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 gave us a Stella-focused episode and that’s why we love this show, but there was also time for some Stellaride and Hawkami. How do you feel about Hawkami? Do you want it to become a long-term relationship or do you hope that at some point it ends and Gallo becomes a possibility again? What do you have to say about Severide, Stella, and jealousy?
Raquel: Hawkami…they’re winning my heart! I find them super cute, I like their scenes together and the way the relationship is taking place in Chicago Fire, as natural as breathing, so easy that it scares even the characters but so perfect that they can’t stay away for a long time because there is something that it only makes them end up in each other’s arms.
So I’m not against Hawkami being a long-term relationship. Right now, Gallo isn’t there and I’m not expecting him and the meanest part of me is glad that he’s checking out what he missed by rejecting Violet. For Gallo to be back in the picture — and to once again turn to him as Violet’s romantic interest after that slut-shaming— he has to do something HUGE.
Stellaride!! I like that Stella is jealous — she’s human, who wouldn’t be jealous in a situation like that? — but trust Severide enough not to do anything about it. Trust is the foundation of a solid and lasting couple and, although jealousy cannot be avoided, we can decide what we do with it.
For his part, I like that Severide makes it clear to the Seager that the only one who occupies his thoughts and his heart is his fiancée Stella Kidd. Realize, sweetheart, this guy is already caught! However, I still feel uncomfortable that Seager makes it so clear that she is interested in Severide and he doesn’t stop flirting. I know Severide probably didn’t notice this blatant flirtation because, you know, he’s a guy, and that’s why he doesn’t stop it, but still.
Lizzie: Gallo who? Oh yeah, Gallo the one slut-shaming Violet for not moping about him in a corner. He can go to hell and stay there. I could have forgiven many things, but that? Nah, there’s no going back for me. I don’t even think I want Violet to be his friend at this point. Nope, in this house we are now rooting for Evan Hawkins, and not just because he looks great without a shirt, but because he’s actually supportive, and kind and looks at Violet like she hung the moon, which she absolutely deserves. And though the fact that he’s literally her boss might get complicated, I don’t even care. Bring me the angst, make Jimmy Nicholas a series regular, and let’s make some good trouble.
As for the Stella/Stellaride of it all, I’m on the record as always being happy with Stella focus. Stella is the queen of this show for me. And I’m glad the episode allowed her a chance to verbalize her feelings about Seager, who is hot and smart and is constantly making eyes at the man Stella is going to marry. That would bug anyone. But – BUT, I don’t think she has anything to worry about. Severide clearly only had eyes for Stella as soon as she got there in that final scene. Seager who? For Severide she’s just a colleague and Stella is the woman he loves. Simple. And though, perhaps, a part of me would have liked to see Kelly make that clear to Seager in words, I think Seager got the message. And I hope that if we see her again, she now has other storylines that don’t involve making eyes at Kelly Severide. The character deserves more than that.
Lyra: Ohhhhh do I hate jealousy storylines. With a passion. *sigh* But I have to admit that it’s normal and everyone goes through it, even someone like Stella. It means she’s human like everyone else and that’s good story-wise. But I’d like to see Seager just float away and not cause this kind of kerfuffle. Yes, I used that word.
As for Gallo? I don’t know her and want to know nothing about her. In this house, we don’t slut shame. And if he comes back then too bad. Hawkami is sailing and that’s all that matters at this moment and every single one that comes after. Sorry, not sorry.
Chicago PD didn’t exactly focus on ships, so if we can’t talk about Upstead or Burzek, let’s talk about Hailey. Do you think what happened in the episode will add to the trauma Hailey has been carrying since the beginning of the season? Will that bring us more Upstead comfort scenes?
Raquel: The first thing I want to say is: HAILEY UPTON IS MY QUEEN!!!!
Now, the questions. I would like to answer “yes, the show is going to show us how what happened affects Hailey and relates to the trauma that she goes through” but we have to be realistic. This is Chicago PD and surely in the next episode, the series will have already forgotten everything so no, I don’t think it will have a longer run but I do think we will see many more Upstead comfort scenes because Hailey is still not quite right and that thing is not resolved. That guarantees us Upstead scenes for sure. Can’t wait!
