S04.E13: The Sky Is Falling

[WendyCR72]

The firehouse is on high alert when mysterious threats begin to emerge throughout Chicago. The situation turns dire when news of a mass shooting brings members of squad and truck into the middle of a dangerous and harrowing scene. Casey works diligently to investigate the missing money from the fundraiser for the victims of the recent tornado. Jimmy agrees to represent the firehouse in the first annual "Battle of the Badges" boxing match against the 21st district police department. Chili's erratic behavior continues to be a major issue for her ambulance partner, Brett.

[Dowel Jones]

Wow.  That was a frightening episode, at least the second half.  They didn't show what happened with the purported fire in the center, but I assumed the engine company took care of it.  They did do a good job of portraying the fear and the helplessness of everyone trapped inside, waiting on their fate.

 

I'm so glad the show didn't follow up on the Sugar Ray Dawson idea, but I'll bet it's hanging in the wings for the next episode. 

 

Chief Hatcher was right about Boden's conduct.  He really has no documentation to show concerning his disciplining of Chili for past transgressions, and it could very well become an EEO issue if he tried to fire her. 

 

So they are neatly transferring Ms. DHS out to Miami, "as soon as she is medically cleared'?  For a gunshot, wouldn't that be a couple of months, at least?  Still plenty of time for random sexual encounters and fits of jealousy and the like. 

 

Way to stand up, Mouch.  You did the right thing.  On the other hand, they sure painted that alderman with an oily brush, didn't they?

[Chas411]

So was the plan to make Chilli as unlikeable as possible before they ship her off? (Not spoiled just predicting) because the sheer obviousness of it all has just made me dislike all the other characters involved.

[Crs97]

Well done episode, especially the hostage situation.  I don't think I understand what was housed in that building that would attract terrorists, especially since their plan seemed to be in the works for weeks and garner attention from Homeland Security.  Did I miss something?  I would have expected one of the Chicago landmarks to be the target.  Where exactly were they?

 

I think they've been using Gabby much better, although one scene showed me they just can't help themselves to the show's detriment.  Casey was showing about seven different kinds of emotions after the hostage situation.  His expressions were subtle and layered and fascinating and then they cut to a long shot of Gabby coming up to hug him.  Once again, they gave her the money shot when Casey's reaction was the one I wanted to see.  Sigh.

 

Is Chili gone, or is she heading to rehab to be back next episode?  If Hermann can recover from a life-threatening knife wound in one week, then surely she can kick an alcohol addiction in like time.  I liked having her union rep be part of the intervention.  It was an intervention, wasn't it?  

 

Make the alderman storyline go away, quickly.  

 

All in all a pretty solid episode.

[MakeMeLaugh]

Well done episode, especially the hostage situation.  I don't think I understand what was housed in that building that would attract terrorists, especially since their plan seemed to be in the works for weeks and garner attention from Homeland Security.  Did I miss something?  I would have expected one of the Chicago landmarks to be the target.  Where exactly were they?

I think it was supposed to be racist terrorists--it was an African-American community center?

 

I think they've been using Gabby much better, although one scene showed me they just can't help themselves to the show's detriment.  Casey was showing about seven different kinds of emotions after the hostage situation.  His expressions were subtle and layered and fascinating and then they cut to a long shot of Gabby coming up to hug him.  Once again, they gave her the money shot when Casey's reaction was the one I wanted to see.  Sigh.

YES--she most definitely upstaged his big scene and immediately dried up my tears. With her mega makeup still intact.,Go away, Gabby.

 

Is Chili gone, or is she heading to rehab to be back next episode?  If Hermann can recover from a life-threatening knife wound in one week, then surely she can kick an alcohol addiction in like time.  I liked having her union rep be part of the intervention.  It was an intervention, wasn't it?

Yes, I think it was an intervention. Mr MML totally called the beginning of her redemption arc when she and Brett went into the building. I am positive one of the firefighters will suddenly be revealed to be a courageous longtime recovering alcoholic and we will see Chilli at a meeting with him now. She'll whiz through all twelve steps in the next episode.

