There’s a lot we love about One Chicago shows beyond ships but, let’s face it, we can’t live without ships! And couples are important to the emotional development of the characters in Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Chicago Med, so we’re going to analyze the progress of our beloved ships each week in a roundtable.
All our feels about these ships will be summarized here and we’re only going to dedicate ourselves to them for, you know, reasons … but you can check our full reviews if you want much more. And now, let’s take a look at the love lives of our favorite firefighters, cops and doctors!
Chicago Fire did its best and brought back Stellaride and Stella the way they always should have been. Are you alive after that proposal 2.0? No, forget that. Are you alive after Stellaride in this episode? Break down your feelings for these two! Gallo? Who is Gallo? Hawkami arrives…to stay? What do you think?
Raquel: Alive? What’s that? I’ve been a ghost since this episode was aired. Finally, Chicago Fire returned to the show that hooked me in season 9, finally it returned to what it was last year, the best of One Chicago, finally, the series found itself again.
That proposal is…it’s wonderfully perfect. The first proposal was incredible and was full of what Stellaride is, pure fire and pure love and pure heart but this proposal is made after having gone through a hell of a lot of doubts. It was drama for the sake of drama but Fire wanted to make us believe that Stellaride was in danger and, in the end, they choose each other again.
Because everything is about this. It is not about choosing that person when everything goes well, it’s about choosing her/him every day, during the rest of your life, especially when things go wrong.
And Stellaride chooses each other now and always.
PS: “I’m the luckiest man in the world.” Severide, I love you! I melted with that phrase and the way Stella wanted to be perfect for Severide without realizing that she was already perfect, just because she is Stella Kidd.
As for Hawkami, I will be honest and say that Gallo and Violet still have me because I think they make a good couple and I like their story, so I don’t want to let Hawkami become a thing in my heart but, despite my initial reluctance, Hawkami seems to me super cute together and my heart is starting to love them. A bit. Time will tell if they have a real future but, meanwhile, I’m going to sit here and enjoy the journey.
Lizzie: Am I alive? I mean, yes, as I’m answering this, but a part of me feels like it has transcended, because I got everything I wanted this episode, and more. I’m not going to say this hour makes everything else worth it, but this hour does at least give everything else context. I’m still not super happy with the decisions made around Miranda’s absence, but I am super happy that the show still remembers the Stella Kidd we fell in love with, and the Stellaride we love and want to invest in.
Because this was it. Soft, supportive, Stellaride. Kelly looking in awe of Stella, as we all look. Stella being there and present in their relationship. Him feeling like he matters. It was all really, really well done, and the fact that it was punctuated by a reaffirmation of their commitment, and a ring ….well, icing on the cake, truly. Now give me the wedding.
As for Hawkami …I’m on record as liking Chief Hawkins for a while, and I was indeed curious about where this was going. But as I was still treating this as the ship the show was setting up to make Gallo jealous, I was …let me just say, FLOORED, by all the feelings I got from that kiss. Like, I love you Gallo, but you’ve never, ever done right by Violet. Stay friends and let us enjoy the Hawkami.
While we’re at it, can we keep Jimmy Nicholas forever? His presence pretty much proves why Chicago Fire has been such a successful long-running show: they know how to bring in characters we quickly invest in. And Chief Hawkins is one of them. I’m not saying he’s going to step into Matt’s shoes, but he IS looking like he can give us another reason to care for this show, and ten seasons in, that’s nothing but a great thing.
Lyra: The proposal was so soft and sweet. Seriously, you know that meme from Leslie Knope where she asks for something to be projected over her grave. It would absolutely be this. And this is coming from someone who a couple episodes ago was absolutely ughhhh that we weren’t getting more of Stella.
As for Hawkami….boy ya didn’t wait. All that hesitation and boom. And the kiss. Let me tell you that it’s on Youtube and has a mature content warning. Like come on Youtube. It was a nice kiss but not that nice. Just saying…
Chicago PD was…well, Chicago PD, so we didn’t get any crumbs from our ships. Do you think this is the right decision for the show? What would you change? What do you expect and want to see happen next with Upstead, Burzek, and Kevin & Celeste?
