The season premiere of One Chicago happened this week, and I'm still buzzing from everything that unfolded! Here’s a recap of each show and some of my thoughts.
Chicago Med: "You Can't Always Trust What You See"
While the season premiere of Chicago Med wasn't as strong as the Fire and PD episodes, it still kept me engaged for the entire hour.
Halstead returns to Med and, under Goodwin’s orders, keeps an eye on a colleague she believes is scamming Medicare and putting patients at risk. The one thing I was happy to see get a nice sense of closure was Will and Natalie saying goodbye at the beginning of the episode. That moment started the waterworks for me.
Archer and Charles work together, putting their differences aside (at times) to help save a patient who has a twin. The catch? If the patient needs surgery, the twins want to have the exact same procedure because they want to do everything together. They’d give the twins from The Shining a run for their money.
We meet the new residents, Dr. Scott and Dr. Hammer, who treat a girl with sickle cell anemia while her mother is showing signs of arthritis. Hammer realizes that developing arthritis this early likely means they’re living in their car. Later, we see Hammer visiting her own homeless mother, helping her get what she needs.
While trying to give Vanessa space, Maggie does her best to stay away but still be professional with her daughter. At one point, a nurse needs a doctor to call the time of death on a patient. After that moment, Maggie confronts her. Meanwhile, Crockett and Halstead clash over treatment for a returning patient who was part of the Kinder trial, but they manage to reach a reasonable agreement by the end of the episode.
I appreciated the premiere, even if others may not feel it met our usual expectations. The episode had to close out one major arc (Natalie) while introducing another (Scott and Hammer), and it did that while keeping the familiar medical atmosphere we’re used to. This premiere had a quieter, more tranquil feel.
I found the Hammer and Scott storyline particularly engaging. Scott is an enjoyable yet responsible character in the way he deals with patients. At first, I questioned the idea of a police officer transitioning to a medical practitioner—didn’t we already see something like that with Jeff Clarke going from Fire to Med? But this portrayal feels distinct and fresh.
Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.
Chicago Fire: "Mayday"
If you thought I was just on the edge of my seat when Fire started its Season 10 premiere, think again. I was on my feet, pacing back and forth with nerves and yelling at the television.The episode picks up right where we left off: Squad 3 is trapped in a capsized boat. Casey rushes in with oxygen tanks to help, and just as he gets there, Severide prepares to blow a hole in the boat so they can escape. After the explosion, Cruz isn’t moving, and Severide struggles to get him to the surface with everything he’s got. Casey performs CPR, and Cruz pulls through.
Cruz will physically be okay, but when he returns to work, he clearly starts experiencing PTSD when handling his gear. The stress of postponing Chloe’s baby shower doesn’t help, but when it comes to 51, they always have each other’s backs.
Stella, who was terrified that Severide might not make it out alive, later confronts him for not telling his mother about their engagement. His response? Severide men don’t stay married very long. Ouch. Stella reassures him that their future doesn’t have to repeat his father’s mistakes.
Meanwhile, Boden learns he’ll be the new deputy district chief. Everyone is thrilled about his promotion, except Stella, who’s worried about what changes might come to 51. Boden tries to keep his office at 51, but politics makes it impossible. After a call, he realizes his firehouse can handle things without him physically there, but that doesn’t make the change any less emotional.
We also finally get more of Brett and Casey’s story. They try to keep their relationship under wraps, but everyone knows they’re a couple before they even officially announce it. The episode gave us plenty of great Brettsey moments that will keep fans happy.
During one call, Brett handles a non-emergency run that she and other medics feel is pulling them away from real emergencies, which starts her thinking about some bigger-picture issues. On another call, Casey bravely saves a child swinging from one building to another like he’s Spider-Man or Batman, an incredible rescue and a standout moment for Brett to witness.
And we can’t forget Firehouse 51’s Three’s Company trio: Ritter, Violet, and Gallo. They’re trying to come up with a side hustle to make some extra money. Gallo and Violet don’t make it easy on Ritter; watching them argue about their visions for the project is hilarious. Just when it seems like they might work things out, Gallo’s homemade beer suddenly looks like it might be their winning idea.
The "Mayday" premiere was electrifying and packed with the emotional depth we expect from a Chicago Fire season opener. Even though changes are clearly coming to Firehouse 51, it’s hard to imagine Chief Boden truly stepping away. Who will succeed him? Could it be Captain Casey? We have to wonder if he’s really ready to command the house, especially given that his past attempts at leadership haven’t always gone smoothly.
I’ve read plenty of narratives centering on characters like Stella and Severide, Chloe and Cruz, Brett and Casey, and Violet and Ritter, and I’m excited to see where their storylines go this season. I’m especially curious to see whether Cruz will continue to struggle with PTSD after the boat rescue.
Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.
Chicago PD: "Closure"
PD matched Fire’s intensity with an absolutely gripping premiere.The tension in "Closure" kept everyone on edge, waiting for any sign of Burgess’s recovery. Ruzek is torn about bringing Makayla to see Burgess while she’s still unconscious, but fans can breathe a little easier; Burgess is going to be okay.
Meanwhile, Upton and Voight are doing everything they can to hide the fact that they killed Roy while they track down his partner, who has evidence linking them to Roy’s death. Upton is clearly struggling with the guilt. Unfortunately, Roy’s partner, who is holding a hostage, ends up shot in the neck and dies at Med, taking that evidence with him.
Voight calmly suggests to Miller, who still doesn’t know Roy is dead, that she reach out to the Feds for help tracking him down. Wishing her all the best with that. At the same time, Upton asks Jay to marry her, prompting a thoughtful conversation about why she wants to take that step now. In a heartfelt moment, Jay—who can be a bit old-fashioned—happily says yes.
I genuinely enjoyed this episode from beginning to end. We know Burgess will have a hard road back to work, but she’s not the type to let this slide, just like Miller. It’s hard not to wonder if this will all come back to haunt Upton and Voight around midseason.
Ruzek’s storyline and Upton’s were both so well crafted and performed. We might actually be on the verge of a CPD wedding! Let’s just hope it doesn’t meet the same fate as Will’s.
Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.
What did you think of the season premieres of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD? Leave a comment below!
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One Chicago airs Wednesdays beginning at 8/7c on NBC, with all episodes streaming on Peacock.
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