Lizzie: This episode was basically about establishing that Hailey is a good person, that despite the show flirting with her “dark side,” she is definitely not Voight (which means, of course, she will carry it with her, because that’s just human). It did that effectively, and it allowed Tracy Spiridakos a chance to show how great of an actress she is — which we already knew. And though this episode didn’t have as much Upstead as an episode with Hailey in danger and Jay worried could have (there were some solid moments, though, from the hug, to the staring, to the “you got this?”), it was still a great episode for Hailey, and I love Hailey, so I’m more than happy about that.
Also, I don’t want EITHER of them in pain in a way that will bring us comfort scenes. But I wouldn’t mind them talking about their traumas, a little. And some domestic scenes? What do I have to do for one scene of the newlyweds cooking dinner together or something? Maybe with the brother-in-law that is never at Med when the family needs him to be?
Shana: Hailey is good. Upstead gave me the shipper tingles after about two seconds of being introduced to them when I randomly decided to watch an episode without context. Give her, and by extension them, all the good things…and ship Voight with prison. Call it Voison, rhymes with poison.
Chicago Med hit us hard with Hamstead. Did you expect Stevie’s decision and Will’s reaction? Do you think it makes sense? Where do you think they’re going with this? Do you still see a future for them? What do you have to say about the rest of the mess that was the other “couples?”
Raquel: The last episode of Chicago Med was a mess — but Marcel deserves that — so nothing that happened makes much sense. That’s a fact. So no, I wasn’t expecting that decision from Stevie at all and after days I still don’t get it but it’s clear that they’ve shoehorned in this plot to slow down the Stevie and Will thing, and that, in the long run, is pretty good for the ship. They still have a future together, only it will take longer to arrive.
On the other hand, Will taking responsibility for his mistakes and making the right decisions! Woohoo!!!!
Lizzie: I’m gonna be honest here — it’s just too soon for Will and Stevie, as a couple. I like them together, and I like them separately, which is a big plus. I like Will Halstead again, which …if you know me, you know that was a long road. But half a season isn’t nearly enough time to build up Stevie and Will to where they need to be to be the couple we want them to be. So, in that regard, I’m okay? My only issue with this storyline is that it makes very little sense. Stevie had given no indication she wanted this, and there was that moment after she and Will talked that made me feel it might have been a little bit her running from possible feelings? Either way, we’re gonna have to see the husband now and get her to examine all those feelings — and possible feelings. That’s the only way out of this that makes sense and actually builds up the relationship we are actually invested in.
As for Marcel, IT’S WHAT HE DESERVES. It is. He was playing with fire and we’re way past he didn’t know. He knew. He should have said something. And he made the decision not to. So, whatever, I don’t feel bad for him. I do feel bad for Avery and Pamela, though. They deserve better than the way he behaved.
Shana: I’m usually the last person to want to drag a ship’s pre-canon era out, but we’ve already seen the constant state of disaster that is “Will Halstead doesn’t have to wait.” So, even though a lot of…whatever Stevie’s thinking…feels like it came out of nowhere, I’m not exactly mad about it. So, more character and foundation development. Sure. Makes sense. The specific way it’s being done, though? That’s going to depend on how it all plays out (probably in a messy way if the past at all informs the present).
And then, there’s the random mother/daughter/doctor/doctor love quad of doom. I’m just saying, they better not have brought The Sarah Rafferty onto Chicago Med for nothing other than wtfever this mess is. Crockett Marcel is pretty—but nowhere near pretty enough for hooking up with both Dr. Blake and her daughter to be anything other than trash behavior. He deserves whatever he gets. (I know a pretty man who can play Pamela’s lawyer if, you know, she murders the bad doctor…) And no, I’m not into this whole Archer being interested in her thing either. It forced her to lie about already being in whatever clownery she was already in, which gave me shades of the Benton/Corday/Romano mess on ER. And then, there’s just…Archer? Really?! That’s a no from me. Bright idea: Give Rafferty a storyline that lets her show how good she is in a way that’s completely independent of all these unworthy men, or find her someone…not worthy but at least worthwhile.
One Chicago airs Wednesdays on NBC.
