S03.E19: If We Were Normal

[WendyCR72]

Quote

When Burgess and Lindsay respond to a call about a stabbing, the assailant turns out to be a kidnapping victim escaping her captor; Ruzek accuses Roman of having feelings for Burgess.

[LittleIggy]

I liked Olensky being all "dad protective" with Ruby. I also liked him and Voight going old school on that creep and making him beg! And my fave Dr. Charles made a guest appearance!

[MakeMeLaugh]

Olinsky!!!!! Yay! Nobody rocks the knit cap like he does.

Ruzek is just not cute anymore. Roman is perfect as the bean-counting inventory guy.

Edited March 31, 2016 by MakeMeLaugh

[MissLucas]

Run, Roman run! Dear Lord could they write Burgess even more pathetic if they tried? She goes for a girlie talk to Erin like they're in high-school, down to telling her what she's supposed to say to her (we all know how those talks end and props to Erin for not just rolling her eyes, grab the coffee and run). She's not over Ruzek, she knows what a mess dating your partner can be and the moment she sees the two guys behaving like true victims of testosterone poisoning (to be fair it was mostly Ruzek) she makes a move?

 

Jay and Erin calling it a 'horror show' is not even close. It's a soap opera of the worst kind. And it jars with the otherwise somber mood of the show or is it supposed to be the comic relief? Why does Burgess have to be stuck in such stupid plots?

[betsyboo]

I hate the new 'ship. WHY can't boys and girls be just friends??? Just once??  How old is Burgess? I might be inclined to cut her some slack if she's 23. I know I was a crumb-catcher at 23 and made some poor decisions.... I was that girl. And she's still reeling a bit from having to break up with Ruzek. But Burgess - you need a get-a-grip friend and you need her NOW. Erin is not that person. If all this is to show Burgess growing up and learning - then it's a long con to get to the payoff but I might be ok with it. But if it's just the usual Girl Can't Live without Boy, then I will be very. annoyed. 

 

The plotline was CREEPY. I liked that the victim immediately twigged to the fact that Olinsky was the protector and she wanted him to stay. I heart Dr. Charles.

[Guildford]

What a hot mess this storyline is.

 

Burgess is completely unlikeable right now.

 

I get that they wanted some drama but did they really need to write it like they are all in highschool? I actually feel sorry for Ruzek. Sure he has some commitment issues but let's not forget that it was Burgess who asked to push back the wedding date...twice. And where did she get this awesome idea of the 'push test.' Oh that's right, the guy who has been white-anting their engagement from the start. Roman.

 

Maybe Ruzek dodged a bullet because Burgess is acting like a complete flake at the moment. I know teenagers who are more mature than her.  Ruzek can do so much better and it hurts me to say that because I loved them as a couple and high hopes that the writers would continue to write them as the cute, supportive, couple who clearly loved each other that they were last season rather than this pathetic highschool drama. 

 

Until the writer's get us out of this mess...I can't watch.

[12catcrazy]

I really like Burgess (or should I say the actress who plays her) - make her an intelligent, adult, PLEASE.  

 

And the victim of this episode is going to keep her baby "as something good will come out of this" (or whatever similar thing she said).  Yay - go right-to-lifers!  A baby which is the product of it's druggie, prostitute mother being held captive and raped on a daily basis for weeks on end.  What a Happy Ending!   Maybe the next show coming down the pike will be Chicago Family Services so we can see some more happy endings.

[MissLucas]

Yeah, how old is Burgess? She truly seems to regress. Remember when she got shot and nearly died? When she turned down Voight's offer to join Intelligence in order to truly deserve her place by first working the beat? That was an interesting character showing signs of maturing.

 

Now she just stumbles from one relationship drama into the next in a vortex of suck that drags other characters with her. Meanwhile Atwater and Mouse get side-lined for plots straight out of a CW show. This whole unnecessary arc comes damn close to a character assassination - just as the daughter drama did for Olinsky.

[Tartlet]

I'm sort of in to this Roman and Burgess pairing. They have an easy friendship. Roman is straight-forward, a good person, easy on the eyes and drama free.

The Ruzek relationship started when he was seeing someone else. He's pretty insufferable (to me) in that he forgets he never worked a beat and hasn't really shown himself to be a natural for the Intelligence unit (he's pretty useless really and doesn't offer anything special to the team). He has bad taste in pants (let's burn those rust coloured khakis he used to wear all the time). His looks are fading and he was a jerk to his father. Actually, he's pretty consistently a jerk with a big ego and lack of maturity.

