S05.E06: That Day

[MaryHedwig]

Dawson faces repercussions after she hits a pedestrian with the ambulance en route to a call; Casey and Severide continue to investigate an arson case; Chief Boden must decide whether to attend an important event in New York.

[MaryHedwig]

I thought Boden's visit to the Twin Towers memorial at the end read like a public service announcement. I even wondered why they had not aired it in September. It could have stood alone as a reel used to inspire new NYPD candidates. Also, I wondered why Casey and Severide had tagged alone with him, and were given no lines. In terms of the story, it would have made more sense for step-son James to have come along and gain new respect for his step-father Boden and the firefighting career in general.

Edited November 24, 2016 by MaryHedwig

[Kel Varnsen]

As soon as Gaby hit the guy I knew he was a scam artist. No way would they make her at fault, even though she was looking at Brett at the time of the accident.

[Artsda]

How does Gabi speaks to her superiors like that and keep a job? She needs to be fired already. 

[Dowel Jones]

Must have been a thriller of an episode to attract this much attention.  I too was somewhat disappointed in the Gabby Sue storyline.  "Somewhat", because we all know she can't be touched, but at least they hinted that there is some sort of investigative procedure in CFD.  She should have been investigated by the CPD first instead of CFD management, but the way she snatched the pee cup out of the chief's hand just set me off.  "Who are you, a chief, to judge me, Gabby Dawson, on what I did in the ambulance" kind of reaction.  That, and contacting the plaintiff after specific instructions not to, would blow her defense right out of the water in real life. 

Note to Severide and Casey:  Courts have held that searching private property after the initial attack on a structure fire requires a search warrant.  I could see a defense attorney skewering them both on the stand, getting all evidence, including the confession, thrown out, and them having to answer to city officials as to why they were conducting a private investigation in the first place.

Hermann, if you want to ride backwards in the truck, that was definitely the way to do it.  He has the perfect timber in his voice to create the absolute indignation he wanted to portray.  Casey should take a hit for that also.  Although Hermann was acting as chief officer, Casey was in fact in charge and gave the go-ahead for the out-of-policy move. 

I thought the same thing about the FDNY storyline.  It was probably filmed around 9/11, but aired two months later.  It didn't really do much for the onscreen relationship between Boden and his son, but I expect we'll see more of James in the future.

[Crs97]

 I didn't understand why Gabby was so upset about the urine sample, beyond her typical "how dare anybody question me" attitude. You would think she would want to take as many tests as possible to prove that she wasn't drunk or high on drugs. I would have demanded they take blood as well.  I was also bothered that the story was just how unfair it was that anyone was questioning her with no one saying or asking much about the now critical, comatose person she hit. I was hoping she would tell Casey or Brett at least that she didn't have her eyes on the road.  I guess that would take too much self-reflection on her part.

 I thought the 911 Memorial scene was odd. I had assumed perhaps one of the people he served with was dying or had died from the strange cancers that the 911 first responders have been getting. I thought that would explain his fear and unwillingness to attend. Instead, they just showed up for some strange reunion. I didn't understand it and was therefore unmoved by his ending speech that I'm sure was supposed to cause me to be in tears.

[LittleIggy]

I just love getting to see Eamonn Walker featured.

I had to laugh at Kevin from The Office playing a lawyer. The guy who was hit was trying to kill himself and ended up comatose, so who called the lawyer? It was implied that the lawyer called the son .

[Crs97]

Some lawyers really are ambulance-chasers who hear about an accident and take it upon themselves to reach out to the victim and/or the victim's family.

[juliet73]

21 hours ago, Crs97 said:

 

 I thought the 911 Memorial scene was odd. I had assumed perhaps one of the people he served with was dying or had died from the strange cancers that the 911 first responders have been getting. I thought that would explain his fear and unwillingness to attend. Instead, they just showed up for some strange reunion. I didn't understand it and was therefore unmoved by his ending speech that I'm sure was supposed to cause me to be in tears.

I thought the same thing!  I thought maybe Boden was supposed to go there to get tested for the strange cancers.   (Wasn't there something wrong with him a couple of seasons ago?) Then he brings a silent Severide and Casey for his little reunion.  Then he explains that the answers are all right there at the memorial?! Answers to what?  I just didn't get it. At all.  If the show wanted to do a 9/11 storyline, they should have devoted an entire episode to it, not just mentioning NY twice in the beginning and the last five minutes of the camera panning over the memorial. 

Obviously the stepson James isn't interested in becoming a firefighter.  Cut him loose.  I hope we didn't lose Jimmy Borelli so this kid could take his place. 

No Stella storyline.  Yay! 

Glad Severide and  Casey are friends again. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

 I was also bothered that the story was just how unfair it was that anyone was questioning her with no one saying or asking much about the now critical, comatose person she hit.

I know right? In the first place, she was at fault. She was driving and she wasn't watching the road, she was looking at Sylvie when that guy ran in front of her. That literally makes it her fault, right there. I don't care if the guy deliberately ran in front of the ambulance trying to kill himself, she still wasn't looking where she was going. Maybe she still wouldn't have been able to avoid him even he she'd kept her eyes pealed on the road, but we'll never know will we? It's odd they decided to shoot it like that because it made her look really bad.

And I guess the whole thing was about her getting mad because she didn't feel like everyone was supporting her like they should have been? I don't know. She just did not come off well at all and if the audience was supposed to feel bad for her they really misread the room. 

Edited November 28, 2016 by iMonrey

[Kel Varnsen]

The whole theme of this episode seemed like people who have been doing their jobs for a long time  ot understanding the requirements of their jobs. Gaby for not understanding that if an ambulance driver gets into an accident then yes she there is going to be an investigation and a blood alcohol test. Herman (who has been a firefighter for how long) not understanding that   lieutenants are required to do paperwork and that they have to take responsibility for their risky decisions. How did neither of them not know these things?

[Ailianna]

On 11/26/2016 at 11:15 AM, iMonrey said:

I know right? In the first place, she was at fault. She was driving and she wasn't watching the road, she was looking at Shay when that guy ran in front of her.

I wish she were looking at Shay!

[iMonrey]

Bwah! Fixed it.

[Sake614]

Glad others were as confused as I was by the NY visit and whole storyline (or lack thereof). I thought maybe he was up for a promotion or something in NY but was avoiding it because he really wanted to stay in Chicago. Or maybe because he just reconnected with James. There was absolutely no mention of Sept 11 until he pulled out that photo. And then I thought, 'oh someone died or is dying and it's important for him to go to NY to see his friend or attend the funeral.' Then he shows up at the Trade Center and...nothing! There was no emotional resonance, no meaning behind it. Very strange.

gabby, you absolutely were at fault. You were not lookihg at the road but at your partner, while bitching about how people don't get out of the way of emergency vehicles. A just complaint to be sure, but you still took your eyes off the road. So sit down and shut up with your righteous indignation that anyone would DARE question you! And why didn't even Brett say something? She joined the rest of the crew in falling all over themselves to say she wasn't to blame. I just can't anymore with her special snowflake status.

[Calamity Jane]

The 9/11 segment just absolutely did not fit with the rest of the episode at all.  Very puzzling why it was tacked on to this one.  No groundwork laid, ultimate significance rather mystifying.  The background looked like September, not November, but that's often the case with shows that purport to be taking place in colder climates than California.  Altogether baffling.  

As for Gabby, wow, how that woman keeps her job is equally difficult to figure out.  Negligent, over-emotional, defiant, insubordinate - seems hard to believe she stays employed.  She was nothing but wrong in this episode, wrong, wrong, wrong.