the scene was well done.Hermann was treating Freddy as he would a co-worker and explaining they all bust each other's balls but Freddy isn't a normal person and these weren't normal circumstances and Hermann really missed the gigantic flashing lights that Freddy wasn't taking this the way he meant in.  And after the stabbing, Freddy freaked out and ran away..

 

Since I don't for a minute think that this will be anything but a passing wound, I'm finding I feel sorry for Freddy.

[MakeMeLaugh]

So no comeuppance scene for smug detective who hounded and arrested Boden for the assault? Color me disappointed.

The secret ornament decorating was a bonafide act of insubordination on the admin asst's part (can't remember her name) and the fire fighters. She should have been fired for that.

I wish I cared enough about Chili and Candidate to give a flying fire hydrant about what's going on with her. Ditto Silvee and Felon, who we know will really be a bad guy and didn't just get the book thrown at him in his misspent pool hopping youth in la di da Lake Forest (total population of latchkey kds: 0).

Herman was a total jerk with Freddie-like poor Freddie was ever going to be able to turn it around and bust his chops back. Now Freddie is going to have to go to juvie and join another gang--thanks for bullying him, Herman!

Go away, Gabbie.

[Noirprncess]

Patterson didn't burn up in some fire like I wanted. Darn. At least he's gone. I'll take that.

I figured the Bowen would get vindicated by this episode. Dick Wolf never allows storylines to run more than a few episodes.

Gabby can always be depended on to have that quick trigger anger. Always!

So the goofiness with Chili and Jimmy has gone to ridiculous already. What is wrong with her?

[juliet73]

This episode was horrible! The whole thing with Boden was wrapped up way too easily. He tells the "victim" to tell the truth and she's all OK, let me spill my guts and so will the street hecklers. Dumb! Obviously, Chilli is mental. She either has a drinking problem or thrives on getting in trouble or both. Glad Patterson changed his attitude, and I'm glad to see him go. The whole Freddie thing... Really show? "take it back, take it back" Are they on the playground? I'm sure Herman will live, at least he better, or I'm done with the show.

[Dowel Jones]

Herrmann was dumb.

 

He used the "firehouse family" defense, which was pointless.  Would he say something like that to a paying customer at the bar (assuming someone from outside 51 ever stops by)?  Patterson earlier made the comment that Freddy stopped by during third watch (Midnight to 0800).  That's reason enough to set him down. 

 

"I'm Gabby.  Hear me roar".  Jeez.  In real life, regardless of the paid provocateur, that should have merited a suspension, at least. 

 

Ditto for the shower stunt.  And the painted Christmas ornaments in the barracks.  Although they didn't know it at the time, that's a misuse of city-funded resources.  But I did like the Stalag 17 system they had set up.

 

"I didn't become a lawyer to defend criminals".  What part of due diligence 101 and presumption of innocence did you skip out on during law school?   Besides, your parents lost their business in a civil case, not a criminal case.  I can just see one of Maddox's other attorneys saying "How exactly did Narcotics get involved in this case, and how did they find out where the woman was hiding?  And why wasn't she afforded the presence of an attorney after requesting one?"  Mistrial!  But, of course, this is the Christmas episode so everything has to turn out good for everyone.  Except some of everyone. 

[Noirprncess]

Oh, Connie was all kinds of shady with those ornaments for $12. But if she had done them at the office every year, why didn't they (the team) not know that this was for her side gig?

I guess Severide had the magic, ahem, penile ride after all. She totes saw his point after that second visit. Enough to drop the lynch pin evidence. I guess Maddox had his henchmen follow the wrong people because there is no way they are going to figure out who told on their secret operation. I mean their legal counsel meets with a person from Fire house 51 openly several times seconds before stuff goes down. No coincidence there.

[squidprincess]

Instead of going to a leadership seminar, Severide's girlfriend should have gone back to law school.

 

I'm just glad Severide's got his job back.  I like him as a character, but I do not understand why we spent nine episodes on his job woes when other potentially dramatic plots just get abandoned by the wayside.  Casey implicitly kills a dude in the premiere and it's apparently not worth any attention.  Dawson's miscarriage gets one decent episode (albeit one that is a transparent advertisement for Chicago Med) and then maybe three lines in the next to show that she's still grieving.  And heck, even the miscarriage episode suddenly veered off into "Oh no, Severide's old friend -- no wait!  Actually a surrogate father figure even though we never mentioned this before! -- is hiding the files and now he's suicidal!!"  

 

I understand why some folks consider Dawson a show eating Mary Sue, but I'm starting to think she has nothing on Severide.

Edited December 9, 2015 by squidprincess

[Watermelon]

He used the "firehouse family" defense, which was pointless.  Would he say something like that to a paying customer at the bar (assuming someone from outside 51 ever stops by)?  Patterson earlier made the comment that Freddy stopped by during third watch (Midnight to 0800).  That's reason enough to set him down. 

 

Minor sticking point, but I thought they said Freddy came by at  1st watch.  And now that we're talking about it, what watch DO they work? 