I say, go for it Kim. Roman has been looking pretty damn fine lately. He was looking great last night.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Tartlet

[backformore]

I don't know who the actress was playing that young victim.  But something about her face, especially her jaw and mouth when she talked, reminded me of Jodie Foster. 

[Texasmom1970]

The best part of the episode to me was a shirtless Jay carrying Erin to the bedroom, swoon!

[Mars477]

Did the writers forget that Roman dating his partner is what got Burgess shot?

I hate all three parts of this love triangle.

[MakeMeLaugh]

The best part of the episode to me was a shirtless Jay carrying Erin to the bedroom, swoon!

Yes, that is the best looking couple in TV land--a little naked Jay will make up for a lot of stupid plot points!

[Guildford]

It seems like the writers have forgotten a lot of things and are now just make shit up and completely ruining characters in the process.

 

Not sure how they are going to redeem Burgess.....actually they probably don't care because they just don't seem to care about any other characters apart from Lindsay.

 

The Linstead fapping is so friggin' annoying. I mean all the build up to this episode was about 'Skinstead." & what for? A scene that was shoehorned in at the end just to keep the rabid Linstead fangirls watching.

[fivestone]

And the victim of this episode is going to keep her baby "as something good will come out of this" (or whatever similar thing she said).  Yay - go right-to-lifers!  A baby which is the product of it's druggie, prostitute mother being held captive and raped on a daily basis for weeks on end.  What a Happy Ending!   Maybe the next show coming down the pike will be Chicago Family Services so we can see some more happy endings.

 

I don't get what's so wrong with that ending. It's not like one woman choosing to keep her baby in the situation erodes the right of another woman to make a different choice.

[Ailianna]

I don't get what's so wrong with that ending. It's not like one woman choosing to keep her baby in the situation erodes the right of another woman to make a different choice.

 

Isn't that actually the point of choice--that this is up to the specific individual person involved?  That she should have the right to choose, and even to make a "bad" choice, and the rest of us should stay out of it unless invited to give an opinion?

[torqy]

Haven't these fine folks heard of Gibbs' Rule 12? (Never Date a Coworker)

I've seen enough workplace fiascos over the years to fill a new LMN channel.

 

With characters freely moving between the Dick Wolf shows, I'm waiting for the often-missing-in-action Fin Tutuola to show up in a crowd shot in Molly's having a beer with the equally scarce Atwater.

Edited April 8, 2016 by torqy

[juniperbreeze]

Yep, not sure what the point is in regards to Burgess/Ruzek and Roman.

There was really no purpose for what they have done to Burzek this season.

 

I loved the Burzek buildup and their coming together last season.

 

The shows first couple of seasons presented a good balance.

The police cases were present; however, you also saw a glimpse into their personal lives.

 

The focus was not on just one character or couple; like it is now. (Lindsay/ Lindsay/Jay)

The show should consider bringing in writers who can write the personal one on one stuff.

 

Chicago Fire is in the same boat; the first couple of seasons had the balance between professional and personal relationships.

Now, it's mostly about Gabby/Gabby/Matt and creating ridiculous plot points for no good reason.

 

Med in its first season has also over done it with a couple of their characters too.

 

A fourth installment is on its way; the show runner may have to much on his plate.

 

Not, unlike, Shonda Rhimes over at ABC; she eventually began delegating.  

[aguabella]

I really like Burgess (or should I say the actress who plays her) - make her an intelligent, adult, PLEASE.  

 

And the victim of this episode is going to keep her baby "as something good will come out of this" (or whatever similar thing she said).  Yay - go right-to-lifers!  A baby which is the product of it's druggie, prostitute mother being held captive and raped on a daily basis for weeks on end.  What a Happy Ending!   Maybe the next show coming down the pike will be Chicago Family Services so we can see some more happy endings.

 

I don't get what's so wrong with that ending. It's not like one woman choosing to keep her baby in the situation erodes the right of another woman to make a different choice.

 

 

Isn't that actually the point of choice--that this is up to the specific individual person involved?  That she should have the right to choose, and even to make a "bad" choice, and the rest of us should stay out of it unless invited to give an opinion?

 

 

JMHO but I didn't get the sense the producers were trying to either take a stand or wade into the right-to-life / pro-choice debate.  Just thought they were going for the stereotypical, feel-good ending.

