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Chicago Fire Review – Something a Little Different (9×05)

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When it comes to long-running shows, there comes a point where the show sticks to its format and goes through the motions of each episode until the finale. Most of the time, it works, and viewers come in week after week to watch their favorite characters.

And sometimes, the showrunners will completely shake up the format of an episode to tell a deeper story for the week, and that’s when some of a series best episodes can come from. That is what happened on tonight’s episode of Chicago Fire.

Rather than spend the hour juggling three or four different storylines, tonight was a focus on two of Firehouse 51’s secondary characters: Joe Cruz and Christopher Herrmann, and it only took place inside one location for two-thirds of the episode. The scenes were longer, structured in a way that the show has never taken before, and we get insight on two characters that have been with the show from the very beginning. Whether this was a planned episode, or adjusted for the sake of filming during a pandemic, it worked.

The episode hits the ground running: Herrmann walking around the firehouse having a good morning, while Cruz seems a little out of it, clearly with something on his mind. The team is called to a storage unit fire, and Herrmann says that while eating Chinese food with his family the night before, his fortune cookie said that today would be his lucky day (hence the episode title!) The 10-story storage unit has a fire on one of its upper floors, so the team readies themselves to climb a lot of stairs. However, Herrmann sees an opportunity to bypass the stairs and use a freight elevator instead, going up with contractor Trevor, and employee of the unit Holly. At the last moment, Herrmann brings Cruz on the elevator. As the elevator begins its way up, a cable burned by the fire collapses, crashing the elevator, and trapping the four inside the elevator.

What ensues is an episode of survival. Trevor’s leg is broken when some canisters of solvent falls on him, and Cruz and Herrmann help make a splint to keep him steady. With communications to the rest of the team gone, Cruz and Herrmann have to rely on their wits and quick thinking to help them survive this ordeal.

As the episode progresses, each character has a moment of reflection and awareness that helps them. It is revealed that the reason that Cruz was a little out of it at the beginning of the episode is because his wife, Chloe, is pregnant, and Cruz is trying to keep it secret. Herrmann tells the story of how when his wife was pregnant with their first child, she slipped on some ice and fell and hurt her stomach. Herrmann believed that the child was gone, but was perfectly fine. Trevor talked about how he and his high school girlfriend had a kid young, and how they were great parents even though they grew apart, until his son grew up and married a woman who drove a wedge into their relationship. While Holly doesn’t have any kids, she talks about how she never wanted to work at a storage unit facility, and that she’s been trying to be in the restaurant industry for years.

The situation worsens when another elevator cable snaps, leaving Cruz figuring out that if another one goes, the whole elevator will go down. Reflecting how his late friend, Otis knew his way around a circuit board, Cruz opens up the panel on the wall, but Holly is frantic and grabs the wires, short-circuiting the elevator, and knocking her out.

Herrmann suggests that they need to lighten the load of the elevator, because if they keep up the weight, they will fall and die. He comes up with the idea of emptying the solvent tanks through the bottom of the elevator, since they weigh a ton. This works effortlessly, and the pressure of being too heavy lightens up.

While it looks like they have to play the waiting game at this point, they get a small signal from their communications, and they hear that Mouch is down in the fire that the rest of the team is fighting, sending instant feelings of nervousness through Cruz and Herrmann, knowing that they can’t help their friend who might be dead. Cruz climbs onto of the cannisters and starts pounding on the ceiling panels of the elevator to knock the cables to the side so that they can escape.

As Herrmann’s fortune cookie would say, things got very lucky for our favorite firefighters. Cruz manages to knock the cables aside, they hear through their communications that Mouch is alive, and they can safely climb on top of the elevator, which is starting to fill up with smoke. As they lift Holly and Trevor out, Herrmann gets through to Boden, who sends the rest of the squad to safely get them out of the building!

Outside, Trevor asks Holly out to lunch before being put in the ambulance to take care of his broken leg. Goes to show that tragedy and adrenaline can really spice up a friendship into maybe something more. Herrmann promises Cruz that he will be quiet about Chloe’s pregnancy, and rushes over to Mouch to give his longtime friend a big hug.

As I said before, this episode was one of the best that Fire has had in years. The writing was superb and the direction and editing of the episode made it the most ambitious episode of the series so far. However, this episode would not have been possible without the spectacular and heartfelt performances from David Eigenberg as Herrmann and Joe Minoso as Cruz. These two carried the episode with emotion, humor, and dedication to the roles that they have been playing for nine years, and told the stories of the trials and tribulations that it takes to be a firefighter, a parent, and a human being. It was a fantastic episode, and I hope that the show, as well as the other Chicago shows, take a page out of this book, and format an episode like this, focused on one or two people in a tough situation. It helps keep all of the storylines in check, so that there isn’t a constant back and forth from remembering which storyline is which, and how it impacts the others.