Edited December 9, 2015 by Watermelon

[Noirprncess]

I'm guessing they work second watch. However, most of their work is during daylight hours.

So, will the hunt for Freddy trigger the 3 show crossover?

[squidprincess]

Minor sticking point, but I thought they said Freddy came by at  1st watch.  And now that we're talking about it, what watch DO they work? 

 

I actually thought they said first shift.  I think they're something like a 24 hours on/24 hours off schedule.  (There was some early episode where Casey explained it to his sister when they were figuring out what to do with his murder-mom.)  So he would presumably have come during one of the other rotations.

[Dowel Jones]

That makes more sense.  Normally, though, shifts are referred to as A shift, B shift, and C shift, but that could easily be different at any FD.  I think FDNY actually works 8 hour watches, leading to the title of the series Third Watch.  In any case, the firehouse is not a rehab/cultural center and Otis should have made other arrangements.

[wineaux]

He used the "firehouse family" defense, which was pointless.  Would he say something like that to a paying customer at the bar (assuming someone from outside 51 ever stops by)?  Patterson earlier made the comment that Freddy stopped by during third watch (Midnight to 0800).  That's reason enough to set him down. 

 

"I didn't become a lawyer to defend criminals".  What part of due diligence 101 and presumption of innocence did you skip out on during law school?   Besides, your parents lost their business in a civil case, not a criminal case.  I can just see one of Maddox's other attorneys saying "How exactly did Narcotics get involved in this case, and how did they find out where the woman was hiding?  And why wasn't she afforded the presence of an attorney after requesting one?"  Mistrial!  But, of course, this is the Christmas episode so everything has to turn out good for everyone.  Except some of everyone. 

 

I actually thought they said first shift.  I think they're something like a 24 hours on/24 hours off schedule.  (There was some early episode where Casey explained it to his sister when they were figuring out what to do with his murder-mom.)  So he would presumably have come during one of the other rotations.

 

Yep.  I just finished re-watching the epi and Patterson did say that Freddie showed up during First Watch.

 

Also, the Chicago PD detectives are actually in the Intelligence Unit, which is also what Gabby said when talking to Boden at his home.  She mentioned that per Antonio, Intelligence agreed to search for Serena on their own time. I think that's reasonable.  I suspect that anyone in trouble who had friends in law enforcement would reach out to them for help.  Regarding Serena's request for an attorney...it didn't show that she was refused an attorney.  Antonio said he would make sure that happened, but he just kept talking to her...he was not interrogating her.  She didn't say anything, which was her right.  However, she realized she was 'had'...especially once she had to look Boden in the eyes when he came into the room.

 

But, you know....it's television.  Everything has to be a bit more dramatic.  :-D 

[Dowel Jones]

To change the subject, another thing I noticed:  Why does it have to be the black guy who knows how to hotwire a car?

[Watermelon]

To change the subject, another thing I noticed:  Why does it have to be the black guy who knows how to hotwire a car?

They already explained that though.  Remember, Severide is the only one who knows Captain has a juvie record of stealing cars.  It's not lost on me that it would have either been the Black guy or the Latino guy to hotwire the truck

[Kel Varnsen]

Otis doesn't have a chance, and he has zero chemistry with Sylvie. Leave her alone.

I know he is kind of a dork but at the same time Otis is a single fire fighter in a large city who owns a fairly popular bar. Can someone explain to me how and or why he has trouble meeting women? 

 

Also if the Chief could just unilaterally promote Severide without getting anyone else's approval why didn't he just do that weeks ago?

 

And for a big hydrogen leak that was going to cause a huge explosion that would have leveled multiple blocks the actual blast sure as hell wasn't that big. They could have probably left the tank in the truck and just told everyone to get away from their windows and it would have been fine. 

[aguabella]

I'm guessing they work second watch. However, most of their work is during daylight hours.

So, will the hunt for Freddy trigger the 3 show crossover?

 

Yes, sounds like that's the crossover.  Couldn't everyone see that stabbing coming (or some other similar issue) in the Freddy arc for at least the last few episodes, i.e. since they introduced the character?  Ok, maybe from just a mile away, lol.

 

And, if someone's in a gang, they'll be magically cured, redeemed (or whatever) by merely hanging out for an hour or two at a firehouse?  You'll hire me at your side business, too, even though I have no experience whatsoever??

 

Was hoping from the jump that Joe would help him disappear but guess they needed another crisis storyline.

Edited December 10, 2015 by aguabella

[Dowel Jones]

They could have probably left the tank in the truck and just told everyone to get away from their windows and it would have been fine.

 

Or maybe tried shutting off the valve on the pipe right next to the leak.  But, hey, you know, that would have required a Gabby-esque course of action.

[Kel Varnsen]

Or maybe tried shutting off the valve on the pipe right next to the leak.  But, hey, you know, that would have required a Gabby-esque course of action.

I couldn't tell if the leak or the valve was closer to the tank. If the valve was first, that is pretty bad. I did think it was hilarious that it was a hydrogen leak in an enclosed space (the back of the cube van) but Patterson just jumps in without putting his air mask on or anything. I am impressed that the guy is apparently able to breathe hydrogen gas.

