‘Chicago Fire’ Season 10 Premiere Recap: “Mayday”

Chicago Fire has finally returned!

Season ten begins where nine left off- Squad is trapped inside a sinking boat in the middle of Lake Michigan with no air and no way out. As the boat sank to the bottom of the lake with our boys inside of it, it gave the heart-pounding television that Chicago Fire is known for. Thank God, they didn’t drag it out. I don’t know if my heart could have taken it. Just the audacity of the thought of them taking away Joe Cruz (played by Joe Minoso) was enough to make me scream. Thankfully it all worked out, but I have thoughts about the first ten minutes, especially:

Let me start here: Severide and Casey must share one brain cell between them, and it shows. Severide blows up the boat to make an escape route while Casey thinks he is going to attempt a rescue with a life preserver and a tank of air with no mask. Neither of these sounds like good ideas. Both are decisions made in desperation, Severide’s especially, but I have questions, especially for you Matt Casey. Dumb, stupid men who only want to save the people they love is the brand of Matt Casey and Kelly Severide. I would not have them any other way.

Now that I have that off my chest, let’s move on to the rest of the episode.

Big changes look to be coming to Firehouse 51

Boden got a promotion, and it looks like he will have to move firehouses because of it. Everyone in 51 seemed happy for him except Stella, who was the only one to point out that his new position comes with a move. When he confronted her later at Molly’s about her feelings, she let it all come out. She didn’t want him to leave but she didn’t want him to turn down the promotion. Family is family and 51 wouldn’t be the same without Boden. While I agree with her, no one can stay forever. Boden deserves to shine and be the mentor he has been at 51 to the department.

The same can be said for Stella, who admitted that she would be leaving as soon as there was a Lieutenant’s position for her, regardless of house. As Boden said, they must have faith that the foundation of what they have built can last.

I have no doubt that it will.

The people at 51 are a family.

The New Guys

Gallo, Violet, and Ritter are the trio I need in my life. Gallo and Violet cannot seem to get along for more than 24 hours and poor Ritter ends up being the referee. I have two things to say about this:

Ritter, you need new friends

Gallo and Violet, you need to smash it out again.

I am not sorry, I said what I said.

This new side hustle with a microbrewery is going to be hilarious because you know it will be fraught with tension from the main three and I am pretty sure they are going to butt heads with Herrmann at some point as well. Family will persevere and all will be well.

I am begging you, Gallo and Violet. Begging you, please smash again soon. I don’t know if I can take years of this. 

Which brings me to:

Stellaride:

Stella Kidd (played by Miranda Rae Mayo) had to watch from the sidelines while her future was in jeopardy and Miranda played those moments with such panic and desperation. You could feel her just crawling out of her own skin wanting to do something that could help Squad (and Severide) and the look of betrayal on her face when Casey ordered her to stay and the softening in her eyes when he told her that he would bring Severide back was brilliant. The relief once Severide was topside and the way she wouldn’t let him go in the hospital and once they got home was so relatable and human.  

“Imagine how lame our wedding would have been if you died.”

Then she proceeded to seduce him.

Stella, please do not ever change.

The only thing that I can see standing in the way of a Stellaride happily ever after is Kelly Severide himself. You saw the look on his face after he called his mother. He has his own doubts and fears when it comes to marriage and his mother did not help matters. Not to mention that Stella will eventually leave 51 for a promotion.

I predict some rough waters coming this season. Hopefully with a happy ending.

Joe and Chloe:

Joe and Chloe nearly brought me to tears at the hospital when he caressed her baby bump and apologized for “ruining” the baby shower.

The fact Chloe knows her man well enough to ask everyone else if he is going to be okay rather than take his word for it, which is such a real thing for a wife to do.

The real things they have Chloe and Joe go through as a newly married couple who are expecting their first child together is something I really love. How his mother-in-law wants to “help” but always ends up making things more stressful for them is relatable to a lot of people.

Their love is so real and so pure and I am begging this show not to screw this up. Let my babies be happy!

Brettsey:

Matt Casey and Sylvie Brett are finally together after three long years of “will they, or won’t they?” and I couldn’t be happier. I wasn’t quite sure why they were keeping everything on the down low, though. Maybe they just wanted to keep it private for a little bit, or maybe they just didn’t want to hear the ribbing from their fellow co-workers. Either way, it cracked me up when Mouch and Herrmann basically called them soft, dumb idiots:

“Do they not realize that we all know they are together?”

“How could we not?”

“We knew a year before they did.”

That’s what they get for sneaking out of Molly’s for sexy times at Brett’s apartment.

I did like that Brett confessed that seeing Matt going into dangerous situations is different for her now that they are together. This, too, is relatable and real. Also, the way Matt put his arm around Sylvie after they were outed by Capp and Tony melted by heart.

This episode gives me the feeling that they have a strong foundation for whatever is going to come their way this season.

In summary, these people live dangerous lives and they try not to think about what could happen if something goes wrong. To be reminded of it is something that brings the best couples together and these three are the best.

The Gripes:

Are you telling me that you couldn’t have moved the ladder to get that kid off the roof? Casey really had to swing like Spiderman. I know that this moment will lead into other things this season, but really? At least give me a reason as to why you couldn’t do it.

How is it that no one questions where Casey is for two weeks? Not one joke from Severide? Nothing from Stella to Brett? We see him leaving with Brett all the time and there wasn’t one joke about it until Molly’s? Now that they are outed, please give it to me. I need it. Badly.

While this episode ended on a highly optimistic note, I highly doubt the rest of the season will be. There are issues that need to be addressed and goodbyes that will have to be made, at least for the time being.

All and all, it was a good episode.

What did you think of the season premiere of Chicago Fire?