We don’t watch One Chicago just for the ships, but there are many ships to watch in these shows. So, in the interest of keeping up with one of the most important parts of Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and Chicago Med, we’re going to be examining the progress of the featured ships every week, in a roundtable.
This is in now way meant to be exhaustive, and we’ll only be talking ships here – check out our full reviews if you want more. If you, however, want to see us talk about the love lives of our favorite doctors, firefighters, paramedics and cops …well, this is the place for you.
CHICAGO FIRE
Stellaride is flying high once again, and we got some good ship moments this episode. We also got some great Stella and Sylvie moments, with Stella pushing Sylvie to try out things with Grainger. What did you think about those happy moments? What was your favorite one? Do you feel Stella also knows this is not going to work out? Could it be any clearer that this is setup for Brett realizing what she wants is Casey and Casey realizing he should fight for Brett?
Lizzie: Ah, Stellaride being back makes watching this show about 50% more enjoyable. They were my port in a storm, and without them it was getting a little too dramatic in here. But we’re back, we’re safe, Severide is clearly planning on something big (at this point we’ll all be more shocked if a proposal doesn’t happen at some point this season) and they (and us) can then turn their sights to the love lives of their best friends. And boy, do the best friends need help.
Though, clearly, this is setup. Grainger, as much as he’s more palatable to me than Sydney, isn’t going to last much longer than her. They are both plot points, sorry to say. Pretty plot points, at that, but just that. Plot points. There’s a message for Sylvie here, and this is how she apparently needs to learn it. And though I think the lesson Casey needed to learn was even more important, in the grand scheme of things, the truth of the matter is that Sylvie was also too scared to go for it, too scared to let him try to find his words, too scared to trust that her relationship with Casey could be what she wanted it to be.
She’s trying to move on, and I get it. Grainger looks like quite the rebound, and Stella is right to encourage her (and aside, I absolutely love the way this show has carried their friendship and continues to focus on it), because Brett has absolutely nothing to lose. Either she finds something new or she realizes there’s no moving on. I have a feeling Stella doesn’t much care, as long as her friend’s happy, but I also don’t think Stella knows the depth of what Brett feels for Casey, because Brett herself hasn’t allowed it to be known. She can barely admit it to herself.
So yes, don’t get too attached to Grainger’s pretty face, and let’s ride out the angst …because I don’t feel like it’ll be long now. Brettsey is coming.
Raquel: My newly discovered Stellaride heart is full! We finally see them as a stable, happy and secure couple. I also like when the characters learn from their mistakes and it is clear that Severide learned from his mistake, the advice he gives Cruz is proof of that. And female friendship is always something I love. Many times shows fail at this but Chicago Fire is totally into it and those moments give me life. My favorite moment? It’s always hard for me to choose in these cases! It is cruel! But I guess if I must choose, the moment Stella tells Brett to stop feeling sorry for herself. It is a moment of great power and meaning.
Of course, I think Stella knows that the fledgling relationship between Brett and Grainger is not going to work and has no future. She knows her friend and knows that her heart belongs to Cassey, but precisely because she knows her it’s why she encourages her: Stella knows that Brett needs to come to the same conclusion as her for herself, that she needs to be the one who realizes that her heart is already taken and it will be forever.
Regarding the last question, well said! I think that’s just what this is. Just the backstory that both characters need to realize that they can’t live without each other and move their asses to fight to be together.
Logan: The Stellaride at the beginning was gorgeous! And is that “getaway” Severide’s planning a disguise for a proposal? I’m suspicious.
I always love it when we get Stella and Sylvie moments! The show writes this female friendship so incredibly well! As for my favorite one, that had to be “Sylvie Brett, I just pep talked the hell out of you.” That was signature Stella Kidd.
I think Stella sees it as a win-win. Either Sylvie truly connects with Grainger and finds the love of her life or Casey seems them together and it gets his rear in gear so he doesn’t lose her completely. Whichever way it goes, her best friend finds something that makes her happy. We can all agree Sylvie Brett deserves that.
It could not be any clearer that this is the show setting up Brett and Casey choosing each other, and I cannot wait for Casey to find out about Brett and Grainger. I’m dying to watch it all go down. I feel like it will be very satisfying after Sylvie had to almost literally run into his date last episode.
And if that’s not what happens, then these writers are cruel. Simple as that.
CHICAGO PD
We keep saying it, but balance – Chicago PD hasn’t heard of you. Why is this show failing at something as simple as balancing two romantic storylines? How do you think they fix it? And what did you think about the Burzek content we got this episode? There was a lot of good, and a lot of harsh words said. Where do they go from here?
Lizzie: Balance has never been something they’ve wanted to do, but it is something I wish they did – even if just in the background, for some episodes, not the character focused ones, cause I get it, but …maybe some of the time? A little? Because the end result of the way they do it is that …the team doesn’t feel like a family as much as the other One Chicago shows do, there’s more of a separation. And ships aside, I would love it if they could do better in that regard.