[Noirprncess]

I couldn't tell if the leak or the valve was closer to the tank. If the valve was first, that is pretty bad. I did think it was hilarious that it was a hydrogen leak in an enclosed space (the back of the cube van) but Patterson just jumps in without putting his air mask on or anything. I am impressed that the guy is apparently able to breathe hydrogen gas.

I completely thought the same thing. I guess he said the heck with the precautions, I just got my bugles... Lol

[wineaux]

Also if the Chief could just unilaterally promote Severide without getting anyone else's approval why didn't he just do that weeks ago?

 

 

I really don't think that's the case.  I think that once all of the smoke cleared, Boden was exonerated, Patterson put in for his transfer and Riddle was moved to airport duty, TPTB allowed Boden to offer Severide his spot back.  He had also done what was asked of him with regard to taking the management class.  So, I'm looking at it as not every background detail can be included in an episode or story arc...we have to trust that the necessary background stuff happened. 

 

Remember...Riddle was pulling a lot of crap, and using Patterson as a puppet.  Patterson prevented Severide from getting his post back and that was orchestrated by Riddle.  With Riddle and Patterson gone, everything can go back to normal at 51.  Yay!  :-)

[SunDevil]

Pretty sure they are going for a bipolar story line with Chili.

[Kel Varnsen]

Yes, sounds like that's the crossover.  Couldn't everyone see that stabbing coming (or some other similar issue) in the Freddy arc for at least the last few episodes, i.e. since they introduced the character?  Ok, maybe from just a mile away, lol.

I actually thought the Freddy arc would end up with him dead. Especially after Patterson said he couldn't come to the fire house plus the fact that Cruz'z brother got out alive.

[Crs97]

When Freddy went to the back room, I thought we'd see some of the gang members waiting to rob the place, thinking they now had an inside man.

[jay741982]

Pretty sure they are going for a bipolar story line with Chili.

MIGHT be better than "she's an alcoholic!"

[venusnv80]

Every time Chili acts the way she does, I think it's because she's bi-polar. I thought that was kind of obvious and I will be shocked if they go another route. I like her, so this works for me.

[aguabella]

I actually thought the Freddy arc would end up with him dead. Especially after Patterson said he couldn't come to the fire house plus the fact that Cruz'z brother got out alive.

 

 

When Freddy went to the back room, I thought we'd see some of the gang members waiting to rob the place, thinking they now had an inside man.

 

Yep, that's what I meant by "other similar issue".  He would stab / attack someone or wind up dead and/or the gang would infiltrate Molly's or ... or ... or some other crisis.  Hey, how about all of the above for good measure, lol!  As soon as he arrived on set, I thought he needed a giant "C" on his shirt b/c we could all see it coming!

 

And, it's Chicago Fire so they can solve that crisis / complete that arc in 5 scenes - no 4 - no ...  One episode, tops, right?  !!!

 

BTW, will Christopher be back to work, full duty in 1 episode or 2 ???  Ok, ok, we'll call it 1/2 an episode!

 

Amazing that Severide was demoted and Patterson around for so many episodes.  Seemed like forever in CF-years. 

Edited December 18, 2015 by aguabella

[TV Anonymous]

In the greatest mini-series on TV in my life time, MAJ Dick Winters said, "We salute the rank, not the man."

 

So now we have our heroes who have no respect of hierarchy, of discipline, of those considered not 'their own'. What happened during Patterson command are simply acts of subordination and subject to disciplinary actions. It has been there since the beginning, but it get more and more apparent that the main characters of this show treat Firehouse 51 as their own private frat house where they themselves decide the rights and wrongs, without meaningful oversight.

 

So with that, as we close 2015, I leave all three shows of Chicago franchise. Too bad since I am a big fan of Law & Order franchise.

[Chas411]

I like Hermann and it was nice of them to invite him to work at the bar but it was so obviously going to go wrong. They were all tiptoeing around him trying not to upset him so I was waiting all episode for one to casually say the wrong thing and have him blow up. Too bad it had to be Hermann.

 

The Boden storyline is resolved thank god. May the second half of the season please be less miserable for him.

 

Chilli is so clearly bipolar. It's come out of nowhere and I'm sure will be resolved in warp speed. I wish we knew what triggered it though as it's just been so random.

 

Casey advising Jimmy to cool his relationship down is probably the most hypocritical thing he's done all season. It's hilarious. How many times has his relationship with Dawson interfered with the house. Come on Casey.

 

Awful first half of the season please let the second half be better.

[squidprincess]

 

Casey advising Jimmy to cool his relationship down is probably the most hypocritical thing he's done all season. It's hilarious. How many times has his relationship with Dawson interfered with the house. Come on Casey.

 

To be fair, Casey did acknowledge he was being a hypocrite.  And he only advised Jimmy to cool the relationship down while Patterson was in charge, not in general.  And that turned out to be good advice, considering how Patterson reacted to the shower interlude.