But more importantly, Chilli is Sylvie's boss?????? whah????

 

[Noirprncess]

We cracked up laughing at the magical smoke that prevented the terrorist from seeing the entire group yet the was clear enough for the group to see Casey's hand signals.

Soooo, I'm still not understanding why Chili isn't unemployed. She's done this before and it was quietly swept under the rug. Of course Boden is going to get jammed up with this stupidity.

Herman is completely normal within a week or so.. so much so that he can box.

[squidprincess]

I really enjoyed the episode.  It was intense, in a good way.  And I think Chili may be on the way to redeeming herself.  I was really close to actively despising her earlier in the episode, but by the end, I was glad to see they seem to be making up.

 

But were we really supposed to care that Severide's two-episode love interest is heading to Florida?  Because I really didn't.  She seemed likeable enough I guess, when not getting him to sign false affidavits, but his love interests kind of blur together for me.  I think the only ones I actually liked were Sarah Shahi in season 1, and that Chicago Med girl.

 

I'm also really enjoying the alderman plot.  I'm always happy to see Casey getting storylines outside of his romance with Dawson.  (Even though I do like her and the relationship.)   I think the alderman will regret trying to bribe him.  Speaking of, Gabby decking Herrmann was pretty great.  I didn't think I'd enjoy a boxing plot, but so far, I'm entertained.

[iMonrey]

I thought it was kind of a rip-off after the big build-up NBC has been giving it in the promos all week long. "The defining moment of the show." Whuh? Granted, the action scenes were well done, but then again that's what this show does best. It's the other crap that fails spectacularly, and given the way this episode was promoted I really expected a major character to die. They certainly could have killed off Chilli or Sylvie and I wouldn't have missed either one. I've warmed up to Sylvie somewhat but I'll never get past the show killing off Shay only to replace her with someone who is essentially a straight version of her.

Edited February 3, 2016 by iMonrey

[squidprincess]

I thought it was kind of a rip-off after the big build-up NBC has been giving it in the promos all week long. "The defining moment of the show." Whuh? Granted, the action scenes were well done, but then again that's what this show does best. It's the other crap that fails spectacularly, and given the way this episode was promoted I really expected a major character to die. They certainly could have killed off Chilli or Sylvie and I wouldn't have missed either one. I've warmed up to Sylvie somewhat but I'll never get past the show killing off Shay only to replace her with someone who is essentially a straight version of her.

How is Brett a "straight version" of Shay?  Shay was loud, aggressive, funny and confident, very close to Severide and Dawson.  Sylvie's quiet, shy, and kind of bland.  Sylvie's also at least ten years younger, and has a completely different dynamic with the characters.  Really, the only thing Shay and Brett have in common are that they're pretty blond paramedic women who wear a bit too much eye-makeup.

Edited February 3, 2016 by squidprincess

[Krg114]

Wow Otis' mustache sure grew back quick.

[Dowel Jones]

But more importantly, Chilli is Sylvie's boss?????? whah????

 

 

At one point during the patient controversy, she said she was the PIC (Paramedic in Charge), so, for that call, she was Sylvie's boss, so to speak.  Not in terms of employment, but someone has to be in charge during patient care. 

 

Soooo, I'm still not understanding why Chili isn't unemployed. She's done this before and it was quietly swept under the rug.

 

Likely because no one at the previous house did any paperwork on her, either.  That's more common than you might think.  Move the employee along and wait for someone else to deal with the problem. 

[izabella]

Hooray, we had a Trudy sighting!  I love her and Mouch together.

 

Sleezy alderman better clean up his act.  No way Casey is going to be bribed by a lake house vacation.

 

So...what is Chilli's problem?  Alcohol?  Bipolar?  Did they ever say?

[sheetmoss]

 

So...what is Chilli's problem?  Alcohol?  Bipolar?  Did they ever say?

Mental and emotional.