But for tonight, bravo David Eigenberg and Joe Minoso, for their brilliant work on tonight’s episode, and I look forward to seeing how the rest of the season progresses.

What were your thoughts on tonight’s groundbreaking episode of Chicago Fire? Leave a comment below!

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    Bill Wetherbee is a recent graduate of Wagner College with a degree in Theater! Currently based in New York City, he loves to learn everything about the TV/film industry, watching everything that's trendy, and analyzing his favorite reality shows, Survivor and Big Brother! Twitter/Instagram: bill__wetherbee

    Chicago

    One Chicago Shows Finally Get 2026 Fall Premiere Dates—Here’s When ‘Chicago Fire,’ ‘Chicago P.D.’, and ‘Chicago Med’ Return

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    2026 One Chicago Crossover

    Summer may have just started a few days ago, but NBC is already looking to the fall, specifically, its fall premieres. 

    On Wed, June 24, the network set return dates for its fan-favorite shows, including all of the One Chicago franchises. 

     

    When Will Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med Return for Fall 2026/2027

    One Chicago will stick with its Wednesday night time slots, which is great for fans who have gotten used to the schedule.

    The 2026/2027 Fall TV schedule will see all One Chicago shows returning with new seasons on Oct. 7, 2026.

    Chicago Fire will return for Season 15, Chicago P.D. will kick off Season 14 and Chicago Med will be back for Season 12!

     

    Full NBC Fall 2026/2027 Schedule

    Wednesday, September 9
    7-8:20 P.M. – Football Night In America
    8:20-11:30 P.M. – NFL Kickoff Game (New England at Seattle)

    Sunday, September 13
    7-8:20 P.M. – Football Night In America
    8:20-11:30 P.M. – Sunday Night Football (Dallas at N.Y. Giants)

    Thursday, September 17
    8-10 p.m. – THE TRAITORS: NEW BLOOD

    Monday, September 21
    8-10 p.m. – The Voice
    10-11 p.m. – LINE OF FIRE

    Tuesday, September 22
    8-9 p.m. – The Voice
    9-11 p.m. – America’s Got Talent

    Wednesday, September 23
    8-9 p.m. – The Voice
    9-11 p.m. – America’s Got Talent season finale

    Friday, September 25
    9-11 p.m. – Dateline NBC

    Wednesday, October 7
    8-9 p.m. – Chicago Med
    9-10 p.m. – Chicago Fire
    10-11 p.m. – Chicago P.D.

    Thursday, October 8
    9-10 p.m. – Law & Order: SVU
    10-11 p.m. – Law & Order

    Friday, October 23
    8-8:30 p.m. – Happy’s Place
    8:30-9 p.m. – NEWLYWEDS

    Monday, November 2
    8-8:30 p.m. – St. Denis Medical
    8:30-9 p.m. – The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins

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    Chicago

    One Chicago Delay — ‘Chicago Med,’ ‘Chicago PD’ and ‘Chicago Fire’ Unexpected Time Change Tonight

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    Chicago Med

    Fans of the One Chicago franchise should prepare for a schedule change tonight.

    Episodes of Chicago Med, Chicago PD, and Chicago Fire will air later than usual today, April 1. It’s an unexpected schedule shake-up, with networks getting less than 24 hours to accommodate. 

     

    Why the Delay?

    NBC will broadcast a live speech from former President Donald Trump tonight. The special coverage is expected to preempt the usual primetime schedule, pushing the One Chicago lineup to a later timeslot.

     

    What Time is Chicago Med, Chicago PD and Chicago Fire on Tonight (April 1)?

    The time slots for two shows are shifting to accommodate the speech:

    • Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 16: 8pm – 9pm et (remains as scheduled)
    • Chicago PD Season 13 Episode 16: 9:20pm – 10:20pm et
    • Chicago Fire Season 14 Episode 16: 10:20pm – 11:20pm et

    Fans should check their local listings or NBC’s streaming platform for the most accurate schedule.

     

     
     
     
     
     
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    A post shared by one chicago (@chi.hard)

     

    What This Means for Viewers

    • Tonight’s episodes will not be skipped; they’re simply delayed. If the speech goes over the 20-minute anticipated time, the shows will be delayed even further. If it’s not 20-minutes, they will likely air sooner.
    • To be safe, DVR users may need to adjust recording times.
    • Streaming options via Peacock or NBC apps may also reflect the updated schedule.

