Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1403 of ‘Chicago Fire’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
It was not that long ago that a massive storytelling surprise left us deeply wondering what the landscape of the new season of Chicago Fire on NBC was going to look like. Because we came to learn that the city was making ridiculously ugly cuts to the budgets of public services. To the point where 911 calls were going unanswered and where police were prioritizing calls, and those problems were heading to Firehouse 51 as well. Since rolling layoffs and shutdowns were on the horizon. Which in turn prompted the audience to think upon the impact of that and how it would sneak into the stories this season, and well… we are finally getting our answers. Because last night’s episode looked at the fallout of such moves and perhaps a solution. Which ‘In the Blood’ accomplished via the reveal that Mouch and his truck were sidelined and via a unique emergency call.
For one of Chicago’s ambulances was involved in a hideous wreck. One that put two EMTs and an innocent life in the hospital, and it was an incident that just seemed like it should not have happened. Because of the strange nature of it, since EMTs are taught how to handle traffic surprises. That meant it likely happened because of neglect or something else, and that pushed Novak and Violet to investigate. Mainly because one of Violet’s friends, Murphy, was involved, and Violet did not want to see a talented EMT go down for possible neglect, and well, what our intrepid detectives learned was deeply unsettling. In that, Murphy and her partner were working to the bone and suffering from real fatigue, and their need for sleep led to performance issues and eventually… the wreck. A truth that frustrated Violet to no end because it meant, one way or another, there was a chance a great EMT was going to be punished for something that was deeply out of their control.
But a call involving a heart attack victim on an out-of-control boat gave Violet inspiration on how best to solve this problem. For Herrmann quickly administered a little emergency care to a victim of that incident, and well… if Murphy testified to what these budget cuts did to her health, then maybe a fix could come into play. Wherein, furloughed firefighters could stand in as EMTs since they had the training and needed the work. A move the brass was interested in, and it could not have come at a better time. Since Chief Pascal learned from Annette that more cuts were coming, and he was going to be in charge of five houses. A reality that will give Severide a chance to lead 51, and that’s awesome. Oh, and we also learned that Annette has eyes for Pascal. Something the show will likely explore as the season rolls along, since Pascal has a lot to process regarding what comes next for him romantically.
But that aside, that did indeed showcase the fallout of these budget cuts, and they are indeed ugly. Because they’re hurting heroes in a financial and physical sense, and hopefully, the compromise Violet came up with will help. However, while that alone could have carried this tale, it still had more to offer us. Since we learned that Vasquez is eager to clear his father’s name for a crime, he does not believe his dad committed. Plus, we saw Stella learn how to be a mother here. Because she and Isaiah were not on the same page yet, and that frustrated her to no end. But more issues with his mother’s health allowed for her to understand that sometimes a connection in a foster situation can come forth when the child is shown respect and treated with dignity, and she offered that and earned his respect.
All of which made for an amazing episode when all is said and done. Because the primary plot here was a great way to explore the impact of those kinds of budget cuts, and it does make sense that front-line responders would suffer the most, long-term. Because accidents and suffering and issues with people’s health don’t stop because of budget cuts, and these are great people who care and want to help and would indeed push themselves. So, kudos to the show for offering up a unique and thoughtful continuation of that little problem and for setting the stage for more fascinating moments because of it. Since Kelly finally gets a chance to lead a firehouse, and of course… there’s still so much more for us to anticipate as well. Such as Severide’s growth with Isaiah and more on Vasquez’s quest for justice, and it will be interesting to see all of those elements’ progress as this already engaging season moves on. Until next time.