I think coming from a really dysfunctional family she really didn't really know how to interact w/others, then after she lost her sis - her only remaining family member alive, she went into a downward spiral w/the drinking, sexing etc because she had no other known way mentally to deal with her emotions,

[Chas411]

I've no doubt she'll be shipped off before we get to see any sort of recovery process.

[MakeMeLaugh]

At one point during the patient controversy, she said she was the PIC (Paramedic in Charge), so, for that call, she was Sylvie's boss, so to speak.  Not in terms of employment, but someone has to be in charge....

The way she threatened Bogan to go over his head to transfer Sylvie sounded to me that Sylvie is always subordinant to her. Really confusing. IMO this storyline isn't working.

I do see Sylvie as a straight baby Shay too.

[Chas411]

Dawson was the PIC when she was on ambo as was Mills when he replaced her. Chilli replaced Mills as the PiC and Sylvie reports directly to her.

The storyline bugged me from the get go because I always felt that Brett was judging her. Even when she was trying to help it just felt patronising. The girl effectively had a breakdown that's been coming for a while. I didn't get why she was giving such a huge apology to Sylvie. she acted like a bitch at the start of the episode yes but her accusations weren't taken seriously.

Ugh I know I'm not being fair with the above comment. I don't know I've just been really anti Brett for some reason through this whole storyline.

[ObscuredbyClouds]

I found it unbelievable that when Casey was leading everyone to safety through the smoke, that no one coughed. I know they were trying to be quiet as possible, but in all that smoke there would have to be some people coughing.

Edited February 3, 2016 by ObscuredbyClouds

[squidprincess]

I do see Sylvie as a straight baby Shay too.

How so?

[MakeMeLaugh]

Dawson was the PIC when she was on ambo as was Mills when he replaced her. Chilli replaced Mills as the PiC and Sylvie reports directly to her.

....

 

So Sylvie was always Chilli's subordinate on the job. I never got that impression, and Chilli seemed so green to me a lot of the time that it seemed to me like she was still learning the on-the-job stuff. I'm obviously quite surprised. Mr MML thinks he is part of this franchise and we have watched every episode of the Chicagos, so I don't think I missed anything here. More like the writers just threw that clarification in to give Chilli a leg to stand on.

[Sake614]

Count me among those who were genuinely surprised when Chilli announced that Brett is her subordinate. She's so young that I just presumed she was still in training. But then after her scene with Boden, I noticed the bars on her collar. So she must have some sort of rank.

 

Overall, I liked this episode. I'm not sure what's going to come of the Alderman bribing Casey, but I'm interested in seeing where it goes. I mean, I know Casey would never accept a bribe, but did the Alderman set it up so that it appears that way? I can't imagine he just left it to chance that Casey would agree. He seems smarter than that.

[Watermelon]

Chilli's not new to the job and I never got the impression she was. Before they went with crazy alchy she seemed like someone who was just happy all the time.  Sylvie was the one who seemed hella wet behind the ears, what with running away to the big city.

[MaryHedwig]

Mr MML thinks he is part of this franchise and we have watched every episode of the Chicagos, so I don't think I missed anything here. More like the writers just threw that clarification in to give Chilli a leg to stand on.

I think they have rewritten the Chili character several times.  Didn't she start out as overly-cheerful nerd before she became Hermann's new little sister in an entrepreneurial scheme before becoming hot chick before becoming work-liability; dare-devil; alcoholic; no conscience; lying; bus under-throwing Chili from hell.  If this is all intentional, then Chili is not bipolar after all: she has a multi-personality disorder and not the kind that is fun to watch.

[squidprincess]

Doesn't Chili have her rank stitched into the back of her coat?  Dawson and Mills did, so Chili probably does too.  I've never really checked, but I'd always assumed Chili was PIC since she replaced Mills.

 

It makes sense that it never really came up before though.  It's like Dawson and Shay.  Dawson was the PIC, but it only came up a few times (with the "missing" drugs in season 1, and then their conflict over how to handle the suicide call in season 2).  For the most part, the women acted like equal partners.  Brett and Chili seem like they're the same way.  Or at least they were.  Who knows now.