Raquel: The fact that Chicago PD has a problem with balance is no secret at this point. And no, it is not the right way for the show. This doesn’t mean that the ships must be an important part of each episode, it only means that they have to have continuity.
The continuity of this show is frustrating. That is, an episode is all Upstead, then we forget that they exist, another episode is all Burzek to do the same in the next, in the previous episode they remembered that Kevin and Celeste existed so that now we don’t know anything about them. When I think about it, I want to hit something.
But the worst of all this is that the series seems to be built on that separation. That is, Upstead only exchanges significant scenes between them, the same as it happens with Burzek or Kevin and Celeste. They don’t have team dynamics and in 9 years they haven’t found one.
We want to see a friendship between women, we want Kevin and Adam to finish the conversation that is pending from the previous season and Jay tell his teammates (and supposed his friends) that he and Hailey are married. We need that but, more importantly, the show and the characters need that.
As for the future of couples, I want continuity between them. In Upstead there are many things without saying and they have a honeymoon to celebrate. Burzek has to fight for their daughter and their family with everything they have and Kevin and Celeste need to be honest urgently.
Lizzie: It is what it is, and we already know it. My issue isn’t even with them not giving us ship crumbs, I love my ships but they don’t always need to be centered on a show like this one. But what I do need is consistency, and for the show to do better at giving the character beats resonance outside of character-centric or shiip-centric episodes. That’s what’s going to elevate Chicago P.D. I’ve seen some good signs, but we’re still not there.
We need to feel like these people are actually friends, family. Otherwise what’s the point? We’ll get a good episode with Upstead, which I’m sure is coming, hopefully with a little celebration and Will getting to learn about the marriage, we’ll get Adam and Kim fighting for Makayla together, and hopefully discussing where they stand, and Kevin and Celeste will find their way back to each other, probably because of some tragedy …and it will all be good. For each individual character in that specific moment. Nothing more, nothing less.
Lyra: Honestly, I’m not bothered so much by not having ship moments in one episode. Read that again. One episode. Once we start multiple episodes in a row, that’s a problem. That’s not saying I can’t live without shippy stuff. I can. Just saying that relationships are part of life and we watch shows like this to experience those connections in all its forms.
At Chicago Med, things between Stevie and Will are slowly but surely looking forward. Do you like the slow-burn or do you prefer something faster at the moment? What do you think about Marcel, Blake, and her daughter? Is it a mess or is it fixable?
Raquel: Slow-burn is perfect here. In general, I have always liked the slow-burn ships more because when they do that usually means that the show intends that ship to be long-term and, in addition, there is a special magic in a slow-burn ship that you don’t find in other places.
In Chicago Med, I’m convinced that Stevie and Will are the ones for the other and that they will come to complement each other. But we are not there now. Before running, you have to walk first. And at this moment we are walking with these two because before growing together, they must first grow separately. The show is doing a fantastic job with them.
Marcel, Blake, and her daughter? That’s a complete mess! To tell the truth, it makes me cringe … Marcel should tell the truth and this story needs to be over, the series is very good at this moment and doesn’t need this.
Lizzie: I adore the slow burn, I’m here for the slow burn, don’t take away the slow burn. It’s been a while since this show has given me a ship to truly invest in, and this is the way to get me excited. Make me desperate for Stevie and Will together before we actually get it. And I’m of course not saying wait 3 years, but we don’t need them to jump into anything half a season in. I can wait for them to do it right.
As for the Marcel love triangle mess, I just …no. You need to talk to both of them, Crockett. Or this is going to blow up in your face, badly. Probably soon, too. And as it stands it’s so messy I just cannot root for anything other than it to end soon.
Lyra: *slaps hands down on table* Give us a well-structured slow burn that knocks our socks off! While you’re at it, throw that love triangle right out the window to be never seen again.
One Chicago airs Wednesdays on NBC.