One Chicago Fall Finale Recap: Chicago Med "Double Down"/Chicago Fire "Pierce the Vein"/Chicago P.D. "Impulse Control"

The One Chicago fall finale ended on three exciting cliffhangers that will keep us hooked until the new year. Here's my recap and review! 

Chicago Med "Double Down"

Jeremy and Esme return to Med as Jeremy's condition worsens. Archer and Asher embark on a Hail Mary procedure to extend Jeremy's life, hoping to allow him to meet his newborn son. Archer teams up with Dr. Kingston, Jeremy's cancer doctor, for the intricate surgery, and the two quickly develop a rapport. The question lingers: Could Archer and Kingston become something more in the future? Meanwhile, Asher, who has been struggling with pregnancy insomnia, supports Esme throughout the grueling case. Could her nightmares be foreshadowing something?

Dr. Charles and Frost team up on a case involving a young gymnast enrolled in Dr. Rabari's drug trial. Charles and Frost become alarmed when Rabari is seen injecting something into the girl's IV and demanding a test be run when all others come back standard. It turns out the patient was suffering from vitamin A toxicity caused by the use of cosmetic products containing glitter, not the drug trial itself.

As for Frost, who is quickly developing a bromance with Ripley, his love life is confusing; he fails to get Novak's number, suggesting he may need more time. Simultaneously, Naomi confesses her feelings to him, and Kacy throws her hat in the ring (if he's open to a full love square).

After her day is jolted by saving a patient from a broken-hearted defibrillator, Lenox spots Devin in the ED with suspicious injuries. She gets Ripley to treat him and tries to figure out why he's there. Things get deeply suspicious when she tries to call Faye, only to realize Faye's phone is with Devin. This prompts Lenox to rush to Faye's house, where she finally finds her in the basement. Just as the electricity goes out in the ED, Devin escapes and returns to his place, where he knocks Lenox out.

"Double Down" had all the ingredients to be a memorable fall finale, complete with a thrilling cliffhanger. I genuinely enjoyed the episode, from Charles and Frost's collaborative case to the high-stakes Jeremy procedure.

However, the central plot point involving Lenox and Devin felt visible from miles away, especially after that final, tense moment between them at the end of episode four. The plot device, while effective in creating suspense, felt predictable when it finally unfolded. Perhaps spacing the episodes out better would have had a bigger impact; last season's fall finale had a much greater shock value. Despite this, the episode delivered on excitement and character development. Overall, I give this episode a 7.5/10.

What did you think of the Chicago Med fall finale? Like it? Hate it? How will Lenox escape Devin, and do you think Archer and Dr. Kingston will pursue a relationship next year? Leave a comment.

Chicago Fire "Pierce the Vein"

When 51 is called to a school fire, they rescue only the janitor. However, Severide spots a young kid outside the school while they are still on site. Upon further investigation, Severide (the "Fire Whisperer") believes this fire was no accident and suspects arson. He tries to talk to the kid, but the boy's father won't allow it. The kid eventually talks, pointing Severide toward a social media group that harbors resentment toward the school principal, suggesting the members are the suspects. More on this later.

Vasquez joins Violet on her shift and gets a call about a patient who fell in the bathroom. The patient suffered a severe head injury and was bleeding out, but her body was blocking the door. Vasquez expertly uses his tools to open the door from the opposite side, successfully helping the patient get safely to Med. The intensity of the shift isn't the only challenge: by the end of their shift, Vasquez's father, who has just been released from jail, shows up for his car. Uh oh!

Novak is enjoying her day off, ready to watch Bosch, when she receives a call from Med: her sister is in the ER. She rushes there, only to learn her sister accidentally took too much medicine. Novak's mind immediately jumps to a dark place, fearing her sister is repeating their mother's struggles. However, that wasn't the case. After dropping her sister off, Novak shares a heartfelt talk with Violet about her family, realizing that despite everything, their history was the "good kind of messy." The sisterly bond is reaffirmed, and Novak ends up visiting her sister, turning the scary night into a plan to finally watch Bosch together.

Pascal tries to get a moment with Annette, but she is tied up dealing with a school strike. Just when the union issue is settled, Annette tells Pascal that they had to make some tough budget decisions, including cutting some firehouse engines. One of the units on the chopping block is Engine 51, Mouch's unit, which he had so many big ideas for. Damn!

The episode ends on a chilling note: Severide and Van Meter are talking with the principal in his apartment. Unbeknownst to them, the arsonist is just below them, setting up his subsequent fire and walking away into the night...

"Pierce the Vein" was a wonderful episode. We saw Violet and Vasquez team up and even form a little bond after a truly challenging call. Vasquez's emotional reaction to seeing his father released heightened the tension in his personal story. Could there be something romantic brewing between Vasquez and Violet down the road?

Severide's investigation always keeps us engaged, but I truly loved Novak's story in this episode. Yes, it was family drama, but the kind that reveals character deeply. Watching Novak and her sister work through their past and come together was such a heartfelt moment that really stayed with me!

And the final cliffhanger, which was better than Med's, leaves us on a razor's edge. I can't wait to see what comes next in the new year. Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.

What did you think of this episode? How will Firehouse 51 survive the potential cutting of Engine 51, and what do you believe the arsonist is targeting next? Leave a comment.

Chicago P.D. "Impulse Control"

When a robbery occurs near Raymond Bell's home, Voight and Imani investigate. They soon find a dead body in the park with wounds chillingly similar to those of Bell's son from a previous episode. This discovery prompts Voight and the Intelligence Unit to dig deeper into Bell's connections, escalating the tension. Imani's emotions surface, particularly regarding Bell's granddaughter, who ends up in the hospital after falling from a tree.

The investigation leads the team to an old associate who worked for Bell and lost three fingers during the installation of Bell's "wine cellar without wine." However, this doesn't provide enough evidence for an immediate arrest, and the ASA instead puts a tracker on Bell.

Later, Imani receives a call from Bell's granddaughter—whose number she quietly put in Imani's phone while visiting her at the hospital. The call consists only of heavy breathing and strange noises. This prompts Imani to rush to Bell's place. The episode concludes dramatically with Imani arriving, the sound of leaves rustling, and the ominous message: "to be continued."

Also in the episode, Voight receives another photo message that reads, "Resign or else." Voight tasks Trudy with tracking the sender, leading to a shocking reveal: the messages have been sent by Commander Devlin.

"Impulse Control" was an exciting fall finale that kept us on the edge of our seats. The suspense built beautifully as the team delved into Bell's murky connections. The episode highlighted Voight's unwavering determination alongside Imani's brief but intense effort to take control of the situation, working to catch the suspect while keeping the grandchild safe.

The episode leaves massive questions: Will Imani be taken by Bell or by someone else? How will Voight handle the threats coming directly from Commander Devlin? The internal danger makes the external case even more volatile. I can't wait to see what the return in January brings. Overall, I give this episode an 8/10.

What did you think of this episode? What do you think Commander Devlin's true motive is for targeting Voight? And will Imani's solo mission end in disaster? Leave a comment.

You can catch One Chicago returns Wednesday, January 7th at 8/7c on NBC.