Another powerful week from One Chicago. Here's my recap and review.
Chicago Med "Horseshoes and Hand Grenades"
Talk about an emotional wringer for Manstead fans. After the chaotic shooting, Will is seen overthinking the entire event while Owen, Natalie's son, is in surgery. Dean delivers the devastating news: Owen has a horseshoe kidney and needs an immediate transplant.
When Natalie arrives, she does what she does best: provide the most aggressive and best possible treatment for her son by offering him one of her own kidneys, despite being 20 weeks pregnant. This decision throws Will and Natalie's rekindled relationship into an immediate, high-stakes emotional crisis, for entirely understandable reasons.
Subplots and Surprises
Meanwhile, the rest of the staff handle their own chaotic cases, while Charles and Ripley take on a patient who is completely lost, with no memory of who he is or where he has been. After careful investigation, they determined he is a missing Air Force soldier. Charles, in his typical fashion, works to help the patient regain his memory.
Frost and Lenox navigate a bizarre legal and medical fight between a set of parents and their unconscious son's boyfriend over the right to pull the plug. The situation escalates when the parents reveal they also want to retrieve their son's sperm, a shocking request that is ultimately left for the courts to decide (a subplot that felt a bit too strange and out there for many viewers).
A New Kidney and a New Father
In the critical storyline, Natalie faces a complication during surgery, but Dean and Asher manage to tilt her at a careful angle, protecting the baby from distress. Both Natalie and the baby come out fine, and Owen successfully receives a new kidney thanks to his mother's selfless act.
Will and Natalie reconcile, leading to one last huge question: Will asks Natalie if he can formally ask Owen to let Will be his official dad, if the kid agrees. She says yes, offering hope for a stable future for the newly reunited family.
Review: Emotional Pull and Future Hopes
"Horseshoes and Hand Grenades" was a captivating episode that pulled at my emotions and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the many great character moments, like Charles and Ripley caring for the lost soldier, and the small moment where we see Asher peeking into the doctor's lounge, realizing how all her relationships seem to be happening at once.
Despite the oddity of the sperm donation subplot, it was nice to see the good partnership between Lenox and Frost. Most importantly, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE seeing Manstead back in the ED, and I sincerely hope they stick around. Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.
Chicago Fire "In The Blood"
The week's episode hits close to home for Violet when her friend Murphy is seriously injured. Her investigation points to a significant threat: budget cuts. Pascal, enraged, learns that Truck 51 has been benched for the swift and that several Battalion Chiefs will be cut soon. Though his job is safe, he promises to be more involved with 51 than expected.
Violet’s Solution and Severide’s Showdown
When Violet discovers the precise cause of Murphy’s accident, she takes action. Inspired by hearing Herrmann care for a little girl on a call, she proposes a solution: train current firefighters to provide basic medical services on calls (recalling past efforts by Mills and Stella). Chief Robinson likes the innovative idea, but the bad news remains: Murphy’s chances of being fired are only 50/50.
Meanwhile, 51 gets a call about a runaway boat, leading to a spectacular rescue that has Severide and the Squad performing a jaw-dropping "Speed 2: Cruise Control"- style action sequence. Later, Pascal, having witnessed the heroic rescue, tells Severide that he knows Kelly will lead the team while Pascal is away.
Stella and the Louie Effect
Stella is struggling to connect with Isiah in the way she connects with Severide. Seeing his old shoes gives her an opening, and she takes him shoe shopping, which doesn't go well. However, when Isiah visits the firehouse and is shown around, Stella gains some confidence.
Just as they connect, Isiah tells her he wants to see his mom a week earlier than expected. While Stella scrambles to make it happen, a tragic twist comes: they learn that his mother had to undergo brain surgery due to dangerous fluid build-up.
Review: High Action and High Stakes
"In The Blood" was a strong episode from beginning to end, featuring great moments of Stella trying to connect with Isiah and become a trusted figure in his life. I'm anxious about his mother's sudden setback; I would hate to see this mentorship go poorly and end up repeating the heartbreaking experience of the Louie storyline.
Violet's plot about finding an innovative, proactive way to help paramedics facing cutbacks was fantastic. It made Murphy a compelling new figure, reminding me a bit of the early days of Chili (remember her back in Season 3?). And of course, the high-action boat rescue was the clear highlight of the episode.
The writing was sharp and the performances were excellent, especially the emotional beats for Stella. Overall, I give this episode an 8.8/10.
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Chicago P.D. "Canaryville"
The murder of a teenager in their own neighborhood, just a few houses down from Burgess and Ruzek, makes this case deeply personal for Burgess, who is determined to find the killer.
The Intelligence team initially pursues a variety of leads, looking at suspects ranging from the victim's boyfriend to a campaign donor. However, they soon realize they are missing a crucial detail about what happened after the victim was dropped off at home.
The breakthrough comes from an unexpected source: a camera on a nearby electric car reveals that the victim's best friend and the sister of her boyfriend were walking with her just before the murder. The case takes a final, shocking turn when the team discovers the victim's best friend and the boyfriend's father, who turns out to be a police officer, were actively destroying evidence. That wasn't a good idea, sir.
The Personal Connection and a Risky Move
"Canaryville" was another terrific showcase of Marina Squerciati's talent, as her character passionately throws herself into the case. Burgess feels a strong connection to the victim, who reminds her of Makayla ("Mac"). This emotional link prompts her to consider that a change in neighborhood and school might be beneficial for Mac's future. The episode also reveals that Burgess has received a letter from an academy for Mac to attend.
In a desperate, high-stakes move, Burgess goes undercover after being drugged at a party. She successfully draws out a confession from the suspect just as the suspect is about to assault her.
All in all, this was a well-written, intense, and exceptionally well-performed episode that focused squarely on Burgess’s emotional turmoil and dedication to justice. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.
What did you think of this week's episodes of One Chicago? What did you like or not like? What were your favorite moments? Leave a comment below.
You can catch One Chicago Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.
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