 

Nice that she made the choice to have the child - I just hope she was emotionally capable, after that awful ordeal, of making the best choice for her WRT an 18 year - no, call it a lifelong commitment to take full responsibility for another human being.

 

 

WRT the romantic entanglements and triangles - agree, it'd be so nice to see an adult, platonic relationship between Roman and Burgess.  Yes, we all remember the saga and fateful ending of Roman's previous partner relationship.  Workplace romance is almost always, say 95% + of the time, an incredibly bad idea. 

[SnarkySheep]

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall a scene with Burgess, Roman and Platt...there was some mention of a year (which Platt was mocking, of course), I want to say 1986? In any event, Burgess is definitely old enough to act differently.

 

However, for some reason (because nothing has ever been said one way or another) I have this idea of Burgess as someone who's never been in a serious relationship before. If that were indeed true, then it would stand to reason that she might act the way she has, simply because it's all so new to her.

 

IMO the writers wanted to create a new dynamic by having Lindsay and Burgess together. They did work together a couple times, once by special request and once by coincidence of being together, but as Burgess isn't Intelligence that clearly can't happen too often. So they did the only other thing they could think of, which was putting them together to talk "girly issues." Because, let's be honest...the two might be friendly but something just says they wouldn't be natural friends. They just seem to have come from different worlds and have different interests.

[mehtotheworld]

Just got caught up on this show. I have loathed Ruzek from the beginning and Burgess is kind of dumb around him, so their relationship was always infuriating fast forward material to me. Roman is the only thing that makes Burgess tolerable to me most of the time, so I say bring on the partners dating partners! I eat that shit up. I have low-key shipped them since he admitted to falling in love with his previous partner. Adorable boy scout Roman is like my favorite part of the show, so I can't wait for them to really get going as a couple.

[Gothish520]

I will never understand why people have such an issue with workplace romances - it has always been and continues to be one of the top places that people meet their spouses/significant others. I met my husband at work, as well as my previous boyfriend. (We've all gone our separate ways careerwise since then, lol.)

As much as people claim it's a bad idea, workplace romances will never go away. I'd have been shocked if Burgess / Roman DIDN'T happen.

[NJRadioGuy]

In public safety jobs the stakes are much higher. If you and your office dating colleague have a falling out your department might be in chaos but lives probably aren't in jeopardy. If dating firefighters or cops are working together (same company or same division/etc), and one gets hurt at an incident, who will the other be more concerned about? Will you put your assignment at risk of death or injury to go help your spouse/partner? That's the thinking, and I subscribe to it. Or if the relationship falls apart, the whole house/etc could get toxic until one is transferred. That's a set of distractions nobody needs. X cheated on Y. Will Y's colleagues from the same house maybe react differently on a job? Or be a step behind?

[Gothish520]

On 9/6/2018 at 5:28 PM, NJRadioGuy said:

In public safety jobs the stakes are much higher. If you and your office dating colleague have a falling out your department might be in chaos but lives probably aren't in jeopardy. If dating firefighters or cops are working together (same company or same division/etc), and one gets hurt at an incident, who will the other be more concerned about? Will you put your assignment at risk of death or injury to go help your spouse/partner? That's the thinking, and I subscribe to it. Or if the relationship falls apart, the whole house/etc could get toxic until one is transferred. That's a set of distractions nobody needs. X cheated on Y. Will Y's colleagues from the same house maybe react differently on a job? Or be a step behind?

Oh it's a mine field, for sure. I just don't think there's any way to really stop it, humans being human and all. 

[NJRadioGuy]

You stop it by transferring one of the partners to a different point of duty (firehouse, police station, etc). If the parties involved understand why and are good with it, then that's ideal. If one or both of them raise a stink then you know you have unprofessional people in critical positions of safety and that needs to be addressed swiftly. If TV show writers can't get that right, the show will be flawed from the beginning.

You can do a firehouse or One Chicago ensemble-type universe without violating this rule. Pair up a FF with cop or someone in HQ, or another house/company. All legit and you still have decent drama. FFs will always be interacting with PD, EMS and hospital staff, so why not just have the relationships that way. Heck, when I was a teenager I was always hoping Johnny would get it on with Dixie McCall (and then Bracket would blow an aneurysm as a result).

Any chief or squad leader that would let two FFs or patrol or detective squad officers work together and who are boinking off (and occasionally on) the clock is probably not the best leader.

Edited September 10, 2018 by NJRadioGuy