As far as Kim and Adam are concerned, I sorta expected Adam, who’d been so steady so far this season, to have some sort of crisis of faith/regression moment, so here we go. I think where they’re taking it is to a place where he and Kim can finally figure out that the way forward is not shutting each other out, but this show hasn’t always known how to balance, as we’ve talked before, so I’m kinda scared they’re going to decide we don’t get happy Upstead and Burzek. That’s my biggest fear.
Raquel: Of course, the lack of balance is one of the problems of this show. I honestly don’t understand why it is so difficult for them to balance the plots when the other One Chicago shows don’t have that problem. That said, I have to say that Adam is a character that I like more than Jay (yes, I’m sorry but … you have to love me like that) so this episode interested and entertained me more than the episode dedicated to Jay, they also put something of Burzek on it, something that didn’t happen with Upstead in Jay’s episode and I loved that.
Honestly, at this point, I don’t think they are going to fix the lack of balance in the show, I wish they would but… I have no hope of it.
As for Burzek… I loved this content! I mean, at some point, I wanted to hit Adam on his ass when he told Kim that if she wasn’t into his plan, she should get away from him. But I liked that she was not afraid to tell him what she thought, that she spoke to him clearly but, at the same time, did not hesitate to support him, to be there for him even if he behaved like an idiot, because she knew he was going to need her, even if Adam didn’t know it. So she didn’t move away from his side. And I absolutely loved the moment when Kim acknowledged to Kevin that she was thinking of sharing her responsibilities about Michaela with Adam. That huge smile as she talked about it and she imagined the possibilities …
I think what is coming now for them is about being there for the other. Adam just lost one of his friends and he feels guilty about it, he’s going to need Kim to be there to support him and she needs Adam to be there to show her that he’s matured and that they are both on the same page about being together and having a family. And I’m going to love every step of the way.
Logan: I don’t think they’re failing at it. I think they’re choosing not to do it. I think they like the one focus at a time style they’ve developed over the last couple of seasons. So since I think they’re choosing it, I don’t think they’re going to change it — no matter how much I wish they would.
As far as Burzek this episode, I think Adam needs to watch his step. It sounds like Kim is trying to decide whether to include him in her foster situation but with the way he was acting last night I can see why she might have a few doubts. However, I always love a ship where one half can calm the other with a single wave of the hand. Kim’s got that power! And even though Adam did explode on her a little bit, he followed it up with softer, more heartfelt words so I think it’s possible for them to talk that out another time. It’s obvious he cares about her and she about him.
CHICAGO MED
Over at Med, there’s some movement on the Mancel front! It finally feels like Crockett is opening up a bit, and that bodes well for the relationship going forward. Does it feel to you like the show has already committed to getting these two together and now they’re just making us suffer? And then, of course, there’s Will, who apparently has to date every woman that comes within three feet of him? What’s your take on that situation?
Lizzie: I think they’re committed to Mancel, yes. I’m not sure if I’m convinced they’ve decided Mancel is going to be IT, but they’re going for it, and so far, I’m liking it. I always find myself a lot more wary of emotional investments when it comes to Chicago Med, because I have been burned before, so it’s going to take me a while to trust that I can actually fully care, but I like what I’m seeing.
As for Will, again, I’m so frustrated. And I know a lot of my frustration with Will is frustration at the writers, who have absolutely no idea what to do with him and have therefore jumped from one plot point to the other, one woman to the other. But I’d love to see Will focus on Will, on what he wants to do, on where his life is going …instead of focusing on another relationship.
Raquel: YAAASS!!!! We finally see movement between Mancel and emotional advances between them. I think the writers have decided to give this couple a try. It would have been so easy to just have them sleep together or have a relationship without complications or commitment and then have it end. But when a couple enters a more emotional terrain and begins to know each other more deeply, when their greatest fears and demons begin to come to light and they hold hands to overcome them together, that usually indicates a long-term development for them and, who knows, maybe an endgame.
I think that is just what is happening with Mancel and I’m here for this! I like them together in a way I never loved Manstead, I never felt this connection, this spark between them that I feel when I see Mancel.
As for Will, can he really just be single? Hey, Chicago Med, being single is cool and so necessary sometimes. Will should just take a break to be with himself and think about what direction he’s taking in his life and the decisions he’s been making for a while. So I think Will needs that loneliness and not go from one meaningless relationship to another… only the writers seem to disagree with me.
Logan: I loved Crockett opening up to Nat! That made my Mancel heart incredibly happy! But they do still need to talk about what they’re actually doing. I think the show is putting them together but isn’t in a hurry to clearly define it. I’m interested in how they handle it going forward.
As for Will, it seems like the show is setting up some weird love square and I’d rather they not. Honestly, Will’s trial plot is interesting enough on his own and I’m fine if they let him focus on that for a while. But I guess that’s too much to ask.
One Chicago airs Wednesdays on NBC.