     

    What Other Shows Will Be Impacted?

    Survivor on CBS and The Masked Singer on Fox will also be preempted.

     

    Speech Info

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, first announcing the speech, on X writing: “TUNE IN: Tomorrow night at 9PM ET, President Trump will give an Address to the Nation to provide an important update on Iran.”

     

    If you’re planning to catch your usual One Chicago episodes, be aware they may start later than usual due to tonight’s Trump speech coverage.

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    Chicago

    One Chicago Crossover Review – ‘Reckoning’ Brings High-Stakes and Upstead Closure

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    2026 One Chicago Crossover

    One Chicago—Chicago Fire, Chicago Med and Chicago P.D.— just delivered its most ambitious and high-stakes crossover episode.

    What started off as a seemingly random occurrence ended up connecting not only to a major moment in Chicago’s history, but to the leaders of Chicago’s bravest and boldest teams and units. 

    The episode kicked off with Chicago Fire responding to a ghost and rogue aircraft headed right for Chicago. With communication completely cut off from the plane, the FBI was also called in case it was a terrorist event, bringing back former Intelligence detective Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos). 

    Even though Upton always had the authority to take charge of a case, it was nice to see her in such a commanding role, making many of the calls and operating independently, all while revealing that her love and care for her ex-husband, Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer), is what actually brought her back to Chicago in the first place.

    Halstead returned in the episode as well, with their reunion providing some much-needed closure for fans, though honestly, I wish we had seen what transpired after they agreed to head to the bar following their day from hell. There seems to be plenty of love and affection between them, even though it’s evident that Upton bottled up much of those feelings after he ghosted her upon his move to Bolivia. They both deserved better than the way their relationship eventually crumbled, but you can also tell that taking time away from the Windy City really helped put things in perspective for them. It was nice to see them in the same room, working the case, but knowing that they didn’t have to cover for Voight anymore or fall back into old patterns. Where will they go from here? Will we see them coming back once in a while to assist on cases? Clearly, it works well. 

    And man, it felt good to see them standing there with the rest of Intelligence. It felt right. 

    2026 One Chicago Crossover

    CHICAGO P.D. — “Reckoning, Part 3” Episode 1317 — Pictured: (l-r) Jason Beghe as Hank Voight, Benjamin Levy Aguilar as Dante Torres, Jesse Lee Soffer as Jay Halstead, Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey Upton, LaRoyce Hawkins as Officer Kevin Atwater — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

    Still, Upton found herself having to listen to Nathan Conway, the special agent leading the charge for the FBI, who kept hindering the investigation with bad calls and orders, leaving many of Chicago’s responders to push back to move the case along.  

    It immediately became clear that Conway was not someone that any of them could take orders from. He may have been their superior, but his decisions were lacking, at best, putting everyone in even more danger. 

    2026 One Chicago Crossover

    CHICAGO P.D. — “Reckoning, Part 3” Episode 1317 — Pictured: (l-r) John Marshall Jones as Agent Nathan Conway, Jason Beghe as Hank Voight — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

    The Dominion Airlines incident was eventually ruled an accident, with the teams figuring out that the chemical being smuggled in by the drug mule exploded mid-flight due to a change in pressure, immediately killing everyone on board, but it wasn’t a coinicdence that it included a drug smuggler that both Upton and Halstead were tracking, nor was it a coincidence that it happened on the 25th anniversary of the Heart of Chicago Fire. 

    This was part of a much more sinister and complex plot. 

    Time, however, wasn’t on their side, and they were racing against the clock to figure out how everything was connected to pinpoint a motive, a suspect, and an anecdote as the chemical weapon began infecting Dom Pascal’s (Dermot Mulroney) firefighters, who were among the first to enter the aircraft without any knowledge of what dangers they’d come face to face with. 

    It was also an episode where the stakes were at an all-time high. Across Fire, Med and PD, everyone stares death in the face daily as they put their lives at risk for the job, but being exposed to an unknown chemical agent that was able to kill 185 passengers in seconds came with a different kind of danger. 

    2026 One Chicago Crossover

    CHICAGO P.D. — “Reckoning, Part 3” Episode 1317 — Pictured: (l-r) Miranda Rae Mayo as Stella Kidd, Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide, Brandon Larracuente as Sal Vasquez — (Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC)

    Macy Vasquez, Stella Kidd’s newbie firefighter, was fine one minute and gone the next. Nabbing the suspect was a priority, but they were more concerned about figuring out what the chemical composition was so that everyone else in the situation didn’t end up in the morgue as well. 

