‘Chicago Fire’ 11×09 Review: “Nemesis”

Chicago Fire 11×09 “Nemesis” is a pretty chill episode that ends in a cliffhanger for basically no reason other than …this is Chicago Fire, and they love doing this to us every time there’s a hiatus. They also love to throw surprises at us during midseason finales, and we’re going to say, as far as surprises go …Emma isn’t exactly our favorite. In fact, she probably ranks near the bottom of our list, if we’re going to be truly honest.

Like, we realize the show actually killed off Hawkins (probably never getting over that, no) and that means he couldn’t have been the shocking return, but Emma? We would have taken a lot of less shocking and actually positive returns over an Emma that doesn’t even cause trouble in her return, which means she’ll still be around lurking, ready to strike when we least expect it. And also, how did she even get that job? Do they have absolutely no standards? Does she have an in we don’t know about? Because that seems like a thing not even straight-up white privilege can explain.

Whatever the case is, the episode does good at what has been working, expands on something that they hadn’t really done in a while – give the secondary characters we love some story time – and that means that even if the return was less than satisfying, at least we got something to hang onto. We’ll always have Stellaride seems to be the mood around here these days, and yes, that is one of the biggest reasons why we’re still here.

The heartwarming

Herrmann always gets the same kind of stories, where he’s somehow the butt of the joke, but we love him nonetheless. And the truth is, it’s easy to take him for granted. But this show absolutely doesn’t work without Christopher Herrmann and episodes like Chicago Fire 11×09 “Nemesis” underscore why. It’s easy to write stories around him, particularly for characters like Gallo, and somehow they end up bringing the best out in Herrmann – and others, even if the show has a joke or two at his expense.

Then there’s Cruz, whose Javi storyline has been one of the highlights of the past year, not just because the storyline has made Joe Cruz the dad we always knew he could be, and sent very powerful messages about families of choice, but also because …Chloe! This show could do with more Chloe and Joe, an absolutely beautiful couple that just lights up the screen when they’re together. And hey, since the show already killed off (literally and figuratively) the other two couples they had, more Chloe would at least give us another couple to root for.

Both these characters getting to share the spotlight in the midseason finale is good, because it’s what the show needs to do if it’s going to thrive despite a few missteps (no, but seriously, never getting over Hawkins). The pillars of this show right now are the guys we often take for granted (and this includes Mouch too), the Violet/Ritter/Gallo trio, and of course, Stellaride, with Boden looking over like a proud dad. The show definitely had more before, but it still has some things now. They just gotta take advantage of them.

Married Life

Sometimes married life isn’t about finding the answers together, it’s about talking through the questions, sometimes over and over. Real partnership is having someone to bounce ideas off and then do it again if/when a new idea occurs, or something happens that changes your mind. Communication is the key, and that communication cannot just be about talking once and that’s it. No, married life is about constantly checking in and constantly offering support, advice and just… unconditional love. Even — and especially — when it’s hard.

Is anyone surprised Stellaride has this down pat? in Chicago Fire 11×09 “Nemesis”? I’m not. They took the long road to get here and learned a hell of a lot of lessons along the way, including, apparently, the one about communicating with each other. Even when what you have to say might not be what your partner wants to hear. Because that’s life, too. Sometimes there’s no easy answer. And if there’s someone who can help you confront issues you’d rather avoid is your spouse. No one knows you better. No one sees you at your best and worst. And that’s just what marriage is, anyway, being able to tell each other the good stuff, and the not-so-good stuff.

And for Kelly, it all goes back to Stella. To how worried he is. To how responsible he feels for putting her in danger. Kelly Severide knows what he’s got, and he knows how lucky he is to have found it. He’s hanging on, with two hands. And yeah, there are better ways to react in some situations, but this isn’t the Kelly Severide of before. It’s not coming from a bad place or a reckless one. It’s coming from a place of love. And that matters.

Things I think I think:

• I don’t love Kelly being so worried he can’t sleep, but I do love the glow-up of Kelly Severide in general.
• More Chloe! I’ve been begging for this. 
• THE WAY VIOLET AND RITTER JUDGE GALLO TOGETHER.
• Friendship.
• “Don’t be an idiot, Gallo.” – Us and Violet.
• Okay, Carver, that was kinda …badass.
• “You would all be having this meeting without me!!”
• I mean, when Kelly is right, he’s right.
• Stella is the glue that keeps the Firehouse together sometimes. She out there giving her husband advice, worrying over Carver, and having team meetings …all in a day’s work.
• “Rumor has it,” she funny too!
• This show truly has no idea what to do with Sylvie if she isn’t in a romantic relationship, and that’s sad.
• And they’re really not doing a good job of convincing us she’s over Casey, either. She’s lost her spark.
• Bringing Emma back makes me almost care about Carver, so I guess in that regard, it works.
• No, but seriously, do explain to us how in the world Emma got that job. I cannot suspend disbelief this much.
• The adoption scene with all of Firehouse 51 there? I’M WEEPING.
• I might be warming up the whole Stella and Carver dynamics, okay?
• Kelly Severide loves his wife, the end.

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Chicago Fire 11×09 “Nemesis”? Share with us in the comments below!

Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.