    Upton, Pascal and Voight took matters into their own hands—and honestly, since the case ended up connecting to them in a personal way, it made sense that they were the ones risking it all anyway. 

    The decision they made came at a high cost, with Pascal even getting arrested by Conway’s agents, in an effort to retrieve tech from the suspect’s house to help his own. 

    And it was a risk worth taking as it helped the doctors at Med save Cruz, his partner, Lizzy, who was exposed after she was splattered with blood from an infected patient, and Violet Mikami. 

    Macy ended up being the only casualty on the team, though the plane’s only survivor died a few hours later, after they were able to safely deliver her baby and give the little girl a fighting chance. 

    The med hour put the focus on Hannah, who, despite Dean Archer’s insistence, put on the PPE and went to deliver the baby of the plane’s sole survivor. 

    Since she’s pregnant with Dean’s baby, his heated reaction to her decision wasn’t surprising, as he was worried about his unborn child and her mother, but at some point, he also needs to be reminded who he’s dealing with. Hannah goes above and beyond to protect those who need her, and no one would be able to stop her. When her health took a turn, she was definitely feeling guilty and hard on herself, but thankfully, the labs all came back great, and neither she nor her baby was exposed, with the elevated heart rate simply a symptom of stress. And who could blame her? The situation was already stressful enough without Dean reminding her of it. 

    Frost and Lizzy’s relationship may have also fizzled out, but he clearly cares about her, and when her life was in danger, he called her estranged siblings so that they could reconnect. As Mitch suggested, this wasn’t the time to do things later because there may not have been a later.  

    Crossovers always come with a slight disadvantage for those who don’t watch all three shows, like me. I’m not someone who follows Chicago Fire, so knowing the dynamics of each relationship or who some of the characters are is sometimes a bit tricky, though I commend the series for doing its best to blend the three shows so seamlessly that you can pick up on context clues, and they almost feel like one unit when moving together during the major crossover events. 

    2026 One Chicago Crossover

    CHICAGO FIRE — “Reckoning, Part 1” Episode 1415 — Pictured: Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide — (Photo by: Peter Gordon/NBC), single, outdoor

    Voight and Pascal’s history bubbled up to the forefront once the PD hour started, as they pieced together that the suspect was also the victim of the Heart of Chicago Fire, which killed his whole family. In fact, Thomas Marr was the child that Voight saved from the burning building, though he didn’t make it out unscathed, with much of his body suffering burns. 

    As they worked the case, Voight was forced to come clean about his role in the fire–he knew there was a meth lab in the apartment complex, but he wanted to work the case a few extra days to land the players, so he asked them to delay a fire inspection for 2 days. 24 hours later, the place went up in flames, though that piece never made it to public records as the cause was deemed inconclusive. 

    Marr wanted to blow the lid on the whole thing, speaking to a reporter with his findings, all while holding the people “responsible” and accountable. As he explained it during the memorial for Cranston, he wanted everyone to feel the pain of burning alive as his parents did. 

    Of course, Voight didn’t carry this case lightly—it was one that deeply affected him all these years, but fighting pain with pain wasn’t going to change the outcome. 

    As he told Halstead, he was a newbie cop at the time and felt invincible, though it didn’t excuse the fact that he destroyed Marr’s entire life and made him endure decades of silent suffering. 

    One Chicago Crossover

    CHICAGO P.D. — “Reckoning, Part 3” Episode 1317 — Pictured: (l-r) Dermot Mulroney as Chief Dom Pascal, Jason Beghe as Hank Voight — (Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC)

    Since Marr was a huge danger, threatening to expose the chemical weapon he built in the heart of the city, he was neutralized, with Upton and Halstead instrumental in helping Voight save everyone at the memorial. 

    Halstead realized Voight was still carrying all that guilt, so he looked deeper into the case and informed him that the apartment fire wasn’t started by the meth lab; it wasn’t Voight’s fault, and his actions likely wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the situation, but Voight couldn’t shake it anyway. Voight may have been doing this for a long time, but he never forgets and is able to own up to his mistakes and missteps—it’s what makes him so good at what he does. 

    Thankfully, instead of more damage, they were able to prevent what could’ve been the worst disaster to ever strike Chicago—with the heroes of Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D. all working side-by-side to protect their city. 

    What did you think of the 2026 One Chicago crossover? Was it one of the best they’ve ever done?

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